Cynthia Erivo reflects on her difficult relationship with her father and says she has made peace with his absence.
Speak with Harper’s Bazaar in an interview published on Tuesday, October 28, the 38-year-old actress said she doesn’t spend time wondering what life would be like if he were still around.
“I don’t know what my life would be like if he were still here, and I can’t say if it would be better or worse,” she said.
“It’s better not to find out. I never dreamed about that because it’s not going to happen. And with the life I have, I’m so happy in it.”
The interview appears in the November 2025 issue and comes ahead of her upcoming memoir, Just More: A book for anyone who has been told they are too muchscheduled for release on Tuesday, November 18.
In the book, Erivo writes about being raised in London by her mother, Edith, after her father left her and her sister when she was 16. According to the outlet, she said he “disowned” them before walking away.
This is not the first time that the Bad star has addressed the situation.
In 2021, she said the last time she saw him was more than a decade ago, at a cousin’s wedding.
At the time, she talked about channeling her emotions into her music, especially with her song “You’re Not Here.”
“This is me admitting that there are things he missed and I’m sad he missed them,” she said Glossary magazine then.
She added: “There are things he’s going to miss and I’m sad he’s going to miss them.”
Although she once hoped he could be a part of her life, Erivo acknowledged that she has found comfort in accepting the reality of their divorce.
“There’s a part of me that wishes I could have my dad in my life. But there’s also a part of me that actually feels really comfortable because I wrote this knowing that he won’t be a part of my life at all,” she said.
Erivo has been open about sharing personal truths and says she has no problem being “vulnerable” and honest about the more painful parts of her story.
“I don’t know if I could have written something that wasn’t honest,” she noted, explaining that she hopes others find connection in what she shares.
“I want people to know that it’s okay to talk about those things. I want them to find solace and solace in my music. The goal has always been to be honest.”
