‘Smash' star Megan Hilty to take leave of absence from Broadway's ‘Death Becomes Her'
Megan Hilty is taking a break from 'Death Becomes Her.'
The Broadway star, 44, who is also known for her stint on the TV show 'Smash,' announced her leave of absence from the stage production on Instagram Wednesday.
Hilty stars as Madeline Ashton in the play adaptation of 1992 movie by the same name featuring Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn, which has been running at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre since November 2024.
8 Megan Hilty stars as Madeline Ashton in the play adaptation of 1992 movie by the same name featuring Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn.
J.Lingo/AdMedia / SplashNews.com
'I love my job,' Hilty started her lengthy post, adding that playing Madeline has been 'the most challenging and rewarding role I have ever taken on.'
She emphasized the physical aspect of her role, noting she needs to take the next several weeks off to recover from a vocal injury.
'The lengths to which I have gone to make sure I can physically do the show is a job in itself – the regimen is too long for this post – but I do it joyfully because, as I mentioned before, I LOVE what I do,' the star explained.
Calling the news 'painful,' Hilty shared that she's 'stepping away from my beloved DBH family for 3-4 weeks while I recover from a vocal injury that only time can heal.'
The actress also shared that it's 'hard for me to admit I am human,' noting that 'performers are often asked to push through and pretend that we're not.'
8 The actress included this photo from the 2025 Tony Awards in her announcement.
Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions
8 Megan Hilty has starred in 'Death Becomes Her' since it opened on Broadway in November.
Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions
8 Megan Hilty, Jennifer Simard, Josh Lamon and Christopher Sieber.
Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman
However, she said her 'Death Becomes Her' family thinks differently.
'I am so fortunate to work with the best producers, company, & stage managers, who don't subscribe to that way of thinking and fully support me and my fellow cast mates when our bodies tell us it's time for a break,' she continued.
Hilty asked for patience and understanding during this transition period while encouraging others to research how vocal cords work.
8 Megan Hilty is taking a few weeks off to recover from a vocal injury.
Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman
'We are athletes. And just like a professional basketball player, we are going to get injured from time to time – not because we aren't good at our jobs, it simply comes with the territory because of the extraordinary demands we put on our bodies,' she added.
Hilty concluded, 'Thank you for your patience and support while I take this time to take care of myself to ensure my longevity with the show and my career, in general.
'In the meantime, Madeline's fabulous shoes will be filled brilliantly and I'll be counting the seconds until I can meet you back at the Lunt-Fontanne. 💋'
8 She praised her 'Death Becomes Her Family' while vocalizing their support.
Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman
8 She recently performed a number from 'Death Becomes Her' at the 78th Tony Awards on Sunday.
Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman
The performer was recently diagnosed with tendinitis in her throat, telling the New York Times in May that it was due to 'the physical stuff I do with my neck in the show. It pulls on my voice box and I ultimately have to call out of the show if it's affecting my voice and it's too painful.'
Hilty recently performed a number from 'Death Becomes Her' at the 78th Tony Awards on Sunday, June 8, where she was also nominated.
'Death Becomes Her' features Hilty as Madeline alongside fellow Tony nominee Jennifer Simard as Helen Sharp. Their co-stars include Michelle Williams, Christopher Sieber, Taurean Everett and Josh Lamon.
8 The actress was recently diagnosed with tendinitis in her throat.Hilty's time away from the stage comes just two days after 'Smash' on Broadway abruptly announced their final show after suffering a Tony Awards shutout.
While she did not star in the Broadway production, Hilty played Ivy Lynn in the short-lived musical series, which only ran two seasons on NBC from 2012-2013.
The last show of the Broadway production of 'Smash' will be June 22 after 32 previews and just 84 regular performances.
The abrupt ending was revealed after The Post reported that the Tony Awards producers refused to let 'Smash' and 'Boop! The Betty Boop Musical' perform during the three-hour broadcast.
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