{"id":775275,"date":"2026-05-05T16:30:33","date_gmt":"2026-05-05T16:30:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/775275\/"},"modified":"2026-05-05T16:30:33","modified_gmt":"2026-05-05T16:30:33","slug":"tony-nominations-2026-snubs-surprises-screen-stars-shut-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/775275\/","title":{"rendered":"Tony Nominations 2026 Snubs & Surprises: Screen Stars Shut out"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tIf last year was Broadway\u2019s Season of the Hollywood Stars<\/a> \u2014 with George Clooney, Denzel Washington, Jake Gyllenhaal and Kieran Culkin leading spring 2025 to steep box office heights<\/a> (and ticket prices) \u2014 today\u2019s Tony Award nominations just might suggest a backlash. <\/p>\n

\n\tWhile some performers better known for TV or film roles made their Broadway<\/a> debuts to the welcoming arms of Tony nominators \u2014 Rose Byrne, and Alden Ehrenreich come to mind \u2014 other stars of screens big and small went totally ignored.<\/p>\n

\n\tAmong them: Adrien Brody<\/a> for The Fear of 13, Keanu Reeves<\/a> and Alex Winter (Waiting for Godot), Lea Michele (Chess), The Bear stars Jon Bernthal and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Dog Day Afternoon), Ayo Edebiri (Proof), Jean Smart (Call Me Izzy), Patrick Ball (The Pitt), Don Cheadle (Proof) and Joe Turner\u2019s Come and Gone stars Cedric the Entertainer and Taraji P. Henson.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe nominees with notable screen presences who made today\u2019s cut generally have equally strong stage careers, such as The Rocky Horror Show\u2018s Luke Evans, who has significant West End credits; Richard Thomas (The Balusters); Daniel Radcliffe (Every Brilliant Thing); Nathan Lane (Death of a Salesman); Christopher Abbott (Death of a Salesman); John Lithgow (Giant); and Mark Strong (Oedipus). Similarly, on the actress side, there\u2019s crossover performers including Carrie Coon (Bug), Lesley Manville (Oedipus), Rachel Dratch (The Rocky Horror Show) and Ana Gasteyer (Schmigadoon!).<\/p>\n

\n\tRELATED: Met Gala 2026 Photos: Best Of The Red Carpet From Beyonc\u00e9, Madonna, Rihanna, Sabrina Carpenter And Teyana Taylor To Janelle Mon\u00e1e<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tSo were Tony nominators fed up with carpetbagging West Coasters snatching up all those Broadway tickets and plaudits? Nah, probably not, though some of that sentiment might have crept in. More likely was a crowded field of fine performances this year that edged out even some of the better overlooked ones. Even though some critics found Edebiri\u2019s performance in Proof a bit too internal, I thought<\/a> it was perfect for her shy, withdrawn math prodigal character.<\/p>\n

\n\tBut was it better than Byrne in Fallen Angels? Coon in Bug? Susannah Flood in Liberation? Lesley Manville in Oedipus? Kelli O\u2019Hara in Fallen Angels? Well, no, it wasn\u2019t. I can\u2019t imagine edging out any one of the nominees for Edebiri or anyone else. Same goes for her co-star Cheadle.<\/p>\n

\n\tThere were some nominations that seemed, well, off to me, or let\u2019s say that went in a different direction than I would have. First and foremost: Laurie Metcalf\u2019s shut out from lead actress\/play for Little Bear Ridge Road (the actress scored a featured nom for Death of a Salesman). Perhaps nominators felt one shot was enough this year or that Metcalf\u2019s two roles were a shade too similar in style and technique (a sad, dying aunt in one, a sad wife of a dying man in another), or maybe this was one way that some on Broadway could make their coolness to Scott Rudin (who produced Bear Ridge and Salesman) known. But if so, it didn\u2019t work: Samuel D. Hunter\u2019s Little Bear Ridge Road scored a Best Play nomination, and Arthur Miller\u2019s Salesman landed nine nominations.<\/p>\n

\n\tI\u2019d say more genuine snubs, or at least failures to nominate that I take issue with, are for Kara Young, who steals Proof with a nuance-perfect performance (a nomination would have been her fifth consecutive; maybe nominators figured enough?), and Henson, excellent in Joe Turner\u2019s Come and Gone.<\/p>\n

\n\tAnd finally, I\u2019m pretty stunned that \u201cTempress\u201d Chasity Moore is missing from the featured actress\/musical slot. Her showstopping \u201cMemory\u201d from Cats: The Jellicle Ball managed to update that beloved and beautiful song without eliminating what\u2019s made it so cherished all these decades: the soaring melody, the despair lightened finally by hope, the loneliness alleviated by community, all conveyed through Moore\u2019s remarkable vocal chops. This one\u2019s a head-scratcher. <\/p>\n

\n\tSome pleasant surprises in today\u2019s nominations, though:<\/p>\n