Tony Nominee Cristin Milioti on Her Obsession with RuPaul’s Drag Race, Portlandia-Inspired Purchases & More

Broadway stars know what’s hot in entertainment, fashion and pop culture, so Broadway.com decided it was high time to tap in to the after-hours obsessions of our favorite stage actors. Once star Cristin Milioti, who just earned her first Tony nomination for her role in the bittersweet musical, shared her passion for RuPaul, Zac Posen and putting a bird on it, among many others.

TV SHOW: RuPaul's Drag Race, Season 4
“I love everything about this show—the glamour, the intrigue, the glitter, the TALENT, the songs, the fights, the tears, the lip-synching (I'm looking at you, Dita Ritz), the gowns, Latrice Royale, the eyelashes. And best of all (spoiler alert), my favorite, Sharon Needles, was rightfully, thankfully crowned America's Next Drag Superstar!” 

STAGE SHOW (OTHER THAN MY OWN):
“Stage shows current? Because of our schedule, I don't get to see much, but I did just get to see Peter and the Starcatcher and that show is absolute magic. And whenever that Christian Borle fella was onstage, I found myself taking note of everything he did so that I can STEAL IT LATER. But stage shows past? August: Osage County, hands down. When Amy Morton yelled 'I'M RUNNING THINGS NOW!' at the end of Act Two, I nearly died. I definitely let out an audible gasp and clutched at my imaginary pearls.”

SONG OR SINGER: Fiona Apple
“Everything she does blows me away. If you haven't heard her new single 'Every Single Night,' stop reading this article immediately, log onto iTunes as fast as your fingers will let you and BUY IT. I'm seeing her perform on June 24 with my castmate Will Connolly, and I'm so obsessed that I've already painstakingly chosen the outfit I'm going to wear. Also, I'm obsessed with Beyonce, Jeff Buckley, Regina Spektor (one time I recognized her on the street by her hair, which is admittedly creepy), Rihanna, Adele, Eddie Vedder, and Mumford & Sons. I can't choose just one. It would be like trying to decide which kitten to save in a situation where multiple kittens need assistance.” 

ATHLETE:
“I know almost nothing about sports. I was going to say Mia Hamm, because I played soccer growing up and had a poster of her but then I thought, 'God, that's so nineties. Just google someone.' But then I didn't.”

  VACATION SPOT:
“My friend Blake's house in Maine is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. Once or twice a year he has a huge group of people up. One day we all rowed out to an island and ate cucumber sandwiches and then dove off of a cliff into the ocean. It was like a Levi's commercial, except there were no models there, the water was freezing and I had underestimated the challenge of swimming in jeans and a sweatshirt. But I did see a jellyfish. So it was totally worth it.”

APP: Angry Birds
“I just got an iPhone yesterday and it was the first app I bought. Although, I've noticed that I'm easily upset by it because the premise is that those weird green pigs have stolen the eggs of the Angry Birds (formerly known as the Well Adjusted Birds, I imagine) and I feel a really intense need to help them."

RANDOM OBSESSION:
“Like that episode of Portlandia, I'm slightly obsessed with things that have birds on them. I am 90% more likely to buy something if it has a bird on it. But that stems from my larger obsession, which is with pigeons. I've read a book about them and everything. They're the athletes of the bird world. Homing pigeons regularly fly more than 500 miles in a single day at speeds exceeding 60 mph, all the while finding their way home from a place they've never been, WITHOUT STOPPING. I can barely make it up a couple of flights of steps and keep track of my keys. So maybe that also answers the 'Athlete' question. My favorite athlete is the pigeon.”

CELEBRITY:
"Hmm. Probably Beyonce. No wait, RuPaul. Okay, if RuPaul OR Beyonce should ever come see Once, we will need an ambulance on standby because I will black out and collapse upon meeting either of them. If RuPaul and Beyonce were to come together to the same performance, I might not survive the night."

FASHION DESIGNER:
"I love Zac Posen (he dressed me for opening night and a couple of other events). But I also love Elie Saab, Monique Lhullier, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Miu Miu, and Tibi. You know, basic clothing that I can afford and that I don't just read about in the magazines at my chiropractor's office...oh WAIT."

BEAUTY PRODUCT:
"I use a bunch of products from a company called 100% Pure. Their products are all-natural, cruelty-free, and without parabens or sulfates, etc. And the best part is, they sell it at Duane Reade! Rejoice! I'm a stickler about chemicals in beauty products, so most of the stuff I use is made from like, oatmeal, dirt and elf tears."

BOOK:
“Anything by John Irving. I would read his grocery list.”