Phillipa Soo Explained

Phillipa Soo
Birth Name:Phillipa Anne Soo
Birth Date:31 May 1990[1]
Birth Place:Libertyville, Illinois, U.S.
Other Names:Pippa Soo
Alma Mater:Juilliard School (BFA)
Years Active:2012–present

Phillipa Anne Soo (born May 31, 1990) is an American actress and singer. Known for her leading roles on Broadway primarily in musicals, she has received two Grammy Awards along with nominations for a Tony Award and a Primetime Emmy Award.

Soo gained prominence for originating the role of Eliza Hamilton in the musical Hamilton on Broadway. She earned a nomination for the 2016 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical and received a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album that same year.[2] [3] [4] Her performance was captured in the Disney+ live stage recording of Hamilton which was released in 2020 for which she earned a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie.

Soo's other Broadway credits include the title role in Amélie (2017), Rebecca in The Parisian Woman (2017–18), Cinderella in Into the Woods (2022), and Guenevere in Camelot (2023). She also originated the role of Natasha Rostova in the off-Broadway production of Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 (2012) as well as the role of suffragist Inez Milholland in Suffs (2022).

Soo has appeared in the films Over the Moon, The Broken Hearts Gallery (both 2020), and Tick, Tick...Boom! (2021).[5] In 2013, she made her television debut in the NBC series Smash and has since acted in Hulu miniseries Dopesick (2021) and the Apple TV+ series Shining Girls (2022).

Early life and education

Soo was born in Libertyville, Illinois. Her father is Chinese American (her paternal grandparents emigrated from China to the United States) and her mother is white. Her father is a doctor and her mother, who is from Southern Illinois, is involved in the arts.[6]

Soo attended Libertyville High School in suburban Chicago from 2004 to 2008.[7] She graduated from The Juilliard School's acting program in 2012.[8]

Career

Theater

After graduating from Juilliard in 2012, Soo was cast as Natasha Rostova in the Ars Nova production of Dave Malloy's Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, based on Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace. The show went on to transfer from Ars Nova to another Off-Broadway space, Kazino, a tent custom-built for the show.

After seeing her performance in Great Comet, director Thomas Kail and composer and writer Lin-Manuel Miranda asked her to take part in an early 2014 reading of the musical Hamilton, where she read the part of "Eliza" (Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton). Soo played Eliza when the show premiered off-Broadway at The Public Theater and on Broadway at the Richard Rodgers Theater. For her performance in Hamilton, Soo received a nomination for the Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical.[9] Soo played her final performance in Hamilton on July 9, 2016, and the role of Eliza was taken over by Lexi Lawson.[10]

Soo played the titular character in the pre-Broadway engagement of Amélie at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles from December 2016 to January 2017. Soo reprised her role when Amélie began preview performances on Broadway at the Walter Kerr Theatre on March 9, 2017, opening officially on April 3.[11] [12] The show closed on May 21, 2017.[13] That same year Soo returned on Broadway as Rebecca in The Parisian Woman, an original play by Beau Willimon. The production began preview performances at the Hudson Theatre on November 7, 2017, and opened on November 30 for a limited run through March 11, 2018.[14]

In 2022, Soo portrayed suffragist Inez Milholland in Shaina Taub's musical Suffs. The production premiered Off-Broadway at The Public Theatre to positive reviews. Entertainment Weekly declared, "Soo, best known for originating the role of Eliza Schuyler in Hamilton, grounds the story with her poignant voice, infusing Inez Milholland with emotion and vulnerability so striking, you're reminded of why she's so closely associated with another woman who wrote herself into the narrative."[15] The production opened on April 6 and ran a limited run through May 29, 2022.

On May 26, it was announced Soo would play Cinderella in the Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods at the St. James Theatre.[16] Soo starred opposite Sara Bareilles, Brian D'Arcy James, Gavin Creel, Joshua Henry, Patina Miller, and Cheyenne Jackson. She received acclaim for her role, with The Hollywood Reporter critic David Rooney describing her performance as, "one of her best roles since her shattering performance as the original Eliza in Hamilton."[17] She remained with the show through September 4, 2022.[18] Soo would go on to win her second Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album for her work in Into the Woods.[19]

On August 2, 2022, it was announced that Soo would play Sarah Brown in a revival of Guys and Dolls at The Kennedy Center. The cast included Soo's husband, Steven Pasquale, as well as James Monroe Iglehart, Jessie Mueller, Rachel Dratch, and Kevin Chamberlin.[20] In The New York Times article on the Best Theatre of 2022, Scott Heller praised Soo as "a gift to the musical theater" and that in that year she "showed more sides to her talent than ever".[21]

On November 1, 2022 it was announced Soo would star as Guenevere in the Broadway revival of Camelot opposite Andrew Burnap, and Jordan Donica. The production debuted in March 2023 at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre at Lincoln Center with Bartlett Sher as director and Aaron Sorkin with a revised book.[22]

Film and television

In 2013, she was cast in a small recurring role in the NBC television series Smash as the character Lexi. She appeared in five episodes in the second season before the show's cancellation.[23] She had a small supporting role as Nia in the 2014 television pilot Dangerous Liaisons, but it did not get picked up to series.[24]

In 2018, it was announced that Soo had been cast in the CBS series The Code.[25] The show aired for one season before its cancellation in July 2019.[26] In 2021, she received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie nomination for her performance in the Disney+ live stage recording of Hamilton which was released in 2020.

Soo is cast in the Ryan Murphy medical drama Doctor Odyssey for the 2024-2025 season on ABC.https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Culture/new-ryan-murphy-medical-drama-doctor-odyssey-coming/story?id=110215294

Other

She co-wrote a children's book, Piper Chen Sings, with her sister-in-law Maris Pasquale Doran. The book was published by Random House Studio in 2024 and became a New York Times best seller.

Philanthropy

Inspired by Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton, the character she played in Hamilton, Soo started the Eliza Project initiative in partnership with Graham Windham, the first private orphanage in New York City that is mentioned in the last song at the end of the show. Through the program, Soo plans to provide students at the Graham School with acting, dancing, and rap workshops. According to Soo, the core mission of "The Eliza Project" is "to use the arts as a means of expression, as an outlet for personal experience, and to uplift the creative spirit."[27]

Personal life

Soo became engaged to actor Steven Pasquale in February 2016.[28] They married on September 24, 2017.[29] In 2019, the two starred opposite each other in an episode of The Code. She has a dog named Billie, which she adopted for her 30th birthday in 2020.[30] She and her husband practice Transcendental Meditation.[31]

Acting credits

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Denotes works that have not yet been released

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2013Keep The ChangeKarenShort film
2016MoanaAdditional voices
2018Here and NowOona
2020The One and Only Ivan ThelmaVoice role
The Broken Hearts GalleryNadine
Over the Moon Chang'e[32] Voice role
2021Tick, Tick... Boom!"Sunday" LegendCameo appearance
2022Blue's Big City AdventureAudition Person #4Cameo appearance
2023One True Loves Emma BlairAlso executive producer

Television

YearTitleRoleNotesRef.
2013SmashLexi5 episodes[33]
2014Dangerous LiaisonsNiaUnaired pilot[34]
2019The CodeLieutenant Harper LiMain role; 13 episodes [35]
2020 HamiltonEliza HamiltonDisney+ special of the musical[36]
2021The BiteCydni Estereo6 episodes[37]
2021DopesickAmber Collins7 episodes[38]
2022Shining GirlsDr. Jin-Sook Gwansun8 episodes[39]
2024Doctor OdysseyAvery MorganMain role

Theatre

Year(s)ProductionRoleLocationCategoryclass=unsortableRef.
2012Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812Natasha RostovaArs NovaOff-Off-Broadway[40]
2013–2014Kazino Off-Broadway[41]
2014HamiltonEliza Schuyler HamiltonThe 52nd Street ProjectWorkshop
A Little Night MusicAnne EgermanRegional[42]
scope=row Alice by HeartCheshire Cat / Tabatha / Caterpillar 2Theatre Aspen Workshop[43]
The School for WivesAgnesRegional[44]
2015HamiltonEliza Schuyler HamiltonThe Public TheaterOff-Broadway[45]
2015–2016Richard Rodgers TheatreBroadway[46]
2016–2017AmélieAmélie PoulainAhmanson TheatreLos Angeles [47]
2017Walter Kerr TheatreBroadway[48]
2017–2018The Parisian WomanRebeccaHudson Theatre[49]
2020TumachoCatalina Vucovich-VillalobosConnelly TheaterOff-Broadway[50]
2022SuffsInez MilhollandThe Public Theater[51]
Into the WoodsCinderellaSt. James TheatreBroadway[52]
Guys and DollsSister Sarah BrownKennedy CenterRegional[53]
2023CamelotGuenevereVivian Beaumont TheatreBroadway[54]
2024Gutenberg! The Musical!The Producer (One night only)James Earl Jones Theatre

Published works

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryWorkResultclass=unsortableRef.
2013Drama League AwardsDistinguished PerformanceNatasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812[55]
2014Lucille Lortel AwardsOutstanding Lead Actress in a Musical[56]
2015Hamilton[57]
2016Tony AwardsBest Actress in a Musical[58]
Grammy AwardsBest Musical Theater Album[59]
2020Critics' Choice Super AwardsBest Voice Actress in an Animated MovieOver the Moon[60]
2021Primetime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or MovieHamilton[61]
2023 Grammy AwardsBest Musical Theatre AlbumInto the Woods[62]
Drama Desk AwardsOutstanding Featured Performance in a Musical
Broadway.com Audience Choice AwardsFavorite Featured Actress In A Musical
Drama League AwardsDistinguished PerformanceCamelot
Helen Hayes AwardOutstanding Performer in a Visiting ProductionGuys and Dolls[63]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Asian Actors Onstage: Lea Salonga, Phillipa Soo Sound Off on Broadway, Eliza Schuyler Representation, Cultural Perceptions. . 24 November 2015.
  2. News: Windman. Matt. Phillipa Soo on starring in Broadway's sold-out smash 'Hamilton'. 12 August 2015. amNewYork. 6 August 2015.
  3. News: Nordstrom. Leigh. Phillipa Soo Soars in Broadway Hit 'Hamilton'. 12 August 2015. WWD. 5 August 2015.
  4. Schulman. Michael. The Women of "Hamilton". 12 August 2015. The New Yorker. 6 August 2015.
  5. News: Michael. Ordona. 26 January 2021. Guiding light to new myth; Late screenwriter Audrey Wells helped 'Over the Moon,' a Chinese legend-inspired film voiced by Asian Americans, find its way. Los Angeles Times.
  6. Web site: Asian Actors Onstage: Lea Salonga, Phillipa Soo Sound Off on Broadway, Eliza Schuyler Representation, Cultural Perceptions. . November 24, 2015. December 7, 2021. In terms of my own experience, my dad is first-generation, so his parents were from China, and my mom was born and raised in southern Illinois, and she was involved in the arts. My dad’s a doctor. I was very much always encouraged, but the mentality of “get your education” was still there..
  7. Web site: ePawPrints District 128. d128.org. 2015-12-02.
  8. Web site: BWW Interview - Debut of the Month: HAMILTON's Phillipa Soo. 2015-09-06. Caryn. Robbins.
  9. Web site: See Full List of 2016 Tony Award Nominations Playbill. Playbill. 3 May 2016. en.
  10. News: 'Hamilton' names replacements for Leslie Odom Jr. & Phillipa Soo. Dziemianowicz. Joe. July 6, 2016. The Washington Post. July 9, 2016.
  11. Web site: Viagas. Robert. Full Cast Announced for Broadway-Aimed Amélie Musical Playbill. Playbill. 17 October 2016. en.
  12. Web site: New Musical Amélie Opens on Broadway April 3 Playbill. Playbill. 3 April 2017. en.
  13. Web site: Instagram post by Amélie on Broadway • May 4, 2017 at 11:02pm UTC. https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/instagram/ameliebroadway/1507591614012306401 . 2021-12-23 . subscription. Instagram. en.
  14. Web site: Hamilton's Phillipa Soo and Marton Csokas Join The Parisian Woman on Broadway Playbill. Playbill. 5 September 2017. en. 2017-10-15.
  15. Suffs review: A rousing and inspiring story of the women's suffrage movement. Entertainment Weekly. June 1, 2022.
  16. Web site: Encores! Into the Woods Sets Broadway Transfer With Patina Miller, Brian D'Arcy James, Phillipa Soo, Joshua Henry, Sara Bareilles, More. Andrew. Gans. Playbill. May 26, 2022. July 11, 2022.
  17. Web site: Sara Bareilles in Stephen Sondheim's 'Into the Woods': Theater Review. The Hollywood Reporter. July 11, 2022. August 2, 2022.
  18. Web site: Hall. Margaret. 2 September 2022. Stephanie J. Block, Sebastian Arcelus, Krysta Rodriguez, Montego Glover, More to Join Broadway's Into the Woods. Playbill.
  19. Web site: Into The Woods Wins Grammy Award For Best Musical Theatre Album. Playbill. February 5, 2023.
  20. News: Kennedy Center ups the Broadway ante with starry 'Guys and Dolls'. The Washington Post. August 2, 2022.
  21. News: Best Theatre of 2022. The New York Times . December 5, 2022 . December 15, 2022. Green . Jesse . Phillips . Maya . Collins-Hughes . Laura . Heller . Scott . Soloski . Alexis . Vincentelli . Elisabeth .
  22. Web site: Phillipa Soo to Play Guenevere in Aaron Sorkin Broadway Revival of Camelot. TheatreMania. November 1, 2022.
  23. Web site: Phillipa Soo. IMDb. 2015-09-06.
  24. News: Goldberg. Lesley. 20 February 2018. 'Hamilton' Tony Nominee Boards CBS Drama Pilot. The Hollywood Reporter. 26 March 2021.
  25. News: 'Hamilton' Star Phillipa Soo Joins CBS Drama Pilot 'The Code'. Otterson. Joe. 2018-02-21. Variety. 2018-08-19. en-US.
  26. Web site: Andreeva . Nellie . Petski . Denise . 2019-07-23. 'The Code' Canceled By CBS After One Season . 2020-07-13 . Deadline . en.
  27. News: 'Hamilton' Cast Helps Children in Need . Leslie . Brody . December 30, 2015 . Wall Street Journal.
  28. Web site: Broadway's Steven Pasquale and Phillipa Soo Are Engaged! . Khan . Jessica . 16 February 2016 . Broadway World. 17 February 2016.
  29. Web site: Tony Nominee Phillipa Soo and Stage and Screen Star Steven Pasquale Marry Playbill. Playbill. 25 September 2017. en. 2017-10-15.
  30. News: Shattuck. Kathryn. 27 October 2020. Phillipa Soo's Week: Fund-Raising Videos and 'Agents of Chaos'. The New York Times.
  31. Web site: Mornings with Phillipa Soo - Watch the Interview . August 10, 2020 .
  32. Web site: 2020-10-22 . Over The Moon Star Phillipa Soo Opens Up About Her Role In Netflix's Upcoming Animated Movie . 2022-09-25 . LatestLY . en.
  33. Web site: 10 Years Later, We’re Somehow Living in an Episode of Smash. Vanity Fair. April 26, 2024.
  34. Web site: ‘Hamilton’ Tony Nominee Boards CBS Drama Pilot. The Hollywood Reporter. April 26, 2024.
  35. Web site: Phillipa Soo Opens Up About CBS' 'The Code'. Entertainment Tonight. April 26, 2024.
  36. Web site: Hamilton is getting released a year early as a Disney Plus exclusive. The Verge. April 26, 2024.
  37. Web site: The Bite, Starring Audra McDonald, Steven Pasquale, Phillipa Soo, More, Premieres on Spectrum May 21. Playbill. April 26, 2024.
  38. Web site: Will Poulter and Phillipa Soo on 'Dopesick' and Telling a Frustrating Story About the Opioid Epidemic. Collider. April 26, 2024.
  39. Web site: Phillipa Soo Joins Elisabeth Moss In Apple’s ‘Shining Girls’ Thriller Series. Deadline Hollywood. April 26, 2024.
  40. Web site: Phillipa Soo, Lucas Steele, Dave Malloy Star in Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, Opening Oct. 16. Playbill. April 26, 2024.
  41. Web site: Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812. Entertainment Weekly. April 26, 2024.
  42. Web site: Murray . Larry . BWW Reviews: A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC Soars at Berkshire Theatre Group . Broadway World . 8 September 2022.
  43. Web site: Lear deBessonet to Helm Workshop of Steven Sater-Duncan Sheik Musical Alice By Heart; Phillipa Soo, Mike Faist, Noah Galvin Among Cast. Playbill. April 26, 2024.
  44. News: Dorian . Philip . ‘The School for Wives’ Stands the Test of Time . 14 July 2024 . Two River Times . 26 September 2014.
  45. Web site: Lin-Manuel Miranda, Leslie Odom Jr., Phillipa Soo, Brian d'Arcy James and Christopher Jackson Star in Miranda's Hamilton. Playbill. April 26, 2024.
  46. Web site: ‘Hamilton’: Lin-Manuel Miranda, Leslie Odom Jr., Phillipa Soo Take Final Bows in Broadway Smash. Variety. April 26, 2024.
  47. Web site: First Look at Phillipa Soo in Amélie. Playbill. April 26, 2024.
  48. Web site: Broadway Review: ‘Amelie’ Starring Phillipa Soo. Variety. April 26, 2024.
  49. Web site: Uma Thurman, Phillipa Soo, and the Cast of The Parisian Woman. Playbill. April 26, 2024.
  50. Web site: Phillipa Soo, John Ellison Conlee, Andy Grotelueschen Will Star in Return of Tumacho Off-Broadway. Playbill. April 26, 2024.
  51. Web site: Update: Off-Broadway's Suffs Goes on Hiatus Through April 10; Opening Night Reviews Will Release as Scheduled. Playbill. April 26, 2024.
  52. Web site: Sara Bareilles Leads Star-Studded 'Into the Woods' Revival on Broadway This Summer. People Magazine. April 26, 2024.
  53. Web site: Watch James Monroe Iglehart, Jessie Mueller, Phillipa Soo, Steven Pasquale in Highlights From D.C. Guys and Dolls. Playbill. April 26, 2024.
  54. Web site: Phillipa Soo on Camelot, Into the Woods, and the Smash Musical. Elle Magazine. April 26, 2024.
  55. Web site: Drama League Awards: 2013 Nominations. New York Theatre Guide. October 19, 2017. November 15, 2022.
  56. Web site: 2014 Nominees. Lucille Lortel Award. November 15, 2022.
  57. Web site: 2015 Nominees. Lucille Lortel Award. November 15, 2022.
  58. Web site: Hamilton's Tony-Nominated Leading Lady May Exit Broadway Hit. Playbill.com. November 15, 2022.
  59. Web site: Grammys 2016: Watch Lin Manuel Miranda and the cast of Hamilton perform. The Verge. February 16, 2016. November 15, 2022.
  60. Web site: Hammond . Pete . 'Palm Springs', 'Lovecraft Country' Top Movie And Series Nominations For Inaugural Critics Choice Super Awards; Netflix Lands 35 Nods . . December 12, 2020 . November 19, 2020.
  61. Web site: 2021 Emmy Awards: Complete list of winners and nominees. CBS News. September 20, 2021. May 24, 2022.
  62. Web site: 2023 Grammy Nominations. Grammys. November 15, 2022.
  63. https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Kennedy-Center-GUYS-AND-DOLLS-Kevin-Chamberlin-And-More-Win-Helen-Hayes-Awards-20230522 Kennedy Center GUYS AND DOLLS, Kevin Chamberlin, And More Win Helen Hayes Awards