10 Celebrities Who Started Their Careers on Broadway

      The Broadway-to-Hollywood connection is a subject that often goes unnoticed, yet it remains an intriguing trend that has influenced numerous careers throughout the years. Although it may not garner as much attention as celebrity family ties, it's evident that many of today’s musicians, television actors, and movie stars initially developed their talents on the stages of New York.

      For these performers, achieving the dream of seeing their names in lights on a Broadway marquee is a significant accomplishment they have already achieved. Today, they are seeking greater challenges and, admittedly, larger financial rewards than their modest beginnings on Broadway. However, with numerous revivals taking place, it's common for stars to revisit the roles that first brought them fame, as seen when Viola Davis reprised her Broadway role in Fences before it earned critical acclaim as a film. After all, a bit of star power is always beneficial for ticket sales.

      You can tell these celebrities have reached new heights when their images are everywhere. They're included in a wide array of merchandise, billboards, and forms of entertainment. From dolls and action figures to board games and online slot games like those available on NoDepositRewards.org, which offers exclusive no deposit bonuses and other enticing deals.

      Join us as we highlight the celebrities who owe much of their success to Broadway.

      1. Gaten Matarazzo

      Gaten Matarazzo has become a familiar name due to his portrayal of Dustin in the Netflix series Stranger Things. Although his adventures in the Upside Down brought him widespread fame, Matarazzo was already a seasoned performer before joining the Duffer brothers' show. He started his career in 2011 as a replacement in the jukebox musical Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and soon after portrayed Gavroche, the young revolutionary, in a Broadway production of Les Misérables.

      Matarazzo's passion for theater has remained strong, as he has consistently returned to the stage during filming breaks. He took on the role of Jared Kleinman in the Tony Award-winning musical Dear Evan Hansen and most recently played Tobias in the 2023 Broadway revival of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, performing alongside Josh Groban and Annaleigh Ashford.

      2. Viola Davis

      Long before becoming an EGOT winner, Viola Davis was an aspiring actress establishing her presence in the New York theater scene. She began her journey with an off-Broadway performance in As You Like It before making her Broadway debut in August Wilson’s Seven Guitars in 1996.

      This production was a pivotal moment in Davis’s career, earning her first Tony nomination for Best Featured Actress. After spending several years balancing off-Broadway roles with early film and television appearances, she returned to Broadway in 2001 for the revival of Wilson’s King Hedley II, a performance that won her the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play.

      3. Sarah Jessica Parker

      It may come as a surprise that Sarah Jessica Parker began her journey in theater rather than in the fashion industry. Long before enchanting viewers as Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City, Parker was making her mark on stage. Her first significant achievement came in 1976 with a Broadway revival of The Innocents.

      Her breakthrough quickly followed. In 1977, Parker joined the cast of Annie, initially playing the supporting role of July. Her talent and stage presence became apparent, and by 1979, she had taken on the coveted title role. Spending a full year performing as Little Orphan Annie, Parker demonstrated her ability to command the stage and lead a major production, even at a young age.

      4. Morgan Freeman

      Before Morgan Freeman became one of Hollywood’s most recognizable voices, he was refining his craft on the stage. He made his Broadway debut in the acclaimed all-Black revival of Hello, Dolly!, featuring Pearl Bailey and Cab Calloway. This production introduced him to a national audience and began a long-standing relationship with the theater. Over the years, Freeman gained critical acclaim in the stage world, winning multiple Obie Awards for exceptional performances in Driving Miss Daisy, Coriolanus, and The Gospel at Colonus, as well as Drama Desk and Clarence Derwent Awards for his work in The Mighty Gents.

      5. Jonathan Groff

      Jonathan Groff’s journey to Broadway started much like that of many aspiring performers, balancing auditions with restaurant jobs in hopes of breaking in. His first significant break came in 2005 when he joined the musical In My Life as a swing and understudy, marking his initial professional experience on a Broadway stage.

      His major breakthrough occurred the following year. In 2006, Groff was cast as Melchior Gabor in the rock musical Spring Awakening, a bold coming-of-age production that quickly captured the attention of both audiences and critics. His performance earned him a Tony nomination for Best Actor in a Musical and the Theatre World Award, signaling the arrival of a major new talent.

      From that point on, Groff’s stage