Sutton Foster | |
|---|---|
 Foster in 2022 | |
| Born | Sutton Lenore Foster (1975-03-18)March 18, 1975 (age 50) Statesboro, Georgia, U.S. |
| Education | Carnegie Mellon University (attended) |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1989–present |
| Spouses | |
| Partner | Hugh Jackman (2025–present) |
| Children | 1 |
| Relatives | Hunter Foster (brother) Jennifer Cody (sister-in-law) |
| Website | suttonfoster |
Sutton Lenore Foster (born March 18, 1975) is an American actress, singer, and dancer. She is known for her work on theBroadway stage, for which she has been nominated for theTony Award for Best Actress in a Musical seven times, winning it in 2002 for her role as Millie Dillmount inThoroughly Modern Millie, and in 2011 for her performance as Reno Sweeney inAnything Goes, a role which she reprised in 2021 for aLondon production, scoring a nomination for theLaurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical. Her other Broadway credits includeGrease,Little Women,The Drowsy Chaperone,Young Frankenstein,Shrek the Musical,Violet,The Music Man,Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, andOnce Upon a Mattress. On television, Foster played the lead role in the short-livedABC Family comedy-dramaBunheads from 2012 to 2013. From 2015 to 2021, she starred in theTV Land comedy-dramaYounger.
Foster was born on March 18, 1975[1][2] inStatesboro, Georgia,[3] and raised inTroy, Michigan.[4] At age 15, she was a contestant on the reality competition showStar Search[4][5] and also auditioned for the cast ofThe Mickey Mouse Club. She leftTroy High School before graduating (she received her diploma via correspondence courses) to join the national tour ofThe Will Rogers Follies directed byTommy Tune.[4][6][7]
Foster then attendedCarnegie Mellon University for one year,[7][8] but left to pursue a theatrical career full-time. In May 2012, she received an honorary doctorate fromBall State University, "in recognition of her outstanding career in theater, television and music and for her contributions to the educational experience and professional growth of Ball State students."[9] In May 2019, she also received an honorary doctorate fromBoston Conservatory at Berklee, which introduced a merit scholarship in her name to be awarded to one student every four years. Her older brother,Hunter Foster, is also an actor.[4][7]
After touring in the role ofSandy Dumbrowski in the musicalGrease throughout 1995, Foster transferred to the Broadway production in 1996.[10][11] She left to appear in theensemble of the Broadway musicalThe Scarlet Pimpernel in 1997, and after that closed[12] she returned as the Star to Be in the revival ofAnnie. In 1998, Foster appeared inWhat the World Needs Now at theOld Globe Theatre, before she began touring withLes Misérables asEponine Thenardier. She then understudied the same role on Broadway in 2000.[13]
Foster leftLes Misérables to join the ensemble ofThoroughly Modern Millie in its pre-Broadway run at theLa Jolla Playhouse. Original leading ladyKristin Chenoweth landed a television series shortly after rehearsals began and was replaced withErin Dilly as Millie and Foster as her understudy. After apparent clashes between the creative team, a "mutual" decision was made for Dilly to leave the production. With only nine days remaining before the first preview, Foster took over the role of Millie Dilmount.[14][15] During a hiatus (beforeMillie was set to open on Broadway), Foster appeared inDorian atGoodspeed Musicals,The Three Musketeers at theAmerican Musical Theatre of San Jose, andSouth Pacific at thePittsburgh Civic Light Opera.[citation needed]
Thoroughly Modern Millie finally opened on Broadway at theMarquis Theatre in 2002, to positive reviews.The New York Daily News reviewer said: "newcomer Sutton Foster, who has the pert look, the silver voice and the dazzling legwork to make an extraordinarily winning Millie."[16]Clive Barnes, reviewing for theNew York Post wrote "Newcomer Sutton Foster's own star turn as Millie is perfectly charming, but as a star she doesn't twinkle, glitter or light up Broadway like a Christmas tree defying a July noon. But she has a good voice and is cutely agreeable."[17] TheNewsday reviewer wrote: "She has a smile that may remind you ofMary Tyler Moore, the gawky comic precision of the youngCarol Burnett, the lyricism of a romantic heroine and a smallish but vibrant voice as accurate as it is expressive. As [Millie], another of New York's prototypical small-town girls with big-city dreams, [Sutton Foster] appears unfazed by the burden of a character created onscreen byJulie Andrews. The newcomer takes the big stage with an uninhibited what-the-heck comfort level and the discipline to go with her instincts."[18]Time Magazine wrote: "she's [Sutton Foster] got the full package: girlish gawkiness and Broadway brass, the legs and the lungs. Foster is a big reason the show is just about the cutest thing to hit Broadway since Annie's dimples, with perkily retro songs by Jeanine Tesori and clever staging by directorMichael Mayer..."[19] Foster went on to win the 2002Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical,[20] theDrama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical,[21] and theOuter Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical for her performance.[22][23] During the run, Foster appeared in concert versions ofChess andFunny Girl, before leaving in 2004.
Upon leaving, Foster did a concert version ofSnoopy! The Musical and returned to thePittsburgh Civic Light Opera for a production ofMe and My Girl to wrap up the year. In May 2005, Foster co-starred as Jo March oppositeMaureen McGovern as Marmee in themusical adaptation ofLouisa May Alcott's classic novelLittle Women, for which she was nominated for her second Tony Award.[24] The production closed after just a few months. She returned to Broadway at the Marquis Theatre in May 2006 inThe Drowsy Chaperone, aspoof of 1920s musicals. She played Janet van de Graaff, a famous Broadway starlet who opts to forgo a stage career in favor of married life. The musical had a pre-Broadway run at the Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles in November to December 2005.[25] Her performance earned her a third Tony nomination.[26] Foster left the musical in 2007 and co-starred inMel Brooks' musical adaptation of his filmYoung Frankenstein as the Swedish yodeling fräulein Inga, first at theParamount Theatre and then on Broadway from October 2007 to July 2008.[27]
In 2007, Foster guest-starred on the children's musical puppet showJohnny and the Sprites[28] and in a three-episodestory arc on theHBO sitcomFlight of the Conchords.[29] She left the show to play Princess Fiona inShrek the Musical, which opened on Broadway on December 14, 2008.[30] For this role, Foster won her secondOuter Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical[31] and was nominated for her fourth Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical.[32] She played her final performance on January 3, 2010, when the show closed on Broadway. Foster participated in a reading of a work-in-progress new musical,Bonnie and Clyde: A Folktale, in June 2009. Her brother, Hunter is writing the music for this musical.[33]
Foster's debut solo albumWish was released byGhostlight Records in February 2009. The songs range from jazz to pop to cabaret to Broadway.[34] In 2010, Foster promoted the album with concert performances inBoston,New York City,Chicago, theOrange County Performing Arts Center inOrange County, California, andWashington, D.C.[35] Foster starred as Nurse Fay Apple in theNew York City Center'sEncores! production ofAnyone Can Whistle, which played from April 8 to 11, 2010.[36] Foster made herOff-Broadway debut inPaul Weitz's comedyTrust withZach Braff,Bobby Cannavale andAri Graynor which began previews July 23, 2010, with an official opening August 12, running through September 12, 2010, atSecond Stage Theatre.[37] Foster andSeth Rudetsky participated in the one night onlyActors Fund benefit concert version ofThey're Playing Our Song on August 30, 2010, at the Gerald W. Lynch Theater,John Jay College, New York. The full cast included Efé, Kaitlyn Davidson, Alex Ellis, Maynard, Matt Loehr, and Jesse Nager, and was directed by Denis Jones.[38]
Foster taught a Spring Semester master class atNew York University'sTisch School of the Arts Undergraduate Department of Drama, beginning in January 2010. It culminated in a cabaret performance atJoe's Pub in May titled "From Rodgers To Heart".[39][40] She taught the master class again in Fall Semester 2010, culminating in another performance at Joe's Pub, "Crazy for Gershwin". Both were musically directed by Deborah Abramson. She is now on the faculty of NYU's New Studio on Broadway. Foster taught a week-longmaster class session atBall State University (Muncie, IN) in January 2010.[33] She continued her relationship with Ball State in September 2010 by working with students in the classroom, teaching master classes, and performing workshops for students of the Department of Theatre and Dance. She also guest-starred in an episode of theNBC legal dramaLaw & Order: SVU (opposite comedianKathy Griffin), which aired on March 3, 2010.[41]
Foster performed at the33rd Annual Kennedy Center Honors in a tribute toJerry Herman, singing "Before the Parade Passes By."[42] She performed at the Kennedy Center Honors the following year in a tribute toBarbara Cook.[43] She made a third appearance at the Kennedy Center Honors in 2013, performing for the tribute toShirley MacLaine.[44] Foster performed a concert tour,An Evening With Sutton Foster from September 2010 to May 2011, performing songs from both her Broadway career and her solo album.[45]
Foster played Reno Sweeney in the Broadway revival ofAnything Goes, which began performances on March 10, 2011, at theStephen Sondheim Theatre and officially opened on April 7, 2011.[46] Foster won her thirdOuter Critics Circle Award and secondDrama Desk Award andTony Award for her performance.[47][48][49] Foster's final performance was on March 11, 2012, when she was replaced byStephanie J. Block. Foster left to film the television comedy-dramaBunheads, which premiered on ABC Family on June 11, 2012.[50][51] Foster played the lead role in this short-lived 2012ABC Family drama, developed byAmy Sherman-Palladino, the creator ofGilmore Girls. She played former Las Vegas showgirl Michelle, who impulsively marries a man, moves to his small town, and begins teaching ballet lessons at her new mother-in-law's dance studio. She won theGracie Award and received a nomination at the3rd Critics' Choice Television Awards for Best Actress in a Comedy Series.[52] The series was cancelled after a single season.[53]
In the spring of 2012, she returned to Ball State, teaching classes, mentoring the interdisciplinary team that wrote the musicalThe Circus in Winter, and co-directing the Department of Theatre and Dance's Spring 2012 production ofThe Drowsy Chaperone; she also spoke at commencement and received anHonoraryDoctorate of Fine Arts degree for her continued engagement with Ball State students. Foster continued her relationship with Ball State in October 2012, performing in the staged reading ofThe Circus in Winter at the National Alliance for Musical Theatre's Festival of New Musicals atNew World Stages in New York.[54] In 2013, Foster guest starred in an episode ofPsych and starred as Kerry in actorJames Roday's comedic thrillerGravy.[55] In 2014, she appeared oppositeRobin Williams in the comedyThe Angriest Man in Brooklyn.[56] From March to August 2014, Foster starred in theRoundabout Theatre Company production of the musicalViolet at theAmerican Airlines Theatre.[57] Foster received her sixth Tony Award nomination for her performance.[58]
She made her Carnegie Hall debut in April 2015, with guest appearances fromJoshua Henry andMegan McGinnis.[59][60] This was part of a new tour effortAn Evening With Sutton Foster: Broadway In Concert, which continued through 2016. She returned to Encores! in July 2015 to play Queenie inAndrew Lippa'sThe Wild Party.[61] She later was cast as the lead character of Liza Miller in theTV Land single-camera comedy-drama pilotYounger, created byDarren Star. It was originally set to be released January 13, 2015, but she stated on January 31 in an interview at TETA TheatreFest 2015 in Houston, Texas that the release was delayed. The series premiered on March 31, 2015, and was renewed for a second season, which began airing in January 2016, shortly after it was renewed for a third season, set for a release at the end of the year. In July 2016, season three began filming, and the series was renewed for a fourth season.[56][62] Season three aired to positive reviews in late 2016, and season 4 aired in summer 2017 with further positive reviews.
In 2016, she starred oppositeAaron Tveit andBetty Buckley in theStephen Schwartz revueDefying Gravity inAustralia. She appeared in the Off-Broadway revival ofSweet Charity as Charity Hope Valentine at the Pershing Square Signature Center from November 2, 2016 (previews) to January 8, 2017.[63][64] Also in 2016, Foster played the role of Violet in the miniseriesGilmore Girls: A Year in the Life opposite her ex-husband, Christian Borle. The two perform a musical within the Summer episode about the history of Stars Hollow.[65] She appeared on the game showMatch Game, broadcast onABC in June 2016.[66] She also made guest appearances onThe Good Wife andMad Dogs. In 2017, she once again returned to Ball State, this time to co-direct the Department of Theatre and Dance's Spring production ofShrek: The Musical.[67] During December 2017, she performed as a guest artist for theMormon Tabernacle Choir's annual Christmas concerts.[68] In December 2017, Foster andJonathan Groff performed a selection of songs from many shows at The Appel Room at Lincoln Center;[69] this concert, which also featuredMegan McGinnis and Darcie Roberts, aired on PBS's "Live From Lincoln Center" on April 20, 2018.[70][71]
From July through October 2021, Foster made herLondon theatre debut reprising her role as Reno Sweeney[72] inAnything Goes at theBarbican Theatre, earning rave reviews from British critics.[73][74][75] For her performance, Foster was nominated for theLaurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical.[76] The production was broadcast in UK cinemas on 28 November and 1 December 2021.[77] The recorded performance also played at US cinemas on March 27 and 30, 2022, and later aired on the PBS seriesGreat Performances.[78][79]
In October 2021, Foster published a memoir,Hooked, in which she opens up about how she used crafts, specifically cross-stitching, collaging and crocheting, to get through significantly challenging milestones in her life. She shares how using crafts as creative outlets helped her deal with painful experiences in her life and remain present and resilient. In 2019, she crocheted an octopus toilet paper cover forYounger costarHilary Duff's wedding.[80]
In December 2021, she returned to Broadway, starring as Marian Paroo oppositeHugh Jackman as Harold Hill in a revival ofThe Music Man.[81][82] For her performance, Foster received her seventh nomination for the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical and also won theDrama League Award for Distinguished Performance.[83][84] The production played its final performance on January 15, 2023.[85] As of March 2023, she is currently on the faculty of Ball State University as an instructor of theatre, focusing on internships.[86] In February 2024, she replacedAnnaleigh Ashford in the Broadway revival ofSweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street asMrs. Lovett. She starred in the production for a 12-week limited engagement oppositeAaron Tveit as Todd.[87][88] Foster starred as Princess Winnifred in a concert production ofOnce Upon a Mattress as part of theNew York City CenterEncores! series.[89] In May 2024, it was announced that the production would transfer to Broadway'sHudson Theatre for a limited engagement lasting from July through November with an additional four-week engagement playing at theAhmanson Theatre in Los Angeles in December.[90] Foster's performance earned her a nomination for theDrama Desk Award for Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical.[91] She is currently set to star in a stage musical adaptation ofCoal Miner's Daughter.[92]
Foster met actorChristian Borle in college,[93] and married him on September 18, 2006. Although they divorced in 2009,[94][95] Foster and Borle remain friends and continue to support each other's work.[96][97] Following her divorce, she dated herTrust co-starBobby Cannavale from 2011 to 2012.[98] On September 19, 2013, Foster confirmed she was engaged to screenwriterTed Griffin.[99] She and Griffin married on October 25, 2014.[100] In April 2017, Foster announced that the couple had adopted a baby girl, Emily, born March 5, 2017.[101] Foster filed for divorce from Ted Griffin in October 2024.[102] As of 2025, she is in a relationship withThe Music Man co-starHugh Jackman.[103][104] Foster and Jackman made their official red carpet debut as a couple at the Los Angeles premiere of Jackman's filmSong Sung Blue.[105]
Foster is a self-proclaimed dog lover and has had three dogs since her Broadway debut: Linus, Mabel, and Brody.[106]
She makes artwork which she sells online and occasionally at art exhibits. She has collaborated with visual artist Julien Havard, who previously worked as herdresser for nine years, beginning withThoroughly Modern Millie.[107][108]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Mr. Terbillion's Ambition | Sarah | Short film |
| 2008 | Just in Case | Boy (voice) | |
| 2013 | Shrek the Musical | Princess Fiona | Filmed stage production |
| 2014 | The Angriest Man in Brooklyn[109] | Adela | |
| The Nobodies[110] | Amy | Short film | |
| 2015 | Gravy[111] | Kerry | |
| 2016 | Mired | Wife (voice) | Short film |
| 2021 | Anything Goes | Reno Sweeney | Filmed stage production |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Star Search | Herself/contestant | Runner-up (3.5 stars) |
| 2007 | Johnny and the Sprites | Tina | Episode: "Johnny's Sister Tina/Spritesgiving!" |
| Flight of the Conchords | Coco | 3 episodes | |
| 2008 | The Battery's Down | Sutton Foster | Episode: "I Think I'm Gonna Like it Here" |
| 2010 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Rosemary | Episode: "P.C." |
| 2011–12 | Sesame Street | Self | 2 episodes |
| 2012 | Royal Pains | Julie Sharp | Episode: "Bottoms Up" |
| 2012–13 | Bunheads | Michelle Simms | Lead role; 18 episodes |
| 2013–20 | Doc McStuffins | Frida Fairy Flyer (voice) | 4 episodes |
| 2014 | Psych | Gretchen Eikleberry | Episode: "A Nightmare on State Street" |
| Say Yes to the Dress | Self | Episode: "A Dress Like None the Rest" | |
| 2015–21 | Younger | Liza Miller | Lead role; 84 episodes |
| 2015 | Elementary | Tara Parker | Episode: "Absconded" |
| 2016 | Mad Dogs | Gerda | Episode: "Broodstock" |
| The Good Wife | Witness | Episode: "End" | |
| Match Game | Herself | Episode #1.1 | |
| Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life | Violet | Episode: "Summer" | |
| 2018 | Instinct | Celia Walker | Episode: "Bye Bye Birdie" |
| 2019 | Into the Dark | Lauren | Episode: "Treehouse" |
| 2020 | A Million Little Things | Chloe | Episode: "Guilty"[112] |
| What Would You Do? | Herself | Season 16, episode 6 | |
| Vampirina | Bora O'Grave (voice) | Episode: "Bora the Banshee" | |
| 2021–2023 | Ridley Jones | Sarah Jones / Mrs. Sanchez (voice) | 16 episodes |
| 2022–2023 | Solar Opposites | Sister Sisto, Tracy Johnson, Realtor (voice) | 9 episodes |
| 2023 | The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel | Carole | Episode: "A House Full of Extremely Lame Horses" |
Tours
Over her career, she has been recognized multiple times by either theTony Awards orLaurence Olivier Awards for her work on theBroadway stage andLondon theatre, for:
'Julien,' said Foster during her acceptance speech, 'has been my dresser for nine years...'
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