Variety has named its 2025 class of 10 Broadway Stars to Watch, and the lineup is stacked with London links, including recent Evita star Diego Andres Rodriguez, Clarkston writer Samuel D. Hunter and more. See the full list below.

The Broadway honourees will be toasted today, 6 October 2025, at Variety’s Business of Broadway Breakfast hosted by Wicked star Ethan Slater.

Conversations at the Breakfast will include Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter, who are currently starring in Jamie Lloyd’s new production of Waiting for Godot; the creatives of West End impresario Sonia Friedman’s new Broadway production The Queen of Versailles, including its stars Kristin Chenoweth and F. Murray Abraham, and composer, Stephen Schwartz; the stars of Chess, including Lea Michele, Aaron Tveit, and Nicholas Christopher; and the team behind the new Broadway production of Ragtime.

Variety’s 10 Broadway Stars to Watch (2025–26)

Lileana Blain-Cruz (director)

Returns after The Skin of Our Teeth with the high-voltage new Prince musical Purple Rain, adapted by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins.

Angelica Chéri (Writer)

Angelica Chéri’s new Wild West outlaw sister musical Wanted is moving towards Broadway. Chéri is also developing new play Phenomenal Woman, Maya Angelou. Angelica is also a writer on the MGM+ series Godfather of Harlem.

Hannah Cruz (Actor)

After Broadway debut in Suffs, Hannah is joining the starry revival of Chess on Broadway, and is starring in Richard Linklater’s Merrily We Roll Along movie with Paul Mescal, Ben Platt and Beanie Feldstein.

Lindsey Ferrentino (Writer)

Lindsey Ferrentino is the writer of new Broadway musical The Queen of Versailles, produced by West End impresario Sonia Friedman (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child; Stranger Things: The First Shadow). Lindsey also wrote hit new play The Fear of 13, which premiered at the Donmar Warehouse starring Adrien Brody and is tipped for a Broadway transfer.

She is also busy with a slate at Netflix, and a new musical with Iron & Wine. All that, plus Lindsey tipped to Variety that the big new stage adaptation of Oscar-winning movie The Artist, may be headed for another UK run directed by Drew McOnie, with whom she co-adapted the show.

Michael Finkle (Agent)

WME agent Michael Finkle represents British director and choreographer Tim Jackson, who scored a big success in London directing new musical Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York), which is now playing Off-Broadway. He also represents songwriting duo The Bengsons, whose Edinburgh breakout Ohio is currently playing a sold-out run at The Young Vic.

Will Harrison (Actor)

Will Harrison is currently making his Broadway debut in Punch, the US transfer of James Graham’s acclaimed drama, which is also now playing in the West End, at the Apollo Theatre in London.

Samuel D. Hunter (Playwright)

Writer of Oscar winning movie The Whale, Samuel D. Hunter’s prolific work for the stage includes Clarkston, which is now playing at the Trafalgar Theatre in the West End starring Heartstopper’s Joe Locke. His forthcoming projects include Little Bear Ridge Road on Broadway with Laurie Metcalf.

Brian & Dayna Lee (Producers)

Broadway and West End producers Brian & Dayna Lee have recently forged a first-look deal with the Royal Court to transfer more of their plays, following their joint success with Mark Rosenblatt’s new play GIANT on Broadway, starring John Lithgow.

The Rescues (Songwriters)

The indie trio is scoring Broadway’s The Lost Boys after years of writing for TV, including the scores of One Tree Hill and Grey’s Anatomy.

Diego Andres Rodriguez (Actor)

The viral, paint-splashed leading man from Jamie Lloyd’s West End Evita is headed for big things. Catapulted to prominence covering for Tom Francis in Sunset Boulevard in New York, Rodriguez has garnered lots of attention in London and New York for his acclaimed performance as Che in Evita.

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Main photo: Variety Top 10 Broadway stars - Diego Andres Rodriguez (Photo Sam Pickart), Brian and Dayna Lee (Photo David Jensen), Lindsey Ferrentino in rehearsals for The Fear of 13 (Photo Manuel Harlan)

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