Entertainment
Laurie Hernandez Says Her 2016 'Final Five' Olympic Teammates Are Ready for Her '& Juliet' Broadway Debut
Best friends forever! Laurie Hernandez made her Broadway debut in & Juliet at the Sondheim Theatre in New York City on March 17, and don’t be surprised if her 2016 “Final Five” Olympic teammates are in the audience.
The two-time Olympic medalist joined the show’s musical ensemble in the featured dance role of Charmion for performances through June 14, 2026, and Madison Kocian, Simone Biles, and Aly Raisman can’t wait to grab a seat.
“The moment my Broadway debut was announced, Maddie, Simone, and Aly texted our group chat to see when they could come,” Hernandez told ET.
“We haven’t landed on dates yet, but there’s been a lot of support there. It’s felt really nice.”
From the gym to the stage, some things never change, including the athlete’s pre-show mindset.
“Growing up, I had a lot of performance anxiety, so early on I had to learn so many different tools to cope with that and understand the way my brain works,” she shared.
“I gained a toolbox, so whenever I was nervous or feeling like the pressure was on, I knew what tools to turn to, and I’m using those same things for my Broadway debut.”
That routine still includes a little pre-show hype.
“When I was competing, before any competition, I’d always sit with my teammates and blast music,” she dished. “That’s what we do backstage at the theater too, so the process is actually kind of similar.”
Luckily, the author has a whole new team behind her this time.
“Everyone has been celebrating the fact that it’s my Broadway debut, and even if they’ve been in two, three, or four shows before this, their excitement about getting to do this every night is contagious,” Hernandez revealed.
“Once I have that support and energy from my peers, I’m ready to try anything I’ve never done before. … I love new environments and trying new things when I know there’s a support system there to catch me if I take a left turn.”
Of course, not everything translates from her Olympic life.
“As a gymnast, I had 11 years to train for something that was essentially only a couple minutes long,” she explained. “For & Juliet, I’ve had about three weeks to train for something that is 2.5 hours long, so I’m trying to figure out how I know when I’m ready.”
As Hernandez finds her rhythm, she’s taking care of her body.
“I’ve been using a travel-size Theragun muscle massager and that’s been changing my life,” she revealed. “It’s small enough to slip into my purse, so I’ve been able to use it to warm up and cool down. It’s literally been saving my muscles. That, and a really good moisturizer, since I’m sweating a lot more than I have in a long time.”
From there, the season 23 Dancing With the Stars winner feels ready to take the stage.
“At the end of the day, I’m so excited to get out there and keep the energy moving. … I think it’s going to be a lot of fun connecting with audiences every single night,” she spilled.
Created by David West Read, & Juliet imagines what would happen if Juliet hadn’t ended it all over Romeo and instead got a second chance at life and love on her own terms. The story comes to life through a playlist of pop songs by Max Martin, including “Since U Been Gone,” “Roar,” “I Want It That Way,” “Confident,” and more. The production is direction by Luke Sheppard, with choreography by Jennifer Weber.
RELATED CONTENT:
Entertainment
Get a free Samsung Galaxy S26 from T-Mobile without trading in your old phone
FREE SAMSUNG GALAXY S26: Sign up for a T-Mobile Experience Beyond plan for 24 months and get a free Samsung Galaxy S26 (256GB) which ordinarily costs $899.99. Existing T-Mobile Go5G Plus members also qualify for the deal.
It’s tough to find a free deal these days. We usually have a massive amount of fine text to read, but T-Mobile is making this deal pretty simple. Sign up for two years of coverage (which you probably needed anyway) and get a free Samsung Galaxy S26 (256GB). Here’s how to qualify.
To get a free Samsung Galaxy S26 (256GB) instead of paying the list price of $899.99, sign on for 24 months of a T-Mobile Experience or Better Value plan. You’ll save the $900 over the next 24 months of bill credit at T-Mobile. No trade in is required to cash in on this deal.
Announced in February, the Samsung Galaxy S26 is the latest model from the major iPhone competitor. It comes with added features like better AI capabilities and a 50 megapixel camera. Samsung also mentions improvements in display clarity with the new S26, giving off better colors and sharper details.
If you’re one for selfies, the Samsung Galaxy S26 could be a great option. Samsung designed the front-facing camera to have a wider view, making it easier to capture selfies with the group.
Mashable Deals
If you’re going with T-Mobile coverage, it’s well worth hopping on this free Samsung Galaxy S26 deal. The cell phone bill was inevitable so you might as well snag a free upgraded phone in the process.
Entertainment
Buy a $300 Delta gift card and get a free $20 Starbucks gift card
BUY A DELTA GIFT CARD FOR $300+ AND GET A FREE STARBUCKS GIFT CARD: Through May 11, buy a Delta gift card for $300 or more and get a free $20 Starbucks eGift card.
Credit: Delta / Starbucks
The price of flying these days is shocking. If you plan on traveling soon on a route served by Delta, it’s well worth checking out this deal to get something for free. It’ll help ease the pain of the ticket price.
Through May 11, purchase a Delta gift card worth $300 or more and get a free $20 Starbucks eGift card. It’s as simple as that. You can also qualify for the deal by buying multiple gift cards that total at least $300. The deal with apply automatically and you’ll receive a separate email containing the free Starbucks card.
Booking flights these days is not much fun. Prices are ahh…. abnormal, but Delta has eased the pain a bit thanks to this deal. The carrier is positioning this free Starbucks gift card deal as a good option for Mother’s Day, but realistically, it’s useful for anyone who plans to book with Delta soon.
Keep in mind the Delta gift card and Starbucks card will never expire. Delta mentions this offer is valid until May 11 at 11:59 p.m. ET or for the first 11,000 purchasers, whichever comes first. That means it might be smart to hop on this deal soon since there’s no way to know if it’ll last until May 11.
Mashable Deals
If you plan on flying soon or want to gift a special someone a Delta gift card worth $300 or more, snag this deal to get a free $20 Starbucks eGift card. It’s a win-win situation for those who plan to fly with Delta.
Entertainment
Snag a pair of Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones for $50 off
SAVE $50: As of May 6, get the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) for $399 at Amazon, down from their usual price of $449. That’s a discount of 11%.
$399
at Amazon
$449
Save $50
If you want to experience your favorite music to the fullest, you need headphones that are up to the task. Bose can typically be counted on to provide that kind of quality, especially with its QuietComfort lineup. You can try its newest model for less right now for less thanks to this Amazon deal, which heavily discounts the cans so you don’t have to spend an arm and a leg on them.
As of May 6, get the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) for $399 at Amazon, down from their usual price of $449. That’s $50 off and a discount of 11%.
Though an incremental upgrade from the previous QuietComfort model, these have some new features you’ll want to try out. But mostly, these comfortable headphones are all about feeling great on your ears and sounding fantastic. They offer noise cancellation and spatialized audio so it sounds as though you’re right where the music is. The new Cinema Mode can help to spatialize and balance background and sound and sound effects when watching movies to help put you right into the film as well.
Beyond that they can be used to take calls with their built-in microphones. They’ll last a long time while you’re on the phone too, with 30 hours of play time when listening to songs, podcasts, or taking meetings.
Mashable Deals
Mashable Lead Shopping Reporter Bethany Allard took the headphones for a spin in her review and and called them a “well-rounded pair of headphones”, praising their blend of “comfort, noise cancellation, and sound”.
If you’re ready to pick up a new pair of headphones at a discount that’ll tick all the boxes for you, grab these before the discount disappears.
Get a free Samsung Galaxy S26 from T-Mobile without trading in your old phone
Buy a $300 Delta gift card and get a free $20 Starbucks gift card
