Inside the All-Star Ballet Cast of Étoile You Need to See Now

As a devoted movie enthusiast, I’ve been captivated by Amazon Prime Video’s series “Étoile,” which unites acclaimed actors and prestigious ballet dancers in a gripping narrative set within the realm of professional ballet. While Amy Sherman-Palladino is renowned for her work on “Gilmore Girls,” she has also crafted numerous other shows, one of which is the underappreciated gem, “Bunheads.” This short-lived series revolved around a small-town ballet school. Despite its untimely end after just one season, “Étoile” echoes the spirit of “Bunheads,” offering a new tale that stands independent yet reminiscent. The plot unfolds around a joint effort by Parisian and New York City ballet companies to ensure their survival.

Amy Sherman-Palladino’s love for ballet is clearly evident in her Prime Video show, contributing to its generally favorable reviews as Étoile. One of the series’ key assets is its talented cast, a trait that Sherman-Palladino often highlights by recruiting actors from previous productions, such as Gilmore Girls, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and Bunheads, for this ballet-focused production. Furthermore, the project boasts skilled ballet dancers in numerous roles, contributing to a sense of authenticity that’s crucial when creating a tribute to the art form.

Actor Character
Luke Kirby Jack McMillan
Charlotte Gainsbourg Geneviève Lavigne
Lou de Laâge Cheyenne Toussaint
Gideon Glick Tobias Bell
Yanic Truesdale Raphael Marchand
Ivan du Pontavice Gabin Roux
David Alvarez Gael Rodriguez
Taïs Vinolo Mishi Duplessis
Lala Cholous Pianiste
Unity Phelan Julie
Omar Maskati Julian
Ambrose Martos Dr. Speer
David Haig Nicholas Leutwylek
LaMay Zhang SuSu Li
John Lam Core Dancer
Simon Callow Crispin Shamblee
Tiler Peck Eva Cullman
Kelly Bishop Clara McMillan
Matisse Love L.J.
Lyrica Woodruff Anna

Luke Kirby as Jack McMillan

Date Of Birth: June 29, 1978

  • Active Since: 2001

Luke Kirby hails from Hamilton, Ontario, and he garnered significant recognition by portraying Jim in the 2002 film Halloween: Resurrection. Since then, his career has flourished in both movies and television series. Notably, viewers of Amy Sherman-Palladino’s productions will recall him as the fictionalized depiction of comedian Lenny Bruce, a recurring figure in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

Notable Movies & TV Shows:

Title Character Year
Halloween: Resurrection Jim 2001
Mambo Italiano Angelo Barberini 2003
Take This Waltz Daniel 2011
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Lenny Bruce 2017-2023
Boston Strangler F. Lee Bailey 2023
Dr. Death Dr. Nathan Gamelli 2023

In the play “Étoile“, actor Luke Kirby portrays Jack McMillan, who serves as the director of the New York City Metropolitan Ballet Theater. His task is to collaborate with Geneviève Lavigne in order to garner recognition for both their ballet companies.

Charlotte Gainsbourg as Geneviève Lavigne

Date Of Birth: July 21, 1971

  • Active Since: 1984

Charlotte Gainsbourg hails from London, England, and she first gained significant recognition by portraying the lead character in the 1996 film “Jane Eyre.” Over the years, she has carved out a distinct identity for herself within both French and Hollywood film industries. In 2012, her remarkable performance in the sci-fi drama “Melancholia” earned her a nomination for the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress. Beyond acting, Gainsbourg is also a renowned musician.

Notable Movies & TV Shows:

Title Character Year
Jane Eyre Jane Eyre 1996
Les Misérables Fantine 2000
Antichrist She 2009
Melancholia Claire 2011
Nymphomaniac: Vol. I & II Joe 2013
Independence Day: Resurgence Catherine Marceaux 2016

In the film “Étoile,” Charlotte Gainsbourg portrays Genevieve Lavigne, who temporarily heads the French ballet company, Paris’ Le Ballet National. She devises a strategy to exchange their leading dancers and choreographers for a twelve-month period to boost ticket revenues and prevent both entities from collapsing.

Lou de Laâge as Cheyenne Toussaint

Date Of Birth: April 27, 1990

  • Active Since: 2009

Actress Lou de Laâge hails from Bordeaux, France, and made a big splash in the 2014 French drama Breathe, originally known as Respire. Since then, she’s mostly starred in films produced in France. Upcoming projects for Laâge include her first Hollywood production, Étoile, although her film The Innocents, a French-Polish production, may be recognized by some US audiences as it garnered attention at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival.

Notable Movies & TV Shows:

Title Character Year
Breathe Sarah 2014
The Innocents Mathilde Beaulieu 2016
The Mad Women’s Ball Eugénie Cléry 2021

In the captivating world of Étoile, I embody the role of Cheyenne Toussaint, the esteemed principal dancer gracing the stages of a Parisian ballet company. However, my dance partner, Jack McMillain, is adamant about our collaboration; he insists on having me as his dance partner. Thus, I find myself compelled to take my talents to the bustling cityscape of New York City, continuing to dance and captivate audiences there.

Gideon Glick as Tobias Bell

Date Of Birth: June 6, 1988

  • Active Since: 2005

Gideon Glick hails from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and his acting career took off in 2014 with a role on TV’s Devious Maids as Ty McKay. Similar to Luke Kirby, fans of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel may recognize him from seasons 4 and 5 where he played Alfie. However, before he made a splash on the small screen, Glick was already carving out a reputation for himself on Broadway. During his stage career, he originated roles in various Broadway productions including Spring Awakening, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, Significant Other, and To Kill a Mockingbird.

Notable Movies & TV Shows:

Title Character Year
Devious Maids Ty McKay 2014
Ocean’s Eight Kyle McCallister 2018
American Horror Story Cameron Deitrich 2022
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Alfie 2022-2023
Maestro Tommy Cothran 2023

Character: Throughout the play “Étoile,” Gideon Glick portrays Tobias Bell, who is the choreographer at the New York City Metropolitan Ballet Company.

Yanic Truesdale as Raphael Marchand

Date Of Birth: March 17, 1969

  • Active Since: 1990

Actor: Yanic Truesdale hails from Montréal, Québec, and his major breakthrough was portraying the witty yet affectionate concierge Michel at the Independence Inn on Gilmore Girls. Prior to that, he enjoyed a flourishing career in Canadian television. Following the end of Gilmore Girl, he has appeared in numerous TV films and several comedy series.

Notable Movies & TV Shows:

Title Character Year
Gilmore Girls Michel Gerard 2000-2007
The Fixer FBI Agent Kincaid 2015
My Salinger Year Max 2020
Les Mecs Etienne 2020-2022
Fallen Angels Murder Club: Friends to Die For Gene Donovan 2022
Fallen Angels Murder Club: Heroes and Felons Gene Donovan 2022
God’s Favorite Idiot Chamuel 2022

Character: Within the show “Étoile,” Yanic Truesdale embodies Raphael Marchand, a character who serves as Genevieve’s sharp-tongued and grumpy assistant at Paris’ Le Ballet National.

Ivan du Pontavice as Gabin Roux

Date Of Birth: Unknown

  • Active Since: 2020

As a fervent admirer, I’d like to share that Ivan du Pontavice, who dabbles in ballet dancing and modeling, has recently ventured into acting. His breakout role, Nice Guy Angelo in the 2022 action-thriller Rupture, leaves me with high expectations. The captivating performance he delivered in Étoile suggests that his future as an actor is promising and bright.

Notable Movies & TV Shows:

Title Character Year
Rupture Nice Guy Angelo 2022

Character: Throughout the play “Étoile,” Ivan du Pontavice portrays Gabin Roux, a gifted ballet dancer known for his oversized pride.

In the production of “Étoile,” Ivan du Pontavice embodies the role of Gabin Roux, an accomplished ballet dancer who is particularly self-assured.

Étoile Supporting Cast & Characters

The Cast of Étoile Is Packed With Professional Ballet Dancers

In the movie “Étoile“, actor David Alvarez portrays Gael Rodriguez, a dancer who comes out of retirement. Known for his roles as Bernardo in the 2021 film version of West Side Story and Isaac English in the series “American Rust“, Alvarez is also recognized for winning a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical at a young age, which he earned for playing one of the original Billys in “Billy Elliot the Musical” back in 2009.

As a movie critic, I must say that Taïs Vinolo shines as Mishi Duplessis in the captivating film, Étoile. Vinolo masterfully portrays Mishi, a once-promising ballerina who was unceremoniously ousted from Paris’ Le Ballet National and found solace in the New York City Metropolitan Ballet Company. However, her talents are recognized and she is summoned for a dancer exchange, a pivotal moment in the movie.

It’s important to note that Vinolo herself is a professional ballet dancer hailing from Hossegor, France. Her extensive training includes stints at the prestigious Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at the American Ballet Theatre in New York and with the National Ballet of Canada in Toronto, where she graced the stage as recently as December 2024.

Before Étoile, Vinolo’s only on-screen performance was a Christmas commercial for Amazon in 2020, titled “Amazon: The Show Must Go On.” Her transition from the ballet stage to the silver screen is truly commendable and adds an authenticity to her portrayal of Mishi that resonates deeply with audiences.

In the movie Étoile, Lala Cholous is featured as a pianist character named Pianiste. Although Étoile marks her first on-screen role, Lala Cholous boasts a versatile skillset. As per her LinkedIn profile, she is trained in piano playing, composing music, acting, and training other actors in music.

In the vein of many performers in “Étoile”, Unity Phelan, who takes on the role of Julie, is an accomplished dancer with relatively minimal screen acting background. Her past performances include Risa in the short film titled “Sakura”, a dancer in the brief “New York City Ballet”, and a ballerina in “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum” as well as “I’m Thinking of Ending Things”. As a principal dancer with the New York City Ballet, she graces the stage.

In the series “Étoile”, Omar Maskati portrays the character Julian. Since his debut in onscreen acting in 2013, some of his most recognized roles include Omar from “Better Call Saul”, Elias in “Unbelievable”, and Dr. Isan M. Shah in “Good Sam”. More recently, he joined the cast for season 2 of “The Recruit”.

In the production of “Étoile“, Ambrose Martos portrays Dr. Speer. Since embarking on his acting career in 2005, Ambrose Martos has largely focused on roles within short films. His most notable performance thus far is as Ambrose in “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel“.

In the production of “Étoile,” David Haig takes on the character of Nicholas Leutwylek, a coworker of Jack McMillan. Prior to this role, the experienced actor had amassed 70 acting credits in various productions. Some of his most notable roles are Rudyard Kipling in “My Boy Jack,” Howard Wade in “Two Weeks Notice,” and Bernard the Groom in “Four Weddings and a Funeral.

In the movie “Étoile“, LaMay Zhang portrays SuSu Li, an autodidact dancer whose mother works as a cleaner at the Metropolitan Ballet Theater and records classes for SuSu to learn from. At the age of being a young ballerina, this is LaMay Zhang’s debut on-screen role as SuSu in “Étoile“.

In the movie Étoile, John Lam takes on the role of one of the main dancers in the corps de ballet, a group that performs intricate dance routines together. Despite this being his debut screen performance, John Lam is an accomplished ballet dancer who has served as a principal dancer at the Boston Ballet II since 2014. In 2005, he received the prestigious Princess Grace award and was also a finalist in the Seoul International Ballet Competition that year, as well as reaching the semi-finals of the Helsinki International Ballet Competition.

In the production of “Étoile“, Simon Callow portrays Crispin Shamblee, the wealthy individual who finances the project. Known for his exceptional acting skills, Callow first gained recognition playing Gareth in “Four Weddings and a Funeral“, earning him a BAFTA nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. Amongst other notable roles, he has played Andre in “The Phantom of the Opera“, Tilney, Master of the Revels in “Shakespeare in Love“, and The Reverend Mr. Beebe in “A Room with a View“.

In the production of Étoile, Tiler Peck takes on the role of dancer Eva Cullman. Known as a Principal Dancer with the New York City Ballet and a choreographer, Peck has also delved into acting. Her on-screen appearances include portraying Beth Farmer in Donnie Darko, serving as the Ballet Choreographer in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, and playing Sienna Milken in Tiny Pretty Things.

Kelly Bishop portrays Clara McMillan, Jack’s mother, in the series “Étoile“. This versatile actress is recognized by Amy Sherman-Palladino’s fans as Emily Gilmore from “Gilmore Girls“, Fanny Flowers in “Bunheads“, and Benedetta in “The Marvelous Mrs. Maise“.

As a passionate cinema enthusiast, I’d like to share my thoughts on the captivating film “Étoile“. In this movie, the talented actress Matisse Love embodies L.J., a gifted dancer. L.J. is not just any dancer; she’s a soloist ballerina who honed her skills at the esteemed Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow. Prior to this role, Matisse Love had portrayed the character Matisse in the series “Bunheads“.

In the production of Étoile, Lyrica Woodruff portrays a character named Anna who is a dancer, much like Love. Notably, Woodruff also appeared as The Ringer in the series Bunheads prior to Étoile. Although her acting resume isn’t extensive before Étoile, she gained recognition for her role as Allison Hanson on Boston Public.

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2025-04-24 13:42