Cynthia Erivo struggled to "fit in" when she was at school

Speaking at a Q+A held by The Movie Buddy, she said: "When I was 20 years old, I was at drama school and I felt very, very odd and I didn't feel like I fit in.

"And on those days when I felt sort of strange and odd and not really fitting in, a little bit sad and upset, a friend of mine used to be like 'Do you want to go to a piano room, and we'll sing?'"

The former Broadway star has been nominated for an Academy Award for her role as Elphaba in 'Wicked' - the adaptation of the hit musical that serves as the unofficial prequel to 'The Wizard of Oz' - and recalled that in that time, she would learn the music before she had even seen the show.

She said: "He would pick the libretto and it was always 'Wicked'. So we would learn the music. And the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts' course is three years. So from 20 to 23, I had learned the music of 'Wicked' and I wouldn't see the show until I was 25."

What's more, Cynthia recalled that the first time she saw the musical - which opened on Broadway in 2003 and in the West End three years later - was on a "solo date" for her birthday.

She said: "I took myself on a solo date for my birthday. It's so Elphaba. It's so meta, it's ridiculous."