Australian actor Natalie Mendoza will play Satine in “Moulin Rouge!” when the production returns to Broadway this fall.
Mendoza, who played China Doll in the “Moulin Rouge!” film, takes over the role from Karen Olivo. In April, Olivo announced that she would not return to the production in the wake of allegations made against producer Scott Rudin and in an effort to create a more equitable industry.
A star of BBC television show “Hotel Babylon,” Mendoza has appeared on the West End in “Miss Saigon” and “Here Lies Love.” On Broadway, Mendoza played Arachne in early previews of “Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark,” but departed the production due to injury.
She will be joined on Broadway by the returning original cast, which includes Aaron Tveit, Danny Burstein, Sahr Ngaujah, Tam Mutu, Ricky Rojas and Robyn Hurder. Olivo, as well as Tveit, Burstein, Ngaujah and Hurder are currently nominated for Tony Awards for their roles.
“Moulin Rouge!” is scheduled to resume performances at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre on Sept. 24.
Ashley Loren will return as the Satine alternate. The ensemble includes Jacqueline B. Arnold, Holly James, Jeigh Madjus, Joe Beauregard, Keely Beirne, Giovanni Bonaventura, Olutayo Bosede, Maya Bowles, Kyle Brown, Sam J. Cahn, Bobby Daye, Mia DeWeese, Karli Dinardo, Tilly Evans-Krueger, Aaron C. Finley, Bahiyah Hibah, Ericka Hunter, Cameron Mitchell Jackson, Tasia Jungbauer, Jose-Luis Lopez Jr., Reed Luplau, Kara Menendez, Kaitlin Mesh, Fred Odgaard, Dylan Paul, Khori Michelle Petinaud, Benjamin Rivera, Julius Anthony Rubio and Brandon Stonestreet.
