Broadway to Hollywood

How does a Broadway baby become a Hollywood mama? Years of practice.

Sutton Foster, Tony-winning star of the New York stage, began when she was four.

“I had no coordination at sports,” says Foster, calling from the New York set of her TV Land comedy, Younger , premiering March 31. “My mom thought dancing would give me some grace, so she put me in ballet.”

Foster first sang publicly at 10, at an audition for a community production of Annie. Yes, she landed the lead.

She won her first Tony in 2002 for Thoroughly Modern Millie. A second win came in 2011, for Anything Goes .

“I meet young people who look up to me, and I say to them, ‘I am still that kid — I am you,’” Foster relates. “‘I’m just older.’”

In Younger, Foster plays a 40-year-old single mom returning to the workforce who pretends to be 26 to get hired as an executive assistant.

The actress calls it her Tootsie role. “She’s putting on a costume and a persona — it’s another person.”

It’s her second starring series role. In ABC Family’s Bunheads, Foster played a Vegas showgirl–turned–dance teacher.

This time around, “I don’t have the singing and dancing to hold onto, which frankly is kind of great. I’d love to be seen as an actress who can do many things. That’s the goal, to be as versatile and surprising as possible.”

And, in turn, to be surprised. Part of the appeal of Younger is not knowing where her character will go next.

“When you do a show on Broadway, you tell the same story every night.” She’s also excited to be working for executive producer Darren Star. “I grew up watching Beverly Hills, 90210 . I had Jason Priestley’s poster over my bed.”

The downside of passing for 26? Well, passing for 26.

“I’ve never bought more facial creams in my life!” she admits. “It’s stressful when your youthfulness is part of your job security. I’m trying to stay as young and healthy and fresh as possible so we can run for seasons and seasons.”