Yahoo Lifestyle 22 Surprising Examples Of “Stunt Casting” Or “Star Casting” Where Celebs Were On Broadway
There are some pretty famous "theater kids," like Reneé Rapp, Ariana Grande, and Jordan Fisher, who've been on Broadway. However, some celebs who've made their Broadway debuts might surprise you!
Here are 22 surprising celebs who've made their Broadway debuts:
1.TikToker Charli D'Amelio is set to make her Broadway debut as Charmian — an ensemble role that's dance-heavy — in & Juliet on October 29, 2024.
On Instagram, she said, "i’m so incredibly excited to finally share that i’ll be joining the cast of & Juliet on Broadway! this has been my ultimate dream ever since i was a little girl, but it always felt like something i could only admire from a distance, never imagining i’d actually get to be part of it. and now, here i am, starting this amazing new chapter in my life and cherishing every second. i honestly can’t find the right words to describe just how much this means to me. i’m deeply grateful to everyone who has supported me along the way; i wouldn’t be here without all of you. a ginormous thank you to the entire & Juliet team for allowing me to be part of such a special show. thank you from the bottom of my heart.🤍"
2.In 2020, Sabrina Carpenter made her Broadway debut as Cady Heron in Mean Girls: The Musical. Sadly, after only two performances, the show was shut down because of the coronavirus.
In 2021, she told Elvis Duran and the Morning Show, "Everyone was affected, obviously, but, I think what was so hard is I had been rehearsing for just about three months, and I finally got to debut. I did my first two shows, and then we were done."
She also said she'd do "maybe another role" in the future.
3.In 2020, influencer Cameron Dallas debuted as Aaron Samuels in a limited four-week run in Mean Girls: The Musical.
4.In 2014, Keke Palmer was cast as Ella in Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella, making her the first Black actor to play Cinderella on Broadway.
5.Alongside Keke, The View co-host Sherri Shepherd made her debut as Madame in Cinderella.
6.In 2009, Will Ferrell wrote and starred as George W. Bush in You're Welcome America.
The show was nominated for a Tony for Special Theatrical Event.
7.The Today Show co-host Al Roker made his debut as Joe in Waitress in 2018.
He told Playbill, "It's kind of like what we do on The Today Show, in that it's an ensemble. It's a family. And this is me trying something new for the first time, so you don't know what to expect. I guess that's what I'm most looking forward to: finding out what this is going to be like. Because right now, I don't know."
8.In 2015, Bruce Willis debuted as Paul Sheldon in Misery, which is based on the Stephen King novel.
9.Panic! at the Disco frontman Brendan Urie debuted as Charlie Price in Kinky Boots in 2017.
10.Fran Drescher made her debut as Madame in Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella in 2014.
In 2020, she began developing a production based on her iconic sitcom The Nanny. She's co-writing the book with her ex-husband and series co-creator, Peter Marc Jacobson.
11.Alongside Fran, Carly Rae Jepsen debuted as Ella in Cinderella.
In 2022, she told People about how she almost lost one of her glass slippers.
She said, "I look into the distance, and I think, 'Is there a bird in the theater?' And I realize I had kicked the slipper into the audience. It was dress rehearsal, so there's no one actually there. I couldn't stop laughing, but it was that nervous laughter. I said to the director, 'Has anybody ever done that before?' He was like, 'No, and you can't do that!'"
12.Mario Lopez debuted as Zach in A Chorus Line in 2008.
In a statement, he said, "Every actor dreams about appearing on a Broadway stage. I have as well, and have been searching for the right time and opportunity. A Chorus Line is a legendary musical, and I am so honored to have been chosen to join the amazing cast and be a part of the Broadway family."
13.In 2013, Wendy Williams made her Broadway debut as Matron "Mama" Morton in Chicago.
14.In 2010, Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong debuted as St. Jimmy in American Idiot, the musical based on his band's concept album.
He also wrote the lyrics and co-wrote the book.
15.Bily Ray Cyrus debuted as Billy Flynn in Chicago in 2012.
16.Rosie O'Donnell made her Broadway debut as Rizzo in the 1994 Grease revival.
She went on to host the Tony Awards twice and perform in Seussical (2000) and Fiddler on the Roof (2004).
17.John Stamos made his Broadway as J. Pierrepont Finch in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying in 1995. Since then, he's gone on to be in several other productions.
Most recently, he played Senator Joseph Cantwell in The Best Man in 2012.
18.Jordin Sparks has been on Broadway twice. In 2008, she debuted as Nina in In The Heights, and in 2016, she starred as Jenna in Waitress.
19.In 2022, Pamela Anderson debuted as Roxie Hart in Chicago.
She was actually first offered the role in 2011, but she didn't want to leave her two sons, whom she raised without a nanny.
She told CNN, "I couldn't even imagine that was something I could do. Especially with young kids. My kids were early teens at that time."
However, playing Roxie helped Pamela discover talents she didn't realize she had.
She said, "It's incredible because I didn't realize – obviously, your voice, it's a muscle, and so every day my voice is getting stronger and stronger to the point where I'm just looking behind me going, who's singing like that?'"
20.Jason Mraz debuted as Dr. Pomatter in Waitress in 2017.
Previously, in 2015, he recorded two of Dr. Pomatter's songs — "Bad Idea" and "You Matter to Me" — for Sara Bareilles's album What's Inside: Songs from Waitress.
21.In 2009, Ashlee Simpson debuted as Roxie Hart in Chicago.
She told Broadway.com, "It feels amazing to be on Broadway. As a child, it was a dream of mine."
22.And finally, former New York Giants running back Tiki Barber debuted as Don in Kinky Boots in 2019.
In a statement, he said, "I was very fortunate to be part of the New York Giants for ten years and feel incredibly lucky to be joining another New York institution: Broadway.”
