West End alum Naoko Mori will share the role of Lady Thiang with Tony Award winner Ruthie Ann Miles when The King and I heads to the West End.
The casting update follows the news that Miles lost the unborn child she was carrying two months after a Brooklyn car crash that took the life of her four-year-old daughter.
Performances will begin June 21 at the London Palladium prior to an official opening July 3.
As previously announced, Kelli O’Hara and Ken Watanabe will lead the cast as Anna Leonowens and the King of Siam, reprising their performances from when the Bartlett Sher-helmed revival premiered at Lincoln Center Theater (Miles and O’Hara won Tony Awards for their work in the Broadway staging). The cast will also include Dean John-Wilson as Lun Tha, Na-Young Jeon as Tuptim, and Takao Osawa as Kralahome.
Read: TAKAO OSAWA AND MORE COMPLETE CASTS OF WEST END THE KING AND I
Mori has previously appeared on the London stage in Miss Saigon, Avenue Q, and On the Town. She is also known for her performances on Torchwood and Absolutely Fabulous.
UPDATE, JUNE 3: Despite this initial report, Miles' involvement in the production is not yet confirmed. Playbill reported this information according to online billing from the production; an update will follow an official announcement.
