Summary
Before she wowed everyone with herincredible Oscar-nominated performance as Elphaba inthe beloved and successful movie adaptation ofWicked, Cynthia Erivo had an impressive movie, TV, and stage career. She played Ambia in an episode of the AppleTV+ anthology seriesRoar, Lisa in two episodes of the comedyBroad City, Harriet Tubman in the 2019 biopicHarriet,and The Blue Fairy in 2022’sPinocchio.
While Erivo has played several fascinating roles, her appearance in aStephen Kingminiseries stands out. Although this miniseries could be considered underrated as it didn’t get as much attention as some of his other projects, it’s worth checking out. Erivo’s performance is one of the best things about it and she deserves just as much praise as she has gotten for her work inWicked.
Who Did Cynthia Erivo Play In The Stephen King Miniseries The Outsider?
Cynthia Erivo played brilliant and compelling private detective Holly Gibney inThe Outsider,the 2020 HBO miniseries adapted from Stephen King’s 2018 novel of the same name.Hollyis also a character in Stephen King’s 2014 bookMr. Mercedes. The miniseries is so great that it makes fans wonder ifKing’s work should only be adapted for TV. Holly works on the case ofTerry Maitland (Jason Bateman), a baseball coach who becomes the prime suspect in young Frankie Peterson’s murder.
Likethe 1990sItminiseries,The Outsideraccomplishes a lot in just ten episodes, andErivo adds several layers to Holly’s character. Holly findspatterns of similar crimesand wonders if there are other potential suspects. Holly alsodiscovers a mysterious creature, which makesThe Outsiderone of King’s best supernatural stories. It’s this combination of a tragic and grounded crime story with the paranormal that makes Erivo’s performance stand out so much. While there have been countless perceptive detectives in the thriller and horror genre, Holly is special.
TV drama/horror/thriller detectives often have a huge ego, butHolly is confident, soft-spoken, and particular. She’s a joy to watch as she interacts with the other characters and continues to figure out clues and puzzle pieces. Vewers genuinely want her to solve the case and, of course, be safe. Unlike some horror and thriller characters, she doesn’t make silly decisions that put her in harm’s way. She’s aware of the high stakes and risks of her job, but she wants to help people so she forges ahead anyway. After watchingbeloved dramas likeTrue Detective, people sometimes grow tired of the classic private investigator trope and want something new. Holly is a fantastic example of how well-written this kind of character can be.
Although otheradaptations of King’s work, likeThe Dark TowerandOz Perkins’sThe Monkeyhave gotten more buzz and hype thanThe Outsider,Holly makes the miniseries worth watching. The series was a hit with critics and has a 91% rating onRotten Tomatoesand an 81% rating on the Popcornmeter, which is fairly high. Anyone looking for a smart story with some great performances should check it out. While it’s sad thatThe Outsiderdidn’t get renewed for a second season, Erivo’s performance is excellent and is reason enough to celebrate these ten episodes.
What Did Cynthia Erivo Say About The Outsider?
Cynthia Erivo talked about playing Holly Gibney inThe Outsiderin several interviews. There arenew Stephen King adaptations being announcedall the time, but Erivo’s strong performance is one reason whyThe Outsideris so underrated and so smart. When speaking toGoldderby.com, she said that Holly is unique and explained:
“I’ve never really met anyone like her. I knew she would be a challenge for me to take on.”
Erivo continued:
“In my head, she’s the Outsider. Not just because she came from somewhere else… she’s just sort of on the edge of it all the time.”
In an interview with “In The Envelope” forBackstage.com,Erivo talked about her acting careerand how she wants to keep learning. She said:
“I’m in a state of newness probably every day. I’m always having to learn, I’m always having to re-center. Because if it was always like I’m walking on a wonderful, even floor, I wouldn’t learn anything. If it feels like I’m slightly walking on a tightrope every time, having to rebalance myself, then that’s where the learning comes.”
Erivo will star inWicked Part Two: For Good, which will be released in 2025. Her other upcoming projects include the moviesChildren of Blood and Bone,Blink Speed,Carrier, andPrima Facie, according to her IMDb page.
