Why do Hollywood A-Listers gamble their reputations and egos on Broadway shows?

Broadway is being inundated with stars.It’s an impressive list.Robert Downey Jr., George Clooney, Mia Farrow, Denzel Washington, Jake Gyllenhaal, Julianna Margulies, Sarah Snook, Katie Holmes, Shailene Woodley, Jim Parsons and Nicole Scherzinger are all appearing in shows this season.Between them are five Academy Awards, eight Emmys and 15 Golden Globes.And, most notably, just one Tony.Why are these celebs all here from LA? Surely not to get a whiff of the East River.The reasons are many.

Some are old pros at the stage, while others had holes in their usually packed filming schedules opened up by the 2023 Hollywood strikes.A few haven’t made a movie in years, and one, Washington (the aforementioned one Tony), is a presumed Oscar contender next March for “Gladiator II.”But for everybody, Broadway — despite the nostalgic fun of putting on a show — comes at an enormous risk to a star’s pride and reputation. New York theater isn’t like the movies, where actors do a few days of “did anything funny happen on set?!” press months after shooting and move on to the next project.After the reviews drop on a Broadway opening night — sometimes bringing the boozy party to a crashing halt — the A-Lister has got to come back and do it again a day later.

No matter what.Downey Jr.took the season’s first harsh blows.

I gave his tedious play about AI, “McNeal,” one star, while the Times called it “timely but turgid.” A source told Closer magazine, “The brutal reviews have shattered him.He poured his heart into this project, only for it to bomb — it’s been a blow to his ego.” Morning Report delivers the latest news, videos, photos and more.

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Never miss a story.Another said, “he won’t be stepping foot on a theater stage again.”He should, if Downey Jr.

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