NYC Ballet principal dancer Unity Phelan moonlights as a TV star on ‘Étoile’: ‘Cherry on top’
Share this @internewscast.com

Unity Phelan’s acting résumé has range, to say the least.

In the last six years, she’s appeared in a brutal and bloody blockbuster action film, a mind-bending auteurist drama and a fizzy TV comedy series. 

But the projects have one thing in common: In all of them, she wears ballet shoes.

Phelan, a principal with the New York City Ballet, has become Hollywood’s ballerina. 

She was learning the ropes as an assassin in “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum” with Keanu Reeves, dazzled as a dancer in a corridor in Charlie Kaufman’s “I’m Thinking of Ending Things,” and now takes on a secondary role in the series “Étoile” from the creators of “Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino, available on Prime Video.

“This all feels like a delightful bonus,” Phelan, 30, shared with The Post after rehearsing with the New York City Ballet. “It’s the perfect cherry on top of my career.”

And she’s had quite a career. Critics have called the five-foot-eight dancer “incandescent.”

Born in Princeton, NJ, Phelan studied at the Princeton Ballet School from a young age, while also nurturing a passion for musical theater.

“I was passionate about Broadway and have always loved singing,” she mentioned. “My entire family enjoys singing. My dad and sister are both in choirs, and my parents actually met through singing.”

So, while learning how to pirouette, Phelan also refined her belting and jazz squares.

“I went to a camp called Ghostlight Theater Camp [in Maine] religiously as long as I could until I got into New York City Ballet,” she added.

Those acting chops she picked up years ago have finally come in handy in “Étoile,” an eight-episode series about the creative and romantic hijinks at two ballet companies: The Metropolitan Ballet Theater (a stand-in for the New York City Ballet at Lincoln Center) and Le Ballet National in Paris.

Phelan plays Julie, a star dancer who’s replaced after she topples over while foolishly filming a TikTok video in high-heel Louboutins. 

“It’s the first time I’ve spoken on camera and actually acted and worked on scenes,” she said. “The other ones I danced in I was primarily silent and did some acting with my face, but not with my voice. And so this was a tester for me.”

Off-camera, Phelan got useful tips from Tony Award-nominated Broadway star and “Maestro” actor Gideon Glick, who plays eccentric choreographer Tobias Bell.

“Gideon has become a close friend of mine,” she said. “We had a couple scenes together. We got to hang out a lot. He’s amazing and so much fun and was so giving.”

The more-experienced actors had to pick up some new tricks, too. The non-dancers, like Glick, 36, and French actress Lou de Laâge, as world-renowned ballerina Cheyenne Toussaint, had their own beginner ballet classes, Phelan said.

They worked hard to create an unusual dance story. Often backstage ballet dramas, such as the psychological horror movie “Black Swan,” are pitch dark and filled with vicious personal vendettas and body dysmorphia. Sherman-Palladino told Phelan “Étoile” would be different.

“Amy, from the beginning, she was, like, ‘I’m so excited you’re gonna be here,’” she recalled. “‘We’re not gonna do anorexia. We’re not gonna do dancers stab each other in the back. We’re not going to do the lipstick on the mirror in the dressing room. We’re going to be as true to form as it can be while still making it dramatic.’”

Phelan added that, while heightened, “Étoile” really does look a lot like what actually goes on backstage at the David H. Koch Theater. 

“Obviously it’s dramatized,” she said. “But there’s moments of it where I’m like, ‘Yep, that happens and that’s very real and that is a lot like what our day is.’”

Phelan, a cheerful workaholic, kept a packed schedule during the three-month filming process. She danced at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC and the Vail Dance Festival in Colorado, as well as in Saratoga, Mexico and Copenhagen. 

But the “Étoile” experience was a special one.

“It’s still crazy to me that I got to be a part of this as an actor,” Phelan said. “It’s really cool.”

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
'Should be a means test'

Is It Time for a Means Test? Exploring the Debate

Intense scrutiny was directed at New York City’s rent regulation laws during…
Trump moves more military might to the Middle East as Iran fails to make a deal

Trump Bolsters Military Presence in Middle East Amid Stalled Iran Negotiations

WASHINGTON — Discussions between Iran and the United States ended on Thursday…
Frozen blueberries recalled over possible Listeria contamination

Urgent Recall Alert: Frozen Blueberries Pose Listeria Risk – What You Need to Know Now!

A company based in Oregon is pulling back almost 56,000 pounds of…
Fiery explosion destroys Massachusetts home, injures mother and 2-year-old child

Explosive Incident in Massachusetts Devastates Home, Leaves Mother and Toddler Injured

A devastating explosion ripped through a Massachusetts home on Wednesday morning, severely…
Adorable video shows mama bear taking shelter under Lake Tahoe cabin with her newborn cubs

Heartwarming Moment: Mama Bear and Newborn Cubs Find Cozy Refuge Under Lake Tahoe Cabin

Prepare to be charmed by some irresistibly adorable cubs! A heartwarming video…
Cellmate detained after inmate convicted of sexual assault found dead at California prison

California Inmate’s Mysterious Death Leads to Cellmate’s Detainment

Authorities in California have launched a homicide investigation following the death of…
CIA makes social media push to recruit Iranians as Trump threatens military action

CIA Launches Social Media Campaign to Attract Iranian Recruits Amid Rising Tensions

WASHINGTON — In an effort to reach out to Iranians, the U.S.…
NYC hotel workers union gears up for potential strike during FIFA World Cup

NYC Hotel Workers Union Prepares for Possible Strike Amid FIFA World Cup Fever

New York City’s influential hotel workers’ union is preparing for a possible…
Hillary Clinton Issues Pugnacious Statement As Oversight Committee Grills Her at Epstein Hearing

Hillary Clinton Delivers Strong Remarks as Oversight Committee Questions Her in Epstein Hearing

After prolonged negotiations, Hillary Clinton, the former First Lady and Secretary of…
Witkoff vows 'no deal' to end Ukraine war unless Kyiv is sure of peace

Witkoff Insists on Assurance of Peace Before Any Ukraine War Resolution

KYIV, Ukraine — This week, President Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, vowed…
Man accused of poisoning Santa Clarita, California couple by spraying bug spray on food

Santa Clarita Man Allegedly Contaminates Couple’s Food with Insecticide

A Santa Clarita couple has come forward with a harrowing story, revealing…
LAUSD meeting after FBI raid on Alberto Carvalho

LAUSD Holds Urgent Meeting Following FBI Raid on Superintendent Alberto Carvalho

The Los Angeles Unified School District is set to convene a private…