Photos: First Look at Sherri Shepherd as 'the Genie' in ALADDIN

Emmy-winning talk show host, comedian, actress, and best-selling author Sherri Shepherd begins performances as the Genie in Disney’s Aladdin on Broadway tonight, October 16, 2026. Shepherd will perform Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings this weekend; beginning Tuesday, October 20, she will play eight performances a week unless otherwise noted at AladdinTheMusical.com. Her limited engagement plays through Sunday, January 3, 2027.

Sherri Shepherd is a Daytime Emmy Award-winning talk show host, comedian, actress, and New York Times best-selling author whose career spans more than three decades across television, film, Broadway, and stand-up comedy. She most recently hosted the nationally syndicated daytime talk show SHERRI for four seasons, bringing her signature warmth, humor, and relatable perspective to topical headlines, celebrity interviews, comedy, and uplifting stories. A multiple NAACP Image Award winner, Sherri also co-hosts the award-winning podcast Two Funny Mamas with Kym Whitley.

Before SHERRI, Shepherd spent seven years as a co-host of The View and has hosted Dish Nation, The Newlywed Game, and Best Ever Trivia Show, among others. Her extensive television credits include 30 Rock, Friends, Sex Lives of College Girls, HARLEM, Mr. Iglesias, Trial & Error, Everybody Loves Raymond, The Jamie Foxx Show, and Less Than Perfect. Her film credits include Tyler Perry’s STRAW, Brian Banks, Precious, Ride Along 2, and Beauty Shop. Her Lifetime film Angel in the Rubble premiered September 12.

On Broadway, Shepherd made history as the first African American actress to portray the Evil Stepmother in Cinderella. Her other theater credits include the Off-Broadway shows Love, Loss, and What I Wore; and Joy Behar's My First Ex-Husband.  She continues to tour nationwide as a stand-up comedian, frequently performing to sold-out audiences.

A New York Times best-selling author, Shepherd has written two books for adults, Plan D: How to Lose Weight and Beat Diabetes (Even If You Don't Have It) and Permission Slips: Every Woman's Guide to Giving Herself a Break. She expanded her work as an author with her debut children’s book, Sunshine Queens, which celebrates confidence, self-love, and the power of young girls embracing their individuality. Shepherd is also expanding her literary career with her first romance novel, Life Is a K-Drama, co-written with Jayci Lee and set for release in April 2027.

Beyond entertainment, Shepherd is a passionate advocate for inclusivity, representation, and children with special needs, using her platform to champion meaningful causes and inspire audiences of all ages.

Photo Credit: Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade (c) Disney

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