Cynthia Erivo, with an air of confidence, dismissed the notion that her elongated talon nails碍 her in fulfilling her bathroom rituals. During her appearance on the podcast 'Armchair Expert,' alongside Dax Shepard and Monica Padman, where they delved into discussions about 'Wicked,' Shepard, curiosity piqued, inquired of the 37-year-old actress if her lengthy talons posed a challenge when it came to post-bathroom personal hygiene. Hardly had the 49-year-old Shepard completed his question when Erivo, an Oscar nominee, anticipated his query with a knowing smile.
"I knew you would ask that," she chuckled, adding that such a question was not one that intimidated anyone. "My response is, who relies solely on their fingers for such tasks?" she continued, her tone playful yet firm. "We use tissue, don't we? And we wipe efficiently!"
Shepard, determined to clarify, rephrased his inquiry. "Does the tissue meet the tips of your nails, or do you maneuver it..." he hesitated, his sentence trailing off. "The pads of our fingers," Erivo promptly supplied.
"Ah, splendid, splendid, we're making progress here," Shepard exclaimed. "So, at times, do you just feel the minute tickle of your nails against the crevice of your buttocks?"
Erivo shook her head, emphasizing that tissues were her go-to. In a light-hearted aside, Shepard joked about fashioning a mitten from toilet paper if he possessed nails akin to Erivo's. He then gently inquired if she found the question offensive or irritating.
"I am a bit annoyed by it," Erivo admitted, her voice tinged with amusement. "I mean, 'Come on, folks!'" she exclaimed. "But I understand the curiosity. It's just, 'I'm a fully functional adult, and I've never wandered around emitting, you know...'" she concluded, leaving the implication hanging in the air, a testament to her unwavering assurance in her daily routines.
Shepard couldn't help but ponder, given that everyone praised Erivo's remarkable sales prowess, a curious question arose: "How do you manage your personal hygiene with such nails?" To this, Erivo, with a wry smile, replied, "Quite efficiently, I might add," while Padman, aged 37, elaborated that such inquiries likely stemmed from the inquisitors' own inability to perform such tasks gracefully with nails akin to hers. "Let's be real," Erivo continued, her tone lightening, "there are individuals devoid of such nails who might want to reassess their wiping techniques."
Before transitioning to the subsequent topic, Erivo playfully noted that individuals often quiz her about accomplishing daily tasks with her elaborate talons. "My response? 'Well, I'm standing here, aren't I?'" she chuckled. "Fully dressed and ready to go."
Erivo's striking talon nails have been a prominent feature during her promotional tour for "Wicked," alongside Ariana Grande. The duo often sports nail designs that mirror their respective on-screen personas, with Erivo embodying Elphaba's essence and Grande breathing life into Glinda. The highly anticipated musical film "Wicked" premieres on Friday, November 22nd, while its sequel, "Wicked Part Two," is set to release on November 21st, 2025. Jon M. Chu has directed this cinematic marvel, which boasts a stellar cast including Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Ethan Slater, Marissa Bode, Bowen Yang, Bronwyn James, and Keala Settle.
