A star is born! Emilie Kouatchou is making history as the first Black actress to play Phantom of the Opera’s Christine Daaé — and she doesn’t take the moment lightly.
“When people come to New York, they want to see Broadway magic and I think that’s what Phantom is,” Kouatchou, 25, said during a Today show interview on Thursday, February 24.
Christine is the protagonist in the longest-running Broadway musical, with both Erik (A.K.A. the Phantom of the Opera) and Viscount Raoul de Chagny falling in love with her. The University of Michigan alum, who first auditioned for the production after graduating in 2019, didn’t always think she could take on the starring role of such an iconic show.
“I think my mindset was still that this role was not for me, which is just a sad reality,” she explained. “And it took a lot of unlearning just to be able to say, ‘No, I can do this.’”
When the time came to perform Christine’s musical moments during her audition, Kouatchou felt confident. “I knew I could sing the heck out of Christine,” she added.
The Illinois native served as Christine’s understudy before taking over the role full-time in January. Her October 2021 fill-in performance, however, made her the first Black actress to play Christine in the show’s 34-year run.
“Last night???? Oh, baby we had a ball at the Majestic. I am just so so grateful for everyone who came, who took the time to write such kind messages to me, and every single person who has supported my throughout the years,” Kouatchou wrote via Instagram at the time.
She added: “If you’re Black and you’re reading this, TAKE UP SPACE. You are beautiful. This is our time. 🖤.”
During her Today interview, Kouatchou looked back on the moment she realized that she was no longer the understudy, but the star.
She pointed to the time she sang “Think of Me” with the orchestra, saying, “I just remember getting, like, so choked up I couldn’t remember the song.”
The former Great White Way star noted that one of the main reasons she has been able to break down barriers is because she saw women of color performing when she was a child.
“I think it makes all the difference. I grew up seeing people like Audra McDonald and Heather Headley on stage, being excellent,” she said. “They were the people that gave me hope that I could have a career in this. If they hadn’t done what they had done, I probably wouldn’t be here.”
