There’s no bigger thrill than seeing your favourite film or television stars live onstage - especially if they’re doing it for the first time. Luckily this year in London, we’re spoiled for choice when it comes to witnessing popular actors making their West End debuts.
It’s a tricky business, making the jump from the silver screen to the stage, going from acting in front of a camera with the benefit of multiple takes and reshoots to putting on a performance in front of a live audience, with nothing between you and them. But we’re confident these stars have the talent to pull it off. Here are some of the actors we’re excited to see starring on the West End for the first time, marking a big milestone in their careers:
Joe Locke in Clarkston
Joe Locke, Ruaridh Mollica, and Sophie Melville for Clarkston
In this new original play by Samuel D Hunter, the writer behind the critically acclaimed film The Whale, Joe Locke stars as Jake, a young man on a journey of self-discovery through the American West, who forms a bond with another kindred soul. Love, adventure, and acceptance come together in what has been described as a modern frontier story.
Where you might know him from: Locke is best known for playing gay high school student Charlie Spring in the beloved Netflix teen series, Heartstopper. Since then, he stepped into the MCU as the mysterious teen witch Billy Maximoff in Agatha All Along, and played Tobias Ragg in Sweeney Todd on Broadway. We’re excited to see him tackle the part of yet another troubled, complicated young man with the same depth and heart he’s brought to his previous roles.
You can see Joe Locke in Clarkston soon - dates and venue to be announced.
Rachel Zegler in Evita at the London Palladium
Rachel Zegler and the cast of Evita. Photo by Marc Brenner
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s timeless, epic musical charts the life of the formidable First Lady of Argentina, Eva Peron, a passionate woman who rose from poverty to power and became a symbol of hope for a struggling nation. Zegler steps into the role of the tragic, fearless Eva, a role previously planned by Madonna in 1996. She’s already made waves for her heartbreaking rendition of the famous ‘Don’t Cry For Me Argentina’, performed on the balcony of the Palladium for awestruck passersby on the street outside.
Where you might know her from: With her incredible voice, the 24-year-old Zegler rose to fame after playing another iconic musical heroine as Maria in the film adaptation of West Side Story. She’s since played the immortal Anthea in Shazam! Fury of the Gods, the fearless musician Lucy Gray Baird in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, and the beloved Disney princess in Snow White. She recently made her Broadway debut as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet.
You can see Rachel Zegler in Evita until September 6th 2025.
Brendan Gleeson in The Weir at the Harold Pinter Theatre
Brendan Gleeson in The Weir
Written by Conor McPherson, The Weir is an eerie, atmospheric supernatural story that revolves around a group of storytellers at a pub in rural Ireland. It first opened in 1997 to critical acclaim and immediate success around the world. Gleeson plays a mechanic named Jack, a regular at the pub who tries to win over newcomer Valerie with a spooky story, only to have the tables turned on him.
Where you might know him from: Gleeson is one of the gems of Irish cinema, with a number of awards and accolades under his belt. Film lovers will recognise him from classics such as The Banshees of Inisherin, In Bruges, Braveheart, 28 Days Later, Troy, and The Tragedy of Macbeth, while Harry Potter fans will remember him as the cantankerous Mad-Eye Moody. And if his name sounds familiar, it’s because you’ve likely seen his sons Domnhall and Brian on screen as well! Perhaps someday the three of them will take to the stage together.
You can see Brendan Gleeson in The Weir from September 6th 2025.
Alicia Vikander in The Lady From the Sea at the Bridge Theatre
Alicia Vikander with Andrew Lincoln and Simon Stone for The Lady From the Sea. Photo by Jason Bell
Henry Ibsen’s dreamy, atmospheric play follows a married couple in a rut, whose lives are thrown into turmoil when a past lover appears at their remote country home. Vikander plays Ellida, a beautifully complex woman torn between the comfort and boredom of her happily married life and the potential of an unpredictable romance with a man from her past. The Walking Dead star Andrew Lincoln plays opposite her, and we’re excited to see how their chemistry plays out on screen.
Where you might know her from: Vikander has had a richly varied career since making her film debut in Pure in 2010. Since then she’s wowed audiences in historical dramas, as Kitty in Anna Karenina and Queen Caroline Mathilde in A Royal Affair, as well as popular action films, where she’s played CIA operative Heather Lee opposite Matt Damon in Jason Bourne and adventurer heroine Lara Croft in Tomb Raider. You’ll also recognise her as Gerda Wegener, the loving wife to Eddie Redmayne’s Lili in The Danish Girl and as Ava the humanoid robot in Ex Machina.
You can see Alicia Vikander in The Lady From the Sea from September 10th 2025.
Susan Sarandon in Mary Page Marlowe at the Old Vic
Susan Sarandon and Andrea Riseborough for Mary Page Marlowe
This new original play by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tracy Letts is a vivid portrait of one woman’s extraordinary life, told through a glorious mosaic of snapshots and time jumps, with different actresses portraying her at different points. Sarandon plays the older Mary Page Marlowe opposite Andrea Riseborough, in this bold and creative character-driven play.
Where you might know her from: Sarandon has had a long and illustrious career filled with awards and accolades. She rose to fame after playing Janet Weiss in cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show, was nominated for an Oscar for her role as the road-tripping criminal Louise Sawyer in Thelma & Louise and won an Academy Award for Best Actress for Dead Man Walking (coming to the stage!), where she played the conflicted Sister Helen Prejean. She also won hearts playing much-loved mothers in Little Women and Stepmom, as well as in rom coms like Shall We Dance, where she was romanced by Richard Gere.
You can see Susan Sarandon in Mary Page Marlowe from September 30th 2025.
Olly Alexander in The Importance of Being Earnest at the Noel Coward Theatre
Olly Alexander in The Importance of Being Earnest
Oscar Wilde’s classic play is a masterclass in dry comedy and mercilessly pokes fun at Victorian society. Best friends Jack and Algernon find themselves tangled in a web of lies when they both masquerade as a fictional man named Ernest, using the fake identity to impress the ladies and get into all kinds of mischief. Alexander stars as one of Wilde’s most memorable characters, the rakish and charming Algernon Moncrieff, whose wit and chaotic energy are the source of most of the play’s humour.
Where you might know him from: Alexander is best known for being the lead singer of the pop band Years & Years, as well as his influential work as an LGBTQ+ activist. On the screen, he also featured in Bright Star, a biopic about John Keats, and played the vampire Fenton in supernatural series Penny Dreadful. You’re probably most likely to recognise him as Ritchie Tozer in the hugely popular drama series It’s a Sin, following the lives of a group of gay men during the AIDS crisis. Disclaimer: we’re cheating slightly here, because he has actually appeared on the West End stage once before, at the tender age of 13, playing Peter Pen opposite Ben Whishaw and Judi Dench.
You can see Olly Alexander in The Importance of Being Earnest from September 18th 2025.
So if you want to see what these talented actors are like on a stage, pick your favourites and try to nab a good seat so you can see them up close. If you’re lucky, you may even be able to meet them at the stage door - check out our beginner’s guide to theatre-going to find out more about our advice on stage dooring.
Please also note that the above actors may not be performing on specific days - so make sure you check before booking to avoid disappointment!
