Who Should Win 2025 Tony Awards? Cosmopolitan Has Favorite Picks
And now we've got a pending showdown between Nicole Scherzinger and Audra McDonald at the 78th Annual Tony Awards that has fans, critics, and the voting block completely at odds with one another. (I'm Team Nicole, but we'll get into that later.)
As senior entertainment director of Cosmopolitan, I'm invited to watch all the Broadway shows for editorial consideration each season and am often tapped to lend my feedback to a production's publicity team. Sometimes I'll book one of the stars for a feature—like this interview with Jinkx Monsoon, this Met Gala moment with Maleah Joi Moon, or this first-look exclusive with Milo Manheim and Liz Gillies—but this season, I've decided to campaign on behalf of the actors I believe have earned a rightful bid at future EGOT status.
I have seen everything this season–with the exception of Othello (love you, Denzel! Love you, Jake!), which didn't receive any nominations for me to weigh in on anyway—all of which to say, my opinions aren't half-baked or based on hearsay. (Umm, can everyone on Reddit calm down!?) I've seen these actors with my own two eyes, and I've listened to their live vocals with my own two ears, I promise. So if you care to know what an actual expert in the field thinks about who should (but not necessarily will) take home the trophy in each performance category, you've come to the right place. Let's get into it.
In this dark comedy about Mary Todd Lincoln's life in the days leading up to her husband's assassination, Cole Escola has been delighting audiences in the titular role for over 400 performances (and counting!) since the show opened downtown in January 2024. They also wrote the deliciously unhinged script (which I think should win Best Play too, although John Proctor Is the Villain starring Sadie Sink might give Oh, Mary! a run for its money). I already said this in my list of must-see Broadway shows last year, but Cole's performance is a masterclass in comedy. I don't know a single person who has left this show unimpressed. Is George Clooney breaking box office records at The Winter Garden Theatre for Good Night, and Good Luck? Sure. Let that hold the record for the highest-grossing play in Broadway history, but it's not deserving of a trophy; George's performance is flat and relies too heavily on star power, whereas what Cole is pulling off each night is groundbreaking new work. This isn't to say the money isn't pouring in for them, either. Oh, Mary! is breaking box office records of its own at the Lyceum Theatre. But my argument isn't about commercial viability—it's about craft. And ultimately, Cole's portrayal of Mary Todd Lincoln is one for the history books.
The nominees in this category are George Clooney for Good Night, and Good Luck, Cole Escola for Oh, Mary!, Jon Michael Hill for Purpose, Daniel Dae Kim for Yellow Face, Harry Lennix for Purpose, and Louis McCartney for Stranger Things: The First Shadow.
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I had initially hoped to see Mia Farrow win for The Roommate, but then Sarah Snook came in like a wrecking ball. (The good kind! The Miley Cyrus kind.) What Sarah is achieving each night on the Music Box Theatre stage is a feat of titanic proportions. She seamlessly plays all 26 roles from the classic story by Oscar Wilde in a mind-blowing production that utilizes an expertly-executed mashup of live performance and pre-recorded video as directed by the visionary Kip Williams. Sarah's ability to turn on a dime and oscillate between wildly different characters is brilliant. She is volleying between distinct voices while navigating immaculately-timed costume changes and consistently hitting her marks to act against pre-recorded visions of herself, all of which require precise delivery once the crew presses play. She's already put the E in EGOT with her Emmy win for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Shiv Roy in HBO's smash hit Succession. I hope with this performance, she secures herself that T.
The nominees in this category are Laura Donnelly for The Hills of California, Mia Farrow for The Roommate, LaTanya Richardson Jackson for Purpose, Sadie Sink for John Proctor Is the Villain, and Sarah Snook for The Picture of Dorian Gray.
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It's rare for a musical to be so original that I have virtually nothing to compare it to, but such is the case with Maybe Happy Ending. The show sticks with you, and Darren Criss's performance is one of the many reasons why. (Fellow Glee alum Jonathan Groff for Just in Time is a close second for me in this category; His portrayal of Bobby Darin is so endearing, I genuinely walked away from the show thinking, Does Jonathan Groff…love me? At the end of the day, there was too much Jonathan in the performance and though it was evidently directed that way—Jonathan starts the show as himself—I've got to give it to Darren for his transformation alone.) The physicality in Darren's performance is just one piece of a perfect puzzle. Vocals? Check. Acting? Check. Comedic timing? Check. But it's the way he moves that really does the trick. He isn't Darren. He is Oliver—a retired robot companion who is longer of use to his human owner. My only gripe with the entire production is costume designer Clint Ramos's bizarre choice to put him in hideous blue pants. Pants aside, watching Darren navigate the newfound feelings of love opposite costar Helen J. Shen (who was wrongfully snubbed in the Actress category) as their characters face impending obsolescence head-on is nothing short of witnessing a miracle. Go see it. Bring tissues.
The nominees in this category are Darren Criss for Maybe Happy Ending, Andrew Durand for Dead Outlaw, Tom Francis for Sunset Blvd., Jonathan Groff for Justin In Time, James Monroe Iglehart for A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical, and Jeremy Jordan for Floyd Collins.
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I'm so entranced by Nicole Scherzinger's voice that I've been to see her play Norma Desmond five times. Yes, five. I've made it a point to burn this performance into my brain. That's how good it is. When audiences say an actor is putting on the performance of a lifetime, this is what they mean. I'm in awe of Nicole's ability to make us believe she is a washed-up star fighting for her life against the sands of time despite seeing a beautiful woman donning nothing but a slinky black slip before us. If I were an actress in a leading role on Broadway right now, I'd be campaigning against myself to make sure she won, which brings us to the showdown I mentioned in the intro! I'm somewhat baffled Audra McDonald is being considered to this degree for her performance in Gypsy. To be clear: Audra is a legend. There is no denying that. But she's miscast as Mama Rose. Her vocals fall short, and she's often shrill and off-key. People seem to be wary of having a dissenting viewpoint about the performance of a woman who holds the record for the most Tony Awards won by a actor. Critics are writing in circles to justify the shortcomings, and it's honestly impressive to witness the allegiance the Broadway community is exhibiting toward her. But she has six trophies already and hasn't earned this shot at a seventh. Audra is acting her face off, but we're talking about a musical category here. You've got to sing the part too! The real showdown should be between Nicole and newcomer Jasmine Amy Rogers for her Broadway debut in BOOP! The Musical in the titular role. Jasmine's Betty is fully realized, deeply charming, and technically flawless. Who knows…maybe Nicole and Audra will split the votes and Jasmine will eke out a win!
The nominees in this category are Megan Hilty for Death Becomes Her, Audra McDonald for Gypsy, Jasmine Amy Rogers for BOOP! The Musical, Nicole Scherzinger for Sunset Blvd., and Jennifer Simard for Death Becomes Her.
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Glenn Davis's performance as ex-con Solomon 'Junior' Jasper is filled with equal parts humor and heartbreak. His commitment to the intricacies of this role, specifically, is what made Purpose such an enjoyable experience. His character is deeply flawed and easily unlikable, but I was drawn to Junior's emotionally rich storyline most and found myself missing him anytime he left the stage. In addition to acting in this stellar ensemble cast, Glenn had a huge part in shepherding the production's journey from Chicago to Broadway. As co–artistic director of Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre Company—where the Branden Jacobs-Jenkins play was first commissioned—Glenn helped turn a once 30-page draft into the highest-grossing play in Steppenwolf history. He deserves this on so many levels. Even so, this category can go so many ways. I reckon Glenn's biggest competition is the more-famous Bob Odenkirk for his performance as Shelley Levene in the widely beloved Glengarry Glen Ross, but I'm hopeful the voting block will prioritize performance over star power. Conrad Ricamora for Oh, Mary! would please me, but I want to see it happen for Glenn (though Francis Jue may ultimately have it in the bag for Yellow Face).
The nominees in this category are Glenn Davis for Purpose, Gabriel Ebert for John Proctor Is the Villain, Francis Jue for Yellow Face, Bob Odenkirk for Glengarry Glen Ross, and Conrad Ricamora for Oh, Mary!.
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The way the audience lit up every time Fina Strazza delivered a line will go down as one of my favorite theatergoing experiences. Everyone inside the Booth Theater was eating out of the palm of her hand. She plays Beth Powell, a lovable teacher's pet who, despite her try-hard tendencies, is accepted by her peers as the leader of their pack. Beth exhibits the most growth throughout the show, and Fina's choices as an actor keep you on your toes. She can make her peers laugh without being a clown, can be mean without making them hate her, and can become a know-it-all without anyone rolling their eyes. The audience is on the same page. We're rooting for Beth, and in turn for Fina. This show is the most Tony-nominated play this season and I really hope Fina secures one of its wins. She's only 19 years old, but her performance is wise beyond her years. I hope she lands this Tony and that it catapults her career to new heights. If you can't make it to New York to see the show, you can catch Fina in the slasher film Fear Street: Prom Queen on Netflix.
The nominees in this category are Tala Ashe for English, Jessica Hecht for Eureka Day, Marjan Neshat for English, Fina Strazza for John Proctor Is the Villain, and Kara Young for Purpose.
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I was really on the fence about who to give this one to until I saw Taylor Trensch as reporter Skeets Miller in Floyd Collins, and my mind was made up. I was initially considering Brooks Ashmanskas for SMASH, but I was too hung up on how similar his portrayal of Nigel was to his character Barry Glickman in The Prom circa 2018. Brooks is hilarious! But so is Taylor, whose comedic brilliance is delivered quietly and truthfully. The thing these actors have in common? They are both undeniable standouts in two honestly-not-so-great shows. They might be nominated as featured, but they are the unsung captains of two aimless ships. Taylor wins out in the end for me with a surprising performance that anchors an otherwise sleepy production as its emotional through line. This award will more likely go to Danny Burstein for Gypsy (there's an odd hive-mind thing happening with that show, in my opinion). But my heart lies in the hills of Kentucky with Skeets.
The nominees in this category are Brooks Ashmanskas for SMASH, Jeb Brown for Dead Outlaw, Danny Burstein for Gypsy, Jak Malone for Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical, and Taylor Trensch for Floyd Collins.
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All the nominees in this category are beyond deserving. And that includes Joy Woods for Gypsy, despite my very-evident feelings about that revival! Gracie Lawrence brings down the house as Connie Francis in Just in Time. Justina Machado's performance feels like a hug from your mom in Real Women Have Curves: The Musical. And Julia Knitel is doing her big one in Dead Outlaw. But it's Natalie Venetia Belcon who plays the role of Omara Portuondo, a legendary Cuban vocalist and dancer, in the breathtaking production of Buena Vista Social Club who takes the cake. She delivers a spirited performance that makes you want to get up on your feet and dance. You can't deny the power of her voice or the depth of her performance. Natalie is a Lucille Lortel Award winner and a Drama Desk nominee known for appearing in musicals like Avenue Q, Matilda, and Rent, but this is her first Tony nomination. I really hope it delivers for her.
The nominees in this category are Natalie Venetia Belcon for Buena Vista Social Club, Julia Knitel for Dead Outlaw, Gracie Lawrence for Just in Time, Justina Machado for Real Women Have Curves: The Musical, and Joy Woods for Gypsy.
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The 2025 Tony Awards ceremony will be broadcast live on CBS on Sunday, June 8 at 8:00 p.m. ET. It will also be available to stream live on Paramount+ for subscribers with Showtime and on-demand the day after for Paramount+ Essential subscribers.
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