Ariana DeBose won’t be crying for Argentina.
The Oscar winner was in talks to star in Jamie Lloyd’s revival of “Evita” at the London Palladium, but sources tell me things didn’t work out “due to scheduling.” The musical is scheduled to run June 16 to Sept. 6.
DeBose is currently shooting “Scarpetta,” the Amazon Prime Video series adaptation of Patricia Cornwell’s Kay Scarpetta novels with Nicole Kidman and Jamie Lee Curtis.
“We’re 70% there,” DeBose told Deadline’s Baz Bamigboye in January about her possible “Evita” deal.
“Evita,” from Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, tells the story of Argentine political powerhouse Eva Perón. Elaine Paige played the title role in the original 1978 West End production in London. Patti LuPone originated the role on Broadway in 1979. Madonna starred in the 1996 film adaptation.
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My sources insist that DeBose is interested in returning to Broadway “when the time is right.”
DeBose made her Broadway debut in “Bring It On: The Musical” in 2011 followed by roles in “Motown: The Musical: and “Pippin.” She was nominated for a Tony Award for best featured actress in a musical in 2018 for her portrayal of Donna Summer in “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical.”
While she hosted the Tonys for three consecutive years beginning in 2022, she told me in October she won’t be back for this year’s ceremony. “It’s time [to] let someone else come in and do their thing,” she said, adding that it was a “mutually agreed upon” decision with producers to skip the coveted gig.
She said, “I know when to exit gracefully. I think now’s the time.”
DeBose’s discussions with Lloyd reportedly began following the success of transferring his “Sunset Blvd” adaptation starring Nicole Scherzinger from London to Broadway.
