While you probs know Cynthia Erivo for her latest huge role as Elphaba in Wicked, the Brit has been giving her American accent a workout for a while now. Cynthia broke through to Hollywood with her skills on Broadway (like when she starred in the Color Purple revival as Celie) and on-screen (Darlene Sweet in Bad Times at the El Royale, anyone?). The trained theatre expert became a pseudo-household name after her performance in Harriet got some Oscar buzz. We don’t know a ton about her dating life, but it’s been rumored that she’s together with Lena Waite.

Lena is a writer, comedian, and show-runner, who started to make waves after appearing as Aziz Ansari’s best friend on his popular Netflix show, Master of None. She created her own hit show, The Chi, in 2018 and directed the splashy indie flick Queen & Silm. So how did the two talents come together and are they actually dating? Here’s a look at Cynthia Erivo and Lena Waithe’s relationship timeline.

Cynthia Erivo And Lena Waithe’s Relationship Timeline

How did Cynthia Erivo and Lena Waithe meet?

According to a red-carpet interview with Variety, Lena Waithe originally met Cynthia Erivo at the 2018 Met Gala, “where all the cool kids meet.” Lena became acquainted with Cynthia after she had already seen Cynthia Erivo’s career take off from Broadway (where Lena watched Cynthia perform multiple times) to interviews with Oprah, which Lena found very impressive. Cynthia documented the moment the two entertainers connected that night at The Met on Instagram.

When did Lena Waithe break up with her wife Alana Mayo?

lena waithe alana mayo

Lena Waithe and her ex-wife Alana Mayo announced their separation in January 2020. Lena had previously shared during a November 2019 appearance on The Ellen Degeneres Show that she and her then-longtime girlfriend had quietly eloped earlier that year at the San Francisco City Hall Courthouse, a memorable location in gay rights history to honor Harvey Milk. Lena had proposed to Alana in Tokyo on Thanksgiving back in 2017, with luxury sneakers instead of a ring. The pair filed for divorce in November 2020 (one year after announcing their marriage to the world) and were officially legally split by May 2021.

What are the cheating rumors about Lena Waithe and Cynthia Erivo?

Unconfirmed sources told gossip blog Bossip that after meeting in 2018, Cynthia and Lena began a relationship before Lena’s separation from Alana Mayo. The allegations also claim that Lena Waithe and Alana Mayo’s relationship had existing infidelity problems before and during their marriage. The rumors continued to get attention as Cynthia and Lena were spotted hanging out at many events together as early as 2020 though it is not confirmed they went together as romantic dates.

Are Cynthia and Lena still together?

Cynthia and Lena are currently in a relationship, according to many sources like E! News, People, and Rolling Out. The duo was seen holding hands at a ballet event in New York as captured by Page Six in June 2022. Cynthia nor Lena has ever publicly acknowledged if they are in a relationship, though Cynthia did post a sentimental birthday tribute for Lena on Instagram around the same time as the Alvin Ailey spotting during the summer of 2022. Lena Waithe recently attended the 2024 Wicked premiere in Los Angeles and has reposted videos and photos in support of the movie, calling it a production that “[fired] on all cylinders.”