Audra McDonald Makes Broadway History After New Tony Awards Announcement

Legendary Broadway actress Audra McDonald has made history again with this year’s Tony Awards nomination announcement.

Sarah Paulson and Wendell Pierce announced this year’s Tony Awards nominees on Thursday. Out of the many performers of the 42 theatre productions nominated, Audra McDonald, who is currently performing as the iconic Rose on Broadway’s Gypsy, made history once again as the most Tony Award-nominated performer. This isn’t the first time the now 11-time Tony-nominated actress has made Broadway history, with her also being the most awarded and the only one with awards in all four acting categories.

On the Variety series Actors on Actors, McDonald shared with Jake Gyllenhaall the experience of earning a legendary role in Gypsy.

“[Gypsy] is the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my entire life,” she stated, noting the different voice of the character and the pressure of such an iconic role and play.

She continued, “I hadn’t ever thought about [this role] as something that I would do. And I never thought that anybody would cast me. Obviously, this is not a role that’s typically played by a Black woman because it is based on history.”

McDonald cited her late friend Gavin Creel, the Tony Award-winning actor known for his roles in musicals such as Book of Mormon and Hello, Dolly!, as the first to encourage her to become the next Rose.

After her nomination announcement, she stated, “I’m so honored to have been nominated for Gypsy alongside Joy Woods, Danny Burstein, and Camille A. Brown. As a Black actor, Rose was never a character I thought I would play until my dear friend Gavin Creel planted the idea in my head. It took a long time for the idea to germinate, and I never would’ve been able to get here without the vision of our director, George C. Wolfe, and the immense talent of our creative team and cast. I feel so incredibly grateful to share this Gypsy with the world and to be a part of the legacy of one of the most perfect musicals ever written.”

You can watch the Tony Awards, hosted by Cynthia Erivo, on CBS and Paramount+ on June 8 at 8:00 p.m. ET/ 5:00 p.m.