Caitlin Kinnunen (born November 8, 1991) is an American actress. She is best known for playing Emma Nolan in the musical The Prom, for which she was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical in 2019.
Early life and education Kinnunen grew up in Camano Island, Washington. Her parents are Betsy Stam, an administrator at Everett Community College and Randy Kinnunen, a former law enforcement agent. She was homeschooled. Her parents enrolled her and her sister in theatre classes as children so they would not be afraid of public speaking.
She moved to New York in 2008 to pursue her theatre career.
Acting career Kinnunen made her Broadway debut at age 16, as a replacement for the role of Thea in Spring Awakening. In 2010, Kinnunen was the understudy for the role of Natalie in the national tour of Next to Normal.
Following these theater performances, Kinnunen took on a number of television and film roles. She was the lead character in the film Sweet Little Lies in 2011 and a minor character in It's Kind of a Funny Story, We Need to Talk About Kevin, and The Intern.
She was next seen in the 2013 pre-Broadway performances of The Bridges of Madison County as Carolyn, and she continued the role when the production moved to Broadway the following year. The show closed on May 18, 2014, after 137 performances.
In 2014, Kinnunen auditioned for the role of Alyssa in a reading for The Prom. She ultimately was cast as the lead character, Emma Nolan, and went on to perform the role in Atlanta in 2016, before the show moved to Broadway in 2018. For this performance, she was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical. Kinnunen and co-star Isabelle McCalla's kiss during their performance at the 2018 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade made national news as the first LGBT kiss in the parade's history. The production closed on August 11, 2019, after 23 previews and 309 regular performances.
In May 2024, Kinnunen originated a lead role in the play Choice by Winnie Holzman at McCarter Theatre Center in New Jersey.
In December 2025, Kinnunen began starring as Margaret Crane, inventor of the home pregnancy test, in an Off-Broadway production of Predictor, a play by Jennifer Blackmer about Crane's life.
Personal life In 2019, in an interview for Nylon, Kinnunen announced, after years of identifying as a straight ally, that she was dating a woman. She has since come out as bisexual/queer.
She has type 1 diabetes.
Acting credits Film Year Title Role Notes2010It's Kind of a Funny StoryScience Geek2011We Need to Talk About KevinStudent2011Sweet Little LiesBessLead role2012LegacyClaireShort film 2015The InternTechie #22022You're the BestEmmyShort film
Television YearNetwork Title Role Notes2009Law & Order: SVUAmy WagnerEpisode: "Turmoil" 2015The KnickSuzyEpisode: "Whiplash"2017American VandalAnonymous StudentEpisode: "Nailed" 2017YoungerHeidiEpisode: "Post Truth"2021Our Ladies Of BrooklynSister FrancesEpisode: PilotLead role
Theatre Year(s)ProductionRoleLocationCategory2008Spring AwakeningThea (replacement)Eugene O'Neill TheaterBroadway2010Next to NormalNatalie (understudy)National TourRegional2013The Bridges of Madison CountyCarolynWilliamstown Theatre FestivalOut-of-town tryout2014Gerald Schoenfeld TheatreBroadway2016The PromEmma NolanAlliance TheatreRegional2018Fun HomeMedium AllisonWeston PlayhouseRegional2018-19The PromEmma NolanLongacre TheatreBroadway2021-22Rescue RueAlexDaryl Roth TheatreOff-Broadway2022Jesus Christ SuperstarMary MagdaleneACT of Connecticut Regional2022The Magnificent SevenJaycie Phelps Theatre RowOff-Broadway 2024ChoiceZoe/Leah or Lena McCarter TheatreRegional 2025-26PredictorMeg Crane (Margaret Crane) AMT TheaterOff-Broadway
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref. 2019 20th Broadway.com Audience Choice Awards Favorite Leading Actress in a Musical The Prom Favorite Onstage Pair 73rd Tony Awards Best Actress in a Musical
References