TikTok superstar Charli DāAmelio has just announced her next career journey: going on Broadway. Yup, thatās right, D’Amelio is joining the Broadway hit & Juliet cast as a āCharmian,ā a dance-heavy ensemble member. This casting choice has left a lot of heads scratching and has opened up a conversation about stunt casting on Broadway.Ā
In an Instagram post on Sept. 30, DāAmelio announced her addition as a new member of the & Juliet cast. She wrote, āIām so excited to finally share that Iāll be joining the cast of &Ā Juliet on Broadway! This has been my ultimate dream ever since I was a little girl, but it always felt like something I could only admire from afarā¦ā
DāAmelio rose to fame by posting TikTok videos of her dancing in 2019 and 2020, quickly amassing millions of followers. At one point, she became the most followed person on TikTok. Her rapid rise attracted brand deals and collaborations, skyrocketing her following even more. Her older sister, Dixie DāAmelio, and their parents, Heidi and Marc DāAmelio, got their taste of TikTok fame through their accounts. In 2021, the family launched their own TV show in partnership with Hulu, The DāAmelio Show.Ā
In the fall of 2022, Charli DāAmelio appeared on season 31 of Dancing With the Stars, partnered with long-time dancer Mark Ballas. Also appearing that season was D’Amelio’s mother, Heidi DāAmelio, who partnered with Dancing with the Stars professional Artem Chigvintsev, though she was eliminated in the eighth round. Her appearance on the show pushed her to even more audiences and showcased her impressive dancing skills. Her talents donāt just stop at dancing; she has also released her own music, including her song āif you ask me toā in 2022.Ā
The internet has had very mixed reviews with her addition to the & Juliet cast. Supporters of D’Amelio have expressed their congratulations in her comment sections, but many people are opposed to the decision. Some argue this casting choice is taking away from those with traditional theatre training.
As one commenter writes on her Instagram post, “People train their whole lives to do this and she literally just gets it cause she is āCharli DāAmelioā and yeah she is good at dancing but so are tons of other people who actually work for what they get.ā
Fans were quick to defend D’Amelio, citing her years of dance training and noting this is not an uncommon move on Broadway. For years Broadway shows have added celebrities to their casts, which is called āstunt casting.ā This tactic is used in hopes of gaining media support to generate more support for shows, therefore generating more revenue from ticket sales.
However, this isnāt a normal case of stunt casting. Unlike most stunt casting, which typically places celebrities in more prominent roles, D’Amelio has an extensive background in dance and was cast as an ensemble member. Some of the most memorable examples of stunt casting on Broadway include Reba McEntire in Annie Get Your Gun, Brendon Urie in Kinky Boots, Cameron Dallas in Mean Girls, and Wendy Williams in Chicago. While not all of these examples enhanced the talent in the show, it brought more attention to the productions.Ā
Several members of the current & Juliet cast shared their excitement for D’Amelio addition on social media. From D’Amelio Instagram, it seems she has fit right in, sharing photos and videos with the cast in and outside of rehearsal. The choreography in the musical aligns well with her repertoire, including hip-hop and jazz numbers.
She will make her debut in & Juliet on Oct. 29 and will appear until Jan. 19 at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre.