Reece Weaver, the former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader who rose to fame on Netflix's America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, made her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in Chicago on Monday, September 7, and fans have now delivered their verdict on her performance.
A Career Move from the Field to the Stage
Weaver was a standout star in the first season of the docuseries, which followed cheerleaders from auditions through training camp. Viewers watched her grow from a self-described sweetheart from Alabama who had never tried Starbucks into a young woman advocating for change in cheerleader pay.
Fans were surprised when Weaver left the team after just three years, as most Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders typically stay for five years before retiring. In an interview with Netflix's Tudum, she explained her reasons for leaving.
Why She Left the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
Weaver said the biggest reason was the constant pressure to be "on" and the fear that people she meets in real life might not think she lives up to her TV persona. She added: "Everyone has a right to their opinion, but some opinions are extremely loud and hurtful. The pressure of going to a game and knowing seconds later, as soon as the game ends, you're going to see lots of videos of you, it's constant pressure. If I mess up, it's going to be online. All that really adds up. There's a lot of people that speculate that this wasn't necessarily my decision, like other outside things were pulling me."
She also noted, "I've been wrestling with this decision all throughout this past year and a lot of it came from just having a great full of gratitude."
Fans React to Her Broadway Performance
Just months after her exit, Weaver confirmed she would take on the role of Roxie Hart in Chicago at the Ambassador Theatre in New York. She will perform the role for six weeks through to October 18, with her first show on Monday.
Clips from the performance were shared on Chicago's official social media page, drawing hundreds of fan comments. One person said: "Her stage presence is UNREAL." Another added: "If you don't extend her run we will riiiiiiot she was born for broadway." A third commented: "She was MADE for the stage," while a fourth wrote: "From America's Sweethearts to America's Sweetheart."
