Tofu deserves a chance. That’s what Elphaba thinks, anyway. Cynthia Erivo, who plays the misunderstood green witch in the Wicked films, has followed a plant-based diet since she was 25 years old. And alongside smoothies, vegan ramen, eggplant, and potato chips, tofu is one of her go-to foods.
What does Cynthia Erivo eat?
In a summer episode of the food-focused podcast Dish, Erivo told hosts Nick Grimshaw and Angela Hartnett that she stopped eating meat after realizing she just felt better on a plant-based diet.
“When I was vegan, my body was really happy,” she explained. “When I wasn’t, it was very sluggish and couldn’t really function.”
That was 13 years ago, and a lot has changed in the plant-based food industry since then. Today, there are meaty plant-based burgers, nuggets, and sausages, vegan fish alternatives, and dairy-free cheese and milk. Erivo praised this progress, calling the new wave of innovative products “fun.”
But when it comes to her favorite food, you can’t beat tofu. The actor and singer told the hosts she regularly orders agedashi tofu at The Aubrey, a Japanese restaurant in London. The dish features potato starch-coated tofu that’s deep-fried and served with soy sauce. “It’s really warming,” Erivo said. “It’s kinda like comfort food.”
Canva
Erivo also enjoys cooking tofu herself, when she finds time in her busy schedule, that is. “If I can do an herb-rubbed tofu, like hard tofu so it ends up being almost like a steak,” she said, “I’ll do it with jasmine rice or something.”
Much like Erivo’s character Elphaba, tofu hasn’t always had the best reputation, and it’s undeserved. The soy-based protein is versatile, nutritious, and incredibly easy to cook. If you need more proof, check out some of our favorite tofu recipes here.
Alongside tofu, Erivo told Grimshaw and Hartnett that she loves tempura mushrooms, fruit, nuts, smoothies, vegan ramen, and “anything to do with aubergine,” aka eggplant.
Universal Pictures
The vegan stars of ‘Wicked’
Erivo isn’t the only Wicked star who follows a plant-based diet. Ariana Grande, who plays Glinda, is also a vocal vegan.
“I love animals more than I love most people, not kidding,” Grande told The Mirror in 2014. “But I am a firm believer in eating a full plant-based, whole-food diet that can expand your life length and make you an all-around happier person.”
Marissa Bode, who plays Nessarose, Elphaba’s sister, is also vegan. During a talk at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in February 2025, the actor shared that she could no longer enjoy her favorite ButterBurgers from Culver’s since switching to a plant-based diet. In previous interviews, she has mentioned that she often spends time in the kitchen whipping up vegan comfort foods, such as chili and mac and cheese.
Together, the film’s vegan stars showcase the delicious, nutritious variety of a plant-based diet.
For more plant-based stories like this, read:
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Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England's southern coast.
