{"id":4047,"date":"2019-10-29T14:29:26","date_gmt":"2019-10-29T18:29:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/reelfaith\/?p=4047"},"modified":"2019-10-29T14:29:48","modified_gmt":"2019-10-29T18:29:48","slug":"harriet-star-cynthia-erivo-connects-with-tubmans-faith-courage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/reelfaith\/2019\/10\/harriet-star-cynthia-erivo-connects-with-tubmans-faith-courage.html","title":{"rendered":"‘Harriet’ Star Cynthia Erivo Connects with Tubman\u2019s Faith, Courage"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

For \u201cHarriet\u201d star Cynthia Erivo, playing the iconic historical abolitionist and Christian believer carried special spiritual significance. The actress, who recently appeared in \u201cBad Times at the El Royale\u201d and \u201cWidows,\u201d said that, as a woman of faith herself, she was inspired by Tubman\u2019s boldness in prayer and actions.<\/p>\n

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Cynthia Erivo stars as Harriet Tubman in \u201cHarriet.\u201d Image courtesy of Focus Features.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cWhat was wonderful about playing Harriet and diving into that part of her is that it gave me access to my own faith,\u201d she said. \u201cIt made me braver in my prayers. It made me want to pray, and not be afraid to do it out loud if I needed to. That\u2019s the thing that was really wonderful.\u201d<\/p>\n

Because of her courage and divine calling, Tubman was able to change the course of history. Erivo hopes that \u201cHarriet\u201d will inspire audiences to realize they also hold the power to make a difference.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope that this film will let people know and teach people that if they feel they\u2019re unimportant that they hold the power to change the world and change the things in this world,\u201d she said. \u201cHarriet managed to save lives consistently with her wits and determination. I don\u2019t think we have any excuses, and this shows us how we could move to keep people in freedom. We all have the potential to change the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition to acting, Erivo is a Tony, Emmy, and Grammy Award-winning singer, who first gained attention with her appearance in the Broadway and West End productions of \u201cThe Color Purple.\u201d In \u201cHarriet,\u201d she gives voice to Tubman\u2019s songs that served to warn the slaves when it was safe to come out or not.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s lovely about that aspect of her was getting the chance to find another voice different than my own, to use the quality of voice she had in order to communicate,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Erivo also collaborated on and perform the film\u2019s closing credits song, \u201cStand Up.\u201d \u00a0She said the opportunity to contribute the song to the soundtrack \u201cwas a gift that I gave to myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Moving from a classic American hero to a more modern one, Erivo was recently announced to appear as Aretha Franklin in a new season of National Geographic\u2019s \u201cGenius\u201d series.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have started some preparations and pre-production,\u201d she said. \u201cI feel like she as one of my teachers, to be honest. I sing her songs a lot in my own concerts. I do her music consistently. When we lost her, I cried my eyes out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHarriet\u201d releases from Focus Features on November 1.<\/p>\n

DEWAYNE HAMBY is a communications specialist and longtime journalist covering faith-based music, entertainment, books, and the retail industry. He is the author of the book \u201cGratitude Adjustment.\u201d Connect with him on Facebook<\/a>, Twitter<\/a>, YouTube<\/a> or InstaGram<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n