Broadway star Ana Villafañe has built a career portraying extraordinary women. From originating the role of Gloria Estefan in the Tony Award-nominated On Your Feet! to stepping into the iconic heels of Roxie Hart in Chicago, she has consistently brought strength, vulnerability and authenticity to the stage. Now, she embarks on a new chapter as she makes her highly anticipated West End debut as screen legend Ava Gardner in Sinatra: The Musical, directed by the legendary Kathleen Marshall.
Running in London through April 2027, the production explores the extraordinary life of Frank Sinatra through the people who shaped him, with Gardner standing at the emotional heart of one of Hollywood’s most passionate love stories.
Away from the stage, Villafañe continues to expand her creative horizons. She can currently be heard voicing Eva Eight in Apple TV+‘s WondLa, appears opposite James Franco in the forthcoming feature film Castro’s Daughter, and has recently released Suelta, a deeply personal Latin pop single about embracing change and breaking free from self-imposed limitations.
As she settles into life in London, Ana Villafañe speaks to The Arcadia Online about embodying Ava Gardner, finding freedom through music, championing Latin representation and why this new chapter feels unlike any before it.
Stepping Into Ava Gardner’s Shoes
Making a West End debut is a milestone for any performer, but doing so while portraying one of Hollywood’s most enigmatic women carries its own weight.
“I’ve always wanted to play the West End, and originating new roles is kind of my favorite thing to do,” Villafañe says. “The more I researched, the more I felt inexplicably drawn to Ava. She holds the patriarchy accountable. Tina, Frank’s daughter, was very close with Ava and has given me a lot of first-hand information on the woman I get to embody. The woman was the love of Frank Sinatra’s life because he finally met his match. Those are big shoes to fill.”
Rather than leaning into Gardner’s mythology, Villafañe was determined to uncover the woman beneath the legend.
“I think it’s my job to de-mystify the ‘goddess’. I’m most interested in Ava’s humanity. She came from nothing, having been raised in poverty in North Carolina. Everything she had, she earned for herself at a time when women had very little legal agency. She was ahead of her time, and a lot smarter than anyone gave her credit for—much like many beautiful women who are reduced to being objectified. I’m most interested in discovering the soul of a woman who was surviving in systems built to break her.”
Beyond the Hollywood Myth
The romance between Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner has long fascinated audiences, remembered as one of Hollywood’s greatest love stories. Yet for Villafañe, the relationship’s emotional complexity is what makes it timeless.
“This dichotomy is the most universally relatable part of our story. We all have the parts we have to play in society or at work, as opposed to the people we get to be at home, when we are alone or with people we trust. I think that is my favorite nuance to explore onstage, especially with nonfictional, historic figures. I consistently find each character to be searching for a safe place to exist freely—as themselves. That is deeply human, and that is something I hope audiences allow themselves to connect with.”
Working alongside celebrated director Kathleen Marshall has also proved transformative.
“I met Kathleen at my audition in New York and remember it vividly. When I finished singing ‘I’m a Fool to Want You’ she got up, came across to me from behind the table, held my hand and said ‘Oh honey, I didn’t know you could do that.’ She has taught me to not be afraid to prove people wrong. Through the work itself, and by showing up with raw authenticity. At it’s core, that’s also what Frank’s story is about.”
Finding Strength Through Extraordinary Women
Throughout her career, Villafañe has repeatedly portrayed women defined by resilience, charisma and determination.
Looking back, she no longer believes that is simply coincidence.
“At some point I had to tell myself that none of this is by mistake. That maybe I get to play all these powerhouse women because I have an inherent power too. My default programming is imposter syndrome, it’s a constant battle of me vs myself inside my head. But Gloria, Roxie, AOC, Alina Fernández and now Ava all teach me something different. They all heal me in ways I didn’t even know I needed. Because through their stories I learn that maybe Ana is also enough.”
Letting Go With Suelta
Alongside her theatrical work, Villafañe has recently released Suelta, a Latin pop anthem centred on freedom, healing and self-discovery.
The song, she explains, emerged unexpectedly during her time in London.
“Michele Anthony, one of our producers from Universal Music, talked me into the idea of releasing music one night at Giovanni’s in Covent Garden. I write in my first language. ‘Suelta’ is about letting go and freeing myself of my patterns of self-sabotage that ultimately hold me back. Sometimes that’s a person, sometimes that’s four bottles of red wine. I’m used to exposing vulnerability through a script and a character, so music actually terrifies me. That’s exactly why I’m doing it.”
Championing Latin Representation
Villafañe has become one of the leading voices for Latin representation across theatre, television and film, but she remains deeply aware of those who paved the way.
“Just last week, Rita Moreno sent me a video when she found out I was playing Ava Gardner. I started crying in my dressing room because I recognize the shoulders I stand on. How much they had to fight for me to even dream of being where I am. I’m a direct result of the fact that there has been progress, but there is still a long way to go. I think the industry can no longer deny that our buying power is massive, and that we are here to stay. It is important for my community to see themselves represented at the highest levels and with the highest standards. It is important for my community to know we belong.”
Running Towards the Impossible
This summer, Villafañe will run the London 10K in support of Great Ormond Street Hospital, a cause that carries deeply personal significance following a childhood spent in and out of hospital with arthritis.
“I wouldn’t be who I am if I had never gotten sick as a kid. I was forced to develop discipline, but mostly gained radical levels of empathy and a very particular world-view. My entire life became art. Now, I run because I was told I’d never be able to run. I run for children who can’t because I still see myself as one of them. As a brand new Londoner, I’m proud to support GOSH and the incredible work they do.”
A New Chapter Begins
Although her work spans Broadway, television, film, voice acting and music, Villafañe still considers theatre home.
“Theatre makes me feel most at home, but I really want to dive back into film. It’s all about having the courage to be honest, really. I think connection is connection. If I can reach one person through the courage of being honest then I’ve done my job—whether they’re crying in their room listening to my music or sitting in the theatre on a night out watching me perform live. That’s what it’s about.”
As London becomes both her home and creative playground, she embraces the uncertainty that comes with starting again.
“London is absolute magic right now. I don’t know anyone and everything is new, so I feel like a baby. The last time I felt this way was when I moved from LA to New York for my Broadway debut, but the major difference is me. I have a better understanding of who I am. I had to find the joy again, instead of feeling like I have to constantly sacrifice, suffer or break myself in order to be my best. As for what comes next—I love surprises, so I’m excited to be surprised.”
With a landmark West End debut, new music, film projects and an exciting new life in London, Ana Villafañe isn’t simply beginning another chapter. She’s discovering a version of herself that’s no longer defined by expectation, but by possibility.
Photographer
Jenny Anderson
