Matthew Murphy
Geno Segers will no longer be part of the Broadway cast of Hadestown after his casting drew online outrage due to his social media postings
“The producers of Hadestown and Geno Segers have mutually agreed that Mr. Segers will no longer join the Broadway production. Additional casting will be announced shortly,” the production said in a statement. The show did not announce a reason for the decision
Segers was announced July 29 as part of the new principal cast of the Broadway show, as Hades, the god of the underworld, opposite Amber Iman as Persephone, with Jasmin Savoy Brown as Eurydice, Kayko as Orpheus and Norbert Leo Butz as Hermes. Segers was due to start in the role Sept. 1 alongside the new cast, after a theatrical career that included playing Mufasa in Disney’s Australian production of The Lion King and later appearing in New York City Center Encores! production of On the Town. He has also appeared on television in roles such as Mason Makoola on Pair of Kings and Chayton Littleton on Banshee.
However, Segers’ casting quickly drew backlash online, as theater fans pointed to prior videos made by Segers in which he allegedly spoke out against transgender individuals, including trans athletes competing in sports. Those videos did not appear on his YouTube channel Sunday
Asked for comment Sunday, Segers sent a social media post to THRon Monday apologizing to “everyone impacted,” including the cast, and taking “full responsibility for my words.”
“I wish to extend my most sincere apologies to everyone impacted by my words. While I never intended to inflict harm, I recognize that the impact of my statements is what matters most. I am fully committed to listening, educating myself, and elevating my standards. I will work tirelessly to earn the opportunity to make things right.”
“To the cast, creative team, and producers, please accept my sincere apologies for the stress my actiosn have brought to this production. I accept full responsibility for my words and acknowledge the necessity of immediate accountability.”
2:40 p.m. Aug. 3: Story updated with Segers’ response
