Ariana Madix may have reached fame from Vanderpump Rules, but her lifelong dream to star on Broadway has finally been fulfilled. Last night, the 38-year-old reality TV star and actress made her stage debut in the hit musical Chicago, rocking a new bob cut for the role of Roxie Hart.
Captured photos reveal Ariana in her all-black costume as she sang on stage at the Ambassador Theatre in New York City on Monday, January 29. At the end of the show, the Bravolebrity took a bow with her castmates and accepted a large bouquet of red roses. In the audience, Ariana’s VPR co-stars Scheana Shay and Lala Lent were there to cheer her on, in addition to Ariana’s boyfriend, Daniel Wai.
According to PEOPLE, Ariana received a standing ovation from the crowd, and she blew her boyfriend a kiss while on stage. Previously, the musical theatre college graduate opened up about her Broadway opportunity, noting that she is “aware” of how her reality TV career gave her a slight leg up to landing the role.
“I’m keenly aware what brought me here, but I don’t want that to be what people think about when they leave the theater,” Ariana pointed out, suggesting that landing her role wasn’t just a stunt that was pulled. “As cool as it is, it’s very Hamilton for me: I cannot throw away my shot. When I go out there, I really want people to say, ‘She belongs here.’ I don’t want people to say, ‘Oh, she got cast because of whatever and nothing else.’ … I’m here to prove to people that I deserve my opportunity.”
Ariana called her Chicago opportunity “everything to [her], adding, “To say this is a fulfillment of a lifelong dream would be an understatement.”
“This is quite literally everything to me. It’s all I’ve ever wanted,” the former Walt Disney World cast member said. “And to be here now, having this full-circle moment … I feel so beyond grateful.”
Recently, Ariana appeared in a few film projects, including Lifetime’s dramatic movie Buying Back My Daughter. She played a cop named Karen, who eventually gives advices to a family that is struggling to find their daughter after she became a victim of sex trafficking.
Before she got into the reality TV lifestyle while working for Lisa Vanderpump’s restaurant, SUR, Ariana studied musical theatre at Flagler College in Florida. Ariana then worked as a Walt Disney World cast member, eventually moving to Los Angeles shortly thereafter. Based on an October 2023 interview with Entertainment Weekly, it was implied that Ariana portrayed Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella and Ariel in the Orlando, Florida theme parks. Former and current Disney cast members only indicate that they hung out with certain face characters; they never outwardly indicate that they played any of them.
“I used to hang out with Disney princesses, as we say in the biz,” the Dancing With the Stars alum told the publication. “My closest friend was Sleeping Beauty. I hung out with her the most. Then Cinderella and Ariel. That’s where these arms come from. These are Ariel arms.”