A look back: Tony Award nominee Nicole Scherzinger at opening night of 'Sunset Boulevard'
Scherzinger makes her Broadway debut in the cinematic musical revival, and she's up for Best Actress after winning that title at the Olivier Awards for her performance in London.
She’s come home at last! Nicole Scherzinger’s Broadway debut in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical Sunset Boulevard as faded film queen Norma Desmond has earned her a Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical.
“This has been a remarkable season on Broadway with many truly amazing women shining on stage,” said Scherzinger in a written statement. She won an Olivier Award for the role in London, where director Jamie Lloyd’s minimalist and cinematic revival began. “I wake up every morning and can't believe I get to be a part of this community. I feel so blessed.”
Known as a member of The Pussycat Dolls and for TV appearances on The X Factor, Scherzinger’s heart is on stage. “Little Nicole always dreamed about doing this and to be recognized with a Tony nomination is a privilege and is deeply thrilling,” her statement continued. “I’m so grateful.”
On opening night this past fall, asked by New York Theatre Guide about her approach to the iconic character of Norma, Scherzinger admitted that she looked to her own highs and lows, tears and triumphs.
“My life is my approach,” she said. “I fell madly in love with Norma because I really connected with her story. Now it's made sense to me; all the things in my life — the patience, the pain, the pushbacks — were all for a reason. I completely understand Norma.”
Lloyd’s production earned seven total nominations, including Best Musical Revival, as well as for Lloyd (direction), Tom Francis (lead actor), Jack Knowles (lighting design), Adam Fisher (sound design), and David Cullen and Webber (orchestrations). The defining feature of this revival is the projection of enormous images of the actors on a huge screen, creating a hybrid blend of musical theatre and movie magic.
Scherzinger called Lloyd's production “historic. It's something really new. It was a bit daunting, I'm not going to lie, to be able to have your pores the size of a human head on the Beyonce-size screen!”
But she came to see his take on the material — with all the cameras, and screen, and microphones involved — as enhancing its intimacy, bringing audiences closer to the performers than ever. “It allowed you to be just really truthful and honest,” she said.
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Gillian Russo contributed reporting to this story.
Photo credit: Sunset Boulevard on Broadway. (Photo by Marc Brenner)
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