Discover Five Rising Stars Who Shine on Set at Broadway Stages
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Star Power at Broadway Stages
Today we shine the spotlight on five actors who brought their A-game to productions filmed at Broadway Stages. From courtroom dramas to superhero sagas, these breakout stars lite up the screen — and our soundstages.
Carrie Preston
Preston has been in the film and television industry for more than three decades, but she didn't receive top billing in a project until last year, when "Elsbeth" debuted on CBS. The show is a bonafide hit, and the second season wrapped in May with a musical extravaganza filmed in Stage 4 of our Brooklyn facility, on a set specially designed for use in this episode. In February, CBS renewed "Elsbeth" for a third season that is expected to be part of the network's fall lineup.
In the hit reverse whodunit, Preston plays the quirky attorney-turned-detective Elsbeth Tascioni, a role she originated 15 years ago on CBS's "The Good Wife" (2009-2016). For her work in the third season of the popular series, she won an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series. The series filmed all seven of its seasons at our facilities, as did its spin-off "The Good Fight" (2017-2022), in which Preston continued to guest star as Tascioni.
Several years before she took on the role that would make her a star, Preston landed her first part as a regular in a major series, playing waitress Arlene Fowler in HBO's hit vampire drama "True Blood."
Preston is now a star on the rise. Outside of "Elsbeth," she most recently played a supporting role in the 2023 Oscar-winning dramedy "The Holdovers," portraying Lydia Crane, the friendly assistant to the prep school's icy headmaster.
Laverne Cox
Cox got her big break in 2013 as part of the ensemble cast of Netflix's hit series "Orange Is the New Black" (2013-2019). She played Sophia Burset, one of the prison's inmates and hairstylists, and in 2014 she earned her first of four Primetime Emmy nominations for the role. She became the first transgender person to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in an acting category.
"Orange Is the New Black" was among the earliest Netflix originals, and the series used our Staten Island facility, home to the former Arthur Kill Correctional Facility, as a stand-in for Litchfield maximum-security prison.
Cox's newfound fame on the show gave her a platform to bring more attention to LGBTQ causes, and in 2014 she executive produced and narrated the documentary "Laverne Cox Presents: The T Word” for MTV and Logo TV. In 2015, she became the first transgender woman to win a Daytime Emmy Award for her work on the documentary. Two years later, she became the first transgender person to play a transgender series regular on U.S. broadcast television, portraying Cameron Wirth on CBS's "Doubt" (2017).
Cox has since appeared in successful films, including the 2020 Oscar-winning dramedy "Promising Young Female," made guest appearances on popular shows including "The Mindy Project" (2012-2017), and co-starred in Netflix's hit miniseries "Inventing Anna" (2022). She most recently starred in the critically acclaimed Prime Video series "Clean Slate," which premiered earlier this year.
Mike Colter
Colter has been a regular at our stages for more than a decade. One of his earliest roles was as a guest star in the first season of "Blue Bloods," which filmed all 14 of its seasons at our facilities in Brooklyn. He also made a guest appearance in the second season of "Royal Pains," which also filmed at our stages.
Colter's big break came with his recurring appearances on "The Good Wife," playing the Chicago drug lord and businessman Lemond Bishop, who was a client of Lockhart/Gardner. Colter appeared in 21 episodes, with a major character arc in the sixth season. He also appeared in two episodes of "The Good Fight."
Colter then entered the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) with his work as Luke Cage in the Netflix original series "Jessica Jones" (2015-2019). He played the former convict with superhuman strength and unbreakable skin in nine episodes of the series, of which several scenes filmed at the former Arthur Kill Correctional Facility, that is part of our Staten Island campus. He played the character again as the star of Netflix's "Luke Cage" (2016-2018) and also appeared as the superhero in the limited series "The Defenders" (2017). All three series utilized our facilities for filming.
From 2019 to 2024, he co-starred in the CBS/Paramount+ supernatural series "Evil," playing David Acosta, who was training to be a Catholic priest when he began working with a forensic psychologist and techie to help investigate the church's backlog of unexplained mysteries. All four seasons of the series were filmed at our Kingsland Avenue facility in Brooklyn. Colter currently has several projects in pre-production and development stages.
Ebon Moss-Bachrach
Today Moss-Bachrach is an Emmy-winning star thanks to his work on the Chicago-based FX on Hulu series "The Bear." But before hitting it big in the Windy City, he appeared in numerous films and series set in New York, including one filmed at our facilities.
Both Moss-Bachrach and his "The Bear" co-star Jon Bernthal appeared in the first season of Netflix's "The Punisher" (2017-2019). Bernthal starred as Frank "The Punisher" Castle, a former Marine who became a crime-fighting vigilante. Moss-Bachrach played David "Micro" Lieberman, a former NSA analyst who goes into hiding following a failed assisination attempt by higher-ups at the CIA. Like other MCU series filmed at our facilities, "The Punisher" utilized our Staten Island stages.
The long-time co-stars will be returning to New York City next year in a Broadway production of "Dog Day Afternoon," based on the 1975 film of the same name that was based on a real bank robbery attempt that took place in 1972. Both will be making their Broadway debuts in the upcoming production.
Moss-Bachrach also played a supporting role in the 2023 film "No Hard Feelings," which filmed at our Glendale stages.
Louisa Jacobson
Jacobson was born into a family of artists, so it's no surprise that she fits in perfectly with her more-established co-stars on HBO's historical drama "The Gilded Age." After graduating from Yale's drama school in 2019, Jacobson quickly landed the role of Marian Brook, a young woman who goes to live with her old-money aunts in New York City after her father dies.
Many newcomers would drown in the sea of Tony-Award winning actors and actresses who comprise the cast of the show, but as the youngest daughter of screen legend Meryl Streep and the acclaimed sculptor Don Gummer, Jacobson is used to being in the presence of immense talent. Her sisters Grace and Mamie Gummer also have numerous productions under their belts.
The third season of "The Gilded Age" premiered to rave reviews less than two weeks ago, and Jacobson can also be seen in a supporting role in the hit romcom "Materialists."
We can't wait to see what she and our other rising stars are up to next!
Broadway Stages — Production Studio Partner-of-Choice
At Broadway Stages, we love to see the stars of shows and films that utilize our facilities prosper in their careers. As one of New York’s premier production studio companies, we are dedicated to building a sustainable, inclusive, and economically productive film and television culture in New York. From the gifted actors in front of the camera to the talented and experienced workforce that works behind the scenes, our state-of-the-art facilities are designed to provide top tier service to all who call the film and television industry home. We look forward to welcoming many more cast and crew members to our family.
One of New York’s largest and most trusted full-service production studio companies, offering comprehensive services for film, television, live streaming, commercials, live performances, music videos, and more. With over 40 years of experience, we’ve become a cornerstone of New York’s thriving creative industry.
With more than 60 soundstages spanning across Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island, Broadway Stages offers over 4 million square feet of state-of-the-art production space, including soundstages, support space, distinctive filming locations, parking, and in-house services for lighting, power, and grip rentals. We provide tailored solutions for productions of all sizes, delivering the resources and expertise needed to meet your creative and technical needs.
Learn about film and TV industry jobs, training, and more in the Broadway Stages’ Industry Resource Guide. Our guide provides information and links to put you in touch with industry-focused job posting sites; general recruiting sites; education and training programs; and state, city, and borough industry information.
