“As an actor, I always think that if someone does pick up a phone during a performance, something dire must be happening in their lives that is more important than theatre - some kind of tragedy they were attending to, or something. It's very uncomfortable if you don't know why they would pick up a phone and talk in the middle of a show.”

American actress, singer, dancer, and producer, born 1985

Annaleigh Ashford is an American actress, singer, dancer, and producer working across theatre, film, and television. Born in 1985, she has won a Tony Award and been nominated for a Grammy and an Emmy. She is known for leading Broadway revivals, including Sunday in the Park with George in 2017 and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street in 2023, where she played Mrs. Lovett and received another Tony nomination. She was also nominated for a Primetime Emmy for her role as Irene in the Hulu limited series Welcome to Chippendales.