Succession star Sarah Snook and former Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger were among the big winners at Sunday’s Tony Awards.
Scherzinger was named best actress in a musical for her role in Sunset Boulevard, Jamie Lloyd’s minimalist reboot of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical.
In an emotional acceptance speech, Scherzinger reflected on her recent Broadway success, which came two decades after shooting to fame with the Pussycat Dolls.
“Growing up, I always felt like I didn’t belong, but you all have made me feel like I belong and I have come home, at last,” she said. “If there’s anyone out there who feels like they don’t belong or your time hasn’t come, don’t give up.”
“Just keep on giving and giving because the world needs your love and your light now more than ever. This is a testament that love always wins.”
The singer and former X Factor judge won the same prize at the UK equivalent of the Tonys, the Olivier Awards, for her performance in the show’s original West End run.
Scherzinger also performed As If We Never Said Goodbye during the ceremony, and was introduced by Glenn Close, who played Desmond in Sunset Boulevard when it played on Broadway in 1995.
The Tony Awards, hosted by Wicked star Cynthia Erivo at Radio City Music Hall in New York, celebrate the best in US theatre, and particularly Broadway.
Snook won best leading actress in a play, for performing all 26 roles in a one-woman stage adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s novel The Picture of Dorian Gray.
In her acceptance speech, the actress said: “This means so much for a little Australian girl to be here on Broadway.
“[The Picture of Dorian Gray] is billed as a one-person show, and I don’t feel alone any night that I do this show. There are so many people on stage making it work and behind the stage making it work.”
Other winners included Maybe Happy Ending, which took home best musical, while Purpose, about an African-American family who reunite in Chicago, was named best play.
Sunset Boulevard also won best musical revival, while Eureka Day, about a school in California which must confront its vaccination policy after an outbreak of mumps among the pupils, won best revival of a play.
Elsewhere in the ceremony, Erivo was joined on stage by singer Sara Bareilles for a rendition of Tomorrow from the musical Annie, in tribute to those in the theatre community who had died throughout the year.
Presenters at the event included Samuel L Jackson, Oprah Winfrey, Ben Stiller and Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Best musical
WINNER: Maybe Happy Ending
Buena Vista Social Club
Dead Outlaw
Death Becomes Her
Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical
Best play
WINNER: Purpose
English
The Hills of California
John Proctor is the Villain
Oh, Mary!
Best revival of a play
WINNER: Eureka Day
Romeo + Juliet
Our Town
Yellow Face
Best revival of a musical
WINNER: Sunset Boulevard
Floyd Collins
Gypsy
Pirates! The Penzance Musical
Best actress in a musical
WINNER: Nicole Scherzinger, Sunset Boulevard
Megan Hilty, Death Becomes Her
Audra McDonald, Gypsy
Jasmine Amy Rogers, BOOP! The Musical
Jennifer Simard, Death Becomes Her
Best actor in a musical
WINNER: Darren Criss, Maybe Happy Ending
Andrew Durand, Dead Outlaw
Tom Francis, Sunset Boulevard
Jonathan Groff, Just in Time
James Monroe Iglehart, A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical
Jeremy Jordan, Floyd Collins
Best actress in a play
WINNER: Sarah Snook, The Picture of Dorian Gray
Laura Donnelly, The Hills of California
Mia Farrow, The Roommate
LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Purpose
Sadie Sink, John Proctor is the Villain
Best actor in a play
WINNER: Cole Escola, Oh, Mary!
George Clooney, Good Night, and Good Luck
Jon Michael Hill, Purpose
Daniel Dae Kim, Yellow Face
Harry Lennix, Purpose
Louis McCartney, Stranger Things: The First Shadow
Best direction of a musical
WINNER: Michael Arden, Maybe Happy Ending
Saheem Ali, Buena Vista Social Club
David Cromer, Dead Outlaw
Christopher Gattelli, Death Becomes Her
Jamie Lloyd, Sunset Boulevard
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
