Cynthia Erivo

Very much so, yeah.

Yeah, I felt really safe in that room.

I felt like John would understand it.

And I also knew that...

In order to really connect with this character, to really help people understand that I knew and understood who this character was, who this person was, that I had to be vulnerable, that I had to share the experience, that I...

felt that this character had been through.

And I felt like this character needed the vulnerability that I can sometimes be afraid of sharing or being.

I'm better at now.

But in that moment, I just thought, if I'm not honest about what I feel or have felt or how this music has made me feel, then I think I'm leaving something on the table that is important to me.

Yeah.

Yeah, I just felt like people really didn't understand me.

And at the same time, whilst not understanding, didn't really make very much room for me either.

It was sort of once a judgment was made, that judgment stayed.

I think I...

I was lucky enough to have one or two people during that time who really looked out for me, who cared for me.

But it was a tough experience to be there because I really just didn't think I fit.

And lots of strange, interesting microaggressions from people who now are not at the school.

But it was an interesting, tough time.

I think they thought I was unfocused and troublesome.

I think they thought I didn't care about my work.