Character guide
Jean Valjean
from Les Misérables
Jean Valjean is the ex-convict turned redemptive hero at the center of Les Misérables, the sweeping musical based on Victor Hugo's novel that opened in 1987.
- Show
- Les Misérables
- Broadway premiere
- 1987
- Role
- Lead
- Music by
- Claude-Michel Schönberg
Jean Valjean on stage vs screen
Broadway compared with the 2012 film
The man who created Valjean on stage turns up in the 2012 film in a different role: Colm Wilkinson, the original Valjean in both London (1985) and on Broadway (1987), plays the Bishop of Digne, whose mercy sets Valjean on his new path. In the finale it is the Bishop, not Éponine as on stage, who sings with Fantine to welcome Valjean.
Hugh Jackman plays Valjean on screen, singing live on set, and won the Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination. The film also gives him a new song, Suddenly, written by Claude-Michel Schönberg, about taking young Cosette from the Thénardiers' inn. On Broadway, Wilkinson earned a Tony nomination; Valjean's stage showpieces include Who Am I? and Bring Him Home.
Who is Jean Valjean?
Valjean begins the story as a paroled prisoner, hardened by years of unjust imprisonment, before a single act of mercy sets him on a lifelong path toward becoming a better man. He breaks parole, builds a new identity, and spends the rest of the story trying to protect the people he loves while staying one step ahead of the relentless police inspector Javert.
His journey spans decades of French history, and the character's arc from bitterness to grace is really the emotional spine of the entire musical. Few characters in musical theatre carry as complete a transformation over the course of a single show.
Playing Jean Valjean on stage
Valjean is a lead role that demands a versatile baritone or tenor capable of both powerful, sustained singing and moments of intense quiet prayer and reflection. The part requires enormous stamina, since Valjean ages across the entire timeline of the show and must convincingly shift from a desperate fugitive to a devoted father figure.
It is widely regarded as one of the most rewarding and physically demanding roles in the musical theatre canon, which is a large part of why the character continues to draw audiences and performers back to Les Misérables again and again.
Jean Valjean: frequently asked questions
What show is Jean Valjean from?
Jean Valjean is the lead character in Les Misérables, which opened in 1987.
Is Jean Valjean a lead or supporting role?
Jean Valjean is a lead role and the protagonist of the musical.
Who wrote the music for Les Misérables?
Claude-Michel Schönberg composed the music for Les Misérables.
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