Tony Nominee Luke Evans Is Having the Time of His Life in The Rocky Horror Show

Luke Evans is having as much fun as you at The Rocky Horror Show—maybe more. Starring as Dr. Frank-N-Furter, the leading man is making his seven-inch heels sporting, mustachioed, glam mad scientist character purposely larger than life. Evans and Broadway.com Editor-in-Chief Paul Wontorek sat down at Industry Bar (then walked Evans’ dainty dachshund Lala to Studio 54) and unpacked Evans’ Rocky Horror connection, what it means to be a role model and his Tony-nominated Broadway debut.

For his Broadway debut, Evans knows a thing or two about the famous antici…pation The Rocky Horror Show instills in its audience. “I have butterflies when I'm in the car going to the theater every night, which is a lovely feeling,” he says. “I also love the process of looking at myself, Luke, in the mirror, and then slowly seeing Luke disappear and Frank appear, to the point where I'm completely gone.”

That sense of immersion has defined his approach to the role from the start. While David I. Reynoso’s costumes started off more daring than what audiences see now, Evans “immediately could see a designer who wanted to really push the boat out and do something different, but with an homage to who Frank is.” He was just as game. “I never said no to a single thing," he says. "I wanted to try it all.” 

Evans describes the role as a defining act of courage. “Just putting the seven-inch boots on every night; they’re not easy,” he says. “Even walking downstairs is a terrifying thing. So, there's a lot to think about, but you rehearse and make it look easy and normal.” The visual transformation is equally bold, born from a simple directive: Be brave, do something different. What Evans and the creative team landed on is a rock star, grungy Frank, who “is happiest when he's in his spotlight in the most garish of clothing.”

For Evans, the role also carries a deeper, almost fated resonance. In his memoir, Boy From the Valleys: My Unexpected Journey, Evans shares that at his London Studio Centre showcase, he sang “Sweet Transvestite.” “I thought, ‘Well, they're not going to forget me if I do this,’" he says. Decades later, that same song anchors his Broadway debut.

His journey to this moment was not without challenges. “I was a very nervous, shy, bullied kid,” he admits. “I never really fit in. I couldn't really defend myself from the bullies, so I didn't have a very happy school life.” Yet a determination to pursue singing changed everything. “When I was 16, I ran out of the school gates after my final exam. I went to Cardiff, got a job and paid for my first singing lesson. And that led to me doing competitions and winning those, and finally finding something I was good at.”

Before a recent show, Evans’ partner asked him: “Do you still get nervous?” Evans was clear on the distinction. “It’s not nerves. It’s not the negative connotation of nervousness. It’s actually a really exciting feeling.” The sensation is physical—a tingling at the tips of his fingers and face, a flutter around the diaphragm. “I remember having this feeling even when I played Captain von Trapp when I was 14 years old,” he said. “I still have that feeling.” 

Live theater, in particular, offers something unmatched. “I'll never be a rock star, but that's as close to being a rock star as I think I'll ever get,” he says. “It's a magical thing, and it happens every single night, eight times a week.” Even after years in film, the stage remains central to his identity. “It's where my heart and my soul really resonates.”

Earning a Tony nomination for his Broadway debut has brought both excitement and reflection. “To have a nomination and to be recognized in a small group of actors from a world I haven't been part of for 17 years—I do have a sense of imposter syndrome—but this is how I began my life,” Evans says. “It was on stage.” Still, his priorities remain clear. “I didn't come here for an award. I came to entertain and do the best I could do on stage and have a wonderful experience.”

Evans is also mindful of the broader impact of his career. “It was very exciting to be able to play these very strong leading roles, but also be an open, happy gay man, and have both and be accepted by the industry for that,” he says. Without seeking it, he has become a source of inspiration. “I realize even without doing anything, just living your life, the choices you make are observed. I hope that my message of who I am and what I'm doing with my life—choosing the roles I want to play—goes out to everyone who may feel lost or unseen or scared of being themselves and having the career that they want," he emphasizes. "I'm a testament that that doesn't have to be the case. You can work and you can live and you can be happy and you can jump from one role to the next and mix it up.”

On stage, that philosophy translates into a commanding presence. “There's a chemical that triggers when you're on stage, this adrenaline. It all feeds into what you then see, this manifestation of confidence,” he says. “It's not how I live my life, but there's something that happens in live theater, which allows you to be something so different.” Offstage, the experience has been just as meaningful. The sense of connection between Evans and his castmates extends beyond the theater as he embraces life in New York. “It feels like home now.”

Watch the full interview below.

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