Nicole Scherzinger will take on the role of Grace, Daddy Warbucks’ chief of staff in NBC’s Annie Live! set for Thursday, December 2 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.
The pop singer will star alongside Taraji P. Henson as Miss Hannigan, Harry Connick Jr. as Daddy Warbucks and a soon to be announced young performer who will take center stage as Annie, discovered via a nationwide search.
“I’m so excited to be playing the role of Grace Farrell for NBC’s Annie Live!. Musical theater has always made my heart soar, so I’m over the moon to join this amazing cast for such a great classic,” Nicole said in a statement.
Nicole has sat on the X Factor and Australia’s Got Talent judges panel, and currently stars on The Masked Singer
Nicole has participated as a judge in a slew of competition reality shows, including X Factor UK, Australia’s Got Talent on 7 Network in Australia, and is about to begin the sixth season of The Masked Singer on FOX. In film, Nicole voiced the role of Sina in Disney’s animated film Moana.
Nicole is also known as the lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls, one of the world’s biggest girl bands. The singer has accrued #1 singles globally. She also starred in the revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats in London’s West End. Having reunited the Pussycat Dolls in 2019 with a viral television performance and a new #1 music video, Nicole is set to lead their reunion world tour post-COVID.
“Annie Live!” will be executive produced by Robert Greenblatt, Neil Meron and Alex Rudzinsky, with Lear deBessonet and Alex Rudzinski sharing the directing duties. Choreography will be led by Sergio Trujillo. Jason Sherwood will oversee production design. Stephen Oremus will orchestrate the music direction. Emilio Sosa will lead costume design. The live event is being produced by Chloe Productions.
Annie is the winner of seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical. It has been licensed and performed in 50 countries and translated into eight languages. Based on the Harold Gray comic strip “Little Orphan Annie” that debuted in 1924, the musical premiered on Broadway in 1977 and initially ran for over four years.
