Cynthia Erivo & Misty Copeland’s Stirring Collaboration: What Happens When Women Stand in Their Power
Every once in a while, a performance delivers magic. A piece that feels less like entertainment and more like recognition. Cynthia Erivo and Misty Copeland’s new interpretation of “No Good Deed,” released ahead of the upcoming Wicked film, is one of those rare moments. The performance included music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, directed by Lauren Finerman, and choreographed by Kyle Abraham. What stays with you isn’t how grand it is, but how genuine it feels. It is a reminder of what happens when women refuse to shrink, even when the world makes shrinking the easier choice.
I felt that deeply.
Wicked has been one of my favorite productions for years. The first time I saw it on Broadway, my daughter was a teenager. I remember walking out of the theater struck not by the artistry, but by the emotional burden beneath it. The pressure to do right, the pain of being misunderstood, and the weight of expectations we quietly carry. Those themes stayed with me long after the curtain fell.
That’s why this collaboration is incredibly impactful. Both Erivo and Copeland built their careers in spaces where women, especially women of color, were seldom invited to lead. Yet here they are, standing in full command of their artistry and rewriting what power looks like. Their performance feels like a meeting point between two women who have pushed past doubt, bias, and limitation without dimming their light.
Erivo’s delivery of “No Good Deed” captures the exhaustion of doing everything “right” and still being questioned. The song is an anthem that speaks to the price of always being the strong one, the type of work that women can relate to so well. It is the mental load that can come from relationships, workplaces, motherhood, and family. Her voice carries the frustration of being blamed for outcomes you never controlled, and the moment you start wondering if your best will ever be enough.
Opposite her, the ballerina, Misty Copeland, is returning to the spotlight in her first major appearance since retiring from the American Ballet Theatre. Having spent my childhood in ballet classes, seeing Misty carry herself through every lift and every low with such elegance felt intimate, as if she was telling a story I knew by heart. Her choreography embodies the internal battles women often fight in silence: stretching yourself thin, holding too much, breaking in private, and rebuilding anyway. There’s a bittersweet beauty in watching a woman who has given so much continue to move with purpose and truth.
Together, Erivo and Copeland create a moment that mirrors the lived experience of so many women: powerful, misunderstood, resilient, and still standing. This collaboration is more than a preview to a film. It is a gentle reminder that even when the world misinterprets your intention, your power is still yours, and you are allowed to take up space.
WICKED: FOR GOOD – IN THEATERS NOVEMBER 21, 2025.
Image: H+M Communications
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