Keri Russell starred in the indie movie Waitress back in 2007 and the film was later turned into a Broadway musical, which she still has never seen.
The eight-time Emmy-nominated actress just made some surprising comments about the Waitress musical while being interviewed for a Variety feature alongside her longtime partner Matthew Rhys.
In the interview, it was noted that Matthew starred in the stage adaptation of the movie The Graduate. When the film’s star Dustin Hoffman came to see the show, he didn’t greet the cast backstage and they all assumed he didn’t enjoy the play. Keri is able to relate because of her feelings on the Waitress stage adaptation.
All about the movie and musical versions of Waitress
Waitress follows a waitress and pie baker named Jenna who is in an abusive relationship with her husband and unexpectedly finds out that she’s pregnant with their first child. She falls for her gynecologist, Dr. Pomatter, and begins having an affair with him. Her friends push her to enter a pie-baking contest to earn the money she needs to leave her relationship and start a new life.
The movie was released in 2007 and was a modest success at the box office, grossing $22 million worldwide on a small budget.
The stage musical version of Waitress, featuring music written by Sara Bareilles, had its world premiere in summer 2015 during an out-of-town tryout run in the Boston area. The musical opened on Broadway in 2016 with Tony winner Jessie Mueller in the starring role. The show ran for years and Sara played Jenna many times both on Broadway and in London. She also stars in a live stage recording of the show, which you can stream now.
Keri Russell thinks it’s “weird” to see her movie adapted into a musical
In the Variety interview, Keri confirmed she hasn’t seen the musical.
“It just feels weird,” she said. “It’s weird to think about this character that you did, and suddenly they’re like —”
Variety noted that Keri then burst into song, singing out, “And now I’m making a pie …” Matthew chanted, “Pie, pie, pie-pie-pie!”
The Waitress musical was supported by the family of the late Adrienne Shelly
For those who don’t know, the movie Waitress was written and directed by the late Adrienne Shelly, who was tragically killed before the movie was ever released. She also played Dawn in the film.
The film had been accepted into the 2007 Sundance Film Festival before her murder in November 2006. The film was purchased by Fox Searchlight Pictures at the festival and went on to earn $22 million at the international box office.
Adrienne‘s widow, Andy Ostroy, wrote an article about the closing of Waitress on Broadway.
“Tomorrow night’s performance will be the last for WAITRESS after an incredible four-year run on Broadway. As with most things about my late wife Adrienne Shelly these past thirteen years, this is an incredibly bittersweet moment. While it will be sad to see the show’s curtain rising for the last time, it is also cause for celebration of Adrienne, her work and her legacy. A legacy that this talented, determined, dedicated company helped expand with this beloved musical adaptation of her sweet story,” he wrote in the Medium article.
Posted To:Broadway Keri Russell Sara Bareilles Waitress