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Hannah Cruz
Cruz in 2026
Born
Hannah Rose DeFlumeri

(1992-02-19) February 19, 1992 (age 34)
Occupations
  • Actress
  • singer
Years active2011–present
Spouse
​
(m. 2024)​

Hannah Cruz (born February 19, 1992)[1][2] is an American actress and singer. She is known for playing Inez Milholland in the original Broadway cast of Suffs, as well as roles in the original cast of The Connector and the 2025 Broadway revival cast of Chess for which she was nominated for a Tony. She was awarded the Clarence Derwent Award (2024) for promising performers from Actor's Equity, for her roles in Suffs and The Connector.

Cruz has also acted in television and film, including The Housemaid (2025) and The Copenhagen Test (2026). She was cast as Gussie in the upcoming film version of Merrily We Roll Along, which will be in production for more than a decade.

Early life

[edit]

Cruz was born Hannah Rose DeFlumeri to Jack and Jackie DeFlumeri.[3] She grew up in Newtown, Connecticut.[1] Cruz graduated from Newtown High School in 2010.[4] She attended Broadway musicals as a teen, including the 2008 Gypsy revival starring Patti LuPone, who she has cited as a major inspiration.[1][5] Cruz was accepted to Ithaca College, but chose to develop her acting career instead.[4]

In 2010, she uploaded a performance as Mama Rose in her senior musical Gypsy to YouTube.[1] It was shared at the time by Playbill as a viral video that received ten thousand views in less than a month.[6][7] The video earned her an audition for a national non-Equity tour of Legally Blonde as Vivienne Kensington.[1][7] After the tour, she moved to New York in 2011 to continue working as a professional actor.[4]

Career

[edit]

After touring with Legally Blonde, Cruz continued to work in regional, touring, and off-Broadway theater throughout the 2010s. She acted in the 2015 national tour of Bullets over Broadway as Ellen.[1] She played Elsa in the stage show Frozen – Live at the Hyperion at Disney California Adventure.[5] Besides her theater work, Cruz also worked in food service and as a sitter.[8]

Cruz joined the Hamilton national tour as Eliza[5] in September 2018.[9][10] She starred alongside Isa Briones (Peggy) and Stephanie Umoh (Angelica),[11] as well as Edred Utomi.[12] In 2020, she was cast as James Wilson in Diane Paulus's all-female revival of 1776 at the American Repertory Theater, which was postponed during the COVID-19 pandemic.[13] She later acted at the Ogunquit Playhouse in Maine, including in stage versions of The Da Vinci Code and Young Frankenstein.[5][14]

She featured as Ruza Wenclawska in the original production of Suffs at the Public Theater in 2022. New York Times critic Maya Phillips referred to Cruz's performance as "droll."[15] She also appeared as Camille in Only Gold, a dance musical by Andy Blankenbuehler and Kate Nash, at the off-Broadway MCC Theater.[16] A critic at New York Stage Review praised her performance, noting that "Hannah Cruz (a Suffs standout) somehow manages to surf this sea of cliches, with a fine voice and vivid presence."[17]

Cruz originated the role of Robin Martinez—a junior copy editor suspicious of the Stephen Glass-inspired lead character—in the premiere of Jason Robert Brown's The Connector in February 2024.[18] Though praising her performance overall, one review by Frank Scheck faulted her and lead Ben Levi Ross for poor vocal projection.[19] In her own review, Roma Torre described Cruz's "lovely" performance as "the conscience of the story."[20]

She returned to Suffs for the 2024 Broadway transfer as Inez Milholland, described as "the best-developed character" in the off-Broadway version when originated by Philippa Soo.[21] Director Leigh Silverman had requested Cruz shift to the Milholland role during a pre-transfer workshop, to test her viability as Soo's replacement.[22] The role marked Cruz's Broadway debut.[23] She performed with the show until its closing on January 5, 2025.[24] Cruz also features in the Great Performances recording of Suffs, set to air on PBS in May 2026.[25] Cruz received the Clarence Derwent Award in 2024, for her breakthrough appearances in both The Connector and Suffs.[26]

Cruz joined the Broadway revival of Chess in 2025. She performed the role of Svetlana Sergievsky, the abandoned Soviet wife of an expatriated chess grandmaster played by Nicholas Christopher.[8] To promote the production, Cruz ran the backstage vlog "Don't Svet It," reflecting on the production's opening.[27] For her role, Cruz received mixed, generally positive reviews. In Variety, critic Christian Lewis wrote that "the usually lovely Hannah Cruz as Svetlana (Anatoly's wife) in a rare misstep. Despite using a Russian accent in her dialogue, she makes no attempt to sing with it, a confounding and distracting choice."[28] Alternatively, Chris Jones noted in the New York Daily News that "all of the performances are bravissimo or bravissima and there's an especially impressive turn here from Hannah Cruz,[...] she gives her character such a vocal and dramatic shove that Chess actually becomes a love quartet, which is the first time I ever have thought that."[29] In her New York Times review, Elizabeth Vincentelli called Cruz's performance "enticingly cryptic."[30]

Television and film

[edit]

Cruz was cast in the multi-decade film project Merrily We Roll Along in 2025. The film is directed by Richard Linklater and stars Ben Platt (Charley), Beanie Feldstein (Mary), and Paul Mescal (Frank).[31] She is set to play Gussie Carnegie, a Broadway star who marries Mescal's character.[31] Linklater will film the movie over more than a decade, similar to his film Boyhood, to allow the cast to age as the movie proceeds through time.[32] As of March 2026, Linklater plans to continue filming until at least 2039, with the progress currently at "a quarter of the way through" the chronology.[32] Jonathan Marc Sherman, who wrote the book for The Connector and co-adapted the screenplay for Merrily, invited Cruz to the production.[8] Cruz was a recurring character in the Peacock series The Copenhagen Test in 2026.[33] She played Rachel Kasperian, the ex-fiancée of Simu Liu's protagonist.[33] She also appeared in The Housemaid (2025).[34]

Personal life

[edit]

Cruz has been married to Edred Utomi since 2024.[35][22] They met during the Hamilton national tour, where they played the married couple, Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton and Alexander Hamilton, onstage.[5] In 2026, both Cruz and Utomi starred in Broadway shows at the same time.[36] Their two theaters (the Imperial and the Richard Rodgers, respectively) are connected by a tunnel, which Lin-Manuel Miranda revealed to the couple.[37] During one Hamilton performance, Miranda and Cruz used the tunnel to surprise Utomi.[37]

Work

[edit]
Key
† Denotes films that have not yet been released

Theater

[edit]
Year Title Role Venue Ref
2018-2019 Hamilton Eliza Hamilton National tour [38]
2021 Young Frankenstein Inga Ogunquit Playhouse (Maine) [14]
2022 Suffs Ruza Wenclawska The Public Theater (off-Broadway) [15]
Only Gold Camille MCC Theater (off-Broadway) [17]
2023 The Da Vinci Code Sophie Neveu Ogunquit Playhouse (Maine) [5]
2024 The Connector Robin Martinez MCC Theater (off-Broadway) [39]
2024-2025 Suffs Inez Milholland Music Box Theatre (Broadway) [23]
2025-2026 Chess Svetlana Sergievsky Imperial Theatre (Broadway) [30]

Film

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2025 The Housemaid Lexi [34]
TBA Merrily We Roll Along † Gussie Carnegie Filming until at least 2039 [31]

Television

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2026 The Copenhagen Test Dr. Rachel Kasperian [33]
Suffs Inez Milholland Recording of Broadway performance in Great Performances series [25]

Awards and nominations

[edit]
Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
2024 Outer Critics Circle Awards Outstanding Featured Performer in an Off-Broadway Musical The Connector Nominated
2026 Tony Award Best Featured Actress in a Musical Chess Nominated [40]

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Levitt, Hayley (April 16, 2024). "From Hamilton to Suffs, History Has Its Eyes on Rising Star Hannah Cruz". Broadway Buzz. Broadway.Com. Retrieved April 4, 2026.
  2. ↑ Cruz, Hannah (February 19, 2022). "I'm ✨30✨And damn am I happy. [...]". Retrieved April 25, 2026 – via Instagram.
  3. ↑ Nguyen, Hoa (May 13, 2011). "Parents Prepare to Welcome Hannah Home". Newtown, CT Patch. Retrieved April 4, 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 Tuccio-Koonz, Linda (May 7, 2024). "CT actress stars in Broadway's 'Suffs,' produced by Hillary Clinton". CT Insider. Retrieved April 4, 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Gans, Andrew (September 1, 2023). "How Hamilton Gave Hannah Cruz Her Big Break, and a Fiancé". Playbill. Retrieved April 4, 2026.
  6. ↑ Hetrick, Adam (May 6, 2010). "A Budding Rose... High Schooler Tackles Gypsy". Playbill. Retrieved April 4, 2026.
  7. 1 2 Hetrick, Adam (June 2, 2010). "Young Mama Rose Nabs Legally Blonde Tour". Playbill. Retrieved April 4, 2026.
  8. 1 2 3 Rubino, Sophia (March 10, 2026). "Hannah Cruz Talks Chess, Working With Lea Michele and the Long Game of Filming Merrily We Roll Along". Broadway Buzz. Broadway.Com. Retrieved April 4, 2026.
  9. ↑ Aucoin, Don (September 20, 2018). "'Hamilton,' the hit heard 'round the world, arrives in Boston (finally) with a bang - The Boston Globe". The Boston Globe. Retrieved April 6, 2026.
  10. ↑ Pennington, Juliet (October 3, 2018). "Hannah Cruz, a.k.a. Eliza Schuyler Hamilton, talks travel". Boston.Com. The Boston Globe. Retrieved April 6, 2026.
  11. ↑ Dolinger, Alex (January 7, 2019). "'Hamilton' leaves Pittsburgh audiences speechless". The Pitt News. Retrieved April 6, 2026.
  12. ↑ Pender, Rick (February 22, 2019). "The 'Hamilton' Cincinnati Staging is on Par with Broadway's Original". Cincinnati CityBeat. Retrieved April 6, 2026.
  13. ↑ Clement, Olivia (April 16, 2020). "Cast of Broadway-Bound 1776 Revival Meets Online for a Zoom Workshop". Playbill. Retrieved April 6, 2026.
  14. 1 2 Gans, Andrew (October 6, 2021). "Sally Struthers and John Bolton Star in Ogunquit's Young Frankenstein Beginning October 6". Playbill. Archived from the original on September 7, 2025. Retrieved April 5, 2026.
  15. 1 2 Phillips, Maya (April 7, 2022). "'Suffs' Review: Young, Scrappy and Hungry for the Right to Vote". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 7, 2026.
  16. ↑ Green, Jesse (November 8, 2022). "Review: In 'Only Gold,' Each Move Is Worth 1,000 Words". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 6, 2026.
  17. 1 2 MacDonald, Sandy (November 8, 2022). "Only Gold: At Least the Dancing Shines". New York Stage Review. Retrieved April 6, 2026.
  18. ↑ McHenry, Jackson (February 7, 2024). "Editorial Notes on The Connector". Vulture. New York magazine. Retrieved April 6, 2026.
  19. ↑ Scheck, Frank (February 6, 2024). "The Connector: Journalism Scandal Musical Feels Too Little, Too Late". New York Stage Review. Retrieved April 6, 2026.
  20. ↑ Torre, Roma (February 6, 2024). "The Connector: A Splendid New Musical About Truth and Consequences". New York Stage Review. Retrieved April 6, 2026.
  21. ↑ Levitt, Hayley (April 6, 2022). "Review: Suffs Shows How Both a Movement and a Musical Can Get Bogged Down". Retrieved April 6, 2026.
  22. 1 2 Scheps, Leigh (April 26, 2024). "Hannah Cruz's Broadway Debut in Suffs Is Part of Her Best Year Yet". Broadway Direct. Retrieved April 7, 2026.
  23. 1 2 Nordstrom, Leigh (April 19, 2024). "Getting Ready for 'Suffs' Opening Night on Broadway With Hannah Cruz". WWD. Retrieved April 7, 2026.
  24. ↑ Culwell-Block, Logan; Masserson, Meg (January 5, 2025). "Suffs Closes on Broadway January 5". Playbill. Archived from the original on December 15, 2025. Retrieved April 7, 2026.
  25. 1 2 Evans, Greg (February 12, 2026). "'Suffs' Musical By Tony-Winning Shaina Taub Gets May Airdate On PBS' 'Great Performances'". Deadline. Retrieved April 7, 2026.
  26. ↑ Buchwald, Linda (May 9, 2024). "Actors' Equity Foundation 2024 Performance Awards Announced". TheatreMania. Retrieved April 7, 2026.
  27. ↑ Kravitz, Jamie (October 24, 2026). "Chess Star Hannah Cruz Is Broadway.com's Newest Vlogger". Broadway.Com. Retrieved April 7, 2026.
  28. ↑ Lewis, Christian (November 17, 2025). "'Chess' Review: Lea Michele Reigns as Queen of This Uneven Broadway Revival". Variety. Retrieved April 6, 2026.
  29. ↑ Jones, Chris (November 17, 2025). "BROADWAY REVIEW: Guilty pleasure 'Chess' with Michele, Tveit, Christopher doesn't miss". New York Daily News. Retrieved April 6, 2026.
  30. 1 2 Vincentelli, Elisabeth (November 17, 2025). "'Chess' Review: At Least They Have the Music". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 7, 2026.
  31. 1 2 3 Grobar, Matt (February 10, 2025). "Hannah Cruz Joins Richard Linklater's 'Merrily We Roll Along'". Deadline. Retrieved April 4, 2026.
  32. 1 2 D'Alessandro, Anthony (March 12, 2026). "Richard Linklater on 'Merrily We Roll Along' 20-Year Journey, Austin Film Society". Deadline. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
  33. 1 2 3 Tinubu, Aramide (December 27, 2025). "Simu Liu's Espionage Thriller 'The Copenhagen Test' Is a Dastardly Disappointment: TV Review". Variety. Retrieved April 7, 2026.
  34. 1 2 Tinoco, Armando (December 3, 2025). "'The Housemaid' Premiere Red Carpet Photos: Sydney Sweeney, Amanda Seyfried & More". Deadline. Retrieved April 4, 2026.
  35. ↑ Parent, Dylan (March 17, 2026). "Video: For Hannah Cruz, Performing in 'Difficult and Dangerous Times' Is a Call of Duty". Playbill. Archived from the original on March 18, 2026. Retrieved April 4, 2026.
  36. ↑ Barbuti, Angela (February 7, 2026). "Married Broadway couple starring in shows next door to each other". The New York Post. Retrieved April 4, 2026.
  37. 1 2 Utomi, Edred (March 19, 2026) [March 18]. "Edred Utomi on Hamilton, Hannah Cruz and a Wild Backstage Moment With Lin-Manuel Miranda". The Broadway Show (Interview). Interviewed by Tamsen Fadal. Broadway.Com.
  38. ↑ Barnes, Steve (August 7, 2019). "Playing Eliza has made actress an admirer". Albany Times Union. Retrieved April 6, 2026.
  39. ↑ Cao, Caroline (February 6, 2024). "'The Connector' review — Jason Robert Brown musicalizes fake news". New York Theatre Guide. Retrieved April 5, 2026.
  40. ↑ "See who's nominated for the 2026 Tony Awards". NPR. Retrieved May 5, 2026.
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