Biography
Samantha Barks
Samantha Barks is one of the most sought-after musical theatre performers on both sides of the atlantic. She is currently starring as Elsa in the acclaimed production of Frozen in the West End for which she has received rave reviews.
Samantha made her West End debut, as Éponine in Les Misérables from June 2010 to June 2011. The role changed her life as producer Cameron Mackintosh chose her to play the same role in the 25th Anniversary Concert of the show at London’s O2 Arena in October 2010. Following her West End run, Samantha played Nancy in the UK tour of Oliver! and it was during the tour, that Mackintosh appeared on stage after a performance, to announce that she would reprise her role of Éponine in the 2012 Les Misérables film. The casting led her to perform, alongside her Les Misérables co-stars, at the 85th Oscars ceremony in February 2013.
In July 2013, Samantha took on the role of Velma Kelly in Chicago at The Hollywood Bowl, before returning to London to star as Mallory/Avril in City of Angels at the Donmar Warehouse in 2014. From August to October 2015, she starred in the title role of the world premiere of Amélie at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre in California. Back in London, she took on the leading role of Cathy in the Off-West End production of The Last Five Years at the St. James Theatre from October to December 2016 and starred as Betsy Nolan in a concert presentation of Honeymoon in Vegas at the London Palladium on March 12, 2017.
From March to April 2018, Samantha starred as Vivian Ward in the world premiere of Pretty Woman: The Musical at the Oriental Theatre in Chicago, which transferred to Broadway and marked her Broadway debut in July 2018. She played the role until July 2019.
In December 2019 it was announced that Samantha had been cast as Elsa in the upcoming production of Frozen in the West End. Due to Covid-19, the show was delayed but eventually opened in September 2021. In December 2021 she was nominated as Best Performer in a Female Identifying Role in a Musical in the What’s On Stage 2022 awards.
Samantha released her new studio album on Westway in November 2021. Into The Unknown included 12 of her favourite musical theatre tracks from the last 10 years and included duets with Ramin Karimloo and her then Frozen co-star Stephanie McKeown.
What a powerhouse of a voice! I was blown away from the first track all the way through this absolutely wonderful album
