The Greatest Showman star to join cast of hit musical & Juliet

That’s the kind of thing performers tend to say without really meaning it, but in the case of Keana Settle, you can’t help but suspect it’s true. Born and raised in Hawaii, the eldest of five siblings, Settle’s mother is from New Zealand, and she remains connected to Maori culture.

“We grew up speaking the language, and so much of my family remains in New Zealand, and I’ve never had the chance to perform even close to them,” she says.

Her connection to Australia was forged through none other than national treasure, Hugh Jackman. Settle appeared alongside Jackman in the 2017 film, The Greatest Showman, with Settle’s Academy Award-nominated rendition of the anthemic ballad This Is Me, cementing her status as one of the film’s breakout stars.

“He really is a national treasure; you guys should lock him up, you’re so lucky to have him,” laughs Settle.

“We’re still in touch, and he remains the most down-to-earth man I know; he’s the kind of man who really enjoys life. You’ll be walking along a beach, and he will just run and jump into the water without notice.”

While there’s no word on whether Jackman will be in the audience for Settle’s first & Juliet show on Australian soil (“I suspect he doesn’t need me to wrangle free tickets”), audiences are being treated to a rising star.

Following the final & Juliet show in Sydney on July 12, Settle will return home to Manchester in the UK and begin preparing for the release of the Wicked film.

Universal’s film adaptation of the Tony-winning Broadway musical was first announced back in 2016 and has been the subject of much hype. Settle appears alongside Grande in a cast that also includes Cynthia Erivo, Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum.

“It’s been spectacular, Ariana taught me how to meditate on set so that was fun,” says Settle. “People have no idea what they’re in for with Wicked; Ariana will blow them away.”

“The day of my costume fitting, I was with director John Chu, and Ariana was doing her first camera test, and she asked him to play it back, and we all watched it together,” recalls Settle.

“There were no lines of dialogue, it was just Ariana looking into the distance and what you saw in her eyes, as Glinda is the hope of what the world could be, she is a star.”

& Juliet is now playing at the Sydney Lyric Theatre, Pyrmont until July 12.

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