Shailene Woodley Got Head Lice Doing First Stage Role as a Kid: ‘Maybe Turned Me Off from Doing Plays Until Now’

Shailene Woodley is going back to her roots!

On Monday, Dec. 2, the actress, 33, made an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to talk about making her Broadway debut in Cult of Love, the new play now in previews at the Helen Hayes Theater in New York City. And while there, Woodley explained the sweet throwback reference she included in her Playbill biography, which she called a “nod” to her father.

As mentioned by host Jimmy Fallon, the Playbill reads, “Shailene Woodley is thrilled to be making her Broadway debut. You may recognize her from the 1995 Palmdale Community Theater production of Oliver Twist where she played one of Fagan’s boys.”

“Yeah, that’s where we know you from,” Fallon joked. “The Palmdale Community Theater production.”

“And if people know Palmdale, they understand why it’s even funnier,” Woodley responded.

The Three Women star continued to explain that she “didn’t know what to write” at the time, which is what led to the off-kilter credit mention. “This is the first time I’m doing a play,” she said. “But then I was reminded by my father that it’s actually not my first play, so I felt like it’s a nod to him. I did Oliver Twist and I got the wonderful background role of one of Fagan’s boys.”

However, Woodley did not have the best experience while starring in the production. In fact, the Secret Life of the American Teenager alum joked that it may have dissuaded her from pursuing more stage work when she was younger.

“I got head lice from wearing the caps that all the kids shared,” she said. “And I think that maybe turned me off from doing plays until now.”

After taking the trip down memory lane, the actress described the play she’s currently starring in that was written by Emmy nominee Leslye Headland, which follows four adult siblings returning to the childhood home for the holidays.

Woodley said the show explores “the complexities and intricacies of becoming adults with our own lives and our own identities, and all of the things that we’re confronted with when we are reminded of our childhood conditioning and trying to find love.”

Directed by Trip Cullman, Cult of Love began previews on Nov. 20 and will officially open on Dec. 12.

The show also stars Molly Bernard, Roberta Colindrez, Barbie Ferreira, Rebecca Henderson, Christopher Lowell, Zachary Quinto, Christopher Sears, Mare Winningham and David Rasche.

“It’s the holiday season for the Dahl family! The four adult children return to their childhood home with partners in tow,” the synopsis teases. “The Dahl traditions include singing carols in harmony at the drop of a hat, but the gathering is anything but harmonious. Old conflicts resurface, new issues battled, and dinner is taking absolutely forever to be served. Will the love the Dahls have for each other be enough to get them through, or will this be their last Christmas together?”

Tickets for Cult of Love are now on sale.