'Euphoria' star Hannah Nordberg on playing Lydia Deetz in 'Beetlejuice'

Hannah Nordberg makes her West End debut in Beetlejuice playing teenager Lydia Deetz.

Summary

• Hannah Nordberg starred in the first season of Euphoria alongside Sydney Sweeney and Zendaya
• She makes her West End debut in Beetlejuice alongside David Fynn and Aimie Atkinson
• Nordberg plays bereaved teenager Lydia Deetz

Hannah Nordberg starred in the very first season of hit TV drama Euphoria (among its stars are Zendaya, Jacob Elordi, and Sydney Sweeney), which shines a raw and unflinching light on the teen experience. The actor now makes her West End debut in another show that explores the messiness of growing up — this time on stage in the West End. Nordberg plays teenager Lydia Deetz in Beetlejuice The Musical, and believes it is “a really truthful story that a lot of kids will relate to.”

Along with sandworms, a possessed pig, and a mischievous demon wreaking havoc, Beetlejuice includes a strong message about grief, bereavement, and found family. Lydia is struggling to adjust following the death of her mother and has grown apart from her father Charles, leading to her feelings of isolation and despair.

“I think that Lydia symbolises a lot of different things for people, which is partly why I love her so much,” Nordberg says. “She is first and foremost a lesson in courage and not giving up. But at the same time, she holds a childlike sense of imagination with a grown-up level of emotional maturity. She rebels against anything that tries to keep her down with dry wit and never gives up hope on the ones she loves.”

The 22-year-old screen star, who was last seen on stage as a child in Little Miss Sunshine in New York alongside musical theatre royalty Stephanie J. Block, believes that Lydia’s voice is powerful because she is a teenage girl. “[The musical] accurately represents the tenacity, intelligence, and struggle that a young woman in this world can have while also leaving room for a very honest family story,” she explains.

Speaking about how the show handles grief, Nordberg says: “Lydia continuously tries to reach her mum in different ways, and I think that feeling of trying to keep someone alive even after they have left your world is such a universal thing.”

Despite these challenging themes, Nordberg maintains that the wacky musical will not disappoint in terms of humour, praising the show’s star David Fynn, who will play Beetlejuice. “He will make you wet your pants laughing!”

Book Beetlejuice tickets on LondonTheatre.co.uk

Photo credit: Hannah Nordberg in Beetlejuice. (Photo by Johan Persson)

This article first appeared in the June 2026 issue of London Theatre Magazine.