If you weren’t familiar with the plot of Sunset Boulevard, you’d be forgiven for shrieking upon seeing its lead star leaving the theatre.
Nicole Scherzinger has taken on the role of Norma in the Broadway production, a silent film star still grieving the loss of her career after being tossed aside.
Making her debut this weekend, the Pussycat Doll has already been showered with praise – and, erm, blood.
Exiting the stage door to greet adoring fans and sign autographs after the performance, the pop-turned-theatre star, 46, was covered in fake blood dripping down her face and neck.
The singer looked visibly exhausted as she chatted to theatergoers, her raven locks slicked back and without shoes on her feet despite the wet conditions outside.
It didn’t take long for pictures of Nicole in her bloody costume to go viral, prompting social media users to ‘Google the plot’ having been left stunned by the state of Nicole.
‘Imagine being a tourist with no idea about the show and walking by and seeing this’, joked X user amandabee419.
‘i love this. it’s both in character for norma, but also after a show like that who tf would wanna go right up to shower, change, and THEN stage door?? like naur just send me out there, im getting it done, i got take out to go pick up i wanna go HOME’, wrote jameserski_gunt
‘Sorry but this is beyond iconic’, said EllaCotton.
And it seems one photo of a blood-soaked Nicole was also a fantastic marketing tool, as abbyleekilla responded with: ‘I have GOT to see this’.
To answer the question of why Nicole finishes the show drenched in blood, well, we’d had to dish out spoilers.
However, the musical, based on the 1950 film of the same title, sees Norma cross paths with a young screenwriter named Joe Gillis, and in him, she sees an opportunity to return to the big screen… with both romance and tragedy to follow.
The award-winning show, created by Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber, had a run at London’s Savoy Theatre for 16 weeks last September, with Nicole at the helm once again.
She was cast after receiving an Olivier Award nomination for her role in the legendary composer’s 2015 production of Cats.
Speaking ahead of her first Broadway performance, Nicole admitted that she wasn’t overthinking things.
Before relocating to New York City for the part, she said: ‘I have not looked at my script. I have not thought about it.’
Nicole added to Variety: ‘In the past few months, I’ve been on a break, just shutting down.
‘Because the moment I step into the rehearsal room, this show is going to get all of me. Until then, I need to preserve my energy.’
Sunset Boulevard is currently showing previews before opening to the public in October, with Nicole having big shoes to fill as Norma has previously been played by Glenn Close, Betty Buckley, and Patti LuPone.
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