Tony Awards 2025 behind-the-scenes: George Clooney chats with Oprah while Keanu Reeves and Glenn Close reunite
The 2025 Tony Awards lit up screens across the world on Sunday - but it was the drama behind the scenes that really set tongues wagging.
On a night where Nicole Scherzinger and Darren Cris s won theater's biggest awards, snubbed nominee George Clooney was seen having a deep chat with superstar Oprah Winfrey.
The Oscar winner, 64, who has returned to his signature silver locks, looked somber during the intense chat, as Oprah, 70, clutched onto his hand and put on an animated display.
By their side a serious Gayle King, 70 was seen intently listening.
Elsewhere Keanu Reeves and Glenn Close enjoyed a Dangerous Liaisons reunion, 37 years after starring in the iconic film.
The pair looked in great spirits as they chatted in the green room, with Close, 78, looking chic in black.
Reeves, 60, looked dapper as ever in a black suit.
A sobbing Nicole Scherzinger accepted her first ever Broadway honor at the star-studded 78th Annual Tony Awards, held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on Sunday.
The Pussycat Dolls singer, 46, teared up after winning the Best Leading Actress in a Musical award, for her performance of fading Hollywood star Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard, based on the 1950 film noir of the same name by Billy Wilder.
In her acceptance speech Nicole thanked her fiancé Thom Evans, 'who believes in me when I forget to believe in myself.'
Darren Criss, 38, won big, earning his first Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for his performance in Maybe Happy Ending, written by Will Aronson and Hue Park.
The play — which explores themes of love, loneliness, and mortality and follows two 'Helperbots', robots designed to assist people, named Oliver and Claire — also won the top honor for Best Musical.
Meanwhile George Clooney, 64 — who was nominated for Good Night, And Good Luck — was shockingly snubbed, when he lost the Best Actor in a Play award to Cole Escola, 38. The star, who uses they/them pronouns, won for their performance in Oh, Mary! which they wrote and star in.
The Pussycat Dolls singer, 46, teared up after winning the Best Leading Actress in a Musical award, for her performance of aging Hollywood star Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard, based on the 1950 film noir of the same name by Billy Wild
The show, hosted by Cynthia Erivo, celebrated Broadway's brightest talents in singing, acting, dancing and more.
In the Best Leading Actor in a Musical category, Criss beat out Andrew Durand for Dead Outlaw, Tom Francis for Sunset Boulevard, Jonathan Groff for Just in Time, Jeremy Jordan for Floyd Collins, and James Monroe Iglehart for A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical.
In his acceptance speech, Criss gave a shout out to Helen J. Shen.
Sarah Snook, 37, kicked off the show, winning the Best Leading Actress in a Play award for her unbelievable performance in The Picture of Dorian Gray, where she played all 26 characters, including Dorian and Lord Henry.
The Succession star made her Broadway debut in the ambitious stage adaptation of Oscar Wilde's 1890 novel, directed and written by Kipp Williams.
Snook beat out a strong lineup of nominees including Laura Donnelly for The Hills of California, acting legend Mia Farrow for The Roommate, LaTanya Richardson Jackson for Purpose, and Stranger Things star Sadie Sink for John Proctor Is the Villain.
Tony Awards 2025 nominees
Best Musical
Buena Vista Social Club
Dead Outlaw
Death Becomes Her
Maybe Happy Ending
Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical
Best Revival of a Play
Eureka Day — Author: Jonathan Spector - WINNER
Romeo + Juliet
Thornton Wilder's Our Town
Yellow Face — Author: David Henry Hwang
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
George Clooney — Good Night, And Good Luck
Cole Escola — Oh, Mary! - WINNER
Jon Michael Hill — Purpose
Daniel Dae Kim — Yellow Face
Harry Lennix — Purpose
Louis McCartney — Stranger Things: The First Shadow
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Darren Criss — Maybe Happy Ending
Andrew Durand — Dead Outlaw
Tom Francis — Sunset Blvd.
Jonathan Groff — Just In Time
James Monroe Iglehart — A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical
Jeremy Jordan — Floyd Collins
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Glenn Davis — Purpose
Gabriel Ebert — John Proctor Is The Villain
Francis Jue — Yellow Face - WINNER
Bob Odenkirk — Glengarry Glen Ross
Conrad Ricamora — Oh, Mary!
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Brooks Ashmanskas —SMASH
Jeb Brown — Dead Outlaw
Danny Burstein — Gypsy
Jak Malone — Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical - WINNER
Taylor Trensch — Floyd Collins
Best Direction of a Play
Knud Adams — English
Sam Mendes — The Hills Of California
Sam Pinkleton — Oh, Mary!
Danya Taymor — John Proctor Is The Villain
Kip Williams — The Picture Of Dorian Gray
Best Book of a Musical
Buena Vista Social Club — Marco Ramirez
Dead Outlaw — Itamar Moses
Death Becomes Her — Marco Pennette
Maybe Happy Ending — Will Aronson and Hue Park
Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical — David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoë Roberts
Best Scenic Design of a Play
Marsha Ginsberg — English
Rob Howell — The Hills of California
Marg Horwell and David Bergman — The Picture of Dorian Gray
Miriam Buether and 59 — Stranger Things: The First Shadow
Scott Pask — Good Night, and Good Luck
Best Costume Design of a Play
Brenda Abbandandolo — Good Night, And Good Luck
Marg Horwell — The Picture of Dorian Gray
Rob Howell — The Hills Of California
Holly Pierson — Oh, Mary!
Brigitte Reiffenstuel — Stranger Things: The First Shadow
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Natasha Chivers — The Hills Of California
Jon Clark — Stranger Things: The First Shadow
Heather Gilbert and David Bengali — Good Night, And Good Luck
Natasha Katz and Hannah Wasileski — John Proctor Is The Villain
Nick Schlieper — The Picture Of Dorian Gray
Best Sound Design of a Play
Paul Arditti — Stranger Things: The First Shadow
Palmer Hefferan — John Proctor Is The Villain
Daniel Kluger — Good Night, And Good Luck
Nick Powell — The Hills Of California
Clemence Williams — The Picture of Dorian Gray
Best Choreography
Joshua Bergasse — SMASH
Camille A. Brown — Gypsy
Christopher Gattelli — Death Becomes Her
Jerry Mitchell — BOOP! The Musical
Patricia Delgado and Justin Peck — Buena Vista Social Club
Best Play
English — Author: Sanaz Toossi
The Hills of California — Author: Jez Butterworth
John Proctor Is The Villain — Author: Kimberly Belflower
Oh, Mary! — Author: Cole Escola
Purpose — Author: Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
Best Revival of a Musical
Floyd Collins — Book/Additional Lyrics: Tina Landau; Music & Lyrics: Adam Guettel
Gypsy
Pirates! The Penzance Musical
Sunset Blvd. - WINNER
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Laura Donnelly — The Hills Of California
Mia Farrow — The Roommate
LaTanya Richardson Jackson — Purpose
Sadie Sink — John Proctor Is The Villain
Sarah Snook — The Picture Of Dorian Gray - WINNER
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Megan Hilty — Death Becomes Her
Audra McDonald — Gypsy
Jasmine Amy Rogers — BOOP! The Musical
Nicole Scherzinger — Sunset Blvd.
Jennifer Simard — Death Becomes Her
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Tala Ashe — English
Jessica Hecht — Eureka Day
Marjan Neshat — English
Fina Strazza — John Proctor Is The Villain
Kara Young — Purpose - WINNER
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Natalie Venetia Belcon — Buena Vista Social Club - WINNER
Julia Knitel — Dead Outlaw
Gracie Lawrence — Just In Time
Justina Machado — Real Women Have Curves: The Musical
Joy Woods — Gypsy
Best Direction of a Musical
Saheem Ali — Buena Vista Social Club
Michael Arden — Maybe Happy Ending
David Cromer — Dead Outlaw
Christopher Gattelli — Death Becomes Her
Jamie Lloyd — Sunset Blvd.
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
Dead Outlaw — Music & Lyrics: David Yazbek and Erik Della Penna
Death Becomes Her — Music & Lyrics: Julia Mattison and Noel Carey
Maybe Happy Ending —Music: Will Aronson; Lyrics: Will Aronson and Hue Park
Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical — Music & Lyrics: David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoë Roberts
Real Women Have Curves: The Musical — Music & Lyrics: Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez
Best Orchestrations
Andrew Resnick and Michael Thurber — Just in Time
Will Aronson — Maybe Happy Ending
Bruce Coughlin — Floyd Collins
Marco Paguia — Buena Vista Social Club
David Cullen and Andrew Lloyd Webber — Sunset Blvd.
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Rachel Hauck — Swept Away
Dane Laffrey and George Reeve — Maybe Happy Ending
Arnulfo Maldonado — Buena Vista Social Club
Derek McLane — Death Becomes Her
Derek McLane — Just In Time
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Dede Ayite — Buena Vista Social Club
Gregg Barnes — BOOP! The Musical
Clint Ramos — Maybe Happy Ending
Paul Tazewell — Death Becomes Her
Catherine Zuber — Just In Time
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Jack Knowles — Sunset Blvd.
Tyler Micoleau — Buena Vista Social Club
Scott Zielinski and Ruey Horng Sun — Floyd Collins
Ben Stanton — Maybe Happy Ending
Justin Townsend — Death Becomes Her
Best Sound Design of a Musical
Jonathan Deans — Buena Vista Social Club
Adam Fisher — Sunset Blvd.
Peter Hylenski — Just In Time
Peter Hylenski — Maybe Happy Ending
Dan Moses Schreier — Floyd Collins
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Cynthia Erivo crowned best actress at BET Awards
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Winfrey's new book club pick marks the return of an old favorite, Wally Lamb
For her next book club pick, Oprah Winfrey is highlighting an author she has praised even before she had a book club. Winfrey announced Tuesday that she has chosen Wally Lamb's new novel, 'The River Is Waiting,' the story of a father torn by grief and guilt. It's the third time she's selected a Lamb book and continues a bond predating 1996, when she launched her club. 'I've had four phone conversations with Ms. Winfrey,' Lamb said in a statement, remembering how she called to praise his debut novel, 'She's Come Undone' upon its release, in 1992. Five years later, she phoned with the news that 'She's Come Undone' was her latest book club pick. In 1998, Winfrey picked Lamb's 'I Know This Much Is True,' his second novel. 'I was as shocked as ever last month when I answered the phone and heard Ms. Winfrey's voice again, twenty-seven years after the last time we had talked,' he said. 'She told me my latest novel, 'The River Is Waiting,' would be the 115th title in her beloved Book Club. I'm not sure why I've been on the receiving end of such grace and good fortune, but I try to live each day expressing my gratitude in the way I treat others.' Winfrey's conversation with Lamb can be heard on the latest episode of 'Oprah's Book Club: Presented by Starbucks,' a podcast available through Winfrey's YouTube channel and other outlets. 'I know many of you might remember that Wally and I go way back because I picked his very first book in 1997 for my book club, and then I chose his second book the next year,' Winfrey said in a statement. 'And now with 'The River Is Waiting' – we've selected three novels by the same author and that should tell you ALL you need to know about what I think of this truly masterful and beloved writer.'
