It’s no exaggeration to say that Kelli O’Hara is a musical theater superstar/icon/queen. A Tony Award winner (for The King and I in 2015), she just received her 9th consecutive Tony nomination for her performance in the Roundabout Theatre Company’s uproarious Broadway revival of Noël Coward’s wickedly funny 1925 comedy Fallen Angels—and this time she’s showing off her comedy skills instead of her showstopping soprano pipes. Kelli stars alongside Rose Byrne (also Tony-nominated) for 90 minutes of pratfalls, dry wit, drier martinis and non-stop laughs. Fallen Angels runs through June 7, 2026. Onscreen, Kelli can be seen in the hit TV series The Gilded Age on HBO.

We met up with Kelli for a Bare photo shoot at the Todd Haimes Theatre a few hours before an evening performance. She was right in her element inside this Broadway theatre, having fun working some modern-day glam behind the scenes.Writer Gina Way asked Kelli about her ‘80s-era celebrity crush, the beauty product she can’t live without, and (of course) her Bare Essentials.

Gina Way: Do you have a favorite Noël Coward one-liner in the play? (There are so many brilliant ones!)

Kelli O’Hara: “I should think it would be as well for you to stop hurling abuse at me and go in search of your weak, but strictly virtuous wife, who, if she hasn’t already succeeded in finding Maurice Duclos by now, is probably staggering about the streets in deep evening dress and hiccupping!”

I also like:

“Don’t be young, Jane.”

GW: What’s your pre-show prep like? (The show feels so light and effortless, but it must be very technical, with all the physical comedy and precise language. Do you do vocal and physical warmups beforehand?) Does the cast have a pre-show ritual before curtain?

KO: I always do a pretty thorough body warm up in my dressing room before each show with lots of stretching. We also gather as a cast one hour before every show on the stage and do a group warm-up that we were taught by the wonderful voice coach, Kate Wilson from Julliard.

GW: What are a few special items in your dressing room?

KO: My kids have spent a lot of time (behind the scenes) at different theatres with me over the years. I have photos of them sitting on my dressing tables in various dressing rooms when they were very little. I also have a special chaise lounge that I have now had in three consecutive Broadway rooms, compliments of The Roundabout. They pull it out of storage for me. I also have the lyrics of “Make Someone Happy” framed on my wall, and a photo of my mentor, Florence Birdwell.

GW: What’s your beauty routine like? Any must-have products?

KO: Believe it or not, I don’t go a day without Vaseline. It was my grandmother’s secret! I’ve used it on my lips every day and at night before bed my whole life. I also love a simple La Roche-Posay face wash and pounds of moisturizer like Filorga Time Filleror Goop Beauty all in one. I love a good serum as well. But the one absolute must-have is drinking lots of water and coconut water. When I stay really hydrated, my skin is happy.

GW: How would you describe your personal style?

KO: I’m pretty relaxed about style. It’s flexible, for sure. I love a gorgeous gown and shoes for an event, but the next minute, I’ll be in jeans and a tank top—and this is the majority of the time. I’m definitely always in high wedge boots or sandals. And a hat. Almost always a hat.

GW: What are a couple of your favorite NYC spots, or things you love most about living in the city?

KO: I will always love Chelsea. It’s cute, it’s clean, it feels safe to me and always welcoming. Jack’s Wife Freda on 8th Ave for brunch is a favorite spot.

GW: Who was your first celebrity crush?

KO: It was probably Sean Astin in TheGoonies. I was in the 5th grade, and I saw the movie six times in the theatre. He was probably 12. Sooooo much older.

GW: What have you read, watched, seen, or listened to lately that you loved?

KO: I really enjoy Amy Poehler’s podcast Good Hangand Julia Louis Dreyfus’s podcast, Wiser Than Me. I also enjoyed reading the novel My Friends by Fredrik Backman. But another guilty pleasure right now is watching SNL clips on YouTube. I think the current cast is really fun.

GW: Describe your favorite fragrance (it doesn’t have to be a perfume).

KO: Family meals, old family recipes, and cooking together have always been a huge part of my family life. So, the smell of a holiday is my favorite scent. All the scents coming from my Mom’s kitchen.