Chrissy Metz Goes From Tears to Cheers in Her Broadway Debut in & Juliet
After years of dramatic roles, the This Is Us alum is embracing comedy, music and Max Martin hits as Angélique in Broadway's & Juliet
(Photo: Matthew Murphy)
What to Know
- Chrissy Metz makes her Broadway debut in & Juliet, fulfilling a longtime dream of performing on Broadway
- The This Is Us star says the role highlights her comedic and musical talents, offering audiences a new side of her
- Metz praises & Juliet's supportive cast and joyful message, calling herself a longtime fan of the hit musical
This Is Us star Chrissy Metz thought she was going to be on Saturday Night Live. Then, she became the self-proclaimed “girl who cries a lot on TV.” Now making her Broadway debut as Angélique in & Juliet, the musical reworking of Romeo and Juliet, Metz is changing her story, too.
Metz is most known for her work across television and film, but music was always her first love. After she saw entertainer and entrepreneur Kandi Burruss playing Angélique in & Juliet, the gears started turning as to how she could incorporate music into her career. “It's a bucket list dream,” Metz says. “I've always wanted to do Broadway.” & Juliet, fueled with the Max Martin hits of Metz’s childhood, is a full-circle fantasy come true.
Throughout Metz’s rehearsal time, she has received encouragement from the company of & Juliet. “Everybody's been so supportive and encouraging and it feels very communal in the art making, which doesn't always feel that way with TV and film,” she says. “They got your back in a real way. I feel very, very fortunate and it's very helpful that I love the music and I love everyone involved. I'm a true fan of the show.”
And Metz isn’t putting it lightly. She has seen the show 10 times, but it’s the audience reaction that has stuck with her the most. “To see the joy—whether it's a dad crying at 'Shape of My Heart,' or just the joy of 'Roar' and the excitement of seeing someone really come into their own—everybody has a really beautiful story arc that they're changing, they're evolving, and I think it's the joy.”
Joy is something Metz is ready to be associated with. “I think people are like, ‘Oh, she's the girl who cries a lot on TV,’” she says. “And I do, but I think this role in particular is so fun. It's so joyful, but there's so much wit and comedy to it that a lot of people haven't seen that aspect of who I am. I was gunning for SNL. Now, I think enlightening people to the comedic side of me and then marrying it with the dance, with the acting and the show and the music. I'm really excited because I think people are going to see another side of me that they haven't seen.”
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