Audra McDonald Gets Record 11th Tony Award Nomination For ‘Gypsy’ Performance

With her 11th nomination announced Thursday, Audra McDonald has become the most-nominated performer in the history of the Tony Awards.

McDonald, 54, is nominated for Lead Actress in a Musical for her role as Mama Rose in the revival of “Gypsy” at Broadway’s Majestic Theater.

The nod takes McDonald out of a tie Julie Harris and Chita Rivera, who each have 10 Tony nominations. She already holds the record for most acting wins at the Tony Awards, with six under her belt, and she is the only one to win in all four acting categories.

“Im so honored to have been nominated for Gypsy alongside Joy Woods, Danny Burstein and Camille A. Brown. As a Black actor, Rose was never a character I thought I would play until my dear friend Gavin Creel planted the idea in my head,” she said in a statement. Creel, a fellow Tony winner, died in September last year at age 48.

“It took a long time for the idea to germinate, and I never wouldve been able to get here without the vision of our director George C. Wolfe, and the immense talent of our creative team and cast,” she said. “I feel so incredibly grateful to share this Gypsy with the world and to be a part of the legacy of one of the most perfect musicals ever written.”

McDonald’s won her most recent acting Tony in 2014 for her role as Billie Holiday in “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill.”

This year, the musicals “Buena Vista Social Club,” “Death Becomes Her” and “Maybe Happy Ending” led the nominations, alongside the new plays “John Proctor is the Villain” and “The Hills of California.”

The nominations were announced by Sarah Paulson and Wendell Pierce. The 2025 Tony Awards will be held at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, June 8, with “Wicked” star Cynthia Erivo set to host.