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Millie O'Connell

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Millie O'Connell
O'Connell performing at Hampton Court Palace in 2022
Born
Emilia Rose O'Connell

(1997-01-18) 18 January 1997 (age 27)
Years active2015–present

Emilia "Millie" Rose O'Connell (born 18 January 1997) is an English musical theatre actress and singer. She is best known for portraying Anne Boleyn in the original UK tour and West End production of the musical Six. She is part of pop girl group SVN. She has received Laurence Olivier and WhatsOnStage Award nominations.

Early life

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O'Connell is from Shanklin, Isle of Wight, England.[1] She is of Maltese, Irish, and Italian descent. From the age of three, O'Connell took classes at the Gillian Cartwright School of Dance. She attended Christ the King College.[2] After completing her GCSEs at 16,[3] she won a scholarship to train at Laine Theatre Arts in Epsom,[4] graduating in 2015, aged 18.

Career

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O'Connell made her professional stage debut in the international revival of the show 42nd Street in 2016, in Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris,[5] forming part of the ensemble whilst understudying Peggy Sawyer. In 2017, she moved back to the UK, performing in the same show in Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, forming part of the ensemble whilst understudying Anytime Annie. In 2018 she joined the UK tour cast of Thoroughly Modern Millie, understudying Millie Dillmount.

Her rise to fame stemmed from her role of Anne Boleyn in the original UK tour cast of Six in 2018. The show's success gave it a permanent home in the West End's Arts Theatre, where she starred in the show until October 2019. Prior to leaving the show, Millie had played the most shows out of every actress in the original West End cast.

Late 2019 brought O'Connell the role of Velcro in Soho Cinders at Charing Cross Theatre.[6][7] In 2020 she starred in Be More Chill as Chloe Valentine in The Other Palace.[8][9] She left the show two weeks before its original closing date to rehearse for Hair at the Turbine Theatre, where she portrayed the role of Jeanie. Following this, Millie landed 'her dream role' of Maureen Johnson in Rent. She starred in this revival alongside Six cast alumna Maiya Quansah-Breed, portraying the leading role of Mimi Marquez and Jocasta Almgill, as her partner Joanne. Due to COVID-19, the show only had five live performances before shutting due to government guidelines.[10] In response to this, the team livestreamed a recorded version of the show during lockdown. They returned to the show in 2021, Millie returning to the role.

In 2021, Millie returned to the role of Chloe Valentine in Be More Chill, showing at the Shaftesbury Theatre,[11] and then returned to the role of Jeanie in Hair, showing in the London Palladium.

In April 2022, it was announced that The Cher Show would be touring the UK. Millie took on the role of Babe (Cher) on the year long tour.[12] The show launched at the Curve Theatre in Leicester.[13] The creative team included director Arlene Phillips, choreographer Oti Mabuse and costume designer Gabriella Slade.[14]

August 2022 brought the original cast of Six together to film a proshot, and Millie, reunited with her castmates, were granted the opportunity to reprise their roles once more at Hampton Court Palace in July.

SVN

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Millie also forms a part of the pop girl group SVN (pronounced 'seven') alongside six former West End cast members of Six: Jarnéia Richard-Noel, Natalie May Paris, Alexia McIntosh (Lexi), Aimie Atkinson and Maiya Quansah-Breed, and Grace Mouat (former swing and dance captain of the original cast of Six). After a limited series of concerts in October 2020, their debut concert was rescheduled from February 2022 to 7 August 2022 at the O2 Academy Islington, with the group releasing singles such as Stars (2021) and Woman, Free, Boss and At Christmas (2022).

Discography

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Songs released
Year Title Artist Album
2021 Queen SVN SVN
Stars
2022 Woman
Free
BOSS
At Christmas

Concerts

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Year Concert Date Venue Producer Notes (if necessary)
2020 Girl Power: the Reunion 10-11 October Oval Space, Cambridge Heath, London Aimie Atkinson -
2022 SiX: Live at Hampton Court Palace 19-20 June Hampton Court Palace Kenny Wax Members did not perform as SVN but as their significant roles in SIX. Grace Mouat did not feature in the event.
SVN 7 August O2 Academy Islington SVN Production all in-house; BOSS music video on set, with MBV productions and Genesis Lynea

Personal life

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O'Connell is openly queer.[15][16]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Broadcasting channel
2015 The People's Strictly for Comic Relief Dancer BBC
2016 The Entire Universe
2018 This Morning Anne Boleyn ITV
2019 The One Show BBC One
Olivier Awards ITV
BUILD Ldn Herself The Build Series LDN
2020 Rent Maureen Johnson -
2022 This Morning Herself ITV
2023 Wonka Tram Lady 2/Dancer N/A

Stage

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Year Production Role Notes
2015 Laine Leaps Ahead Lead / Featured Singer Epsom Playhouse
2016 Aladdin Slave of the Ring / Understudy Jasmine Civic Theatre
42nd Street Ensemble / Understudy Peggy Sawyer Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris
2017 Ensemble/Understudy Anytime Annie Theatre Royal Drury Lane
2018
2018 Six Anne Boleyn UK tour
2019 Arts Theatre
Soho Cinders Velcro Charing Cross Theatre
2020 Be More Chill Chloe Valentine The Other Palace
Hair Jeanie Turbine Theatre
Rent Maureen Johnson Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester
Catfish the Musical DD Stars Concept Cast
Halls Natalie Stars Concept Cast
2021 Rent Maureen Johnson Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester
Be More Chill Chloe Valentine Shaftesbury Theatre
Hair Jeanie London Palladium
2022 The Cher Show Babe (Cher) UK & Ireland tour
Six the Musical: Live at Hampton Court Palace[17] Anne Boleyn Hampton Court Palace
2023 Sleeping Beauty: The Fairy's Tale Sleeping Beauty Norwich Theatre[18]

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
2019 Laurence Olivier Awards Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical Six Nominated [a]
2022 WhatsOnStage Awards Best Supporting Actress in a Musical Rent Nominated [19]

Notes

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  1. ^ Shared with Six cast

References

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  1. ^ "New West End role for Millie". Isle of Wight Observer. 4 October 2019. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  2. ^ Tew, Imogen (12 March 2019). "'I never ever want to stop' — spotlight on Isle of Wight actress nominated for Olivier Award". Isle of Wight County Press. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  3. ^ Howells, Andy (17 August 2022). ""It's A Real Showstopper!" Says The Cher Show Star Millie O'Connell as Hit Musical Makes Cardiff Debut". Entertainment South Wales. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  4. ^ "Millie O'Connell". The Cher Show. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  5. ^ "Millie O'Connell". TresA. 2020-05-22. Retrieved 2023-06-30.
  6. ^ Gans, Andrew (24 October 2019). "Everybody's Talking About Jamie Alum Luke Bayer and Six Star Millie O'Connell Lead Cast of Soho Cinders Beginning October 24". Playbill. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  7. ^ Clarendon, Emma (29 October 2019). "'It honestly had me hooked by the first scene': Millie O'Connell swaps Six for Soho Cinders". My Theatre Mates. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  8. ^ Paskett, Zoe (9 December 2019). "Two former SIX queens star in London transfer of Broadway hit musical Be More Chill". Evening Standard. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  9. ^ Wood, Alex (14 February 2020). "Be More Chill UK premiere: first look at Scott Folan, Millie O'Connell and more in the hit musical". WhatsOnStage. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  10. ^ Wood, Alex (13 July 2021). "Rent revival unveils 2021 cast". WhatsOnStage. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  11. ^ Evans, Suzy (15 May 2022). "'Be More Chill' to return to the West End for a limited run". London Theatre. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  12. ^ Scott, Clementine. "BWW Interview: Millie O'Connell Talks THE CHER SHOW". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2023-07-02.
  13. ^ Putnam, Leah (25 February 2022). "Millie O'Connell, Debbie Kurup, and Danielle Steers to Star in The Cher Show European Premiere". Playbill. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  14. ^ "The Cher Show – we meet Oti Mabuse, Arlene Phillips and three leading ladies in rehearsal". WhatsOnStage. 2022-04-15. Retrieved 2023-06-30.
  15. ^ Ryan, Anya (20 April 2022). "Cher and share alike: three actors star as the singer in musical that turns back time". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  16. ^ "🌈 happy pride everyone!!! love is LOVE stay strong, stay beautiful, we out here doing the MOST being vibrant, loud and shining bright ✨ More Beautiful artwork by @liberaljane - thank you for constantly sharing your voice and talent for us to see ✨ do you like my edit lol x 🌈 #queerpride #panpride 🌈". Instagram. Millie O'Connell. Retrieved 2022-12-22.
  17. ^ "Original West End Queens to perform Six Live at Hampton Court Palace". Official London Theatre. Retrieved 2022-12-22.
  18. ^ Ingenthron, Blair (26 August 2023). "Star of SIX Millie O'Connell to Join Norwich Theatre Panto". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  19. ^ Wood, Alex (9 December 2021). "Nominees for 22nd Annual WhatsOnStage Awards announced". WhatsOnStage.
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