Cynthia Erivo Will Receive Derek Malcolm Award for Innovation at the London Critics’ Circle Film Awards

Cynthia Erivo will receive the Derek Malcolm Award for Innovation at the 46th London Critics’ Circle Film Awards on Sunday, 1 February 2026. The star of Wicked: For Good will become the third recipient of the annual award, named in memory of the legendary critic Derek Malcolm, who died at 91 in August 2023. Actor and filmmaker Colman Domingo was the inaugural recipient in 2024, while Avatar star Zoe Saldaña was honored earlier this year.

“I am so deeply honored to accept the Derek Malcolm Award for Innovation and to be recognized in this capacity by the London Film Critics’ Circle, a group I greatly admire and one who has championed me throughout my career,” said Erivo. “This has been an incredible year for film, and having the opportunity to bring Elphaba, the embodiment of a trailblazer, to the screen has been one of my greatest privileges.” 

The Emmy, Grammy and Tony Award-winner and 3x Oscar nominated star of Wicked and this year’s Wicked: For Good, is an acclaimed actress, singer, author and producer. She has appeared both on the stage and screen, often embracing complex, challenging roles. From her Broadway debut in The Color Purple to her Oscar-nominated role as Harriet Tubman in Harriet to embodying Elphaba in two Wicked films, Erivo has repeatedly showcased an adept talent for combining poignant drama and emotionally-resonant musical performance. She has been nominated three times at the London Critics’ Circle Film Awards, for her performances in Harriet, Wicked, the neo-noir thriller Bad Times at the El Royale and the indie character study Drift, a film she also executive produced under her Edith’s Daughter banner. 

This year, Erivo released her second studio album, I Forgive You, on 6 June 2025 with Republic Records, earning a Grammy nomination for the single “Be Okay.” In November, she released a New York Times-bestselling book, Simply More: A Book for Anyone Who Has Been Told They’re Too Much. Wicked: For Good, Erivo’s second time playing Elphaba, opened on 21 November 2025. Erivo became the first Black actress to be nominated twice for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globe Awards for the role. 

Erivo has continually pushed boundaries in her work throughout the course of her career and has brought new sensibilities to the stage and screen. In February, she will make her West End return in the one-woman show Dracula, playing 23 characters in the new production. 

Jane Crowther, Chair of the London Film Critics’ Circle said: “We’re so thrilled to give Cynthia this honour in recognition of her innovative work telling stories that illuminate, inspire and challenge audiences. She defies expectations across music, film and the stage.” 

Malcolm was a long-standing member of the Critics’ Circle and served a term as its president. As chief critic for The Guardian and The Evening Standard, he had a huge impact on the film industry and was widely respected as a champion of world cinema. In addition to hosting The Film Club on the BBC and publishing several books, he was honorary president of Fipresci, a former director of the London Film Festival and governor of the British Film Institute.

The winners in all categories will be announced at The May Fair in London on 1 February 2026 during a ceremony hosted by acclaimed critic Mark Kermode.