Pretty Woman Standout Tommy Bracco on Finding His Confidence to Step Into the Spotlight & More

Tommy Bracco may exert lovable confidence playing a bellop named Giulio in the Braodway hit Pretty Woman, but it wasn't always easy for this native New Yorker to step into the spotlight. "I started out doing acrobatics because where I come from in Staten Island, it's not common for guys to dance and I was very afraid of being different," Bracco said. "I was hesitant to get into dance so I started with acrobatics, that's very manly. After that, it was tap and jazz and then modern. That's how it all happened." Although he went on to attend the well-known Fiorello H. Laguardia High School Of Music & Art and Performing Arts, Bracco still wasn't convinced performing was for him. "I wanted to be an architect in high school," he said. "Then we did City of Angels and my teachers were like, 'You can do this as a career.' When Newsies happened, I realized this is what I'm meant to do. And now I'm here to stay." After a long run as Brooklyn's Spot Conlon in the Disney hit, Bracco is back at the Nederlander Theatre with Pretty Woman and he's not taking a single performance for granted. "After Newsies, there were three years where I was working at LaGuardia," he said. "I didn't know if I would ever make it into another Broadway show ever again. Nothing is guaranteed in this business. I'm extremely grateful to be back at the Nederlander, doing what I love in a show that I love, playing a role that I am obsessed with eight times a week. It's the best thing in the world."

Watch the video below to learn how Bracco overcame his fears and more!

Photo Credits: Photographs by Matthew Murphy | Styling: David Withrow | Grooming: Morgan Mabry | Assistant: Evan Zimmerman & Sydney Goodwin
Video Credits: Directed by Kyle Gaskell | Produced by Paul Wontorek & Caitlin Moynihan | Additional camera: Alexander Goyco | Location: FD Studios