Show People with Paul Wontorek: Phillipa Soo of THE PARISIAN WOMAN

Tony nominee Phillipa Soo discusses sharing the stage with Uma Thurman in THE PARISIAN WOMAN, her biggest HAMILTON fangirl moment and more.
Here are some must-read highlights:
ON HER 'WOKE' CHARACTER IN THE PARISIAN WOMAN
“Rebecca’s very driven. She represents the very ‘woke’ community of young people who are ready to take on the world and literally insert themselves into the history of our nation. They’re making room for themselves where room is not allowed for them.”
ON HER CO-STAR UMA THURMAN
“She’s fantastic. She is such an interesting person. She’s fiery and intelligent and witty. She’s an incredible listener. She comes from a very heavy film background. Having done very little film myself, it’s fun to be in the room with someone who is constantly making choices. Going into this process after making musicals. I thought ‘This is going to be a little different.’ It intimidated me a bit. But then, getting into the room with Uma, we took things and tried them and just threw them in there to see how they worked as opposed to having a discussion and really needing to craft it before trying it out. The process was very messy in a great way. It shook me out of my insecurities. We had a really fun time making this show.”
ON HER HAMILTON FANGIRL MOMENT
“Being in Hamilton was the craziest experience. I ended up being the in the room with people that I grew up admiring and listening to and watching. President Obama’s visit was pretty cool. It was so, so amazing to be able to go to the White House and to perform there. That was incredible. But I think for me, the most giddy, young little girl that I had inside of me burst out when Julie Andrews came to see the show. It’s Julie Andrews! She’s how I learned how to sing! I would listen to her and just try and emulate her voice.”
ON FALLING IN LOVE WITH STEVEN PASQUALE
“Self-admittedly, I didn’t know of any of Steven’s work before I met him. I knew of him. We had met before. But I had never watched Rescue Me or listened to The Bridges of Madison County. I was in Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 while that was happening. I was in that tent 24/7. I did a little research on him, but I didn’t want to do too much. I was very much interested in not having that expectation in my mind. I was going to meet someone through a person who I trust very much. Jonathan Groff was our yenta. Jonathan is truly an incredible person, so anybody that he has in his life, I trust is also an incredible person. We went on a couple dates, and as I was getting to know him, I started listening to his music and watching his shows. Part of my research was watching the Show People interview with you and Steve together. It was hilarious. That’s what so great about this show. You really get to the core of who people are. He made me laugh in that moment. The first production that I got to see him in was The Robber Bridegroom . I had a total talent crush on the man that I love.”
ON NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812
“Getting out of school, I just wanted to be good at my job. The idea of ‘making it’ or needing to get somewhere-that was sort of in my mind, but the beauty of Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 was that there were so many incredible artists and present people who were really just there to make something. It made it easy just to be in that experience and not focus on what it would lead to. Maybe that’s why it went somewhere.”
ON NOT FOLLOWING THE COMET TO BROADWAY
“What was beautiful about The Great Comet moving to Broadway was that what the show did for me, it also did for Denée Benton. It gave someone who was starting out an opportunity to play an ingenue role of a mixed soprano singing range in musical theater telling a story that was both culturally and racially diverse. Yet, we were telling this old story from a classic novel. It sort of felt perfect and meant to be because the gift that Natasha gave me was given to somebody else, and that felt the most right. And Denée killed it.”

[@reinehahaha000]

I was like, "why did she have to point out that the president is Obama", then I saw the date and remember the reality.

[@julescbernardo]

She’s so well-spoken. I love her so much.

[@MitchellBasham]

But honestly, please give her a vlog at the Parisian Woman!!!!

[@mmhmm1862]

Mitchell Basham yeessss

[@dazraine7400]

Mitchell Basham Yesss pleaseeee

[@teagangan]

yesyesyesyes

[@kelly-wp7ed]

yES

[@TheSummerStrawberry]

Pippa is so perfect she is a literal angel

[@brooke_talbott]

honestly if i walked into a room with phillipa soo all i’d want to do is talk about her.

[@annalong3503]

Paul is a great interviewer, and is very natural and charismatic when he's interviewing. And Pippa is so intelligent, poised, talented, and charming. She's lovely

[@jasonalvarado4409]

Honestly think Pippa is an actual angel. Also Amelie was my first Broadway show and I go to this happy place every time I listen to it. I can’t put my finger on it but the music has some magic to it

[@karl9eli]

Pippa talking about Comet is a gift from the universe

[@lilywalsh4554]

PIPPA SOO I LOVE YOU

[@HollaPark]

I came as soon as I heard!

[@christianwritesmusic]

all the way from london? damn!

[@ya-no4io]

all the way from london? damn

[@flyejeezy6350]

HollaPark Thank God some one who understands what I'm struggling here to do

[@flyejeezy6350]

AndPeggy Hamiltrash We're not here for you lmao

[@artemisjohansson1716]

I know Pippa like I know my own mind u will never find anyone as trusting or as kind

[@amytucker1902]

Best interview I've seen with Phillipa, she seemed so relaxed.

[@lj3353]

Her voice is really sweet and mature

[@mariellechurchill51]

I'm screaming at school THANKS PIPPA

[@Kate-bw1mg]

How could anyone not just love Pippa 😭😭

[@christinaskaggs9689]

Pippa is the perfect human being.

[@jadynbeckett8367]

pippa is so cute . i love listening to her talk

[@Annesglitter]

She was in Natasha pière? I didn’t know that! She’s truly so pure!

[@chloe_3787]

I’m dying at listening to her talk about Cats. I am not in the musical theater department at my high school, but I certainly go watch the productions. Our dumb choir director chose Cats this year; the art teacher *made* all the costumes (usually they are rented)-she started with white spandex suits and airbrushed them and they looked incredible. The kids were great singers and dancers. However, the production kind of sucked. It made no sense, which I think is kind of just Cats. Plus there was lots of lifting that the male lead just simply didn’t know how to do, and, granted, he never dropped her, but his hands were in some places they definitely didn’t belong lol. That in combination with a bunch of high schoolers in morph suits kind of just created a disaster.

[@zoerosiee]

Got the notification that this video was posted on the anniversary of when I saw Amelie last year in LA! It was such a breathtaking show and I wish more people were able to experience it. So lovely, whimsical, and inspiring. It was such a fun night at the theater. But I was so excited to see Pippa perform, since I'm in California and hadn't had a chance to see her previous work, especially as biracial, half-Asian woman with artistic aspirations. Pippa isn't much older than me, but I view her as such a role model and inspiration. She is so gracious, poised, and just wonderful and I am so grateful that us biracial Asian girls have such a fantastic woman representing us in the Broadway world right now.

[@anabefm]

“The world trusts Jonathan Groff”

[@sethherron8695]

yEs pIPPA

[@MediaLover194]

"3 bucks, 2 bags, 1 me" is from Annie, not Millie. However, Sutton did play that Annie role in the 1997 revival.

[@clairelundin11]

Wow, Pippa talking about being woke is one of my favourite things. Such a great, fun interview!

[@milabailey7885]

She’s amazing I love her

[@BridgetLouise13]

She is pure joy :-D

[@Caroline-ck5qo]

10:40 pippa your so lucky!! i have a family of teachers and lawyers and doctors! and im on my own following my dreams of becoming an actress

[@josephdefilippis07]

It’s going to be exciting to see what her next roles are going to be

[@MABACTS]

She is so delightful! #cinnamonroll

[@yulisagarcia2475]

She is amazing.

[@margaretdelaney7623]

Yay this was posted on my birthday😆😆😆😆that makes it even better😂

[@soopersalad2509]

5:30 would you say it was .... BROADWAY?!?? is that where the name comes from? haha

[@shabytin]

Finally! I've been waiting for her to be on show people! ❤

[@gsche]

Lovely interview, as always! x

[@ela6334]

yes finally

[@melissacox3669]

show people is my favorite.

[@lilianacorona6986]

Pippa’s such a Rachel Berry 😍😍😍😍

[@StripesofShay]

whats the purpose of all the breaks????

[@wubbalubbadubdub3762]

Pippa did pippin

[@sofiavictoriaramirez]

wOKE

[@jenthinksthat...1535]

I thought it was a painting piece.

[@MitchellBasham]

First