Daniel Radcliffe has won his first Tony Award for his performance in the Broadway musical “Merrily We Roll Along.” The actor, best known for his role as Harry Potter, was honored with the award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical. In the revival of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s 1981 musical, Radcliffe portrays lyricist and playwright Charley Kringas.
The original production of “Merrily We Roll Along” had a brief run, closing after just 12 days, but the revival has been met with critical acclaim. During his emotional acceptance speech, Radcliffe expressed his gratitude for the experience. “This has been one of the best experiences of my life. It’s been unbelievable,” he said, while thanking his co-stars Jonathan Groff and Lindsay Mendez, as well as the entire cast.
Radcliffe also gave a heartfelt shoutout to his parents, who were present in the audience. “Happy Father’s Day, Dad,” he said. “Thank you for playing Sondheim in the car and just loving me.” He extended his thanks to the Broadway League, the American Theatre Wing, director Maria Friedman, and everyone involved in bringing the show to life, including his agent, dresser, and singing teacher.
Reflecting on his post-Harry Potter career backstage, Radcliffe shared his surprise and joy at his success. “When I finished Potter, I had no idea what my career was going to be,” he said. He acknowledged the variety of roles he has taken on, including his Emmy-nominated portrayal of Weird Al Yankovic in “Weird: The Al Yankovic Story” and his role in “Merrily We Roll Along,” noting that playing one character for a long time fueled his desire to explore diverse roles.
Radcliffe was up against a competitive field, including Roger Bart from “Back To The Future: The Musical,” Joshua Boone and Sky Lakota-Lynch from “The Outsiders,” Brandon Victor Dixon from “Hell’s Kitchen,” and Steven Skybell from “Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club.”
This Tony win marks a significant milestone in Radcliffe’s theatrical career, which began with his Broadway debut in “Equus” in 2008. “Between Equus and How to Succeed [in Business Without Really Trying], this place was giving me a chance to be something else and to find out who I was as an actor,” he said during The Hollywood Reporter’s 2024 Tony Nominees Roundtable.
“Merrily We Roll Along” tells the story of three lifelong friends, played by Radcliffe, Groff, and Mendez. The musical begins in the present day, showing the friends grown apart, and works backward to the beginning of their friendship nearly two decades earlier, exploring themes of success, show business, and unbreakable bonds.
The 2024 Tony Awards, held at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center in New York, aired in two parts. The preshow, hosted by Julianne Hough and Utkarsh Ambudkar, presented the first round of awards, while the main ceremony, hosted by Ariana DeBose, aired on CBS and Paramount+. In addition to Radcliffe’s win, “Merrily We Roll Along” also took home awards for Best Revival of a Musical, Best Lead Actor in a Musical for Jonathan Groff, and Best Orchestrations for Jonathan Tunick.
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