The upcoming Broadway revival of Shakespeare’s ‘Othello’ continues to build its cast. Molly Osborne is set to star alongside previously cast Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal. Osborne will play Desdemona.
Tony Award-winning Director Kenny Leon is helming this Shakespearean revival. The production is slated to begin performances in spring 2025 at a Shubert theatre, with specific dates yet to be announced. Washington will take on the titular role, while Gyllenhaal is set to portray the cunning Iago. Brian Anthony Moreland is producing the revival, and additional casting announcements are expected in the coming months.
“I am so excited to welcome Molly Osborne to our Broadway cast of ‘Othello’ as Desdemona,” said Leon in a statement. “Her unique blend of heart and intellect, coupled with a natural vulnerability, makes her a truly captivating actress. I am thrilled to welcome her to our theatre community and eagerly anticipate collaborating with her on her Broadway debut.”
This production marks Washington’s return to Broadway since his acclaimed performance in the 2018 revival of ‘The Iceman Cometh’. He previously collaborated with Leon on the 2010 production of ‘Fences’, which earned him a Tony Award, and 2014’s ‘A Raisin in the Sun’. Gyllenhaal, who made his Broadway debut in 2015’s ‘Constellations’, has also received a Tony nomination for his role in 2019’s ‘Sea Wall/A Life’, another Moreland production.
‘Othello’ has not graced the Broadway stage since a 1982 revival starring James Earl Jones and Christopher Plummer. The timeless tragedy tells the story of Othello, a Moorish military commander manipulated by his deceitful subordinate Iago, leading to devastating consequences for Othello and his wife, Desdemona.
Producer Moreland, currently represented on Broadway with ‘The Wiz’, has previously garnered four Tony nominations for productions including ‘The Piano Lesson’ and ‘American Buffalo’. The casting for ‘Othello’ is being handled by Duncan Stewart of ARC Casting, with 101 Productions serving as the general manager.
Osborne, a rising star on the West End stage, is known for her roles as Tzeitel in Menier Chocolate Factory’s ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ and Chana in ‘Indecent’ at the same venue. On screen, she has appeared in PBS’ ‘Call the Midwife’ and will feature in Amazon Prime’s upcoming ‘Anansi Boys’.