Sutton Foster Biography: Age, Husband, Children, Net Worth, Movies & TV Shows, Awards

Sutton Foster is a celebrated American actress, singer, and dancer renowned for her dynamic presence on Broadway and television.

A two-time Tony Award winner, she has captivated audiences with her roles in Thoroughly Modern Millie, Anything Goes, and Younger, blending charisma, vocal prowess, and dance expertise into a remarkable career.

Profile

• Full Name: Sutton Lenore Foster
• Stage Name: Sutton Foster
• Born: March 18, 1975
• Age: 50 years old
• Birthplace: Statesboro, Georgia, United States
• Nationality: American
• Occupation: American Actress, Singer, Dancer
• Height: 5 feet 9
• Parents: Bob Foster, Helen Foster
• Siblings: Hunter Foster (older brother)
• Spouse: Ted Griffin (2014–2024, divorced) and Hugh Jackman
• Children: Emily Dale Griffin (adopted)
• Relationship: Dating
• Net Worth: $4 million to $6 million

Early Life and Education

Sutton Foster was born on March 18, 1975, in Statesboro, Georgia, to Bob Foster, a General Motors employee, and Helen Foster. Raised in Troy, Michigan, alongside her older brother, Hunter Foster, a Tony-nominated actor, she showed an early passion for the arts.

At age four, she began dance lessons, excelling in ballet, tap, and jazz, and by six, she starred in a community theater production of Annie. At 15, she competed on Star Search and auditioned for The Mickey Mouse Club.

She attended Troy High School but left before graduating to join the national tour of The Will Rogers Follies, completing her diploma via correspondence courses. Sutton studied theater at Carnegie Mellon University for one year (1993–1994) before leaving to pursue a full-time stage career.

In 2012, she received an honorary doctorate from Ball State University, followed by another from Boston Conservatory at Berklee in 2019, recognizing her contributions to the arts.

Career

Sutton Foster’s career began with ensemble roles in national tours of Grease (1995) and The Will Rogers Follies (1992), leading to her Broadway debut in Grease (1996). She appeared in Annie (1997), The Scarlet Pimpernel (1997), and Les Misérables (2000) as Éponine.

Her breakthrough came in 2000 when she stepped into the lead role of Millie Dillmount in Thoroughly Modern Millie at La Jolla Playhouse, earning a Tony Award when it hit Broadway in 2002. She originated roles in Little Women (2005, Jo March), The Drowsy Chaperone (2006, Janet Van De Graaff), Young Frankenstein (2007, Inga), and Shrek the Musical (2008, Princess Fiona), earning Tony nominations for each.

Her second Tony win came for Anything Goes (2011, Reno Sweeney), a role she reprised in London’s Barbican Theatre (2021). Off-Broadway, she starred in Trust (2010), Sweet Charity (2016), and The Wild Party (2015).

On television, she led Bunheads (2012–2013) and starred as Liza Miller in Younger (2015–2021), with guest roles in Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life (2016) and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2022). She played Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd (2024) and Princess Winnifred in Once Upon a Mattress (2024), earning her seventh Tony nomination for The Music Man (2022, Marian Paroo).

Foster has released solo albums Wish (2009) and Take Me to the World (2018), and teaches at Ball State University.

Awards and Nominations

Sutton Foster has received extensive recognition for her work:

• 2002 Tony Award: Won Best Actress in a Musical for Thoroughly Modern Millie.
• 2002 Drama Desk Award: Won Outstanding Actress in a Musical for Thoroughly Modern Millie.
• 2002 Outer Critics Circle Award: Won Outstanding Actress in a Musical for Thoroughly Modern Millie.
• 2005 Tony Award: Nominated for Best Actress in a Musical for Little Women.
• 2006 Tony Award: Nominated for Best Actress in a Musical for The Drowsy Chaperone.
• 2006 Drama Desk Award: Nominated for Outstanding Actress in a Musical for The Drowsy Chaperone.
• 2006 Drama League Award: Nominated for The Drowsy Chaperone.
• 2006 Ovation Award: Nominated for The Drowsy Chaperone.
• 2008 Tony Award: Nominated for Best Actress in a Musical for Young Frankenstein.
• 2009 Tony Award: Nominated for Best Actress in a Musical for Shrek the Musical.
• 2009 Outer Critics Circle Award: Won Outstanding Actress in a Musical for Shrek the Musical.
• 2011 Tony Award: Won Best Actress in a Musical for Anything Goes.
• 2012 Grammy Award: Nominated for Best Musical Theater Album for Anything Goes.
• 2013 Gracie Award: Won Outstanding Female Actor in a Breakthrough Role for Bunheads.
• 2013 Critics’ Choice TV Award: Nominated for Best Actress in a Comedy Series for Bunheads.
• 2014 Tony Award: Nominated for Best Actress in a Musical for Violet.
• 2015 OFTA Television Award: Nominated for Best Actress in a Comedy Series for Younger.
• 2015 WIN Award: Nominated for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series for Younger.
• 2016 Lucille Lortel Award: Nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical for Sweet Charity.
• 2016 Drama Desk Award: Nominated for Outstanding Actress in a Musical for Sweet Charity.
• 2021 Laurence Olivier Award: Nominated for Best Actress in a Musical for Anything Goes.
• 2022 Tony Award: Nominated for Best Actress in a Musical for The Music Man.
• 2022 Drama League Award: Won Distinguished Performance Award for The Music Man.

Social Media

• Instagram Handle: @sfosternyc
• Facebook Handle: Sutton Foster
• Twitter Handle: @sfosternyc

Personal Life

Sutton Foster resides in New York and is known for her warm, down-to-earth personality. She was married to actor Christian Borle, whom she met at Carnegie Mellon, from 2006 to 2010, and they remain friends. She dated actor Bobby Cannavale from 2010 to 2012.

Foster married screenwriter Ted Griffin in October 2014 in Santa Barbara, and they adopted a daughter, Emily Dale Griffin, born March 5, 2017. In October 2024, she filed for divorce from Griffin, and as of January 2025, she is in a relationship with her The Music Man co-star Hugh Jackman.

A passionate dog lover, she has owned rescue dogs named Linus, Mabel, and Brody. Foster is an accomplished artist, selling her crafts online and collaborating with designer Julien Havard. Her memoir, Hooked: How Crafting Saved My Life (2021), details how cross-stitching and crocheting helped her navigate personal challenges.

She supports arts education, mental health awareness, and organizations like Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and the Humane Society.

Filmography

• The Angriest Man in Brooklyn (2014) – Supporting Role
• Gravy (2015) – Kerry
• Anything Goes (2021) – Reno Sweeney (filmed stage production)
• Bunheads (2012–2013) – Michelle Simms
• Younger (2015–2021) – Liza Miller
• Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life (2016) – Guest Role
• Psych (2013) – Gretchen Eikleberry
• Elementary (2016) – Guest Role
• Royal Pains (2012) – Guest Role
• Law & Order: SVU (2012) – Guest Role
• Flight of the Conchords (2009) – Guest Role
• The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2022) – Guest Role
• Ridley Jones (2021–2023) – Voice Role
• Solar Opposites (2022–2023) – Voice Role

Discography

• Wish (2009) – Solo Album
• An Evening with Sutton Foster: Live at the Café Carlyle (2011) – Live Album
• Take Me to the World (2018) – Solo Album

Net Worth

Sutton Foster has an estimated net worth of $4 million to $6 million. Her wealth stems from her Broadway roles, television work in Bunheads and Younger, music sales from her solo albums, and teaching at Ball State University. Additional income comes from brand endorsements, such as a DirecTV Genie commercial, and her online art sales.