It was 2017. Most people thought the "original movie musical" was a dead genre, or at least one reserved for niche indie darlings. Then came the cast of the movie The Greatest Showman, and suddenly, everyone from toddlers to grandmothers was screaming about being "the bravest thing I'm gonna be."
Honestly, the movie's success wasn't a fluke. It was a lightning strike of perfect casting. Hugh Jackman had been trying to get this thing made for seven years, and he basically willed it into existence through pure charisma and a few high-stakes workshops.
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Hugh Jackman and the Birth of P.T. Barnum
Hugh Jackman is Barnum. It’s hard to imagine anyone else in that red coat. Before this, he was mostly known as the guy with the claws in X-Men, but his roots are deep in musical theater. He’s a Tony winner. He’s hosted the Oscars. He understands the "razzle-dazzle" better than almost anyone in Hollywood.
There's this famous story—it's actually documented on video—where Jackman had just had skin cancer surgery on his nose. His doctors told him he absolutely could not sing, or he’d rip the stitches. During the final pitch for the studio, he tried to stay quiet while a stand-in sang "From Now On." But the music took over. He couldn't help himself. He started singing, the stitches held (barely), and the studio heads were sold. That’s the kind of energy the cast of the movie The Greatest Showman brought to the table.
Zac Efron and Zendaya: The Romantic Anchor
If Hugh Jackman provided the spectacle, Zac Efron and Zendaya provided the heart.
Efron played Phillip Carlyle, a fictional high-society playwright who risks his reputation for love. This was a massive "welcome back" moment for him. He’d spent years trying to distance himself from the High School Musical image by doing raunchy comedies like Neighbors. But seeing him back in a vest, doing choreographed dances? It felt right. He has this old-school movie star quality that pairs perfectly with Barnum’s frantic energy.
Then you have Zendaya.
She played Anne Wheeler, the trapeze artist. This was long before Euphoria or Dune made her a household name. She did most of her own stunts. Those scenes where she’s swinging around the arena on a hoop? That’s not a stunt double for the most part. She and Efron spent months training for "Rewrite the Stars," a song that basically became the anthem for every star-crossed lover on TikTok years later. Their chemistry was the emotional glue of the film.
The Powerhouse Performance of Keala Settle
You can't talk about the cast of the movie The Greatest Showman without mentioning Keala Settle. She played Lettie Lutz, the Bearded Lady.
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"This Is Me" is the soul of the film. It won a Golden Globe. It was nominated for an Oscar. But the real story is Keala herself. During the rehearsals, she was terrified. She hid behind the music stand. She didn't want to step out into the center of the room. When she finally did, she gave a performance that moved the entire room to tears.
That raw vulnerability is what people connected with. The "oddities" in the film weren't just background characters; they represented anyone who has ever felt like an outsider.
Other Key Players in the Ensemble
- Michelle Williams: She played Charity Barnum. She’s an Oscar-caliber actress who usually does heavy, depressing dramas (Manchester by the Sea, anyone?). Seeing her twirl on a rooftop singing "Tightrope" was a refreshing change of pace. She grounded the movie, reminding us that Barnum’s ambition had a human cost.
- Rebecca Ferguson: She played Jenny Lind, the "Swedish Nightingale." Fun fact: Ferguson didn't actually sing "Never Enough." That was Loren Allred, a former contestant on The Voice. Ferguson was open about this from the start, which is rare in Hollywood. She focused on the acting—the poise, the isolation of a world-class diva—while Allred provided the earth-shattering vocals.
- Yahya Abdul-Mateen II: Before he was Black Manta or Morpheus, he was WD Wheeler, Anne’s brother. It’s a small role, but it showed the depth of talent director Michael Gracey was working with.
Why the Soundtrack Outlasted the Critics
The critics actually hated this movie at first. Check the early reviews; they were brutal. They called it shallow. They complained about the historical inaccuracies regarding the real P.T. Barnum (who was, to be fair, a pretty controversial figure).
But the audience didn't care.
The soundtrack, written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (the La La Land and Dear Evan Hansen guys), stayed at number one for weeks. It went multi-platinum. The cast of the movie The Greatest Showman created something that felt like a pop concert mixed with a Broadway show. It wasn't trying to be a historical documentary. It was trying to be a "celebration of humanity," and through the sheer talent of the performers, it succeeded.
Navigating the Legacy of the Cast
What’s interesting is where everyone went after this. Zendaya became one of the biggest stars on the planet. Hugh Jackman went on a world tour—literally a stadium tour—singing these songs.
There have been rumors of a sequel for years. Jackman has said he’s open to it. "If a genuine opportunity comes up that I felt in my gut was right, then yeah, I’d get the top hat back on," he told reporters. The difficulty is capturing that same lightning in a bottle twice.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans and Collectors
If you're a fan of the cast of the movie The Greatest Showman, there are a few things you should actually do to get the full experience beyond just re-watching the movie on Disney+.
- Watch "The Greatest Showman: Reimagined": This is a cover album where artists like Kelly Clarkson, P!nk, and Panic! At The Disco take on the songs. It gives you a different perspective on the songwriting.
- Look for the Behind-the-Scenes Workshops: Go to YouTube and search for "The Greatest Showman - This Is Me Workshop Session." Watching Keala Settle find her voice in a room full of people in hoodies and leggings is more powerful than the actual movie scene.
- Check Out "The Man. The Music. The Show.": If you can find recordings or clips of Hugh Jackman’s world tour, watch them. He performs "The Greatest Show" with a level of theatricality that you don't see in modern cinema.
- Explore the Supporting Cast's Other Work: Don't just stick to the leads. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s rise since 2017 is fascinating to track, and Keala Settle has continued to be a force in West End theater.
The magic of this ensemble wasn't just that they could sing and dance. It was that they believed in the project when it looked like a guaranteed flop. They leaned into the "cringe" of a big, loud musical and turned it into something iconic.
Whether you love the real history of the circus or just love a good power ballad, the impact of this specific group of actors is undeniable. They didn't just play a circus; they created a moment in pop culture that isn't going away anytime soon.