Fil-Am Stars Win Big at 2025 Tony Awards
Filipino-American actors Nicole Scherzinger and Darren Criss once again showcased how Pinoy talent shines globally by winning Best Actress and Best Actor in a musical at the 78th Tony Awards. The ceremony took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York on June 8 (June 9 in the Philippines).
Nicole, 46, earned her Tony for portraying Norma Desmond in the musical “Sunset Blvd,” which also secured Best Musical Revival. In a heartfelt acceptance speech, Nicole said, “I wanna thank all of you so much for making this little Hawaiian-Ukrainian-Filipino girl’s dream come true. I’m so proud to present.” She continued, holding back tears, “Growing up I always felt like I didn’t belong but you all made me feel like I belong and I have come home. At last. So if there’s anyone out there who feels like they don’t belong or that their time hasn’t come up yet, don’t give up. Just keep giving and giving because the world needs your love and your light now more than ever.”
During her red-carpet interview, Nicole expressed deep gratitude. “I’m just grateful, I’m grateful to God, because God has carried me when I wanted to give up. He has helped me through this entire process, so I give all the glory to him,” she shared.
Darren Criss Shines as Best Actor
Darren Criss, 38, won Best Actor for his role as Oliver in the musical “Maybe Happy Ending,” which also took home five other Tony Awards, including Best Musical. In his acceptance speech, Darren thanked his wife, Mia, saying, “The real hero for this remarkable journey is my wife, Mia, who took a massive swing in allowing me to do this. To allow this crazy upheaval in our life, to make this logistically possible, and for bearing the brunt of raising two tiny friends under three, so that I could raise a singing robot at the Belasco Theatre eight times a week.”
He added, “You’re the very pedestal that upholds the shiny spinny bit in our lives, and your love and your support for me and our beautiful children, combined with the miracle of working on something as magical as Maybe Happy Ending, has been and will always be award enough.”
Previously, Darren joined the EGOT club by winning his first Emmy in 2018 for his role as Andrew Cunanan in “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story,” sources said.
Complete List of Tony Awards 2025 Winners
Here is the full list of winners honored during the 2025 Tony Awards:
– Best Play: “Purpose” (Branden Jacobs-Jenkins)
– Best Musical: “Maybe Happy Ending”
– Best Book of a Musical: “Maybe Happy Ending” (Will Aronson and Hue Park)
– Best Original Score: “Maybe Happy Ending” (Will Aronson and Hue Park)
– Best Revival of a Play: “Eureka Day” (Jonathan Spector)
– Best Revival of a Musical: “Sunset Blvd.”
– Best Actor in a Leading Role (Play): Cole Escola, “Oh, Mary!”
– Best Actress in a Leading Role (Play): Sarah Snook, “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
– Best Actor in a Leading Role (Musical): Darren Criss, “Maybe Happy Ending”
– Best Actress in a Leading Role (Musical): Nicole Scherzinger, “Sunset Blvd.”
– Best Actor in a Featured Role (Play): Francis Jue, “Yellow Face”
– Best Actress in a Featured Role (Play): Kara Young, “Purpose”
– Best Actor in a Featured Role (Musical): Jak Malone, “Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical”
– Best Actress in a Featured Role (Musical): Natalie Venetia Belcon, “Buena Vista Social Club”
– Best Scenic Design (Play): Miriam Buether and 59, “Stranger Things: The First Shadow”
– Best Scenic Design (Musical): Dane Laffrey and George Reeve, “Maybe Happy Ending”
– Best Costume Design (Play): Marg Horwell, “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
– Best Costume Design (Musical): Paul Tazewell, “Death Becomes Her”
– Best Lighting Design (Play): Jon Clark, “Stranger Things: The First Shadow”
– Best Lighting Design (Musical): Jack Knowles, “Sunset Blvd.”
– Best Sound Design (Play): Paul Arditti, “Stranger Things: The First Shadow”
– Best Sound Design (Musical): Jonathan Deans, “Buena Vista Social Club”
– Best Direction (Play): Sam Pinkleton, “Oh, Mary!”
– Best Direction (Musical): Michael Arden, “Maybe Happy Ending”
– Best Choreography: Patricia Delgado and Justin Peck, “Buena Vista Social Club”
– Best Orchestrations: Marco Paguia, “Buena Vista Social Club”
– Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement: Harvey Fierstein
– Special Tony Award: Musicians of “Buena Vista Social Club” and the Illusions & Technical Effects of “Stranger Things: The First Shadow”
– Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award: Celia Keenan-Bolger
– Regional Theatre Tony Award: The Muny
– Tony Honors for Excellence: Great Performances, Michael Price, New 42, and The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts
For more news and updates on Filipino-American actors, visit Filipinokami.com.