Meet Helen J. Shen, the rising star set to appear in The Devil Wears Prada 2
The child of Chinese immigrants, Shen studied musical theatre at university and is dating fellow Broadway star Andrew Barth Feldman
While we don’t yet have details about her role in The Devil Wears Prada 2, we do know that Shen was recently nominated for outstanding lead performance in a musical at the 2025 Drama Desk Awards for Maybe Happy Ending, and won a 2025 Theatre World Award for her outstanding debut performance in the same show.
Here’s everything you need to know about the rising young star.
She’s a musical theatre actress
In 2022, Shen appeared in The Lonely Few’s world premiere at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles, staring as JJ, and reprised the role at the MCC Theater in New York in 2024. That same year, she also appeared in Anna Ouyang Moench’s Man of God at the Williamstown Theatre Festival.
Helen’s regional theatre credits also include playing Keke, the Promise Keeper Girl, in Michael R. Jackson’s off Broadway musical Teeth, and portraying Betty Schaefer in Sunset Boulevard at ACT of Connecticut in 2023.
She originally set out to be a pianist
Born in Bernards Township, New Jersey, Shen began learning classical piano at the age of five, continuing through high school, while taking part in community theatre. Shen believes that piano taught her self-discipline and focus, as well as the ability to handle pressure, per an interview she gave to Vogue last year.