Producers of the Broadway musical Six are taking action after Dylan Mulvaney’s recent casting sparked online bullying.
The 29-year-old performer and influencer, who is a transgender woman, announced earlier this month that she’ll be making her Broadway debut in Six, which reimagines the six wives of King Henry VII as a girl group performing at a concert. Mulvaney will be playing Anne Boleyn, Henry VII’s second wife. Mulvaney previously appeared in the national tour of The Book of Mormon.
Shortly after her casting was announced, the Broadway show was hit with immense backlash online, with critics on X claiming that she wasn’t the right choice for a historical female role because of her identity. Meanwhile, other people accused these critics of being transphobic.
Now, the producers of Six have responded to the backlash by limiting the public’s access to the show’s X account. As of January 21, @sixbroadway’s posts are protected and private, and follower requests have to be approved by the account. The show’s producers have also scrutinized the negative responses to Mulvaney’s casting.
“The producers of Six have chosen to temporarily limit access to the Broadway production’s X account following a number of comments made in response to recent Broadway casting news, which we felt crossed the line into bullying,” a statement released by the show read. “While we welcome passionate engagement with the show, aggressive, threatening, or abusive behavior is never acceptable.”
“As a production, we unequivocally condemn bullying in all its forms and remain committed to fostering a respectful, supportive environment for everyone involved,” the statement continued. “We are incredibly excited to welcome our incoming Broadway cast, and we cannot wait to see them take to the stage.”
Earlier this week, Mulvaney addressed the criticism surrounding her casting, including how people are “questioning [her] abilities” to be in the show. In an Instagram video — filmed during her first day of rehearsal for Six — she expressed her gratitude and love for performing, despite the backlash.
“Being a trans person in 2026, when this world is working against us in what feels like every way, for me to be able to step out onto a Broadway stage as Anne Boleyn and perform an iconic historical character’s role in a show that is so rooted in celebrating femininity, I think that’s a miracle,” she said. “I know I have a lot of privilege working for me, and I have this platform, which no doubt helped me get here, but sometimes we have to take a different route to get where we’re supposed to go in life.
“So, if I had to go viral and find myself in a far-right media firestorm and spend many years and many tears wondering why that was happening, I would do it all over again if it meant that I got to be on stage,” Mulvaney concluded.
The Independent has contacted a representative for Mulvaney for comment.
Mulvaney is set to officially take the stage February 16, alongside new and returning cast members Abigail Barlow, Adrianna Hicks, Anna Uzele and Olivia Donalson.
