In a statement released after the departure was announced, Segers wrote, “To all affected communities, I wish to extend my most sincere apologies to everyone impacted by my words.”

“While I never intended to inflict harm,” he continued, “I recognize that the impact of my statements is what matters most.”

Segers said he was “fully committed to listening, educating myself, and elevating my standards,” and added that he would “work tirelessly to earn the opportunity to make things right.”

The actor also apologized to the musical’s cast, creative team and producers for “the stress” his actions had brought to the production.

“I accept full responsibility for my words and acknowledge the necessity of immediate accountability,” Segers wrote.

He concluded by expressing support for the 'Hadestown' company and the person who will replace him, writing, “I wish you all tremendous success during your run.”

Departure From Hadestown

The 'Hadestown' producers and Segers announced on August 2 that they had “mutually agreed” that he would no longer join the Broadway production.

The production’s statement did not provide further details about the decision, saying only that “additional casting will be announced shortly.”

Segers had been scheduled to play Hades, the ruler of the underworld in the musical’s retelling of the Orpheus and Eurydice myth, beginning September 1.

His casting was announced in late July as part of a planned set of principal-cast changes for the Broadway production.

Other performers announced for the September company included Norbert Leo Butz as Hermes, Amber Iman as Persephone, Jasmin Savoy Brown as Eurydice and Kayko as Orpheus.

Past Videos Resurface

The controversy followed the recirculation of older videos and social-media material attributed to Segers.

BroadwayWorld reported that Segers had posted videos with titles including “TRANS FAIRNESS?” and “NO MORE TRANS,” which were later deleted.

Playbill described the resurfaced material as including rhetoric directed at transgender people and criticism of transgender women participating in women’s sports.

The New York Times reported that clips reviewed by OnStage Blog included Segers discussing transgender people, pronoun usage and his views on whether transgender people experience oppression.

According to The New York Times, one video included comments in which Segers questioned the need for people to ask about his pronouns and compared transgender people with people pretending to be service animals to obtain discounted airfare.

The newspaper reported that the videos appeared to have been deleted or made private after Segers’s 'Hadestown' casting became public, and that the timing of the recordings was unclear.

The specific dates on which the videos were recorded have not been established in the available reporting.

Production’s Response

The production did not publicly characterize Segers’s departure as a firing, instead describing the decision as a mutual agreement.

The New York Times reported that the production’s initial announcement did not explain why Segers would not join the cast.

The subsequent apology connected Segers’s own statements to the production’s cast and creative team, but it did not identify specific future educational programs, organizations or other corrective actions.

As of August 4, the production had said that replacement casting would be announced later.

'Hadestown' was scheduled to begin its new principal-cast performances on September 1 at Broadway’s Walter Kerr Theatre.

The musical, written by Anaïs Mitchell, follows the intertwined stories of Orpheus and Eurydice while incorporating the mythological figures Hades and Persephone.

The production has not announced whether the change involving Segers will affect the September 1 performance schedule.

Segers’s apology represents his first publicly reported response to the controversy surrounding his planned casting and departure.

The exchange began after Jennings posted on Bluesky about playing the New York Times game Spelling Bee with his wife.

Some users criticized the post because LGBTQ+ advocates have called for boycotts of New York Times products in response to concerns about the newspaper’s coverage of transgender people and transgender health care.

In response to one comment, Jennings wrote that he had received “express permission from the trans community” to continue using New York Times games and recipes.

He continued the joke by saying that he also had a news subscription, which he described as “arguably worse,” and that he had therefore submitted a separate written request for approval.

Jennings’s remarks drew criticism from transgender activists and other users, who said the sarcasm trivialized concerns about the New York Times’ treatment of transgender issues.

Jennings’s response

On August 2, Jennings responded to coverage that he said portrayed him as aligned with anti-transgender views.

“For the record: NOPE,” Jennings wrote, rejecting the implication that he supported transphobia.

He said he did not believe that his sarcastic reply represented his views on transgender rights.

“Honestly, I don’t think there’s an issue today I care about on a personal level more deeply than trans rights,” Jennings wrote.

Jennings also wrote that transgender people face serious threats and said that institutions were “trying to erase trans people.”

“A snarky reply to one bad take on Bluesky doesn’t mean that’s changed at all,” Jennings wrote, referring to his stated support for transgender rights.

He added that his television work was “apolitical,” but said he was proud that “Jeopardy!” provides a space that is welcoming to transgender and nonbinary people.

Jennings concluded that he stood with his transgender friends and family members rather than with media outlets using the controversy to suggest that he supported anti-transgender politics.

The broader dispute over the New York Times

The controversy reflects an ongoing disagreement among transgender advocates, journalists and readers over the New York Times’ reporting and opinion coverage concerning gender identity and transgender health care.

In 2023, hundreds of New York Times contributors and LGBTQ+ advocacy groups signed open letters accusing the newspaper of publishing biased coverage about transgender people.

One letter, signed by more than 370 current and former Times contributors, said that the newspaper had treated gender diversity with “pseudoscience and euphemistic, charged language.”

The letter also criticized reporting about transgender children, arguing that some articles omitted relevant information about their sources.

The advocates called on the newspaper to meet with transgender leaders and transgender youth and to hire additional transgender staff members in its news and opinion departments.

Jennings’s posts did not establish whether he agreed with every criticism of the newspaper or whether he intended to endorse or reject a general boycott of its products.

Instead, the exchange centered on whether his decision to use the games was compatible with his public support for transgender people.

Why the episode drew attention

The dispute gained visibility because Jennings is both a prominent television host and a longtime public participant in political and cultural discussions on social media.

Coverage from The New York Post and Fox News focused on the backlash to his original joke, while LGBTQ+-focused publications Them and The PinkNews highlighted Jennings’s subsequent clarification and his stated support for transgender rights.

The available reporting does not indicate that Jennings apologized for the original comment, and it does not show that “Jeopardy!” changed its policies or programming because of the exchange.

The clearest documented development is Jennings’s own public clarification: he characterized the original post as a snarky response, rejected the suggestion that he shared anti-transgender views, and reaffirmed his support for transgender rights.

The episode illustrates how a brief social-media exchange can become a broader argument about media accountability, consumer boycotts, allyship and the language used to discuss transgender people.

As of August 4, 2026, no reported professional consequences for Jennings or “Jeopardy!” had followed the online dispute.

The opening-night selection places Elsinore at the centre of one of the United Kingdom’s major annual film events before its commercial release. The BFI said cast members are expected to attend the gala, although the complete festival programme and attendance details had not yet been announced as of the selection announcement.

The announcement was reported on July 29 by The Guardian, which described the film as a drama about Charleson’s final months and noted that the premiere will take place close to the National Theatre, where the story’s central stage production was performed. The BFI’s announcement and the Guardian report identify Simon Stone as director and Stephen Beresford as screenwriter.

The story of Ian Charleson

Elsinore is based on the life of Ian Charleson, whose final major performance was Hamlet at London’s National Theatre. The film focuses on Charleson as he prepared to give that performance while facing a serious illness.

Charleson was internationally known for his roles in Chariots of Fire and Gandhi. According to The Guardian, he was diagnosed with AIDS in 1986 and took on the role of Hamlet in a 1989 National Theatre production after Daniel Day-Lewis left the production. Charleson died in 1990 at the age of 40.

The film’s title refers to Elsinore, the setting associated with Shakespeare’s Hamlet. The production’s official description instead places the narrative focus on Charleson’s life and work, particularly the National Theatre performance that became his final stage role.

The BFI described the film as a true story about Charleson confronting “incredible odds” while preparing to perform Hamlet. Focus Features similarly described the production as an account of an actor whose final performance at the National Theatre became his greatest triumph.

Cast and creative team

Scott leads the film as Charleson and is also credited as a producer. Olivia Colman plays Charleson’s doctor, according to The Guardian. Billie Piper and Johnny Flynn are also in the cast.

The BFI additionally lists Billie Piper as part of the cast and identifies Stone as the director and Beresford as the writer. Beresford previously wrote Pride, in which Scott appeared.

The wider cast includes Monica Dolan, Dickie Beau, David Dawson and Juliet Stevenson, with their respective roles reported by The Guardian. The BFI’s announcement says that Piper is reuniting with Stone after working with him on Yerma.

Elsinore is produced by STUDIOCANAL, LD Entertainment, Lucky Red and Magnolia Mae Films. Focus Features has acquired the film for North American distribution, while Universal Pictures International is handling distribution in Latin America. STUDIOCANAL is distributing the film in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Poland, Benelux, Australia and New Zealand, with Lucky Red handling Italy.

Release plans

Focus Features announced on July 28 that Elsinore will open in select North American theatres on November 20, 2026. The distributor said the film will expand to additional markets over the Thanksgiving holiday and throughout December.

STUDIOCANAL is scheduled to release Elsinore in UK cinemas on January 29, 2027. The BFI also states that Focus Features will release the film in select United States theatres on November 20, 2026.

The film is also expected to screen at the Toronto International Film Festival, according to The Guardian, which reported that it had been selected as a gala screening. The same report said that a world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival was expected beforehand, but the specific premiere arrangements were not confirmed in the official BFI or Focus Features announcements.

The BFI London Film Festival’s full programme is scheduled to be revealed on September 2, with general ticket sales beginning on September 17. Until the full programme is released, information about additional screenings, ticket availability and other festival events remains subject to the festival’s formal schedule.

Why the announcement matters

The selection makes Elsinore the first announced film in the 2026 BFI London Film Festival’s opening-night programme. It also gives audiences an early opportunity to see Scott’s portrayal of Charleson before the film’s North American and UK theatrical releases.

The BFI’s artistic director, Kristy Matheson, praised Scott’s central performance in the festival announcement. The Guardian reported that Scott’s performance had generated awards attention, while noting that such recognition remained prospective rather than an announced outcome.

For now, the confirmed milestones are the October 7 European premiere at the Royal Festival Hall, the November 20 North American theatrical launch and the January 29, 2027 UK release.

The production is scheduled to open at London’s Barbican Centre in summer 2027.

Grande had been announced for the production with Bailey, her co-star in the Wicked film series. The musical’s official website previously listed Grande and Bailey among the production’s announced performers.

The production team confirmed that Grande’s role will be recast and said the show remains planned for the Barbican. The team also said further casting would be announced later.

Producers Offer Public Support

Following the announcement, the producers issued a statement expressing support for Grande’s decision to leave the production.

“We know this cannot have been an easy decision, and she makes it with our complete understanding and support,” the production said in a statement reported by Reuters.

The statement added that the producers wished Grande “nothing but the best.”

The response places the emphasis on Grande’s decision to step away rather than on any reported dispute with the production. The available statements do not identify a disagreement between Grande and the producers.

Grande’s representative told People that the singer plans to reduce her public visibility after completing her current Eternal Sunshine Tour. The representative said Grande wanted to finish the tour “both healthily and happily” before taking a break from public-facing work and appearances.

The representative described the scrutiny surrounding Grande’s public-facing work as “endless” and “ongoing.” Neither the representative’s statement nor the producers’ statement attributed Grande’s departure to a specific medical diagnosis.

A Production Still Scheduled for 2027

The planned revival is an adaptation of Sondheim’s musical about the painter Georges Seurat and the people connected to his work. The official production website identifies Sondheim as the musical’s composer and lyricist.

The project is not being described as cancelled. Producers said the Barbican engagement would proceed as scheduled, with a replacement for Grande’s role to be announced in due course.

Ticket sales had already been delayed until autumn 2026, according to reporting published in July. The production had previously been expected to begin selling tickets earlier in the year.

The July report said the production remained scheduled for the Barbican in summer 2027 despite the ticketing delay. Current reporting likewise says the production will continue, although its casting has changed.

Tour and Public Scrutiny

Grande’s representative said the singer intends to complete the Eternal Sunshine Tour before taking her break. Reuters reported that the tour is expected to conclude next month.

The representative said the tour had been a positive experience for Grande and that she loved her fans. The statement did not say that Grande was ending her music career or withdrawing permanently from acting.

Reuters reported that scrutiny of Grande had included public discussion of her appearance and health. Such discussion has been widely reported as part of the context for her planned retreat from public-facing work, but the representative did not provide a more detailed explanation of the scrutiny.

Grande’s decision means that her planned London musical-theater appearance will not take place as originally announced. The production’s public response, however, indicates that organizers intend to preserve the revival while replacing her in the cast.

Further information about the replacement performer, ticket sales and the final production schedule has not yet been announced in the cited reports. Until those details are released, the confirmed changes are Grande’s departure, the planned recasting of her role and the production’s stated intention to open at the Barbican in summer 2027.

McHale, who played Artie Abrams throughout the Fox musical comedy-drama, addressed the issue on X on Wednesday, July 29.

“Let me log off today because the way too many of you talk about real people who have passed as a ‘sacrifice’ or a ‘curse’ in regards to a TV show is f***ing diabolical and untethered from any sort of humanity or reality,” McHale wrote.

He ended the post with the words, “Get f***ed.”

The post was reported by multiple entertainment publications after the long-running theory resurfaced in connection with renewed conversation about the future of Glee.

The deaths linked to the theory

Online discussions about a supposed Glee curse have commonly linked the deaths of Cory Monteith, Mark Salling and Naya Rivera, who were prominent members of the show’s cast.

Monteith, who played Finn Hudson, died in 2013; Salling, who played Noah “Puck” Puckerman, died in 2018; and Rivera, who played Santana Lopez, died in 2020.

The three deaths occurred in different years and under different circumstances, but internet users have repeatedly grouped them together under the “Glee curse” label.

McHale’s objection focused on the human consequences of that framing rather than on the show’s fictional themes or production history.

By describing the deaths as a “sacrifice,” McHale objected to language that presents real people’s lives and deaths as if they served a supernatural purpose connected to a television program.

Why the theory returned to public discussion

The renewed attention followed comments from Glee co-creator Ryan Murphy about the possibility of revisiting the series.

Murphy discussed the idea with People at the July 27 premiere of his new series The Shards in New York City.

“That show is interesting because it’s come back around,” Murphy told the publication, referring to the renewed interest he said he had observed among younger viewers.

“So many young people now watch it,” he said, before adding, “Maybe we should revisit that show.”

Murphy said his “nostalgia and love” for Glee made him consider whether audiences might want “a new incarnation of that in some capacity.”

His remarks did not announce a commissioned revival, identify a network or streaming service, or specify whether a potential project would be a reboot, continuation or spin-off.

A dispute over remembrance

McHale’s post reflects a broader dispute over whether the tragedies connected to Glee should be discussed as celebrity-fandom mythology or as separate events involving real people, families and communities.

The theory received renewed visibility after the 2023 documentary series The Price of Glee, which examined the deaths of Monteith, Salling and Rivera in relation to the show.

The documentary’s framing was criticized, while the “curse” discussion continued across social media and sections of the fandom.

McHale’s latest comments do not dispute that the cast experienced profound loss; they reject the claim that those losses demonstrate a supernatural connection to the series.

The actor’s response also comes as the show’s cultural afterlife is being reassessed by viewers who encountered it years after its original broadcast.

*Glee* originally aired from 2009 to 2015, and Murphy’s comments suggest that its continued visibility has prompted discussion about whether its concept could be adapted for a new generation.

For McHale, however, renewed interest in the program should not come at the expense of respectful remembrance of people who died after appearing in it.

His post was therefore both a direct rebuke of a specific online theory and a demand that public conversation distinguish between fictional storytelling and real-world grief.

“Ariana will be taking a step back from visibility after she completes the Eternal Sunshine Tour,” the representative said.

The representative described the planned hiatus as a “much-deserved break” from public-facing work and appearances, which they said had led to “endless, ongoing public scrutiny.”

The statement also said Grande intended to complete the tour “both healthily and happily” and described the concert run as “a beautiful experience” for her.

Grande’s representative said the singer “loves her fans” and has “loved every minute” of the tour.

The announcement does not specify how long Grande’s break will last or provide a date for her return to public appearances.

Tour to Continue Through September

Grande is currently performing the Eternal Sunshine Tour, which is scheduled to conclude with a 10-night run at London’s O2 Arena.

The tour’s scheduled final date is September 1, after Grande completes the London performances.

As of Monday, Grande had three dates remaining on the Chicago portion of the tour before the London engagement.

The announcement concerns Grande’s public-facing work after the tour rather than an immediate cancellation of the remaining concerts.

Grande’s representative did not say that she was ending her music career or permanently withdrawing from performance.

Withdrawal From Planned Theatre Production

Grande has also withdrawn from a planned revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park with George, which is scheduled to open at London’s Barbican Centre in summer 2027.

She had been scheduled to appear in the production alongside Jonathan Bailey, her co-star from the Wicked films.

The Barbican said Grande had decided to step back from the production and expressed its understanding and support for her decision.

“We know this cannot have been an easy decision, and she makes it with our complete understanding and support,” the arts centre said in a statement.

Neither the representative’s statement nor the Barbican’s statement, as reported, gave a separate explanation for Grande’s withdrawal from the production.

Scrutiny Surrounding Grande

Reuters reported that Grande’s decision follows years of public speculation about her appearance and health, with scrutiny intensifying after the July 31 release of her “Petal” music video and the album of the same name.

The music video depicts Grande as an aspiring performer who is repeatedly rejected by a panel of male judges during auditions.

The judges use insults including “nothing special,” “boring to look at” and “desperate,” and accuse the character of having “too much work done.”

At the end of the video, Grande’s character turns a chainsaw on the judging panel.

The video’s fictional portrayal of appearance-based criticism has been discussed in coverage of the scrutiny surrounding Grande, but the available reports do not establish that the video was intended as a direct statement about the singer’s personal health.

Grande’s representative did not identify specific individuals, publications or online accounts responsible for the scrutiny cited in the statement.

The representative also did not announce a medical diagnosis or describe Grande as unable to perform.

Other Confirmed Professional Commitments

Grande is also scheduled to appear in Focker-in-Law, a film starring Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller.

Variety reported that the film is expected to arrive in theaters the day before Thanksgiving and could require promotional appearances from Grande and her co-stars.

The timing of any promotion for that film, and whether Grande will participate in a conventional publicity campaign, has not been confirmed in the reports reviewed.

The reported break therefore appears to concern an extended reduction in public appearances rather than a confirmed cancellation of every future acting or music commitment.

What Has Been Announced

The central announcement is that Grande intends to finish the Eternal Sunshine Tour and then take a break from public-facing work and appearances.

Her representative attributed the decision to the pressure associated with ongoing public scrutiny, while emphasizing that Grande remains appreciative of the tour and her audience.

The announcement follows the release of “Petal,” the withdrawal from Sunday in the Park with George, and the final weeks of a major live tour.

Further details about the length of Grande’s hiatus, her future performance schedule and her participation in film promotion remain unannounced.

The announcement settles the immediate future of a project that had previously been developed at Peacock before that streamer stopped moving forward with it earlier this year.

The new series will stream exclusively and globally on Paramount+, although the company has not announced a premiere date.

Paramount+ is describing the project as a “sequel event series,” while Variety reported that the streamer has ordered six episodes.

Cher’s Next Chapter

The series will pick up about three decades after the events of the original film and will be set in the present day.

According to the official synopsis, Cher has become successful in business and believes she has mastered motherhood.

That confidence is challenged when Cher’s daughter reaches her high-school years.

The central premise is that parenting a teenager makes Cher feel “clueless” again, turning the original film’s high-school setting into a story about parenthood and a new generation of students.

The plot details released so far identify Cher’s daughter entering high school as the story’s inciting circumstance, but they do not name the daughter, reveal her school, or outline specific episodes.

The announced premise also does not establish whether the series will revisit the original film’s other major characters or reproduce its 1990s setting and story structure.

Silverstone Returns as Star and Executive Producer

Silverstone will reprise Cher, the Beverly Hills teenager at the center of Amy Heckerling’s 1995 film.

She will also executive-produce the series.

Heckerling, who wrote and directed the original movie, is returning as an executive producer, as is Robert Lawrence, who produced the film.

The new writing and executive-producing team includes Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, the creators associated with The O.C. and Gossip Girl.

Jordan Weiss is also writing and executive-producing.

Schwartz and Savage will work through their Fake Empire banner, while CBS Studios will produce the series.

Production Plans and Casting

Filming is scheduled to begin in Los Angeles in 2027.

The production location connects the sequel with the setting associated with Cher’s original story, although the announced materials do not identify specific filming locations or a production start date.

Silverstone is the only member of the original film’s cast confirmed for the sequel series.

Paramount+ has not announced whether Paul Rudd, Donald Faison, Stacey Dash, Elisa Donovan, Breckin Meyer, or other performers from the film will appear.

No additional cast members, character names for Cher’s family, episode titles, or release date have been publicly confirmed in the announcement reports.

From Peacock Development to Paramount+ Greenlight

The project was first reported as being developed for Peacock in 2025, with Silverstone attached to star as Cher and executive-produce.

That Peacock version was no longer moving forward by April 2026, according to Deadline.

The project was subsequently taken back to the market, and Paramount+ became its new home.

The revival therefore continues the story of the film rather than being the earlier reported project centered on another character.

The original Clueless was released in 1995 and followed Cher during her high-school years in Beverly Hills.

The announced sequel shifts the character from teenager to parent while retaining Cher as the story’s central figure.

For now, Paramount+ has released only the broad premise and production framework; further information about the daughter, supporting cast, episode stories, and launch date remains unannounced.

O’Donnell made the announcement during an appearance on The Tangle with Kyle Ridley podcast, saying, “I will go on the 30th anniversary next .”

She said she would participate “in whatever way they want me,” while clarifying that her role would be “just as a guest.”

O’Donnell also said she believed the program was bringing back “all the hosts” for its 30th season, although her wording indicated that the full anniversary plans had not been formally detailed publicly.

The specific date of the anniversary special or appearance had not been announced in the reports available Monday.

A Milestone Season

Season 30 is expected to begin in September, according to Syracuse.com.

The anniversary will mark three decades since Barbara Walters created The View as a daytime talk show centered on women’s perspectives and conversation about current events.

O’Donnell said she was proud of what the program had become and of the way it speaks to audiences about people and politics.

She contrasted the show’s present-day political focus with her first period on the program, saying that the dynamic “was not the case when I first joined” in 2006.

O’Donnell first joined The View in 2006 and left the following year after a high-profile on-air disagreement with Elisabeth Hasselbeck concerning the Iraq War.

She returned to the panel in 2014 and departed again in 2015.

Her upcoming appearance will therefore reunite her with a program from which she previously exited twice, but the reports describe the planned role as a guest appearance rather than a return to the regular panel.

O’Donnell Discusses Whoopi Goldberg

In the same podcast appearance, O’Donnell discussed her professional relationship with Whoopi Goldberg, who joined The View in 2007 and remains associated with the program.

O’Donnell said she had expected their work together during her 2014 return to resemble two basketball players passing the ball back and forth before taking their shots.

Instead, she said, the relationship became tense and suggested Goldberg may have felt that O’Donnell was encroaching on her role, although O’Donnell said that was not her intention.

“I thought I was going in safe and sound and it didn’t turn out that way from day one,” O’Donnell said, according to The Independent.

She attributed part of the friction to an incident in which she said she sent the program to a commercial while Goldberg was still speaking.

O’Donnell said that she and Goldberg had since moved past the disagreement after encountering each other in recent years.

“She’s a woman who supports women, as am I,” O’Donnell said of Goldberg.

Goldberg also spoke about reconnecting with O’Donnell during a June episode of The View, saying that the two had attended the Broadway production Cats: The Jellicle Ball together.

The Hasselbeck History

O’Donnell’s first departure from The View followed an on-air confrontation with Hasselbeck in 2007 over the Iraq War.

The exchange became one of the show’s most widely remembered moments, and O’Donnell has continued to discuss it in interviews.

Recent coverage has also noted renewed public discussion between O’Donnell and Hasselbeck after comments about their earlier dispute.

The available reports do not establish whether Hasselbeck will appear in the same segment as O’Donnell during the 30th season.

O’Donnell’s announcement comes after she said in June that she would be open to guest-hosting The View if the program invited her.

That earlier statement followed appearances by former cohosts as guest hosts, including Hasselbeck.

What Is Confirmed

The confirmed information is that O’Donnell has accepted an invitation to appear on The View during season 30 and that she expects to participate as a guest.

Her remarks indicate that the program is considering or planning appearances by former hosts as part of its anniversary season, but the reports do not provide a complete guest list or a finalized broadcast schedule.

O’Donnell is not returning as a permanent cohost based on the information currently reported.

The announcement places a former moderator with a complicated history on the show back at the table for its milestone season, while leaving the timing and format of the appearance to be announced.

The production’s producers confirmed the decision on Sunday, August 2, saying: “The producers of ‘Hadestown’ and Geno Segers have mutually agreed that Mr. Segers will no longer join the Broadway production. Additional casting will be announced shortly.”

The statement did not give a reason for the decision.

The announcement followed the resurfacing of videos and comments attributed to Segers that prompted online criticism, including criticism described by theater publications as opposition to transgender people and transgender rights.

The resurfaced videos

Playbill reported that Segers had posted videos discussing transgender people, pronoun usage and women’s participation in sports, while Variety reported that some of the resurfaced material had been viewed as anti-transgender and critical of pronoun usage.

Playbill reproduced remarks from one video in which Segers rejected the characterization of transgender people as oppressed, saying: “I don’t see transgenders people becoming oppressed or being oppressed.”

The wording in that quotation is reproduced as reported by Playbill; in general reporting, the affirming term is “transgender people.”

Playbill also reported that, in the same video, Segers discussed people identifying as “a canine” while addressing arguments about gender identity and discrimination.

Variety reported that Segers had also been accused of criticizing transgender athletes participating in women’s sports.

Playbill further reported that another video included statements about women’s working hours and workplace opportunity, describing the material as misogynistic as well as anti-LGBTQIA+.

The reports did not identify a public statement from Segers explaining the departure or responding to the producers’ announcement.

Social-media accounts and online response

Variety reported that Segers’ Instagram account had been made private and that videos had been removed from his YouTube channel after the controversy surfaced.

Playbill reported that some videos had either been made private or taken down, while reshared versions remained traceable online.

The reports described the reaction as immediate concern and criticism from theater fans online after Segers’ casting was announced.

USA TODAY reported that the controversy emerged shortly after the production announced its new principal cast, with Segers named to play Hades.

The producers’ statement characterized the separation as a mutual agreement and did not explicitly refer to the online backlash.

The September cast transition

The new principal cast of Hadestown is scheduled to begin its Broadway run on September 1 at the Walter Kerr Theatre.

The announced cast includes Kayko as Orpheus, Jasmin Savoy Brown as Eurydice, Norbert Leo Butz as Hermes and Amber Iman as Persephone.

Segers’ replacement as Hades had not been announced when the producers confirmed his departure.

The producers said additional casting would be announced “shortly.”

Segers’ career and the production

Before the planned Hadestown engagement, Segers’ stage credits included On the Town and The Lion King, while his television work included Banshee, Pair of Kings and Yellowstone.

USA TODAY also identified Segers with the Disney XD series Pair of Kings, the comedy series Perfect Harmony and voice work in projects including Fortnite and Thelma the Unicorn.

Written by Anaïs Mitchell, Hadestown combines the Greek myths of Orpheus and Eurydice with the story of Hades and Persephone through folk and jazz music.

The musical began its Broadway run in 2019 and won eight Tony Awards that year, including Best Musical.

Playbill reported that the Broadway production has had a visible relationship with gender-expansive casting, including roles identified in licensing information as available for nonbinary actors.

The production’s current Hermes, Tony Award winner and nonbinary actor J. Harrison Ghee, is scheduled to perform through August.

The timing places Segers’ departure before the announced September 1 cast transition and leaves the role of Hades awaiting new casting information.