West End star Tam Mutu, who now resides in the States, is back on Broadway in the Tony-winning revival of Chicago at the Ambassador Theatre.

Mutu, who is married to fellow actor Kristen Martin, is currently playing slick lawyer Billy Flynn in the long-running hit, which will soon celebrate its 30th anniversary on Broadway. The company also features Whitney Leavitt in her Main Stem debut as Roxie Hart, Sophie Carmen-Jones as Velma Kelly, Jacqueline B. Arnold as Matron "Mama" Morton, Mykal Kilgore as Mary Sunshine, and Greg Hildreth as Amos Hart.

Mutu made his Broadway debut in 2015 in the short-lived musical version of Doctor Zhivago, was subsequently seen in Moulin Rouge! The Musical, and has also appeared in the City Center Encores! stagings of Oliver!, Hey Look Me Over!, and The New Yorkers. His London credits include City of Angels at the Donmar Warehouse; Les Misérables at the Sondheim; Love Never Dies at the Adelphi; Love’s Labour’s Lost, Royal Hunt of the Sun, and South Pacific at the National Theatre; Romeo and Juliet and King Lear for the Royal Shakespeare Company; and As You Like It and Oh! What a Lovely War at the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre. 

Film and TV audiences may have seen Mutu's work in Law & Order: Organized Crime, Medici, Sherlock, Blue Bloods, and Mary Poppins Returns.

In the interview below for the Playbill series How Did I Get Here—spotlighting not only actors, but directors, designers, musicians, and others who work on and off the stage to create the magic that is live theatre—Mutu shares how he and his wife manage their Broadway schedules, the significance of the wall by the Chicago stage door, and why he admires fellow actors.

Where did you train/study?
Tam Mutu: I trained at the Guildford School of Acting in the U.K., earning a First Class BA (Hons) in Musical Theatre.

Was there a teacher who was particularly impactful/helpful? What made this instructor stand out?
I was fortunate to have many great teachers, and it’s hard to single out just one. Each of them played a part in guiding me, challenging me, and helping me develop. What they gave me collectively was a sense of identity and the confidence to believe in myself. Until that point, I often felt like I didn’t quite belong, and their support helped me find my footing both as a performer and as a person.

What are the challenges/rewards of joining a long-running show like Chicago?
One of the biggest challenges for me is being British and stepping into an iconic American musical theatre role on Broadway, which brings a different kind of pressure than playing the role in the West End, especially when you’re aware that you’re the latest in a line of many incredible performers to have played it before you. That awareness creates a real responsibility to honor the show’s history while still finding a way to leave your own mark, without being disrespectful to the past.

The reward is that you’re playing a leading role on Broadway and becoming part of that lineage, while still feeling how strongly the show resonates with audiences night after night and seeing how happy it makes them. Even small moments reinforce that sense of belonging—like passing the wall by the stage door that lists every company member’s name under each role and spotting yours there among them—that’s pretty cool.

Do you have a favorite moment in the show for Billy?
My favorite moment is probably Billy’s entrance into "All I Care About Is Love." It’s a pretty special reveal. Everyone calling for you—almost like being summoned. It perfectly captures Billy’s theatricality and ego.

You and your wife are both on Broadway at the same time. How do you manage the demands of a Broadway schedule and raising a family?
I won’t lie—it’s very tough at times. Broadway schedules can be brutal, and they’re not typically family-friendly. You’re working nights, weekends, and holidays, which adds another layer of challenge. It really comes down to communication, planning, and a lot of teamwork. We’re constantly checking in with each other and staying flexible when schedules shift, which they often do. We’re also very intentional about protecting family time, even if it’s in smaller moments. Having a shared understanding of the demands of this job helps enormously, and we do our best to support each other so that both our family and our work can thrive. It’s something we’re still learning and navigating, because every day brings something new. And, of course, there are bumps along the way.

Excluding Chicago, do you have a favorite theatrical experience? What made that show/role so memorable for you?
One of my most memorable theatrical experiences was City of Angels at the Donmar Warehouse in London. It was a truly special group of people, a wonderful show, and a role I loved playing. The rehearsal room felt collaborative and inspired, and that sense carried all the way through the run. The Donmar is a very special performance space. You are so exposed, which can be extremely daunting, but for some reason on this particular show, it was so thrilling. I still look back on that experience with a lot of happiness and pride—especially as we went on to win Best Musical Revival at the Olivier Awards. About time it was revived over here.

Tell me about a time you almost gave up but didn’t.
There was a period when my father became seriously ill, and I moved back from London to my hometown of Hastings to help support him. It was a difficult time, and in many ways I felt like I lost a part of myself. I began questioning everything—my career, my choices—and became quite disillusioned. I stopped going to castings, said no to opportunities, and retreated into a very solitary, dark place.

Then I was invited to audition for Love Never Dies, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s new sequel to The Phantom of the Opera. It had been a long time since I’d been in the room for anything, and with all the hype surrounding the project—and Jack O'Brien directing, it was a big opportunity. I almost didn’t go. But I did.

That audition ended up being one of the best I’ve ever had. Jack was inspiring, kind, and incredibly generous in the room. It was one of those rare moments actors hope for, where you feel truly seen. The experience was cathartic and, more importantly, it reignited something in me. It gave me my fire back and reminded me why I do this.

Thanks, Jack.

What do you consider your big break?
That’s a hard question to answer, because every time you book a job, it feels like a break in its own way. Each role comes with different exposure depending on where it’s happening and who you’re working with. But if I had to point to one, it would be my first break—Les Misérables.

I was still in college and just beginning my final year, and we were working on a show called Closer Than Ever. Our director was Ken Caswell, who at the time was the resident director on Les Misérables. He was wonderful and incredibly kind. He encouraged all of us to audition—not necessarily to get the job, but for the experience and preparation of auditioning in the real world. I will always be grateful to him for believing in us.

So we did. I found myself auditioning on the main stage of the Palace Theatre, which in itself felt completely surreal. Trevor Jackson, who was head of casting at the time, was there, along with several other important people. After, I remember thinking that I’d experienced my first professional audition and felt good about how I’d done.

A few days later, back at college, my roommate told me there was a voicemail on our home answering machine from company management at Les Misérables. I assumed my friends were winding me up. I didn’t have a mobile phone or an agent at the time—our home number was my only contact.

But it was real. It was an offer to join the next cast, which meant leaving college early. It was a big and slightly terrifying decision, but ultimately one I felt I had to take. Looking back, it was kind of crazy—and while it may not have been my only break, it was definitely my first big one.

You were born in England and worked in the West End for many years. How did the decision to move to the States come about?
I was in Toronto performing Chess at the Princess of Wales Theatre when I received a call from my agents saying I’d been seen by creatives from a new Broadway-bound show called Rebecca, directed by Michael Blakemore. They asked if I could fly to New York to audition. I went, and shortly after, I was offered the role of Maxim de Winter. It was set to be my Broadway debut.

Sadly, the production was postponed for reasons that can be read about. It was in the news and very public at the time. Although it was hugely disappointing, it quickly clarified something for me—I knew I wanted to work on Broadway.

A few years later, I felt incredibly fortunate to be given another opportunity with Doctor Zhivago, where I played the title role and made my Broadway debut. Since then, I’ve gone back and forth between the U.K. and the U.S. But when I met my wife, Kristen, I knew this was where I wanted to be.

What advice would you give your younger self or anyone starting out?
I would tell my younger self to trust that there’s no single right path. Everyone’s journey looks different, and comparing yourself to others only creates unnecessary pressure. Focus on doing the work, staying curious, and continuing to grow. Take care of your voice, your body, and your mental health—they’re just as important as talent. And perhaps most importantly, remember that uncertainty is part of the job, not a sign that you’re failing. If you can stay patient and persistent, the work will find its way to you.

What is your proudest achievement as an actor?
My proudest achievement isn’t a single role or credit, but the fact that I’ve been able to sustain a career doing what I love across multiple mediums and all across the world. I don’t always find that level of exposure easy, and at times it can feel overwhelming. But I remind myself how fortunate I am to have worked on stage, in television, film, and concerts—each of which has challenged me in different ways and contributed to my growth as an artist. That kind of longevity brings its own pressures and a heightened sense of self-scrutiny, and I’m proud that I’ve continued to be brave, to put myself out there, and to keep taking the leap. Being able to keep growing, telling stories that resonate with audiences, and still feeling excited by the work is something I never take for granted.

Is there a person or people you most respect in your field and why?
Overall, I have a great deal of respect for actors in general. It takes courage to continually put yourself out there—to be seen, scrutinized, and more often than not face rejection—sometimes in very public ways. Beyond that, I respect actors for pushing boundaries, asking questions, and being brave enough to go to difficult or uncomfortable places in pursuit of truth. Choosing vulnerability again and again, and daring to tell honest stories, is not easy, and I deeply admire anyone willing to take that risk and commit fully to the work.

In such difficult times in this country and around the world, how do you think theatre can play a positive role?
Theatre has a unique ability to bring people into the same space and ask them to listen, feel, and reflect together. In difficult times, that shared experience becomes incredibly important. For me, theatre offers connection, empathy, and sometimes even escape—but it also invites conversation and understanding. Sitting in a room with strangers and collectively responding to a story reminds us of our shared humanity.

Are we saving lives? Not per se. But if a performance reaches even one person, makes them feel truly seen, or gives voice to something inside them that they’ve been unable to articulate, then the work has meaning. And when that happens—night after night, audience after audience—that quiet impact becomes something powerful. In that way, theatre doesn’t just endure; it matters. And it will always be necessary.