Bailey Hanks

Bailey Noel Hanks Weidman (born Bailey Noel Hanks, February 6, 1988) is an American singer, actress, and dancer best known for winning MTV's Legally Blonde: The Musical – The Search for Elle Woods.[1] She performed on Broadway as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde: The Musical in 2008.[2]

Bailey Hanks Weidman
Hanks at Mumbai
Born (1988-02-06) February 6, 1988
Anderson, South Carolina
Occupationstage, television actress, singer, dancer

Early life and career

Hanks was born on February 6, 1988 in Anderson, South Carolina,[3][2] to Brad and Angie Hanks. She has one older sister, Brooke, and one younger sister, Bradlee. Her father is a pastor and youth minister in addition to being a highway patrolman, and her mother is a nurse.[3] Hanks attended Westside High School in Anderson. She transferred to and graduated from Pendleton High School in 2006.

Hanks performed the National Anthem for president Bill Clinton in 2000, at age 12.[4][5]

Growing up in local theater, her notable appearances were as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz; Gertrude McFuzz in Seussical the Musical; Elle Woods in Legally Blonde; Baby June in Gypsy; Hello, Dolly!; The Music Man; A Year With Frog and Toad; Annie; Bye Bye Birdie; A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum; and High Steppin' Country.[4] Bailey studied under Sarah Reese, an esteemed former opera singer.

Hanks was crowned Miss Liberty Teen 2005,[5][6] and competed in the Miss SC Teen Pageant.

She attended Tri-County Technical College in Pendleton, SC, as well as Coastal Carolina University, [3][2] where she was a member of the Gamma Phi Beta sorority, though she did not graduate.

Career

In 2008 Hanks appeared on the reality television show Legally Blonde: The Musical – The Search for Elle Woods and was declared the winner. She made her Broadway debut as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde at the Palace Theatre on July 23, 2008[2] and continued the role until the musical ended its run on October 19, 2008.[7] Later that year she starred as Sharpay Evans in a production of High School Musical which ran from November 5 to December 7, 2008 at the Paper Mill Playhouse.[8]

Hanks appeared in the daytime television soap opera Guiding Light in April 2009.[9]

She played the part of the NYU Tour Guide in the third installment of Touchstone Pictures' "Step Up" franchise. The film, titled Step Up 3D, premiered in August 2010.[10]

Personal life

Hanks currently resides in Piedmont, South Carolina. Hanks is currently Worship Leader at her father's church 'Living Hope' and is a hair stylist.[11] Hanks married Jason Weidman in 2014 and honeymooned in the Dominican Republic.[12] They have one daughter name Noelle "Elle" Marie.[13]

Work

Stage
Year Title Role Notes
2008 Legally Blonde: The Musical Elle Woods Broadway debut; Palace Theatre
High School Musical Sharpay Evans Paper Mill Playhouse
2009 VOTE! New York International Fringe Festival[14]
Freckleface Strawberry Emily Manhattan Movement Arts Center
2012 Legally Blonde: The Musical Elle Woods Diablo Theatre Company[15]
Red Mountain Theatre[16]
9 to 5: The Musical Doralee Rhodes Roxy Regional Theatre[17]

Television
Year Title Role Notes
2008 Legally Blonde: The Musical – The Search for Elle Woods Self Winner
2009 Guiding Light Amy 2 episodes
2010 Meet the Browns
Wiener & Wiener Bridgette's assistant Webseries[18]

Film
Year Title Role Notes
2010 Step Up 3D NYU Tour Guide

References
  1. Desk, BWW News. "Bailey Hanks Wins MTV Competition And Will Be Next Elle Woods!". broadwayworld.com. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
  2. Hetrick, Adam (2008-07-21). "Omigod! Bailey is New Star of Broadway's Legally Blonde; Three Finalists Also Land Roles". Playbill. Archived from the original on 24 July 2008. Retrieved 2008-07-22.
  3. Simonson, Robert. "Playbill.com's Brief Encounter With Bailey Hanks" playbill, August 14, 2008
  4. "Bailey Hanks" broadwayworld.com, accessed February 26, 2019
  5. Zielinsky, Peter James. "Photo Coverage: Legally Blonde's Bailey Hanks and 'Bruiser' Meet the Press" broadwayworld.com, July 24, 2008
  6. "Bailey Hanks will play a bitchy attention starved wannabe actress...I know, it's a stretch." bwaydaily.livejournal.com, accessed February 26, 2019
  7. Hetrick, Adam (October 19, 2008). "Case Closed: Legally Blonde Ends Broadway Run Oct. 19". Playbill.
  8. Gans, Andrew. "Blonde's Hanks Will Star in Paper Mill's 'High School Musical'" playbill, October 7, 2008
  9. "Legally Blonde's Bailey Hanks to Appear on CBS' GUIDING LIGHT", broadwayworld.com, February 20, 2009
  10. "'Step Up' listing" imdb.com, retrieved April 12, 2010
  11. "Bailey Weidman" blondiesthesalon.com, accessed February 26, 2019
  12. "Bailey & Jason's Wedding Website". ourwedding.com. Archived from the original on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
  13. "The Oral History of Legally Blonde: The Musical – The Search for Elle Woods". Playbill. June 1, 2018.
  14. Hetrick, Adam. "Hanks, Goodwin, Karr and Beard Cast in VOTE! for FringeNYC" Playbill.com, July 13, 2009, accessed December 5, 2016
  15. "Bailey Hanks to Star in Diablo Theatre Company's Legally Blonde". TheatreMania. July 14, 2011.
  16. "Bailey Hanks Leads Red Mountain Theatre Company's LEGALLY BLONDE, Now thru 8/6". Broadway World. July 12, 2012.
  17. Archived 2013-04-15 at Archive.today roxyregionaltheatre.org
  18. "LEGALLY BLONDE's Bailey Hanks Guests On WIENER & WIENER". Broadway World. January 6, 2010.
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