2026 Tony Awards: John Lithgow makes history with big win

John Lithgow added another feather to his cap as he won the Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play trophy at the 2026 Tony Awards.

With this latest achievement, John became the oldest man to ever win a competitive acting Tony Award.

The 80-year-old legend won the Best Performance award for his work in a play, Giant, on Sunday.

“Uh, the other gentlemen in my category, you’re all marvelous actors. You all deserve this. I got it,” John said in his award-acceptance speech. 

“Because I played the lead role in an extraordinary play, Giant… A stunning play made by a bunch of people full of love and kindness, but it’s a play about cruelty in a cruel age. And it’s an extraordinarily important play of this moment," he continued.

“I thank my family, especially my wife Mary, who has seen me through two exhilarating but exhausting years bringing this incredible play to Broadway and to this evening,” added the Harry Potter star. “I’m such a lucky actor and this is my my third Tony Award. My my first one was 53 years ago at my Broadway debut in the American premiere of an English play which by an amazing coincidence originated at London’s Royal Court Theater, just like Giant.”

“Two Tony book ends with 53 years between them. In those years, I have worked with hundreds of just fantastic theater artists. I’ve had dozens and dozens of static ecstatic moments on stage,” concluded John. “But I have to tell you right now, this moment has got to be one of the best. Thank you all so much.”