Jeanna de Waal is a British stage actress and singer. She is known for playing the title role of Princess Diana in the 2021 Broadway show Diana: The Musical, which was also released on Netflix. The musical received mostly negative reviews from critics and won five Golden Raspberry Awards, including Worst Actress for de Waal. However, De Waal was also nominated for a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical for the same role.
De Waal was born in Germany and raised in England. In 2012, she portrayed Glinda in the national tour of Wicked. She moved to New York City at the age of 22, where her Broadway appearances included Heather in American Idiot (2010) and Lauren in Kinky Boots (2014). In 2014 and 2015, she originated the roles of Dawn in Waitress and Mary Barrie in Finding Neverland at the American Repertory Theater. De Waal was cast as the standby for Mrs. Lovett and the Beggar Woman in the 2023 Broadway revival of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, and performed the role of Mrs Lovett from 17 January to 7 February 2024, between the stints of Annaleigh Ashford and Sutton Foster.Photos: Nicholas Christopher and Jeanna de Waal Step Into Sweeney Todd6 Understudies Will Step Into the Spotlight in Broadway's Sweeney Todd Over the Next 3 Weeks In August 2024, she played Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes at The Muny.Jeanna de Waal, Jay Armstrong Johnson, and More Will Lead ANYTHING GOES at the Muny In August 2025, De Waal portrayed Myrtle Wilson in the Asian premiere of The Great Gatsby in Seoul, South Korea.Gans, Andrew Matt Doyle, Jeanna de Waal, Senzel Ahmady, More Will Bring The Great Gatsby to South Korea Playbill, May 14. 2025
In 2017, de Waal and her sister founded Broadway Weekends, a theater summer camp for adults.
Awards Year Category Nominated work Result 2021Golden Raspberry Award for Worst ActressDiana: The Musical2022Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical
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