Oprah seemingly threw shade at Patti LuPone during the Tony Awards
Oprah seemingly threw shade at Patti LuPone during the Tony Awards
The 2025 Tony Awards paid very little mind to the recent Patti LuPone controversy that made waves in the Broadway community recently, but Oprah Winfrey was seemingly the only one to make reference to it during Sunday night's show.
In the lead-up to this year's Tony Awards, LuPone made incredibly disparaging remarks about six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald and fellow Tony-winner Kecia Lewis in a New Yorker profile. The Broadway community was furious at the slight, so much so that LuPone eventually apologized for the comments, stating "I regret my flippant and emotional responses during this interview, which were inappropriate, and I am devastated that my behavior has offended others and has run counter to what we hold dear in this community".
Broadway actors such as James Monroe Iglehart and others were asked about the controversy on the Tonys' red carpet, but the show itself steered pretty clear of the topic for the majority of the night. That is until Oprah took the stage to announce the winners of Best Actress in a Musical, where McDonald was nominated. In the lead-up to announcing the winner, Oprah seemingly threw shade at LuPone and the "lively conversations among theater fans" that ensued.
"Lotta talking going on" indeed!
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Trump booed and cheered at the Kennedy Center while attending 'Les Misérables'
WASHINGTON (AP) — A tuxedo-wearing President Donald Trump was booed and cheered as he took his seat for the opening night of 'Les Misérables" at the Kennedy Center, bringing his own dose of political drama to the theatrical production that was unfolding onstage. It was his first time attending a show there since becoming president, reflecting his focus on remaking the institution in his image while asserting more control over the country's cultural landscape. 'We want to bring it back, and we want to bring it back better than ever,' Trump said while walking down the red carpet with first lady Melania Trump. The Republican president has a particular affection for 'Les Misérables," the sprawling musical set in 19th-century France, and has occasionally played its songs at his events. One of them, 'Do You Hear the People Sing?,' is a revolutionary rallying cry inspired by the 1832 rebellion against the French king. Opening night had a MAGA-does-Broadway feel. Ric Grenell, the Trump-appointed interim leader of the Kennedy Center, stood nearby as the president spoke to reporters. Attorney General Pam Bondi chatted with other guests. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. took selfies with attendees. Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha, were also there. There were more precautions than usual, given the guest list, and ticketholders had their bags searched after walking through magnetometers. Canned soda was on sale for $8, while a glass of wine cost $19. Terry Gee, a bartender, bought his ticket for the show in November and didn't mind Trump's presence. It's his sixth time seeing 'Les Misérables,' and he said, 'I'm going to enjoy the show regardless." Hannah Watkins, a nurse, only learned that Trump would be there when the Kennedy Center distributed information about extra security and she searched online to see what was happening. 'I've seen a lot of famous people so far, which is exciting,' said Watkins, who had claimed a spot near the VIP entrance with her mother. 'Honestly, we just like 'Les Mis' and are excited to be here.' However, when the lights went down and the show began, there were empty seats in the balconies and even in the orchestra section. Before Trump, presidential involvement in the Kennedy Center's affairs had been limited to naming members to the board of trustees and attending the taping of its annual honors program in the fall. But after returning to office in January, Trump stunned the arts world by firing the Kennedy Center's longtime director and board and replacing them with loyalists, who then named him as chairman. Trump promised to overhaul its programming, management and even appearance as part of an effort to put his stamp on the national arts scene. His latest moves have upset some of the center's patrons and performers. In March, the audience booed the Vances after they slipped into upper-level seats to hear the National Symphony Orchestra. Trump appointed Usha Vance to the Kennedy Center board along with Bondi, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and Fox News Channel hosts Maria Bartiromo and Laura Ingraham, among other supporters. Sales of subscription packages are said to have declined since Trump's takeover, and several touring productions, including 'Hamilton,' have canceled planned runs at the center. Actor Issa Rae and musician Rhiannon Giddens scrapped scheduled appearances, and Kennedy Center consultants including musician Ben Folds and singer Renée Fleming resigned. Understudies may have performed in some roles Wednesday night because of boycotts by 'Les Misérables' cast members, but Trump said he wasn't bothered by anyone skipping the performance. 'I couldn't care less,' he said. Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has adopted a more aggressive posture toward the arts. The White House has taken steps to cancel millions of dollars in previously awarded federal humanities grants to arts and culture groups, and Trump's budget blueprint proposed eliminating the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Trump has also targeted Smithsonian museums by signing executive orders to restrict their funding and by attempting to fire the director of the National Portrait Gallery. Trump characterized previous programming at the Kennedy Center as 'out of control with rampant political propaganda' and said it featured 'some very inappropriate shows,' including a 'Marxist anti-police performance' and 'lesbian-only Shakespeare.' The Kennedy Center, which is supported by government money and private donations, opened in 1971 and for decades has been seen as an apolitical celebration of the arts. It was first conceived in the late 1950s during the administration of Republican President Dwight Eisenhower, who backed a bill from the Democratic-led Congress calling for a National Culture Center. In the early 1960s, Democratic President John F. Kennedy launched a fundraising initiative, and his successor, President Lyndon B. Johnson, signed into law a 1964 bill renaming the project the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts. Kennedy had been assassinated the year before. ___ Associated Press writers Mark Kennedy in New York and Chris Megerian in Washington contributed to this report. Darlene Superville, The Associated Press
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Harris Yulin, 'Scarface' and 'Ghostbusters II' actor, dies at 87: 'One of the greatest'
Harris Yulin, 'Scarface' and 'Ghostbusters II' actor, dies at 87: 'One of the greatest' Harris Yulin, the Emmy-nominated actor known for his wide-ranging roles in films such as "Scarface," "Ghostbusters II" and "Clear and Present Danger," has died. He was 87. Yulin died of cardiac arrest on June 10 in New York City, according to a press release shared by the actor's representative Sue Leibman. A memorial service is scheduled to be held at a later date. In the weeks leading up to his death, Yulin was preparing to start production on the Michael Hoffman-directed series "American Classic," which was slated to star Yulin alongside Kevin Kline and Laura Linney. "Harris Yulin was very simply one of the greatest artists I have ever encountered," Hoffman said in a statement. "His marriage of immense technique with an always fresh sense of discovery, gave his work an immediacy and vitality and purity I've experienced nowhere else. "And what he was as an actor, he was as a man, the grace, the humility, the generosity. All of us at'American Classic'have been blessed by our experience with him. He will always remain the beating heart of our show." A native of Los Angeles, Yulin got his showbiz start in the theater community of New York City, appearing in a 1963 production of the James Saunders play "Next Time I'll Sing to You." He made his Broadway debut in the '80s with the Lillian Hellman play "Watch on the Rhine" and went on to perform in other shows such as "The Price," "The Visit" and "Hedda Gabler." In 2004, Yulin starred in a Chicago production of "Finishing the Picture," the final play by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Arthur Miller. The actor also directed a number of plays himself, including "The Glass Menagerie," "The Trip to Bountiful" and "This Lime Tree Bower." Yulin made his cinematic debut in 1970 with a starring role in the dark comedy "End of the Road." In the '80s, Yulin stretched his acting chops with roles in the gangster drama "Scarface" and adventure comedy "Ghostbusters II." The actor continued to switch things up in the '90s, appearing in the political thriller "Clear and Present Danger" and slapstick comedy "Bean." Brian Wilson dies: Beach Boys cofounder was 82 Yulin also lent his talents to the TV world with recurring roles in the series "Ozark," "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" and "Billions." He received a Primetime Emmy nomination in 1996 for his guest role on the sitcom "Frasier." "Yulin was part of the vanguard of a generation who cared passionately about the craft of acting," a statement from Yulin's death announcement read. "This deep, lifelong dedication led to extraordinary, resonant performances that were a gift to audiences, the actors he worked with, and the art of acting itself." Additionally, Yulin gave back to his fellow actors through teaching stints at The Juilliard School and Columbia University. 10 bingeable memoirs to check out: Celebrities tell all about aging, marriage and Beyoncé Yulin is survived by his wife Kristen Lowman, son-in-law Ted Mineo, nephew Martin Crane, and godchildren Marco and Lara Greenberg.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
'Guardians of the Galaxy' star says her Oscar award is 'trans' and uses 'they/them' pronouns
Oscar-winner Zoe Saldaña told People Magazine Tuesday night that her Academy Award uses "they/them" pronouns. "We have it in my office and my Oscar is gender-fluid," Saldaña said, adding that she considers the statuette to be "trans." Earlier this year, the 46-year-old "Guardians of the Galaxy" actress won her first Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in the controversial musical-drama "Emilia Pérez." The film followed a Mexican cartel leader who seeks a gender-transition operation to escape his cartel past. Transgender Best Actress Oscar Nominee Apologizes For Old Tweets Criticizing George Floyd, Islam "Emilia Pérez" also boasted having the first openly transgender Oscar nominee for Best Actress with Karla Sofía Gascón as the title character. Gascón ultimately did not win the award. Saldaña is not the first actress to claim her award was non-binary. Actress Jamie Lee Curtis referred to her first Oscar statuette as a "they/them" in honor of her transgender child Ruby during an interview on the "Today" show in 2023. Read On The Fox News App "Here they are! In support of my daughter Ruby, I'm having them be a they/them," Curtis said in a video while pulling out her Oscar award. Curtis reiterated how her award was "de-gendered" in an interview for "The View" in 2024. Click Here For More Coverage Of Media And Culture "It lives in my house, I have de-gendered it. I have a trans daughter, and there is no genitalia on it, so it lives in my office. And I put a googly eye, for the homage to 'Everything, Everywhere, All at Once' and I put a they-them button to just make sure anyone coming in understood," Curtis said. Curtis won her first Oscar for her supporting role in the film "Everything Everywhere All at Once."Original article source: 'Guardians of the Galaxy' star says her Oscar award is 'trans' and uses 'they/them' pronouns
