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He sang, he swam, and now, Cody Simpson is dusting off his acting skills for his latest career venture – musical theatre.
Announcing the news in November 2024, Cody will make his on-stage comeback in the latest Australian production of the Broadway classic Guys & Dolls at Sydney’s floating Handa Opera.
“This soundtrack, this story, and this film ignited my love for musical theatre 10 years ago, and there’s no better place to land the opportunity to play this character than on the waters of Sydney Harbour,” he wrote to Instagram.
Joining the cast as the crooning Sky Masterson, Cody told The Australian, “I was doing a deep dive into pretty much every musical film [Frank Sinatra and Marlon Brando] had done, then I found Guys & Dolls and I immediately fell in love with it.”
“I think it’s so glamourous and glitzy and larger than life. I’ve loved it ever since, and I thought that when I’m older, I’d love to play that part.”
The production, which is set to return to the stage in March 2025, with be led by director Shaun Rennie and renowned Australian conductor Guy Simpson as musical director.
Offering a sneak peek into the production, Shaun revealed that the show will deliver fans “a lot of laughs, show-stopping dance numbers, all set on a larger-than-life slice of New York City designed by Brian Thomson and costumes by Jennifer Irwin.”
Joining the cast alongside Cody is Annie Aitken as leading lady Sarah Brown, Bobby Fox as Nathan Detroit, and Hamilton star Jason Arrow as Nicely Nicely Johnson.
News of Cody’s latest career venture comes just under six months after the Aussie star announced that he would be retiring from competitive swimming and the Australian national swim team.
“You owe yourself the honour of cultivating your talents with as much fervour and intensity as you can. The privilege of becoming what you’re capable of becoming. I left nothing to the unknown these past 4 years, and I can now rest knowing I put my pedal to the floor every day and covered every other little detail to take this as far it could go and it sure went a hell of a ways,” he wrote to Instagram.
“I’m grateful for a huge run in the short amount of time I have been a professional athlete, and I wouldn’t trade a moment… Shoot for the moon.. land among the stars. My shot has landed me in a constellation of stars otherwise known as that elusive club, the Australian Swim Team, forever. Thank you swimming.”
