Laura Benanti

Laura Ilene Benanti (née Vidnovic), born July 15, 1979, is an accomplished American actress and singer. She first emerged on Broadway as part of the ensemble and later starred as Maria von Trapp in the 1998 revival of The Sound of Music. She has been recognized with a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her role as Louise in the revival of Gypsy in 2008 and received several additional Tony nominations for her roles in Swing! (2000), Into the Woods (2002), Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (2010), and She Loves Me (2016). Her array of stage works also includes important roles in Nine (2003), In the Next Room (2009), Meteor Shower (2017), and My Fair Lady (2018).

Parallel to her stage career, Benanti has gained significant recognition for her television roles. These roles include Lauren Bennett on the NBC sitcom Go On (2012–2013), Sadie Stone in the ABC musical drama series Nashville (2014–2015), Alura and Astra in the CBS series Supergirl (2015–2016), and Edie Randall in the TBS comedy The Detour (2017–2019). She also played roles in popular shows like Gossip Girl (2021–2023) and The Gilded Age (2023) on HBO. From 2016, Benanti has often been seen in sketch comedy playing First Lady Melania Trump on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.