From Charli D’Amelio to Wendy Williams, these stars made it to Broadway.
People often train their entire lives for a role on Broadway — but sometimes these coveted parts go to someone a little more unexpected. On certain occasions, instead of professionals, celebrities are invited to join the cast of a Broadway show. Despite having little to no experience in singing or live performance, these stars take on highly sought-after roles. While celebrity casting in Broadway shows can be controversial, these entertainers all put in massive amounts of work before hitting the stage.
Read on to find out which celebs made it to Broadway…
1. Charli D’Amelio
It was recently announced that TikTok star Charli D’Amelio would be making her Broadway debut in & Juliet. But instead of taking on a lead role, Charli was cast as Charmian, a member of the ensemble. Although she’s faced some backlash, the spot in the ensemble makes total sense considering Charli has a dance background and the role is dance-heavy.
“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,” Charli wrote on Instagram. “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.”
2. Cameron Dallas
In 2020, social media star Cameron Dallas joined the cast of Mean Girls in the role of Aaron Samuels, temporarily replacing Kyle Selig during his leave of absence. Cameron, who didn’t have much of a musical background, ended up getting scathing reviews for his performance. Looking back at the four weeks he was on stage, Cameron said it was a “great experience” even if people made fun of him.
“I got a little taste of what it’s like to even be out there and at the end of the day, I was really proud of myself for doing it but those people are just so talented,” he said during a KIIS FM interview. “I was getting clowned on it on TikTok, like getting really clowned on it for singing but at the end of the day I still did it. It’s not something that I do but I put myself out there and I did it.”
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3. Wendy Williams
Back in 2013, talk show host Wendy Williams made her Broadway debut as Matron “Mama” Morton in Chicago. In preparation for the seven week stint, Wendy took vocal lessons and went through extensive rehearsals with the cast.
“I was asked to take the role of Matron Mama Morton and of course when you get asked to do something by Broadway you do not say ‘no’ because this is a dream that many people don’t even get the chance to realize,” Wendy told Essence.
4. Will Ferrell
While seeing Will Ferrell on Broadway may have been a little unexpected when he starred in You’re Welcome America in 2009, it was less surprising knowing that he was playing George W. Bush — a role he had previously played on Saturday Night Live. The political performance ran on Broadway for six weeks and ended up breaking the house record at the Cort Theater.
“I’ve always thought if I could think of the right vehicle it would be wonderful to be on Broadway — to come to the theater every night and be in that routine. Also, in the past couple of years, I’d done a few things in front of a live audience that were so much fun it really made me think,” Will told Playbill.
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5. Tiki Barber
Former NFL player Tiki Barber turned to the world of Broadway after retiring from the NFL. While he dabbled in some smaller productions, his first major performance was as Don in Kinky Boots. While reflecting on the experience, he said acting ended up being a lot like football.
“A lot of it is very similar. So much of performing on stage is choreography — the dancing, but also moving the stage around, and moving from place A to place B. On my first day, I was basically given a playbook, like I was back with the Giants. It had all my movements in it, the entire score in it, and all the lines,” he told GQ.
He continued, “I was like, ‘Man, I haven’t had a playbook in 11 years!’ Then they gave me a video that was taken from the mezzanine of the entire show, which was like watching tape in football.”
6. Al Roker
In 2018, Al Roker was asked to take on the role of Old Joe in Waitress. Despite having no Broadway experience, Al agreed to the role at the insistence of his daughter, who loves the performing arts.
“[The Waitress team] reached out to my agent and said they thought I’d make a great Old Joe. After I got off the initial chagrin of somebody thinking I’d be perfect for a character named Old Joe, I was kind of flattered,” he told Billboard.
He continued, “My daughter, who went to LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts, is the one who really wanted me to take the role — ‘Dad, you can do this! It’d be great! You can talk in pitch, it’d be fine!’”
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7. Erika Jayne
Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Erika Jayne may have had some acting and theater credits under her belt but fans were still surprised when it was announced she’d be making her Broadway debut as Roxie in Chicago. She began her run in early 2020 but it ended up being cut short due to COVID shutdowns.
“Growing up in musical theater, going to a performing arts high school — this is definitely something that is always on everyone’s goal list. It’s great to do Erika Jayne shows, but it’s different to step into a production like this and really sink your teeth into a great role and with all of these beautiful people around you,” she shared before the production ended. “I get to really play within this incredibly complex female character. It’s like getting to go back and really explore yourself again.”
8. Sherri Shepherd
Back in 2014, former The View co-host Sherri Shepherd made her Broadway debut in Cinderella as Cinderella’s evil stepmother Madame. She starred alongside Keke Palmer, who was also making her debut — and was the first Black actress to play Cinderella on Broadway.
“When I found out that it was Keke and I was doing it with her, I screamed. I smile too much to be the evil stepmother because I love this girl too much,” she told ABC.
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9. Billy Ray Cyrus
Shortly after Hannah Montana ended, Billy Ray Cyrus made his Broadway debut as Billy Flynn in Chicago. While Billy Ray admitted that it wasn’t exactly what people would expect of him and he felt like a “nervous wreck” going into the show, he said he was excited to get outside of his comfort zone.
“I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s in my wheelhouse. Certainly, I would say I had to push myself,” he told the Toronto Sun. “I’ve always been hungry to learn new things. For me, being on stage, I like that feeling of flying without a net.”
10. Rosie O’Donnell
While Rosie O’Donnell has long been known for her love of Broadway, it was a surprise when she joined the cast of Grease back in 1994, playing Rizzo. After her run, Rosie admitted that she realized being on Broadway wasn’t the career for her. Her passion for Broadway did lead her to later host the Tony Awards and perform in Seussical and Fiddler on the Roof.
“It takes more discipline than I have to perform a show eight times a week without changing a line,” she told Playbill. “I need the freedom to edit myself, or I get really bored. I’m in awe of actors with the strength to give 100 percent at every performance.”
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11. Pamela Anderson
Pamela Anderson had been asked to take on the role of Roxy in Chicago on more than one occasion before she accepted the part in 2022. When she was first asked, Pamela didn’t want to leave her young children but when she was asked more than a decade later, she decided it was finally time.
“I just threw myself into rehearsals. And it was six, seven, maybe eight hours a day. I was doing four hours of dance, one hour voice, two hours of acting … Then I came to New York and got thrown right into it with David Bushman and the director. I’m just like, ‘I’m doing this, I’m doing this!’” she told CNN.
She continued, “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?’”
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