June Squibb makes history at 2026 Tony Awards

June Squibb made Tony Awards history this year, and she celebrated the milestone in person.

The 96-year-old actress attended the 79th annual ceremony at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on June 7, after becoming the oldest acting nominee in the ceremony's history.

She graced the red carpet in style, posing for pictures in a black V-neck dress with floral detailing.

Squibb earned a nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play for her work in Marjorie Prime, surpassing a record previously held by Lois Smith, who was 89 when she was nominated in 2020 for The Inheritance (and at 90, became the oldest person to win).

Before that, Cicely Tyson held the distinction with an 88-year-old nomination for The Trip to Bountiful in 2013.

“I'm thrilled with what this nomination will do for my career,” Squibb previously said in a statement to PEOPLE in May.

Host Pink led the opening number, Leading Lady Marmalade, which was an adapted version of the Grammy-winning 2001 cover she recorded with Christina Aguilera, Mýa, and Lil' Kim.

The number included many of the biggest actresses on Broadway this year, including an iconic cameo from Squibb herself, in which she sang, All the parts I've played, I slayed them.

Nominated alongside Squibb in this category were Betsy Aidem (Liberation), Marylouise Burke (The Balusters), Aya Cash (Giant) and Laurie Metcalf (Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman). Metcalf took home the award.

Tony-winner Danny Burstein, who starred in Marjorie Prime alongside Squibb, was also nominated this year for his featured performance in the play.

“Over the moon for Danny as well!" June Squibb said. "I share this nomination with everyone who worked so hard to bring Marjorie Prime back to life.”

Directed by Anne Kauffman, Marjorie Prime followed a woman with dementia who forms a bond with a holographic companion modeled after her late husband.