Entertainment · Film · 4 hrs ago
Cynthia Erivo Says ‘Prima Facie’ Could Prompt Debate on Consent
Cynthia Erivo discussed her new film, Prima Facie, at the BFI London Film Festival in London.
She plays a lawyer who becomes a rape victim.
Erivo hopes the film will prompt debate about consent and how people respond when someone says no.
She also wants viewers to consider assumptions about how Black women experience pain.
Erivo said the film shows that a rape is a violent act, even when viewers may expect more visible pain.
She praised intimacy coordinators for helping performers work safely during difficult scenes.
Her comments put the film’s focus on consent, as well as the care involved in depicting sexual violence.
The sources do not say what happens next.
Cynthia Erivo hopes her film Prima Facie will prompt discussion about consent and how people receive a “no.”
She discussed the film during a Screen Talk at the 70th BFI London Film Festival.
Erivo plays a lawyer who becomes a rape victim.
She said the film could encourage debate about preconceived notions of how Black women experience pain.
Erivo also praised the film’s intimacy coordinator and co-star Daniel Ings for helping protect performers during difficult scenes.
- Who
- Cynthia Erivo, the star of Prima Facie, spoke about the film.
- What
- Erivo hopes the film will prompt debate about consent and how a lack of consent is received.
- When
- Monday, during the 70th BFI London Film Festival. The article was published on October 12, 2026.
- Where
- The BFI London Film Festival in London.
- Why
- Erivo said consent is complex and that the film can encourage conversation about how people receive “no.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Erivo had previously told THR that working on Prima Facie would make her feel sick and angry.
Erivo discussed Prima Facie and consent during a Screen Talk at the 70th BFI London Film Festival.
- Film
- Prima Facie
- Erivo’s role
- A lawyer who becomes a rape victim
- Festival
- 70th BFI London Film Festival
- Festival end date
- October 18
- Co-star
- Daniel Ings
What people are saying
Consent is sometimes hard for all of us to comprehend.
That it’s a big complex thing that is more to do with the way we receive ‘no’ than the way we see a ‘yes.’
We expect more violence for her to feel the pain. We expect her to be more in pain than we see.










