Cynthia Erivo is opening up in a deeply personal way in her new book, Simply More, offering rare insight into her early life and the experiences that helped shape her.

In an excerpt shared with PEOPLE Magazine, the Wicked: For Good star reflects on her distant and almost non-existent relationship with her father.

Rather than approaching it with bitterness, Erivo uses her story to explore the broader and more complex meaning of parenthood.

“We often assume our parents are meant to be parents simply because we are their children,” she wrote, explaining that she long ago chose to release her father from expectations he was never able to meet.

In her eyes, he “was never meant to be one,” even if he played a part in bringing her into the world.

She goes on to highlight a powerful truth: that before parents are parents, they are human beings individuals with their own histories, struggles, and limitations. It’s a reality many children only come to understand later in life.

With compassion and clarity, Erivo acknowledges that not every person who gives life is meant to guide it. “Maybe some of these humans are only meant to bring children into the world, not necessarily raise them,” she wrote, offering a deeply empathetic lens on childhood and healing.

In closing, she reflects on how her journey might have been different had her father been present, admitting, “The truth is, if my dad were to have raised me, I’d have no idea where I would be today.”

Her message stands as a reminder that family is complicated, healing is possible, and sometimes acceptance comes from understanding the humanity of those who shaped us.