by Jeroslyn JoVonn
Might 3, 2025
Audra McDonald is making historical past along with her eleventh Tony nomination.
Audra McDonald scored her eleventh Tony nomination for her position as Rose Hovick within the present Broadway revival of Gypsy, making her essentially the most nominated performer in Broadway historical past.
The 2025 Tony Award nominations have been unveiled on Might 1, with Audra McDonald incomes a nod for Greatest Lead Actress in a Musical. The nomination breaks her earlier 10-nomination tie with the late Julie Harris and Chita Rivera for essentially the most Tony-nominated performer in historical past, Playbill stories.
“I’m so grateful, and that’s overwhelming to consider. I’m so fortunate,” McDonald informed The Hollywood Reporter. “The one factor I all the time wished to do rising up, one factor that gave me pleasure and sort of gave me goal and made me really feel most like myself was to carry out theater. And so to be at this level and to have that sort of recognition is simply overwhelming. I’m grateful, and it doesn’t appear actual, as a result of I don’t know easy methods to course of that.”
The feat comes 10 years after McDonald grew to become the most-awarded performer in Tony historical past with six wins. She earned her first Tony in 1994, credited then as Audra Ann McDonald, for her position as Carrie Pipperidge in “Carousel.”
She went on to win 5 extra for “Grasp Class” (1996), “Ragtime” (1998), “A Raisin within the Solar” (2004), “Porgy and Bess” (2012), and “Woman Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill” (2014). Her extra nominations embrace “Marie Christine” (2000), “110 within the Shade” (2007), “Frankie and Johnny within the Clair de Lune” (2020), and “Ohio State Murders” (2023).
After listening to the information of her record-breaking nomination, McDonald celebrated with a DoorDash-delivered iced matcha latte topped with lavender foam and an apple fritter. Her husband, actor Will Swenson, additionally shocked her with a “Tony the Tiger” T-shirt he had on standby for the event.
“In order that was my celebration, and now I’ve received to return to work,” McDonald mentioned forward of her efficiency that night.
RELATED CONTENT: Audra McDonald Makes Broadway Historical past
