Ep390 - Julia Lester: Acting with Carell, Singing with Sondheim

The Theatre Podcast with Alan Seales

Julia Lester brings heart, humor, and honesty to this deep-dive into her journey from a theatre-loving kid in LA to a Tony-nominated Broadway star. She talks about growing up surrounded by performers, how Into the Woods became a defining chapter in her career, and the surreal moment when Stephen Sondheim personally approved her audition tape. Julia also shares the backstage magic of working with legends like Phillipa Soo and Gavin Creel, and how those experiences shaped her as both an artist and collaborator.

Currently starring in the Off-Broadway play All Nighter, Julia reflects on the thrill of originating a role, her love of well-crafted comedy, and why staying true to the text is so important to her process. She also opens up about her identity as a queer woman, her hopes for future creative opportunities, and what it’s been like stepping into the world of television again — this time as Steve Carell’s daughter in Netflix’s upcoming The Four Seasons.

Julia Lester is a Tony-nominated actress best known for her breakout Broadway role as Little Red in Into the Woods. She starred as Ashlyn Caswell in all four seasons of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series on Disney+, appeared in Hulu’s Prom Dates, and recently performed in I Can Get It for You Wholesale at Classic Stage Company. She’s now starring Off-Broadway in All Nighter and appears in Netflix’s The Four Seasons alongside Steve Carell and Tina Fey.

Connect with Julia:

• Instagram: @julialester
• TikTok: @jujthefirst

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