Cynthia Erivo

<p>Our guest is actor Cynthia Erivo, who plays Aretha Franklin in “Genius: Aretha” in National Geographic’s biographical anthology series. Erivo talks about how she landed the role, using her platform to advocate for change and the way scent has helped her find characters. Plus: Reaction to the 2021 Academy Awards from L.A. Times columnists Glenn Whipp and Mary McNamara.</p><p>For more exclusive awards season coverage, visit <a href="http://latimes.com/envelope" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">latimes.com/envelope</a> and sign up for our Envelope newsletter. Guest photo by Terrell Mullin.&nbsp;</p>