Mandy Gonzalez to star in select 'Sunset Boulevard' Broadway performances

Grammy Award nominee and Olivier winner Nicole Scherzinger will primarily star in the musical as Norma Desmond, and Gonzalez will play the role once a week.

Gillian Russo
Gillian Russo

UPDATE: Complete casting has been set for Sunset Boulevard starring Nicole Scherzinger. This article has been updated with the full cast list.

She's ready for her close-up! Mandy Gonzalez has joined the cast of Sunset Boulevard on Broadway, starring Nicole Scherzinger. Performances begin September 28 ahead of an October 20 opening at the St. James Theatre.

Scherzinger stars in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical as Norma Desmond, and Gonzalez will serve as her alternate, playing Norma once a week (generally Tuesday evenings) beginning October 22. Scherzinger will play the role at all performances prior.

"In my 25 years playing leading ladies on Broadway, I’ve never been more excited for a show," Gonzalez said in a statement. "The role of Norma Desmond is iconic, Jamie Lloyd's direction is masterful, and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s score is sumptuous. To reinterpret a timeless story with such raw sophistication, especially as the first Latina to take this role on Broadway, is a dream come true."

Gonzalez's stage credits include her Obie Award-winning performance in Eli’s Comin and Drama Desk Award-winning performance in Lin-Manuel Miranda's In the Heights. She has also starred in Hamilton, Wicked, and Aida on stage and Only Murders in The Building, Quantico, and Madam Secretary on screen.

Alongside Scherzinger and Gonzalez in the Sunset Boulevard Broadway cast are Tom Francis as Joe Gillis, Grace Hodgett-Young as Betty Schaefer, and David Thaxton as Max Von Mayerling. All but Gonzalez first performed their roles in director Jamie Lloyd's production in London last year to critical acclaim.

The complete cast also includes Olivia Lacie Andrews as Nancy, Brandon Mel Borkowsky as John, Shavey Brown as Finance Man/Stan/DeMille, Hannah Yun Chamberlain as Young Norma, Cydney Clark as Joanna/Guard, Raúl Contreras as Finance Man/Frank, Tyler Davis as Sheldrake, E.J. Hamilton as Lisa, Sydney Jones as Dorothy, Emma Lloyd as Mary/Heather, Pierre Marais as Sammy, Shayna McPherson as Camera Operator/Katherine, Jimin Moon as Morino/Hog Eye, Justice Moore as Jean, Drew Redington as Myron/Jones/Camera Operator, and Diego Andres Rodriguez as Artie. Giuseppe Bausilio, Kristina Garvida Doucette, Brandon LaVar, Maggie Likcani, Abby Matsusaka, and Rixey Terry serve as swings.

Adapted from Billy Wilder's classic film, Sunset Boulevard follows a fading, obsessive film star, Norma Desmond, who will do anything to get back into the spotlight. Webber composed the music for the show, which also features a book and lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton.

Get Sunset Boulevard tickets now.

Photo credit: Mandy Gonzalez. (Photo by Justin Patterson)

Originally published on

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