Luke Evans is bringing Frank-N-Furter back to Broadway. The action star known for Fast & Furious and The Hobbit has taken over the iconic role at Studio 54, earning a Tony nomination for best lead actor in a musical. At 47, he's lost nearly 20 pounds and performs eight shows weekly in five-inch heels and fishnets, relying on a small can of oxygen to get through the physically demanding production.

The role was made famous by Tim Curry in the 1975 film, but Evans sees it as a chance to redefine himself after two decades in Hollywood playing villains and heroes. "I was somebody who could drive a bus, or build a wall, or kill a dragon," he said. Director Sam Pinkleton says Evans is finally doing things with this role that he was never allowed to do in action films.

Evans started in London's West End in productions like Taboo and Rent before transitioning to film. Born in Wales and raised a Jehovah's Witness, he left home at 16 to pursue theater in London. A Corinthians tattoo about love adorns his thigh—visible through his fishnets—symbolizing his journey from a restrictive upbringing to embracing his true self on stage.