Cynthia Chinasaokwu O. Erivo (born 8 January 1987) is a British actress, singer, and songwriter. She is known for her performance as Celie in the 2015 Broadway revival of The Color Purple, for which she won the 2016 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical as well as the 2017 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. She reprised the role of Celie on Broadway after first performing it in the 2013 Menier Chocolate Factory production in London .