Succession star Sarah Snook and singer-actor Nicole Scherzinger were among the standout winners at the 78th Annual Tony Awards in New York on Sunday night, as Broadway celebrated a record-breaking season with star power, first-time winners, and moving tributes.
Snook was named Best Leading Actress in a Play for her critically acclaimed solo performance in The Picture of Dorian Gray, in which she portrayed 26 characters. The Australian star's win marked a triumphant Broadway debut following her Emmy-winning run on Succession.
Former Pussycat Doll Scherzinger was awarded Best Leading Actress in a Musical for her portrayal of Norma Desmond in Sunset Blvd., which also won Best Revival of a Musical. Her performance had already earned rave reviews during its London run before transferring to Broadway.
In a ceremony hosted by Cynthia Erivo, the romantic sci-fi musical Maybe Happy Ending emerged as the night’s biggest winner, taking home seven awards including Best Musical, Best Original Score, Best Book of a Musical, and Best Scenic Design of a Musical. Glee star Darren Criss won Best Leading Actor in a Musical for his role in the production.
Cole Escola made history as the first openly non-binary performer to win Best Leading Actor in a Play, for their role in the offbeat historical comedy Oh, Mary!, which also earned Best Direction of a Play for Sam Pinkleton.
The Best Play prize went to Purpose, a contemporary drawing-room drama by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, while Kara Young won Best Featured Actress in a Play, becoming the first Black performer to win in the category two years in a row.
The evening featured many powerful and poignant moments. Francis Jue, awarded Best Featured Actor in a Play for Yellow Face, used his acceptance speech to recognise those who feel marginalised in today’s political climate, saying: "This community sees you."
Elsewhere, Jak Malone was named Best Featured Actor in a Musical for Operation Mincemeat, and Natalie Venetia Belcon received Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance in Buena Vista Social Club.
Erivo, who won a Tony in 2016 for The Color Purple, opened the show with a musical number titled Sometimes All You Need Is a Song, written by Scott Wittman, Marc Shaiman, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. Her monologue included a humorous nod to first-time nominees such as Sadie Sink and Louis McCartney, and even jokingly introduced "up-and-comer" George Clooney.
She later joined Sara Bareilles for a performance of Tomorrow from Annie, in tribute to theatre community members who had died in the past year.
The ceremony included appearances by stars such as Oprah Winfrey, Samuel L. Jackson, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Ben Stiller, and Lin-Manuel Miranda. One standout moment saw Winfrey find a toy car under her chair - a nod to her iconic talk show giveaways - prompting Erivo to exclaim: "You get a car!"
A reunion performance by the original cast of Hamilton closed the night in celebration of the musical’s 10th anniversary.
Full list of winners – Tony Awards 2025:
Best Musical – Maybe Happy Ending
Best Play – Purpose
Best Revival of a Musical – Sunset Blvd.
Best Revival of a Play – Eureka Day
Best Leading Actress in a Musical – Nicole Scherzinger (Sunset Blvd.)
Best Leading Actor in a Musical – Darren Criss (Maybe Happy Ending)
Best Leading Actress in a Play – Sarah Snook (The Picture of Dorian Gray)
Best Leading Actor in a Play – Cole Escola (Oh, Mary!)
Best Featured Actress in a Musical – Natalie Venetia Belcon (Buena Vista Social Club)
Best Featured Actor in a Musical – Jak Malone (Operation Mincemeat)
Best Featured Actress in a Play – Kara Young (Purpose)
Best Featured Actor in a Play – Francis Jue (Yellow Face)
Best Direction of a Musical – Michael Arden (Maybe Happy Ending)
Best Direction of a Play – Sam Pinkleton (Oh, Mary!)
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre – Maybe Happy Ending
Best Book of a Musical – Maybe Happy Ending
Best Scenic Design of a Musical – Maybe Happy Ending
Best Costume Design of a Musical – Maybe Happy Ending
Best Lighting Design of a Musical – Water for Elephants
Best Sound Design of a Musical – The Outsiders
Best Scenic Design of a Play – An Enemy of the People
Best Costume Design of a Play – Jaja's African Hair Braiding
Best Lighting Design of a Play – An Enemy of the People
Best Sound Design of a Play – Appropriate
Best Orchestrations – Maybe Happy Ending
