Cynthia Erivo Opens Up About Feeling Like an 'Outsider' Despite 'Wicked' Fame — As She Declares She's 'Never Talked About How Tough It’s Been'

Wicked star Cynthia Erivo has confessed that her newfound level of popularity comes with a sense of unease about her past, RadarOnline.com can reveal.

The actress, who is now nominated for an Academy Award, said she will always share a special connection with her wicked witch counterpart.

Erivo has been on a roll since the blockbuster adaptation of the popular Broadway musical rolled out in November. The first of two parts, Wicked: Part 1 quickly became the highest-grossing movie adaptation of a stage musical in history.

Wicked stars Erivo, 38, as green-skinned protagonist Elphaba Thropp, while Ariana Grande, 31, counters as her enemy-turned-bestie Galinda Upland – later known as Glinda the Good Witch.

Erivo has been living in the spotlight ever since – which has had her asking what is this feeling of acceptance?

The actress was born and raised in south London in 1987 to Nigerian parents. Her mother and father split up when Erivo and her sister, Stephanie, were tiny, and much like Elphaba, her relationship with her father has been shattered.

Erivo's dad disowned both his daughters when she was 16, and she remains estranged from him.

However, Erivo and Elphaba have so much more in common than just the lack of father figures.

Erivo told The Guardian: "I think I was surprised by how connected I felt to Elphaba. Surface, we’re different: I walk into the room, I’m bald-headed, I’ve got no eyebrows, I’ve got nails, I’ve got piercings, I’ve got tattoos, for me that’s my everyday normal but a passerby might think: 'What is happening here?'

"But as you peel away those layers, yes, I understand what it feels like to be set apart from everybody else, and not fit in; yes, I understand what it feels like to be a kid whose father doesn’t care; yes, I understand what it’s like to feel alone when you’re in a room full of people who don’t know where you’re coming from or why you’re so tired, or why you do things your way.

"Me and Elphaba had that same journey, trying to fit, and it doesn’t work. Your only choice is to be who you are."

For Erivo, being who she is means letting others into her life.

She shared: "I’ve never really talked about this before. I’ve never really talked about how tough my journey has been. I think I’m just so grateful, and you take the good with the bad."

Much of that for good has been her gushing friendship with co-star Grande. The co-stars have been candid about the emotional journey they’ve experienced over the past few years working on the film.

They even got a series of matching tattoos while filming the movie, including the words "For Good" written on their palms.

The two shared that when they hold hands, the words – which is also the title of Elphaba and Glinda's emotional duet toward the end of the show – align perfectly.

Both Grande and Erivo also have matching poppy flower tattoos on their hands, which were symbolic in both the original The Wizard of Oz and their new film.

Other Wicked-inspired tats include Grande's illustration of Glinda in L. Frank Baum's original The Wizard of Oz book and Erivo's witch hat and broomstick.

The two have a very strong physical connection, with Erivo opening up about how they are able to communicate with touch.

The Tony Award winner said in a new interview: "I think I'm sort of used to it now. If it's not like connected, I'm like, what's wrong? What's happening? Where are you? You know what I mean?

"We always end up... we walk hand-in-hand very often. Like, if we're not walking hand-in-hand, we'll find each other somewhere."