11 Unexpected Celebrities Who Have Been On 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.” 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. 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,