Tom Francis She may have been too young to blast The Pussycat Dolls’ “Don’t Cha” at the time of its release, but she knew damn well who she was. Sunset Boulevard. costar Nicole Scherzinger it was.

“I knew them. I wasn’t the biggest fan. “I can’t say I’m a fan,” Francis, 25, said. Us Weekly After completing his performance on Broadway’s opening night Sunset Boulevard. earlier this month.

“(Scherzinger, 46) always gets mad at me for not watching one of her Grammy-nominated videos. And he said, ‘How did you not see that?’ he said. And I said, ‘I’m sorry.’ I was growing up!’ Do you know what I mean?” Francis joked.

In 2005, The Pussycat Dolls were in their prime after releasing their debut studio album. PCD, Francis would have been 6 years old.

However, as he grew older, Francis admitted: We She says “Buttons” is now her favorite song from her former girl group.

Both Scherzinger and Francis won Olivier Awards for their performances at The West End Theater in April. Francis gushed. We About what it’s like to work with a triple threat.

“He is very generous with the time he gives to me. “And yes, she holds me when I need to be held, both on stage and in life,” he said. “She truly is the loveliest woman.”

Manager Jamie Lloydrevival Andrew Lloyd WebberStage adaptation of the 1950 film Sunset Boulevard, It tells the story of actress Norma Desmond (Scherzinger), who refuses to accept that her career is not as vibrant as it used to be, and hires screenwriter Joe Gillis (Francis) to write her script in order to get back into the spotlight. A movie that can revive its status.

In the second act of the show, Francis begins singing “Sunset Boulevard” before taking to the streets of New York. live performance of the numberThere’s a picture of The Pussycat Dolls in the dressing room. Lloyd, 43, decided to reference The Pussycat Dolls and said Scherzinger loved the idea because she was “one of the funniest people he’s ever met.”

“He loves anything where we think outside the box and surprise audiences,” Lloyd said.

“The production was largely about ‘Where does Nicole Scherzinger end and Norma Desmond begin?’ He’s playing with the idea. Because there are so many similarities. And of course Nicole connects to this role in a very special, very deep way,” Lloyd continued. “It’s the kind of fun to be had in blurring those lines… So, you’re kind of playing with the idea. It’s fun in a way, but maybe that’s because we’re very much a company. It’s that we have fun. So everyone brings that sense of humor to the project in some way, above everything else.”

Lloyd also acknowledged the similarities between Scherzinger and his character Desmond; This is the singer’s Broadway debut, and as a result, she’s now getting all the attention her talent deserves.

“I didn’t know Nicole would be the perfect Norma, but I knew she would have a connection to the material. So she looks like Norma Desmond; “Someone who is incredibly famous, who gets huge fame, but then he’s kind of laid off and cast aside by an industry and never given the opportunity to show the world what he can really do,” Lloyd told Us. “He’s a great, great artist.” “He’s a phenomenal actor. He’s an incredible world-class vocalist. And he finally has a platform. I hope to show the world what he can achieve.”

Olivier’s candidate David Thaxton – the person who plays Max Von Mayerling in the series also gushed We About working with Moana actress.

“I have plenty of time for Nicole. Thaxton, 42, said he is the hardest-working actor I have ever worked with. “His work ethic is astounding… he just puts himself on stage.”

But when it came to being a fan of Scherzinger’s work on The Pussycat Dolls, Thaxton jokingly responded, “God no. No, not at all.”

Thaxton admits that since working with her, he won’t go back and listen to his co-star’s past work in the girl group.

“It’s not like me at all. But he’s my favorite,” Thaxton said. “I think he’s epic. I have so much time for him. He’s a truly inspiring person.”

Sunset Boulevard. currently St. It’s playing at the St. James Theatre, and the show’s cast album is out now.