Theatre audiences are inspired daily by the works of Broadway’s brightest, but did you ever wonder what iconic performances inspired your favorite Broadway star to get there? BroadwayBox got all spiffed up and headed to the JW Marriot to chat with the 2014 Drama Desk nominees to find out from them: What was the film, TV show or theatre piece that inspired you to become an actor?

Rory O’Malley (Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical, Nobody Loves You)

"I saw Les Miz when I was in third grade. My mom was an accountant and one of the partners of her firm gave away their spare tickets to see Les Miz at the State Theatre downtown. She couldn't even pronounce it; I was in third grade, I had never heard of it, but my mom picked me up from Glenview Daycare after work and she took me down there and we watched it. And I fell in love with theatre and absolutely had to go back and see it every time it came. It spoke to my heart. It moved me as a kid and it really got me into this art form. And to see it now on Broadway with my good friend Nikki M. James—who is so brilliant in it—has been such a full circle moment for me. And I know my story of that show is the same as so many people of our generation; that show really inspired a lot of people."

Hear more stories from Rory O’Malley’s youth in his new show Pub Crawl at Joe’s Pub on May 30, and get a preview of the show below.