From reality TV stars to pop icons, Broadway has seen its fair share of celebrity castings! Join us as we explore which stars dazzled under the bright lights and which ones should've stayed in their lane. Did your favorite celeb make it to the Great White Way? Let us know in the comments!
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00:00I'm doing everything all wrong.
00:02Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today, we're counting down our picks for the celebrities who proved themselves on the Broadway stage,
00:09and the ones who were clearly cast for a quick buck, and may not have killed the show, but didn't do it any favors either.
00:16Also, just to clarify when we say stunt casting,
00:19we mean celebs with bigger reputations in other mediums who were clearly cast to draw in their fan bases.
00:24That has audiences doing, well, this.
00:295. Worked
00:33Joe Locke, Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
00:36You probably know this actor as Charlie Spring in Heartstopper or Billy Maximoff-slash-William Kaplan in Agatha all along.
00:43In 2024, he showed off another side of his talent as Tobias Ragg in Sweeney Todd.
00:48I don't need to, I won't ever hide a thing from you.
00:54Critics loved how easily he captured Tobias' youthful innocence, but even more than that, they were blown away by his voice.
01:01He made Sondheim's music sound effortless, like he'd been on stage forever, instead of making his Broadway debut.
01:10So that's a really hard phrase to navigate, even for musical theater-trained actors,
01:16and Joe does such an amazing job of navigating that line, which is very difficult.
01:21Those who know Locke wouldn't have been as surprised, since he grew up performing in amateur productions.
01:26Now he's eyeing up shows like The Last Five Years and Falsettos, and believe us, if that happens, we'll be the first in line for tickets.
01:435. Killed the show
01:45Mel B, Rent.
01:47Producers clearly hoped she'd bring some extra spice to Mimi Marquez when she joined the cast of Rent in 2004.
01:53Unfortunately, the internet has next to nothing to show for her time in the show.
02:04But honestly, her performance fell flat.
02:06Her voice just wasn't strong enough for the role, and it felt like she was so focused on getting everything right,
02:11that she couldn't relax into her performance, which doesn't really work when you're playing a free spirit.
02:33Some even noted that her consistent vocal cracks were hard to ignore,
02:36proving once again that pop and theater are two completely different ballgames.
02:41It didn't stop her from playing Roxy Hart on Broadway in 2016-17,
02:45but let's just say it didn't exactly change how theater fans felt about her.
02:59When it was announced that the Vanderpump Rules star would be stepping into Roxy Hart's heels, it certainly raised a few eyebrows.
03:06Chicago does love to stunt cast, after all.
03:12I don't think I would be considered for a lot of things, so this is a proving ground, and I'm here to prove myself.
03:19However, this time, the verdict was in.
03:22Maddox Slade, excuse the pun, fresh off Dancing with the Stars, we knew she could move.
03:27But turns out she can sing and act, too.
03:30Everywhere life, everywhere joy, everywhere nowadays.
03:40Critics especially praised her comedic timing and how fully she threw herself into the role.
03:45Audiences showed up in droves, so much so that the show broke its record for highest-grossing non-holiday performance week.
03:52Quote,
03:52I just really enjoy being on stage, Maddox said.
03:55And trust us, it shows.
03:57No wonder her run got extended.
03:59I hope to be able to perform on other stages as well one day.
04:04Why don't we just keep doing this one? I mean, this one's really great.
04:11Colleen Ballinger built a massive following on her YouTube character Miranda Sings,
04:15with, as of writing, over 10 million subscribers.
04:18So it's no shock that producers saw those dollar signs light up.
04:21Name up in lights, come take a bite.
04:24We know you've probably seen us online.
04:26Now come watch us shine the glasses and the aprons are on.
04:29It's Ogie and Dawn.
04:30She was cast as Dawn in Waitress,
04:32but what audiences got felt more like Miranda as Dawn,
04:35which, if you know the character, isn't exactly a compliment.
04:38For some, that was just fine.
04:40But for those unfamiliar with her YouTube persona,
04:42the casting was a head-scratcher.
04:45Waitress is another of those shows that's no stranger to stunt casting to keep ticket sales up.
04:49But this was one of those times it just didn't work.
04:51At least it was a short run.
05:07It almost felt like Lea Michele had spent her glee years manifesting this role.
05:19The world's so far, I'm the greatest star.
05:22The road wasn't exactly smooth,
05:24but in 2022, she finally got her shot to prove she was the greatest star.
05:29And, boy, did she deliver.
05:31The reviews were glowing.
05:33Whether it was years of studying Fanny Bryce or just sheer determination,
05:37Michele tapped into the spark that makes the character so iconic.
05:40No more hunger and thirst.
05:45But first, be a person who needs people.
05:52We already knew she could sing, dance, and act.
05:54And she was no stranger to doing just that for eight shows a week.
05:58However, critics also praised the depth she brought,
06:01really digging into Fanny's emotions.
06:04And, of course, her Don't Rain on My Parade brought the house down.
06:08Hey, Mr. On Scene, here I am.
06:22Nick Jonas is best known as one-third of the Jonas Brothers.
06:26But did you know he started on Broadway?
06:28When I was a kid, I did Broadway shows as a kid.
06:30One of the shows I did was QV.
06:32Yes, that is a nine-year-old me as Chippa Teacup in Doing the Beast.
06:34He returned to the stage as Marius in the 25th anniversary cast of Les Miserables.
06:39But honestly, he wasn't quite the right fit for the role.
06:42A heart full of love.
06:48A heart full of song.
06:51I'm doing everything all wrong.
06:54While he's definitely talented,
06:55his pop background didn't mesh with the role's vocal demands.
06:59The character requires an operatic voice with a lot of emotional depth.
07:03And Jonas's pop style just didn't deliver that.
07:06Oh, my friends, my friends.
07:09Don't ask me what your sacrifice was for.
07:18Plus, Marius is full of passion and vulnerability.
07:21And Jonas didn't quite capture that either.
07:23Audiences were unsure if they were still hurting
07:26when he was cast as Jamie in the 2025 revival of The Last Five Years.
07:30But I could never rescue you no matter how I tried.
07:43In 2010, this American Idol winner made her Broadway debut as Nina in In the Heights.
07:48I'm home.
07:53I'm home.
07:55In the Heights on Broadway.
07:56She joined Corbin Bleu, who more than had his head in the game, as Usnavi.
08:00Apparently, Sparks had always wanted to perform on Broadway.
08:03And when the chance came up sooner than she thought,
08:06she worked her socks off to keep up with her more seasoned castmates.
08:09And it paid off.
08:10I feel like all my life I've tried to find the answers.
08:14Working harder, learning Spanish, learning all I can.
08:19Nina's songs share her battles with identity and belonging.
08:22And Sparks' amazing, soulful voice really was a perfect fit.
08:26Her performance felt so real and relatable,
08:29helping Nina's story resonate with the audience.
08:31Shall I tell them why I'm coming back home?
08:36With my eyes on the horizon.
08:40Sparks also joined the Waitress cast in 2019 as Jenna,
08:43with a run that was as sweet as pie.
08:46To bring back the fire in her eyes
08:51that's been gone.
08:53But it used to be mine.
09:04Number 2.
09:05Killed the show.
09:06Rosie O'Donnell, Fiddler on the Roof.
09:09O'Donnell and Fiddler on the Roof were about as mismatched
09:11as the suitors Yenta lines up for Anatevka's young singles.
09:15Huddle! Oh, huddle!
09:16Have I made a match for you?
09:18He's handsome. He's young.
09:20All right, he's 62.
09:21But he's a nice man, a good catch, true?
09:24True.
09:25This wasn't O'Donnell's first Broadway role,
09:27having previously played Rizzo in Grease
09:29and the Cat in the Hat in Seussical.
09:32Did you ever imagine you'd see me on stage?
09:36Now I'm here.
09:37There's no telling what they'd say.
09:39While some praised her for capturing the essence
09:41of a mother and wife in difficult times,
09:44others felt her performance lacked emotional depth,
09:46making it hard to connect with Golda.
09:48She leaned too heavily into her comedic background,
09:51which sometimes worked but blocked the way
09:53to the character's deeper layers.
09:55Plus, her singing wasn't anything to write home about.
09:58Had she asked the audience,
09:59do you love me?
10:00The answer might have been a resounding no.
10:03After 25 years, why talk about love right now?
10:07Before we unveil our top pick,
10:09here are a few honorable mentions.
10:12Wirt, Kiki Palmer, Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella.
10:16She became the first Black actress in the role
10:18and gave a crowning performance.
10:20On the wing of my fancy I can fly anywhere
10:26and the world will open its arms to me.
10:31Wirt, Charli D'Amelio and Juliet.
10:34Proof that when you play your talent to their greatest strengths,
10:36even an ensemble role can make them a star.
10:49Wirt, Raven Simone, Sister Act.
10:52Did you ever doubt she wouldn't be fabulous, baby?
10:55Passion and devotion, real emotion,
11:00what should come first and prove?
11:03Wirt, Darren Criss, Hedvig and the Angry Inch.
11:06The critics loved everything from his vocal prowess
11:09to his deep connection with this complex character.
11:11I'll lay a fine shadow on the linen, polish up the comb.
11:16If you got some sugar for me, sugar daddy, bring it home.
11:21Wirt, Christina Applegate, Sweet Charity.
11:24She was nominated for the Best Actress in a Musical Tony
11:27after playing the title role.
11:29Tonight I landed, pal, right in the heart of jail.
11:33What a setup, holy cow.
11:36I'd never believe it if my friends would see me now.
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11:56Number one, Wirt, Jinx Monsoon, Chicago.
12:00Jinx Monsoon's casting as Mama Morton in Chicago
12:02was a dream come true for fans
12:04and a full circle moment for Jinx herself,
12:07who credits the 2002 movie adaptation
12:09as her career inspiration.
12:10The movie version of Chicago, I saw this and I thought,
12:15the female roles in this show are so perfect
12:19for what I know I can do, but I'm perceived as male.
12:23So how am I going to get to the point
12:25where people are going to start considering me for these roles?
12:28And she absolutely owned the stage.
12:31From her commanding presence to delivering every line
12:33with that trademark wit,
12:35Jinx brought so much confidence to Mama Morton's character.
12:38Her comedic timing was, of course, perfect,
12:41perfecting the balance between tough as nails
12:43and surprisingly vulnerable.
12:44One thing I know and I've always known,
12:50I am my own best friend.
12:56And her voice is just perfect, too.
12:58She gives Mama's songs all the sass and power they demand.
13:02It's no wonder ticket sales soared,
13:04with people willing to stand just to see her.
13:06When you're good to Mama, Mama's good for business.
13:09When you're good to Mama, Mama's good for you.
13:24Number one killed the show.
13:27Boy George, Moulin Rouge.
13:29JoJo was a sparkling diamond as a teen.
13:31Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place.
13:35Come what may.
13:38Come what may.
13:44Sadly, Boy George as Harold Ziedler
13:46was not so spectacular, spectacular.
13:49Fans noted that his performance
13:50lacked the energy and charisma Ziedler needed
13:53to command the stage.
13:54His delivery felt subdued,
13:56missing the over-the-top charm
13:58that makes the character magnetic.
13:59It's about observing and, you know,
14:02and then trying to add who you think you are
14:05as that character into it.
14:06Many also found his vocal chops
14:08underwhelming and lackluster.
14:10At times it felt more like Boy George
14:12playing himself rather than Ziedler.
14:14Given his past legal troubles,
14:16some people weren't thrilled about his casting at all.
14:18Other actors have brought this wild,
14:20chaotic energy to the role,
14:22and Boy George's take felt too low-key.
14:25This part needs a true ringleader,
14:27and he just didn't bring enough to the party.
14:29What celebs have you watched in a show,
14:31and how did they fare?
14:32Let us know in the comments.
14:34But now look!
14:36Roxy!
14:38Rocks!
14:39Chicago!
14:41Do you agree with our picks?
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