Julia Knitel chatted about starring in “Dead Outlaw” on Broadway, and her 2025 Tony nomination.
Tony nomination for ‘Dead Outlaw’
Knitel is up for a Tony nod for “Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical.”
On earning a Tony nomination for “Dead Outlaw,” she said, “Honestly, some days it still doesn’t feel real. It really is a dream come true.”
“To be recognized in this way is such an honor, but to be recognized for my work on a show that I love so much and believe in so fiercely; it’s overwhelming,’ she added.
Knitel on playing all her different characters in ‘Dead Outlaw’
On portraying all of those different characters, she remarked, “I think I play about nine different characters in the show, and I love them all. Each feels like a sweet, silly, and strange extension of me.”
“I get to be soft and feminine as Maggie, my inner child gets a moment to shine as the unapologetically weird and wonderful Millicent, I get to be a wiggly little cowboy for about four minutes, and a glamorous assistant to our brilliant Thom Sesma right in the eleventh hour,” she explained.
“It’s an actors dream to get to shape-shift this much in one piece — and I enjoy every single form I take each night,” she added.
Daily motivations
On her daily motivations, she shared, “Gratitude. I feel so fortunate to do what I love, to get to make a living as an artist. The world is so scary, so dark. It’s easy to feel hopeless and consumed right now — but each and every day I get to get up on a stage and make people laugh.”
“Make them cry. Make them forget about their problems for a couple of hours. The theatre is a healing medium, and I never take for granted what a profound gift it is to be able use my gifts to heal,” she elaborated.
Future plans
Regarding her future plans, she said, “I want to continue to originate roles in shows that I connect with and believe in. Projects that excite and challenge me. I love building things from the ground up, collaborating with other artists that inspire me.”
“I also try to do about 50/50 plays and musicals. So I’d love to do a play next,” she added.
The digital age
On being a performer in the digital age, she said, “it’s interesting. You have so much more access to great work — I can watch incredible performances on my phone or on my TV.”
“It certainly is helpful as a research tool – and easy access to good art is incredibly important,” she added.
Career-defining moments
Knitel went on to open up about her career-defining moments. “There have been a few people over the course of my career who saw my potential well before I was aware of it, let alone ready to step into it,” she said.
“For example, when I was auditioning for ‘Beautiful,’ the Carole King musical in 2015, it was for an ensemble track. But after a few callbacks, the creative team decided to do a work session with me for the role of Carole King,” she elaborated.
“I was 21, and completely confused — I felt utterly incapable of playing a role that big, that challenging — especially on a Broadway stage. But they saw in me a leading lady,” she said.
“Eventually, I played that part eight shows a week for over a year. It changed the course of my life, and my career, and I will always be grateful for their faith and belief in me,” she added.
Advice for hopefuls
For young and emerging actors, singers, and artists, she said, “Be kind. Truly, genuinely kind. To everyone. This business is hard, and at the end of the day, all you have is your self and your people.”
“When those rainy days come around (and they always do), you will know that you are proud of the person you are and the community you have built,” she added.
Success
Regarding her definition of success, Knitel said, “Career-wise, success, to me, is getting to the point in my career where I have my pick of brilliant, challenging, moving projects to choose from — plays, musicals, developmental work, on-camera work – with teams I admire and colleagues that excite and inspire me.”
“Career success is only one part of it,” she admitted. “I hope to have a really beautifully well-rounded life where I get quality time with the ones I love, the freedom to travel and see as much of the world as possible, and a lovely, safe home that always feels good to come back to.”
Message for her fans and supporters
For her fans and supporters, Knitel expressed, “Thank you. It still moves and humbles me that there are people out there who connect with my work deeply enough to be a fan of it. I don’t take this for granted, and appreciate it very, very much.”
To learn more about actress, singer, and performer Julia Knitel, follow her on Instagram.
