China Anne McClain is heading to Broadway. The Descendants franchise star will make her stage debut as Daisy Buchanan in The Great Gatsby beginning August 3 at the Broadway Theatre, taking over the role from two-time Tony nominee Eva Noblezada, who plays her final performance on July 26.
Joining McClain is Ryan McCartan, who returns to the role of Jay Gatsby for the fourth time beginning July 27, succeeding Reeve Carney, who also plays his final performance on July 26. In the interim week between July 27 and August 2, national tour star Senzel Ahmady will make her own Broadway debut in the role of Daisy.
McClain, 27, is best known for her role as Uma in the Descendants franchise, as well as Black Lightning and A.N.T. Farm. She also performs with her sisters in the singing group Thriii. This marks her Broadway debut.
McCartan, 33, has a deep history with the production. He previously stepped in as Gatsby in January 2025 after original cast member Jeremy Jordan departed, and has alternated in the role multiple times since. Prior to The Great Gatsby, he made his Broadway debut in Wicked as Fiyero and also starred as Hans in Frozen. He originated the role of J.D. in the Off-Broadway production of Heathers: The Musical and played Brad Majors in Fox’s The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
The production also features Corbin Bleu as Nick Carraway, John Behlmann as Tom Buchanan, Linedy Genao as Myrtle Wilson, Charlie Pollock as George Wilson, Matthew Saldívar as Meyer Wolfsheim and Samantha Pauly as Jordan Baker through July 26, when Naturi Naughton-Lewis takes over the role beginning July 31.
Based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel, The Great Gatsby follows the mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby as he pursues a reunion with his former love, Daisy Buchanan, against the backdrop of the Roaring Twenties. The musical features music and lyrics by Jason Howland and Nathan Tysen, a book by Kait Kerrigan and direction by Marc Bruni with choreography by Dominique Kelley. The production originally premiered at the Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey in 2023, where it became the highest-grossing production in the theater’s history, before transferring to Broadway in 2024. It has now played over 900 performances and sold more than one million tickets.