Maleah Joi Moon

Maleah Joi Moon lived her dream in 2024, making her Broadway debut in the Alicia Keys musical Hell’s Kitchen, for which she won a Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical. Her Broadway bow is the accomplishment she’s most proud of for the year, calling it an “absolute dream come true.”

“Impostor syndrome” is the biggest obstacle she’s faced, says Moon, who uses she/they pronouns. “I am my own worst enemy,” they say. “But honestly, my truth is that it doesn’t really go away — which is OK! With every new day and every show, I’m given the opportunity to overcome my doubts and insecurities as a performer by staying grounded in the truth.”

“I’m a storyteller!” she adds. “I go onstage every night with the goal of getting a message across to the audience in hopes that they’ll leave the theater having felt something.” On LGBTQ+ equality, Moon’s message is: “Life is short, time is precious. Love who you love and love them entirely.” @maleahjoimoon