Cynthia Erivo is heading to the Dancing With the Stars ballroom, joining the competition series as a guest judge for its upcoming Disney on Broadway Night.
The themed episode is scheduled to air Monday, November 2 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+. Erivo will take a seat on the judging panel alongside Derek Hough, Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli.
Her appearance follows the show’s Wicked episode last season and brings one of Broadway’s prominent alumni back into a stage-centered television spotlight. Erivo’s acclaimed performance as Elphaba in the Wicked films earned her nominations from the Academy Awards, Golden Globes, SAG Awards, BAFTA, Critics’ Choice Awards and NAACP.
Erivo’s Disney and Broadway Connections
Disney on Broadway Night offers a fitting setting for Erivo’s guest-judging assignment. In addition to her stage background, she previously worked with Disney by playing the Blue Fairy in the company’s 2022 live-action remake of Pinocchio.
Erivo is a two-time Grammy, Emmy and Tony Award winner, as well as a three-time Academy Award nominee. Her work has extended across acting, theater and recording, giving her a broad performance background as she evaluates the remaining couples.
Earlier this year, Erivo returned to the West End for Dracula, taking on 23 characters in the one-woman production. She also recently collected her second Grammy Award for “Defying Gravity,” performed with Ariana Grande.
Her previous performance with LCPA was an acclaimed 2019 engagement in the Appel Room, which was recorded for PBS.
The Couples Still in the Competition
The current edition of Dancing With the Stars premiered in September. Eight celebrity-professional pairings are listed among the current contestants heading into Erivo’s guest appearance:
Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov; Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold; Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach; Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson; Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa; Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy; Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas; and Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik.
Erivo’s arrival expands the panel to four judges for Disney on Broadway Night, with her perspective added to those of Hough, Inaba and Tonioli. The assignment also places her on the series after a season in which Wicked itself received a dedicated episode.
ShowBiz Take
Erivo’s selection connects several strands of the night’s theme without requiring the show to reach beyond her own résumé. She is a Broadway alum, has an established Disney credit through Pinocchio and remains closely associated with Wicked through her portrayal of Elphaba and her Grammy-winning recording of “Defying Gravity” with Grande.
That combination makes the guest spot more than a familiar face added to the table. Her experience across theater, film and music aligns directly with an episode built around Disney and Broadway, while her recent one-woman Dracula production underscores the range of performance work she brings to the judging panel.
What Happens Next?
Erivo will make her guest-judging appearance when Dancing With the Stars presents Disney on Broadway Night on Monday, November 2. The episode begins at 8 p.m. ET and will be available through both ABC and Disney+.