Cynthia Erivo & Lena Waithe's Best Black Love Moments

Source: Getty / Getty

Since Cynthia Erivo has been in the movie scene she’s racked up several roles in front of the lens. She has played the respected abolitionist Harriet Tubman, and she has played legendary “Queen of Soul” Aretha Franklin. Last winter, she took on the misunderstood “Wicked Witch of the West” named Elphaba in the play-adapted film Wicked. 

The singer-actor accrued great reviews for the characters she has played, so much so that she is one Oscar away from becoming an EGOT winner. But there is another important role she has been playing off-camera. The 38-year-old is the partner of Emmy-winning actor, producer, screenwriter, and creator Lena Waithe whom she’s been dating since 2020. 

Here are some of the cutest moments from the power couple’s relationship timeline that exemplify Black love! 

RELATED CONTENT: Cynthia Erivo Comes Out As Bisexual In British Vogue’s Pride Issue

2018 

Source: Taylor Jewell / Getty

According to Cynthia Erivo’s Instagram account the two met in 2018. She posted a selfie of her and the Queen and Slim creator leaning their heads together while looking at the photo. It was clear that they were at the Met Gala since Erivo was wearing the same fit from that night in the photo. 

She wrote in the caption, “Me and @lenawaithe. I finally found my sis. Lena you are absolutely everything. You are perfection. What a meeting of minds, glad to have you in my life! Stuck like glue !!! SHINE QUEEN SHINE!!”

In 2020, Waithe, 33, gave her account of how she met and even knew of Erivo. Talking to Variety she said, “The first time I met her was at the Met Gala, which is where all the cool kids go to meet each other. I had seen her in The Color Purple twice.”

She added, “I remember seeing her on TV when Oprah talked about doing it and her being on the screen, I’m like ‘Who is this tiny person with a British accent?’ But then when I saw her I was like ‘Oh she’s amazing’ and then obviously watched her career grow. So I was so excited to meet her at the Met. And we did the whole thing like ‘Oh My gosh we got to exchange information.’ And we just been vibing ever since.”

At the time of their first meeting, Waithe was engaged to her former partner and film executive Alana Mayo. The two got married in November 2019 and announced their separation in January 2020. By November 2020, Mayo filed for divorce.

2019–2021

Source: Dominik Bindl / Getty

After their initial meeting, Waithe and Erivo were getting closer. They were often seen together at public events such as the 2019 NAACP Image Awards, the 2019 screening of Erivo’s movie Harriet, and the 2020 31st Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival. Erivo also introduced her at the Variety Creative Impact Awards in 2020 and they were photographed sitting together at the 2021 BET Awards.

Around 2020, rumors began to spread that Waithe and her ex-wife split because Waithe had been unfaithful. Neither Mayo nor Waithe confirmed or denied the rumors. 

RELATED CONTENT: Lena Waithe And Alana Mayo Split Two Months After Announcing Their Marriage As Rumors Of Infidelity Surface

May 2022

Source: Kevin Mazur / VF22 / Getty

In 2022, Erivo seemed to confirm that she and Waithe were seeing each other with a sweet birthday dedication post. She uploaded three solo photos of Waithe and added a caption.

“Today is when we celebrate a woman whose heart is bigger than the body that houses it,” she wrote. “Happy birthday @lenawaithe I ……. You know the rest! 💕💕”

June 2022

Source: Kevin Mazur / Getty

Page Six reported in June 2022 that the long-rumored couple were spotted holding hands. They were out attending the Alvin Ailey Spirit Gala together and a source captured a photo of them from behind. 

July 2022

In an interview Erivo did with British Vogue two months later, she revealed that she was bisexual. “My closest friends have known this of me for a long time. I feel like I knew it when I was around 15 but didn’t know what to call it,” she shared. “I didn’t have the vocabulary for it. I knew I was attracted to both men and women. I was attracted to people. I’d have a crush on this person or that person but didn’t know how to put it in words.”

October 2023

Source: Bruce Glikas / Getty

Waithe and Erivo popped out and took photos together at the Broadway revival of Merrily We Roll Along. They seemed to have similar ideas for their outfits as they both wore all black. Waithe had on a black shirt, pants, and a collarless jacket. Erivo wore a long black dress with a trench coat over it.

June 2024

Source: Eugene Gologursky / Getty

The couple arrived at the Tony Awards together in June 2024. Erivo donned a gold sequin gown and was photographed smiling as Waithe carefully carried her gown in the back. Waithe looked equally sharp in a cream-colored suit with a white shirt underneath.

November 2024

Source: Steve Granitz / Getty

Five months after the Tonys, Waithe was in full support mode of her partner at the Los Angeles premiere of Erivo’s highly anticipated movie Wicked. Although the pair did not walk the red carpet together their connection was still on full display as they both wore lime green colored-coordinated ensembles. Erivo stunned in a dramatic custom-made green vinyl dress by Louis Vuitton. While Waithe wore a lime green trench coat-length jacket and matching slacks finishing the fit with a white button-up shirt and a black tie. 

Source: Gilbert Flores / Getty

The #BlackAF actress was there to support her other half during Erivo’s grand moment. Sharing nine photos of her look in an IG carousel post, Waithe captioned it, “Tonight we defy gravity.”

The caption was a reference to the duet “Defying Gravity” in the movie performed by Erivo and her co-star Ariana Grande.

March 2025

Source: Rich Polk / Getty

Waithe and Erivo were hand in hand at the 2025 Oscars where Erivo was nominated for the Best Actress category for her role in Wicked. The win would have made her an EGOT winner but unfortunately, she did not walk away with the award. Nonetheless, the British-Nigerian actress won the heart of her partner, which was made clear in a special moment of Waithe gushing over Erivo.

In an interview with E Talk at the Oscars she said, “I think Cynthia Erivo is a once-in-a-lifetime talent. We don’t get to see that very often. She’s a part of the legacy of Wizard of Oz and The Wiz. I think of Judy Garland, I think of Diana Ross, I think of Cynthia Erivo.”

RELATED CONTENT: Cynthia Erivo Regrets Her Controversial Blasting Of ‘Offensive’ Fan-Made ‘Wicked’ Poster: ‘I Should Have Called My Friends’