Steven McIntosh
Entertainment reporter
Reuters
An emotional Scherzinger said she felt like she had “come home, at last”, 20 years after shooting to fame
Succession star Sarah Snook and singer Nicole Scherzinger were among the big winners at Sunday’s Tony Awards.
Scherzinger was named best actress in a musical for her role as faded film star Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard, Jamie Lloyd’s minimalist reboot of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical.
In an emotional acceptance speech, Scherzinger reflected on her recent Broadway success, which came two decades after shooting to fame with the Pussycat Dolls.
“Growing up, I always felt like I didn’t belong, but you all have made me feel like I belong and I have come home, at last,” she said. “If there’s anyone out there who feels like they don’t belong or your time hasn’t come, don’t give up.”
Reuters
The event was hosted by Wicked star Cynthia Erivo, who also performed during the ceremony
She added: “Just keep on giving and giving because the world needs your love and your light now more than ever. This is a testament that love always wins.”
The singer and former X Factor judge won the same prize at the UK equivalent of the Tonys, the Olivier Awards, for her performance in the show’s original West End run.
She said it had been an “honour” to work with composer Lord Lloyd Webber, and paid tribute to Lloyd, saying: “You saw in me what no one else did. You have given us all new ways to dream and you have changed my life forever.”
Scherzinger also sang As If We Never Said Goodbye during the ceremony, a performance that was introduced by Glenn Close, who played Desmond in Sunset Boulevard when it played on Broadway in 1995.
The Tony Awards, hosted by Wicked star Cynthia Erivo at Radio City Music Hall in New York, celebrate the best in US theatre, and particularly Broadway.
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Sarah Snook said it meant “so much for a little Australian girl to be here on Broadway”
Snook also repeated her Olivier win, taking best leading actress in a play, for performing all 26 roles in a one-woman stage adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s novel The Picture of Dorian Gray.
In her acceptance speech, the actress said: “This means so much for a little Australian girl to be here on Broadway.
“[The Picture of Dorian Gray] is billed as a one-person show, but I don’t feel alone any night that I do this show. There are so many people on stage making it work and behind the stage making it work.”
Other winners included Maybe Happy Ending, about two outdated robots who find connection. It took home best musical, while its star Darren Criss, who previously appeared in Glee, also won an acting prize.
“I have such immense pride to get to be part of this notably diverse, exquisite Broadway season this year,” he said.
Paying tribute to his wife, he added: “Your love and your support for me and our beautiful children, combined with the miracle of working on something as magical as Maybe Happy Ending, has been and will always be award enough.”
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Darren Criss was named best actor in a musical for Maybe Happy Ending
Purpose, about an African-American family who reunite in Chicago, was named best play, a month after winning the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
Meanwhile, Cole Escola was named best actor in a play for Oh Mary!, a one-act reimagining of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination through the eyes of his wife – a raging alcoholic who dreams of life as a cabaret star.
Sunset Boulevard also won best musical revival, while Eureka Day, about a school in California which must confront its vaccination policy after an outbreak of mumps among the pupils, won best revival of a play.
Stranger Things: The First Shadow, a stage adaptation of the hit Netflix show, and Buena Vista Social Club, which tells the story of the Cuban musical group, were among the other winners.
The biggest winners:
6 – Maybe Happy Ending4 – Buena Vista Social Club3 – Sunset Boulevard, Stranger Things: The First Shadow2 – Purpose, Oh Mary!, The Picture of Dorian GrayBritish actor Jak Malone was named best featured actor in a musical – the Tonys equivalent of the supporting actor prize – for Operation Mincemeat, the story of the British plot to fool the Nazis during World War Two.
Elsewhere in the ceremony, Erivo was joined on stage by singer Sara Bareilles for a rendition of Tomorrow from the musical Annie, in tribute to those in the theatre community who had died throughout the year. The song’s composer, Charles Strouse, died last month.
Presenters at the event included Samuel L Jackson, Oprah Winfrey, Ben Stiller and Lin-Manuel Miranda.
The original cast of Hamilton reunited to perform a rapturously received medley, to celebrate the show’s 10th anniversary.
In the last year, a string of new shows and stars drew 14.7 million people to Broadway performances, grossing $1.89bn (£1.39bn) at the box office.
Tony Awards: The main winners
Best musical
WINNER: Maybe Happy EndingBuena Vista Social ClubDead OutlawDeath Becomes HerOperation Mincemeat: A New MusicalBest play
WINNER: PurposeEnglishThe Hills of CaliforniaJohn Proctor is the VillainOh, Mary!Best revival of a play
WINNER: Eureka DayRomeo + JulietOur TownYellow FaceBest revival of a musical
WINNER: Sunset BoulevardFloyd CollinsGypsyPirates! The Penzance MusicalBest actress in a musical
WINNER: Nicole Scherzinger, Sunset BoulevardMegan Hilty, Death Becomes HerAudra McDonald, GypsyJasmine Amy Rogers, BOOP! The MusicalJennifer Simard, Death Becomes HerBest actor in a musical
WINNER: Darren Criss, Maybe Happy EndingAndrew Durand, Dead OutlawTom Francis, Sunset BoulevardJonathan Groff, Just in TimeJames Monroe Iglehart, A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong MusicalJeremy Jordan, Floyd CollinsBest actress in a play
WINNER: Sarah Snook, The Picture of Dorian GrayLaura Donnelly, The Hills of CaliforniaMia Farrow, The RoommateLaTanya Richardson Jackson, PurposeSadie Sink, John Proctor is the VillainBest actor in a play
WINNER: Cole Escola, Oh, Mary!George Clooney, Good Night, and Good LuckJon Michael Hill, PurposeDaniel Dae Kim, Yellow FaceHarry Lennix, PurposeLouis McCartney, Stranger Things: The First ShadowBest direction of a musical
WINNER: Michael Arden, Maybe Happy EndingSaheem Ali, Buena Vista Social ClubDavid Cromer, Dead OutlawChristopher Gattelli, Death Becomes HerJamie Lloyd, Sunset BoulevardBest direction of a play
WINNER: Sam Pinkleton, Oh, Mary!Knud Adams, EnglishSam Mendes, The Hills of CaliforniaDanya Taymor, John Proctor is the VillainKip Williams, The Picture of Dorian GrayBest supporting actress in a musical
WINNER: Natalie Venetia Belcon, Buena Vista Social ClubJulia Knitel, Dead OutlawGracie Lawrence, Just in TimeJustina Machado, Real Women Have Curves: The MusicalJoy Woods, GypsyBest supporting actor in a musical
WINNER: Jak Malone, Operation Mincemeat: A New MusicalBrooks Ashmanskas, SMASHJeb Brown, Dead OutlawDanny Burstein, GypsyTaylor Trensch, Floyd CollinsBest supporting actress in a play
WINNER: Kara Young, PurposeTala Ashe, EnglishJessica Hecht, Eureka DayMarjan Neshat, EnglishFina Strazza, John Proctor is the VillainBest supporting actor in a play
WINNER: Francis Jue, Yellow FaceGlenn Davis, PurposeGabriel Ebert, John Proctor is the VillainBob Odenkirk, Glengarry Glen RossConrad Ricamora, Oh, Mary!
