Megan Hilty Hilariously Uses Meryl Streep's Bio as Her Own in Broadway'sDeath Becomes HerMusicalPlaybill

Mar. 15, 2025

Megan Hilty and Meryl Streep.Photo:Getty(2)

Getty(2)

Megan Hiltyis channelingMeryl Streepin more ways than one.

The Tony-nominated actress is currently starring in the musical adaptation of Robert Zemeckis' 1992 dark comedyDeath Becomes Her, playing fictional star Madeline Ashton — the role Steep made famous on screen.

It’s a juicy character that Hilty sinks her teeth into, in similar ways as Streep did. Both play Madeline as vain, needy, ego-driven divas, obsessed with fame and beauty and obnoxiously condescending to all around them, milking every moment of dialogue and physicality for laughs.

Therefore, it’s only natural that theatergoers would walk into the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in New York City expecting to compare the two. But perhaps to nip that in the bud — and to give both a nod to Streep and a little Easter Egg for fans — Hilty has a gift for fans in thePlaybill.

In the program given out to attendees, Hilty swapped out her bio for Streep’s.

The program for Broadway’s ‘Death Becomes Her’.

Fans discovered the hilarious swap on Wednesday, Oct. 23, when the musical had its first preview. PEOPLE was there, and snapped a picture of the “Who’s Who in the Cast” page.

“Megan Hilty (Madeline Ashton) has been lauded as ‘the best actress of her generation,’ “ it reads, before listing a handful of Streep’s credits. “The countless accolades for her career include 9 Golden Globe Awards and 21 Oscar nominations, winning three forKramer Vs. Kramer(1979),Sophie’s Choice(1982) andThe Iron Lady(2011). President Barack Obama awarded her the National Medal of Arts and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She was awarded the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2017. Film credits:Mamma Mia!,The Devil Wears Prada,Death Becomes Her,Postcards From the Edge,It’s Complicated, Doubt,Out of Africa,Julie & Julia,andThe River Wild.”

The bio ends with another joke: the inclusion of a singular television credit from Hilty’s resume:Smash, the fan-favorite NBC two-season series about the making of a Broadway show.

There’s also an Instagram page linked: @ThisIsTotallyMegansRealBio, which is filled with photos from Streep’s storied career.

Of course, Hilty has plenty of accomplishments worthy of being listed.Death Becomes Heris Hilty’s fourth Broadway credit. Aside from playing Glinda the Good Witch inWicked, she originated the role of Doralee Rhodes in9 to 5: The Musicaland received a Tony nomination for playing Brooke Ashton inNoises Off.

On screen, Hilty starred inPatsy & Lorettaon Lifetime, for which she received a Critics Choice Award nomination for best actress. Her other television credits include Hulu’sDifficult People,the final season of CBS’sThe Good Wifeand its spinoff,The Good Fight.

She is married to singer/songwriter Brian Gallagher. The pair have two children: daughter Viola Philomena, 10, and son Ronan Laine, 7.

Hilty previously told PEOPLE that she would “would fall to the floor” if she heard from Streep about the role.

“I don’t know if I’d be able to take it,” she said. “I don’t know her and I can’t imagine that she has any time to reach out to me. But I’m sure that they’re aware that this is happening.”

Megan Hilty and Jennifer Simard in Broadway’s ‘Death Becomes Her’.Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade, 2024

Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade, 2024

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Death Becomes Heris now in previews, with an opening night set for Thursday, Nov. 21.

In addition to Hilty, the musical also stars Tony nomineesJennifer SimardandChristopher Sieber, as well as Destiny’s Child starMichelle Williams, in her first original Broadway role.

Tickets forDeath Becomes Herare now on sale.

source: people.com