Lena Hall
A fiercely versatile Tony-winning performer who shattered expectations by mastering both lead roles in 'Hedwig and the Angry Inch' on the same tour.
Born 1980 (age 46)·American actress and singer·Birthday: January 30·Generation X
Biography
Lena Hall is a Broadway force whose career is defined by transformative power and vocal daring. Born Celina Carvajal in San Francisco, she honed her craft in the ensemble of shows like '42nd Street' and 'Cats' before stepping into the spotlight. She originated the role of the sharp-edged Nicola in 'Kinky Boots,' but it was her seismic performance as Yitzhak in the 2014 revival of 'Hedwig and the Angry Inch' that announced her as a star, earning her a Tony Award. Hall then made theater history: during the show's national tour, she became the first performer to play both the tortured rock goddess Hedwig and her stoic husband Yitzhak in the same production, a staggering display of range. Beyond Broadway, she fronts the rock band The Deafening and fearlessly interprets everything from Stephen Sondheim to heavy metal. Hall embodies a new kind of Broadway artist—one rooted in musical theater tradition but unafraid to channel raw, rock-and-roll energy.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Lena was born in 1980, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Lena Was Born
The biggest hits of 1980
#1 Movie
The Empire Strikes Back
Best Picture
Ordinary People
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Lena's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1980Born
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1985Started school
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1993Became a teenager
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1996Could drive
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1998Could vote
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Turned 21
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2010Turned 30
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 40
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 46 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her role as Yitzhak in 'Hedwig and the Angry Inch' (2014).
- Made theatrical history by performing both lead roles (Hedwig and Yitzhak) in the same national tour of 'Hedwig and the Angry Inch' in 2016.
- Received a Grammy nomination for Best Musical Theater Album for the 2014 'Hedwig' revival cast recording.
- Originated the role of Nicola in the original Broadway production of 'Kinky Boots'.
Did You Know?
Her stage name 'Lena Hall' is a shortened version of her maternal grandmother's name, 'Lenna.'
She is the lead singer of a rock band called The Deafening.
She performed a heavy metal cover of Stephen Sondheim's 'The Ladies Who Lunch' for a charity album.
She voiced the character of Countess Coloratura (Rara) in the 'My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic' animated series.
“I love playing characters that are on the edge of society, that are a little bit broken.”
