Unstoppable, iconic, and determined are three words that can aptly describe the spirit of June Squibb. The actress is back on Broadway and already making history.
The Oscar-nominated star, now 96, is the oldest performer ever to open a Broadway show, leading the new production of “Marjorie Prime.” The play, a Pulitzer Prize finalist, explores memory, aging, and artificial intelligence.
It features Squibb as a woman with dementia who spends her final days speaking with a hologram of her late husband.
A Full-Circle Moment as Squibb Revisits Her Broadway Roots
GettySecond Stage Theater shared production photos ahead of the December 8 opening night. The cast also includes Cynthia Nixon, Danny Burstein, and Christopher Lowell. Anne Kauffman directs the production.
For Squibb, the moment feels like a homecoming. She made her Broadway debut in 1959 as Electra in “Gypsy,” performing opposite Ethel Merman.
“I moved a lot differently then,” Squibb told People at the New York premiere of Scarlett Johansson’s film “Eleanor the Great.” Laughing, she added, “I was doing a lot of bumps and grinds every night… Not so many bumps and grinds now.”
She last appeared on Broadway in 2018 in “Waitress.”
A Late-Career Surge Fueled by Passion, Not Retirement
GettySquibb’s extraordinary momentum has only accelerated in her 90s.
Her Oscar-nominated performance in “Nebraska” in 2013 opened the door to more than 50 screen credits in the decade that followed.
She brought humor and heart to roles in “Hubie Halloween,” “Inside Out 2,” and “Modern Family.”
GettyShe took her first leading film role at 95 in “Thelma,” playing a grandmother determined to track down a scammer who stole her savings. The movie introduced her to a whole new generation of viewers.
When asked about retirement at the Toronto International Film Festival, she didn’t hesitate.
“What would I do? I think people would be crazy with me if I weren’t working,” she told E! News in September.
Her career continues to expand in 2024 with Johansson’s directorial debut, “Eleanor the Great,” released in September 2025.
Why Returning to the Stage Feels Like ‘Going Back Home’ For Squibb
Squibb said stepping into “Marjorie Prime” brings her back to her earliest artistic roots. “I had a long career in the theater before I ever started doing film,” she told E! News in September.
“I was in my 60s when I started film. So it’s like going back home in a way, you know. And it’s a great script I’m doing, and a short time period of time.”
The play’s themes resonated deeply with her. Like “Eleanor the Great,” it explores aging, memory, and the emotional weight of looking back.
Production photos obtained by People give a glimpse of the intimate, contemplative atmosphere behind Squibb’s historic performance.
Nixon plays Marjorie’s daughter, Tess. Burstein plays Tess’ husband, Jon. Nixon was last seen on Broadway in “The Little Foxes,” for which she earned a Tony.
Burstein brings decades of experience from shows including “Company,” “Fiddler on the Roof,” and “Moulin Rouge! The Musical.”
The actress entered film in her 60s but has shown no signs of slowing down. “Thelma” received widespread acclaim, and streaming audiences can now watch the action comedy on Hulu.
Tickets for “Marjorie Prime” are currently on sale, marking another milestone for an artist who continues to redefine what longevity looks like in Hollywood and on Broadway.
