logo
Cynthia Erivo and Oprah recreated Wicked's 'holding space' meme to open 2025 Tony Awards

Cynthia Erivo and Oprah recreated Wicked's 'holding space' meme to open 2025 Tony Awards

USA Today3 hours ago

Cynthia Erivo and Oprah recreated Wicked's 'holding space' meme to open 2025 Tony Awards
It wasn't that long ago that "holding space" took over as the big internet meme thanks to Wicked stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. On Sunday, Erivo and Oprah Winfrey brought it back in a subtle way during the opening of the 2025 Tony Awards.
Back in November 2024 during Wicked's press tour, Erivo and Grande had a bizarre moment with an interviewer from Out.com about the lyrics of the showstopper "Defying Gravity". In it, the phrase "holding space" was used and the meme was born from there, with Grande also awkwardly holding Erivo's finger amidst the conversation.
It's been some time since we, as a society, held space for the "holding space" meme, but on Sunday, Erivo and Oprah Winfrey recreated the moment during the introduction to the 2025 Tony Awards.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Oprah seemingly threw shade at Patti LuPone during the Tony Awards
Oprah seemingly threw shade at Patti LuPone during the Tony Awards

USA Today

time27 minutes ago

  • USA Today

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!

Nicole Scherzinger wins her first Tony Award for ‘Sunset Boulevard,' beating Audra McDonald
Nicole Scherzinger wins her first Tony Award for ‘Sunset Boulevard,' beating Audra McDonald

New York Post

time34 minutes ago

  • New York Post

Nicole Scherzinger wins her first Tony Award for ‘Sunset Boulevard,' beating Audra McDonald

Nicole Scherzinger is the greatest star of all. The former Pussycat Dolls singer took home the award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical at the 2025 Tony Awards on Sunday, June 8, beating record-breaking six-time winner Audra McDonald. Scherzinger, 46, stars as the faded silent film star Norma Desmond in Jamie Lloyd's revival of 'Sunset Boulevard.' Advertisement 7 Nicole Scherzinger took home the award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical at the 2025 Tony Awards on Sunday.7 Scherzinger stars as the faded silent film star Norma Desmond in Jamie Lloyd's revival of 'Sunset Boulevard.' MEGA 'I always felt like I didn't belong,' she said as she accepted the award. 'But you all have made me feel like I belong and I have come home at last.' Advertisement Scherzinger previously won the 2024 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her role in the musical. In May, shortly after the 'Masked Singer' judge was nominated for her first Tony Award, Scherzinger discussed her flourishing Broadway career. 7 Andrew Lloyd Webber and Nicole Scherzinger backstage during the opening night of 'Sunset Boulevard' at the St. James Theater on October 20, 2024, in New York City. Bruce Glikas/WireImage 'I'm overjoyed with gratitude. My heart is completely full,' she told TODAY at the time. 'Don't ever, ever, ever give up because you never know when your time is coming. I feel so grateful right now.' Advertisement 'One of my best friends from high school was the first person to call me, and he said, 'Babe. I can't believe it. This is what we dreamed of,'' Scherzinger added. 'I can't wait to speak to my mom.' Although the award-winning singer became a superstar as a member of The Pussycat Dolls from 2003 to 2010, she always dreamed of starring on Broadway. 7 'I'm overjoyed with gratitude,' Scherzinger said after she was nominated for her first Tony Award in May. 'My heart is completely full.' Mike Djordj / In December, just months before she would win her first-ever Tony Award, Scherzinger shared a video on Instagram of herself standing in New York's Theater District in 2008. Advertisement 'Growing up, I thought I'd be doing that. I'd be on that side of the street, not this side of the street,' she said in the 16-year-old clip. 'But one day I'll make it back home.' After her nomination, Scherzinger reflected on the full circle moment – and how it paralleled her 'Sunset Boulevard' character's own dreams of returning to the stage. 7 Scherzinger previously won the 2024 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her role as Norma Desmond in the musical. Mike Djordj / 'As Norma Desmond would say, 'I'll be back where I was born to be. With one look, I'll be me,'' Scherzinger said. 'She also says, 'I'll come home at last.'' 'I guess a lot of people didn't know that side of me because they're so used to seeing the pop star side of me or me in the Pussycat Dolls,' she added. 'But this is home for me. I couldn't have asked for a better dream role.' Elsewhere in the interview, Scherzinger thanked 'Sunset Boulevard' and her role as Norma for allowing her to 'share her whole heart with the world.' 7 'Sunset Boulevard,' which received a total of seven nominations, led the Tony Award nominees among musical revivals this year. Mike Djordj / 'It's interesting because playing Norma Desmond, it's like, where does Norma Desmond end and Nicole begin? And vice versa?' the 'Don't Hold Your Breath' singer said. Advertisement 'I always dreamed of wanting to share all of my gifts and all of my talents and my whole heart with the world,' she added. 'Now I've gotten to because of this.' 'I'm so proud of everyone in this production,' Scherzinger concluded, 'because we're all in it together.' 7 Scherzinger was previously the lead singer of The Pussycat Dolls from 2003 to 2010. Zuma / 'Sunset Boulevard,' which received a total of seven nominations, led the Tony nominees among musical revivals this year. Advertisement The Post's theater critic, Johnny Oleksinski, celebrated Scherzinger's performance in his four-star review of the production when it first opened back in October. 'But the show belongs to the titanic Scherzinger, who makes an especially proud and feral Norma,' Oleksinski wrote. 'Her confidence and burning desire to succeed makes her fall much greater than that of a dusty hermit.' The other Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical nominees included McDonald ('Gypsy'), Jennifer Simard ('Death Becomes Her'), Megan Hilty ('Death Becomes Her'), and Jasmine Amy Rogers ('BOOP! The Betty Boop Musical').

The cast of Hamilton reunited at the 2025 Tony Awards for a nostalgic performance
The cast of Hamilton reunited at the 2025 Tony Awards for a nostalgic performance

USA Today

timean hour ago

  • USA Today

The cast of Hamilton reunited at the 2025 Tony Awards for a nostalgic performance

The cast of Hamilton reunited at the 2025 Tony Awards for a nostalgic performance The original cast of the iconic Broadway hit Hamilton reunited on stage at the 2025 Tony Awards on Sunday night to perform a medley of songs to celebrate the show's 10-year anniversary. Lin-Manuel Miranda reprised his role as Alexander Hamilton, joined on stage by Leslie Odom Jr. (Aaron Burr), Phillipa Soo (Eliza Hamilton), Renée Elise Goldsberry (Angelica Schuyler), Daveed Diggs (Marquis de Lafayette), Jonathan Groff (King George III), Jasmine Cephas Jones (Peggy Schuyler), Christopher Jackson (George Washington) and Okieriete Onaodowan (Hercules Mulligan). Tony Award-winner Ariana DeBose also joined as part of the talented ensemble from the original show. During the four-plus minute performance, the cast rattled off some of the show's biggest hits, including "My Shot," "The Schuyler Sisters," "History Has Its Eyes On You," "You'll Be Back" and more. The medley rightfully earned a raucous applause and standing ovation from the crowd, with everyone from Oprah Winfrey to George Clooney getting to their feet to cheer. Hamilton debuted on Broadway back on January 20, 2015, taking over pop culture and becoming a part of theater history as it told the story of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton with a new flare. The show was nominated for a record 16 Tony Awards in 2016, winning 11. It earned over a billion dollars in just its first five years from ticket sales, touring, albums, merchandise and the Disney+ movie version.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store