26 Facts About Kelli O'Hara

Kelli Christine O'Hara was born on April 16,1976 and is an American actress and singer, most known for her work on the Broadway and opera stages.

An eight-time Tony Award nominee, O'Hara won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance as Anna Leonowens in the Lincoln Center Theater revival of The King and I at the 69th Tony Awards in 2015.

Kelli O'Hara received Tony nominations for her performances in The Light in the Piazza, The Pajama Game, South Pacific, Nice Work If You Can Get It, The Bridges of Madison County, Kiss Me, Kate, and Days of Wine and Roses.

Kelli O'Hara received the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical in 2024 for Days of Wine and Roses.

Kelli O'Hara was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance as Anna Leonowens in the West End revival of The King and I at the 2019 Laurence Olivier Awards.

Kelli O'Hara made her debut at The Metropolitan Opera in a 2014 production of Franz Lehar's The Merry Widow.

Kelli O'Hara was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and grew up in Elk City, Oklahoma in an Irish American family.

Kelli O'Hara studied voice with Florence Birdwell, who taught Kristin Chenoweth four years earlier.

Kelli O'Hara went on to play the role of Young Hattie Walker in the 2001 Broadway revival of Follies, and then played the role of Young Phyllis Rogers Stone.

Kelli O'Hara next appeared in the 2002 Broadway production of Sweet Smell of Success as Susan Hunsecker.

Kelli O'Hara starred as Clara Johnson in the 2005 Broadway production of The Light in the Piazza at Lincoln Center's Vivian Beaumont Theatre.

Kelli O'Hara had appeared in a workshop of the musical at the Theatre Lab at Sundance, and in tryouts in Seattle and Chicago, as the character of Franca Naccarelli.

Kelli O'Hara received a 2005 Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical at the 59th Tony Awards.

Kelli O'Hara has been nominated for, or won, a Tony Award for every subsequent role she has played on Broadway.

Kelli O'Hara was the voice of producer Beth Totenbag on PBS' 2008 animated series Click and Clack's As the Wrench Turns.

From 2008 to 2010, Kelli O'Hara starred as Nellie Forbush in the Broadway revival of South Pacific at Lincoln Center's Vivian Beaumont Theater, for which she was nominated for her third Tony Award at the 62nd Tony Awards.

Kelli O'Hara took maternity leave in March 2009 and returned to the musical in October 2009.

Kelli O'Hara starred on Broadway as Billie Bendix in Nice Work If You Can Get It from April 2012 to March 2013 and received her fourth Tony Award nomination at the 66th Tony Awards.

Kelli O'Hara sang two concerts, titled "Kelli and Matthew: Home for the Holidays", in December 2014 at Carnegie Hall with Matthew Morrison and the New York Pops.

On December 31,2014, Kelli O'Hara made her operatic debut at The Metropolitan Opera as Valencienne Zeta in Franz Lehar's The Merry Widow, alongside Renee Fleming in the title role of Hanna Glawari.

Kelli O'Hara returned to Lincoln Center Theatre to star as Anna Leonowens in the Broadway revival of The King and I opposite Ken Watanabe as King Mongkut.

Kelli O'Hara appeared in the second season of 13 Reasons Why as Jackie, an anti-bullying advocate.

Kelli O'Hara reprised her role in The King and I at the West End's London Palladium for a limited run from June to September 2018.

Kelli O'Hara received her seventh Tony Award nomination for the revival at the 73rd Tony Awards.

In May 2023, Kelli O'Hara originated the role of Kirsten Arnesen in the musical adaptation of Days of Wine and Roses Off-Broadway at the Linda Gross Theater.

Kelli O'Hara is married to Greg Naughton of The Sweet Remains, son of actor James Naughton and nephew of actor David Naughton.