In this heartfelt and hilarious episode of the TikTok FAMOUS™️ Podcast, host Meredyth Willits sits down with Tina Maddigan—Broadway actress, award-winning performer, and the original Sophie in Mamma Mia!—for an unforgettable deep dive into the chaos, glory, and resilience behind a life on (and off) the stage.
From curtain calls to character creation, Tina shares her incredible journey from being rejected as a theatre usher to leading a major Broadway show, the vocal cord injury that nearly ended her career, and how she reinvented herself online with viral characters, a crown-wearing alter ego, and a TikTok following that now spans across generations.
Together, they explore:
✅ What it really feels like the night your Broadway dream comes true
✅ How 9/11 changed the meaning of theatre for Tina and her audience
✅ The grueling, emotional, and funny truths of being a swing, standby, or understudy
✅ How Tina lost her singing voice—and why she came back stronger
✅ The evolution from Broadway to content creator to acting coach
✅ Why kids (and adults) need safe spaces to feel and express
✅ What it means to navigate motherhood, second acts, and finding your spark again
Plus, Tina dishes on:
✨ Meeting Hugh Jackman and Robert De Niro (spoiler: yes, there was waltzing and flirting)
✨ Why Paul Rudd is exactly as nice as you'd hope
✨ What Denzel Washington taught her about the real work of acting
✨ Her philosophy on helping kids embrace their weird, wonderful selves
✨ Why she created Stupid Face Studios to help others reclaim their voice
Whether you've dreamed of Broadway, lost your voice (literally or metaphorically), or you're simply navigating the next chapter of life—this episode will inspire you to keep stepping into the spotlight, however it shows up.
00:00 Meet Tina Maddigan, Broadway actress and viral creator
01:45 That moment when Mamma Mia! changed her life
04:00 What it means to perform during 9/11
06:15 How the cast supported grieving fans at the stage door
08:30 What swings, standbys, and understudies really do
10:40 Getting called to perform with no wig or costume prep
13:20 Life as a Broadway standby: Thai food, surprise stage time, and making it work
16:30 From vocal paralysis to TikTok comedy queen
18:40 Creating "The Queen" character and healing through laughter
21:10 How childhood loss shaped her creative voice
24:00 The surreal full-circle moment: rejected as an usher, cast as the lead
26:30 A year of callbacks and firing her agent
29:00 Balancing Broadway and motherhood
31:00 Why she walked away from NYC for family life
33:00 Losing her voice, fighting to get it back
36:45 The healing power of performance and persistence
38:15 Teaching kids today: acting, confidence,
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com