2025 Tony Awards first-timers club: Half of this year's acting winners triumphed for their Broadway debuts
The 2025 Tony Awards gave a warm welcome to first-timers tonight by awarding four actors for their Broadway debut. This accounts for half of the ceremony's acting categories — one of the best showings for debut performances this century.
Sarah Snook also portrayed multiple roles to win Lead Actress in a Play for The Picture of Dorian Gray. The Succession star impressively swaps between 26 characters in this adaptation of the Oscar Wilde classic, often acting opposite recorded versions of herself projected onto a giant screen center stage.
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Cole Escola became the first nonbinary performer to win the Lead Actor in a Play category for their wild performance in Oh Mary!, which they also wrote. Escola portrays a comically demented version of first lady Mary Todd Lincoln, who craves nothing more than becoming a 'rather well-known niche cabaret legend.'
Nicole Scherzinger won Lead Actress in a Musical for Sunset Boulevard in an upset over the favored Audra McDonald (Gypsy). The former Pussycat Dolls singer played faded screen star Norma Desmond in a wildly reimagined interpretation of the classic Andrew Lloyd Webber musical.
Jak Malone picked up the Featured Actor in a Musical trophy for his rousing performance in the new musical Operation Mincemeat. As Hester Leggett, one of several characters he plays in the show, Malone stops the show with his tender song 'Dear Bill.'
SEE 2025 Tony Awards: Complete list of winners
While it's not uncommon for performers to win a Tony on their first nomination, it's quite rare for them to be recognized for their first-ever appearance on the main stem. Recent years have typically seen only performer (at most) triumph for their Broadway debut in the eight acting categories. This includes Maleah Joi Moon (Hell's Kitchen) in 2024, Jodie Comer (Prima Facie) in 2023, Myles Frost (MJ) in 2022, Andrew Burnap (The Inheritance) in 2021, and Ari'el Stachel (The Band's Visit) in 2018.
Three thespians won for their Broadway debut was back in 2015. That year featured victories for Alex Sharp (Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time), Richard McCabe (The Audience), and Ruthie Ann Miles (The King and I). Another three debut performances were also fêted in 2006. Those wins were bestowed on Richard Griffiths (The History Boys), John Lloyd Young (Jersey Boys), and Ian McDiarmid (Faith Healer).
No year this century was kinder to debuts than 2010, however. A whopping five actors won Tonys at that ceremony for their first appearances on Broadway. Tonys went to Douglas Hodge (La Cage aux Folles), Catherine Zeta Jones (A Little Night Music), Eddie Redmayne (Red), Scarlett Johansson (A View From the Bridge), and Levi Kreis (Million Dollar Quartet).
For curious theater fans, Tonys were also bestowed this year to Broadway debuts in disciplines beyond acting. Creative duo Will Aronson and Hue Park won three awards for Tony favorite tuner Maybe Happy Ending: Best Musical, Original Score, and Book of a Musical. Video designer George Reeve picked up the Scenic Design of a Musical trophy (alongside scenic artist Dane Laffrey), also for Maybe Happy Ending. Australian artist Marg Horwell won Costume Design of a Play for The Picture of Dorian Gray, work for which she already has an Oliver Award. Finally, Eureka Day playwright Jonathan Spector won Revival of a Play.
Best of GoldDerby
'Maybe Happy Ending' star Darren Criss on his Tony nomination for playing a robot: 'Getting to do this is the true win'
Who Needs a Tony to Reach EGOT?
Sadie Sink on her character's 'emotional rage' in 'John Proctor Is the Villain' and her reaction to 'Stranger Things: The First Shadow'
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