Jennifer Damiano

Jennifer Damiano (born May 12, 1991) is an American actress and singer. She made her Broadway debut in 2006 as an ensemble member in the original production of Spring Awakening, and went on to originate the role of Natalie Goodman in the musical Next to Normal, for which she was nominated for the 2009 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical, becoming one of the youngest nominees for the award at age 17. Her other Broadway roles include Mary Jane Watson in Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark in 2011 and Jean in the 2016 musical American Psycho, in addition to a number of roles off-Broadway.

Early life Damiano was born in White Plains, New York to Mark and Nancy Damiano. Her father, Mark, owns an amusement company, and her mother Nancy works at Westchester Community College. When she was nine years old, she began taking voice lessons and joined a children's theatre, The Random Farms Kids' Theater, playing parts such as Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz, the title role in Cinderella, Gertrude McFuzz in Seussical and Marion Paroo in The Music Man. As Damiano began her acting career, she stayed enrolled in her hometown's public high school, where she graduated in 2009.

Career Early career At the age of nine, Damiano made her professional debut in New York City playing Samantha and Josefina in a show based on the American Girl dolls. While continuing to participate in suburban community theater in shows such as Oliver!, Damiano continued to perform professionally, in small professional roles in New York City. Off-Broadway, she appeared in Inner Voices: Solo Voices at the now-defunct Zipper Factory. After almost a year with the show, Damiano played her final performance on November 6, 2011, and was succeeded by Rebecca Faulkenberry from Nov. 10. Following her departure from Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, Damiano took part in a variety of readings, workshops, and concert works.

2012–present: Film, return to Broadway, and Off-Broadway theater In 2013, she starred in the acclaimed indie film B-Side, her first movie. Also that year, Damiano joined the Off-Broadway dystopian musical Venice at the Public Theater for a limited run. The cast included Haaz Sleiman, Leslie Odom, Jr., and Uzo Aduba.

On November 9, 2015, it was announced that Damiano would return to Broadway (for the first time in four years) and reunite with Spring Awakening composer Duncan Sheik and Next to Normal co-star Alice Ripley in the musical adaptation of American Psycho in the role of Jean (as portrayed by Chloë Sevigny in the 2000 feature film of the same name). The new musical began previews on March 24, 2016, at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre on Broadway.

In 2017, Damiano starred in Zack Zadek's musical Deathless at Norma Terris Theater, home of Goodspeed Musicals in Chester, CT. The show was directed by Tina Landau and began performances on June 2, 2017, ending on July 2, 2017. In December 2019, it was announced that Damiano would star alongside Ana Nogueira, Joél Pérez, and Michael Zegen in the world premiere of the screen-to-stage adaptation of Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice by The New Group. In early 2022, she took part in the Off-Broadway adaptation of Black No More, also with The New Group.

Accolades Damiano was nominated for the Helen Hayes Award for her performance in Next to Normal'''s out-of-town tryout in D.C. Later, she was nominated for the 2009 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical when the show moved to Broadway.

In his review in The New York Times following the 2009 Broadway opening, Ben Brantley observed, "The notion that personality is fragile, always on the edge of decomposition, is exquisitely reflected in Ms. Damiano’s astringent, poignant Natalie". Peter Marks of The Washington Post said she "locates a new depth of adolescent disdain and need".

Year Award Ceremony Category Work Result 2007 Broadway.com Audience Choice Awards Best Ensemble Spring Awakening 2009 Helen Hayes Awards Outstanding Supporting Performer, Non-Resident ProductionNext to Normal Tony Awards Best Featured Actress in a Musical

Acting credits Film

Television

Theater

Personal life Damiano married actor Michael Zegen in January 2025. The pair had met while starring in Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice'' off-Broadway in 2020. Their daughter, Oona Rose Zegen, was born on January 3, 2026.