Cole Escola Just Became The First Nonbinary Tony Winner For Best Actor And Their Speech Hit Different
Standing on the red carpet before the ceremony, the Oh, Mary! star was asked what they’d say to young LGBTQIA+ people watching at home. Their response was beautifully simple: “You’re right. Everyone else is wrong.”
cole escola is the funniest thing that’s happened to society since the introduction of miss piggy. pic.twitter.com/R1r3w3yFiY
— andres (@DblAuntAndres) June 9, 2025
Those five words packed more punch than any lengthy speech could. Sometimes the most powerful messages come without fancy packaging.
Breaking Barriers on Broadway’s Biggest Night
Hours later, Escola became the first out nonbinary performer to win Best Lead Actor in a Play. The award recognised their brilliant portrayal of Mary Todd Lincoln as a scheming nightclub wannabe in Oh, Mary! The character dreams of performing “madcap medleys” while chaos unfolds around Lincoln’s impending assassination.
While J. Harrison Ghee and Alex Newell broke similar ground in musical categories during 2023, Escola’s win marked new territory for straight plays. The distinction matters in an industry where every barrier broken opens doors for others.
An Acceptance Speech for the Ages
Escola’s victory speech thanked the expected people. Fellow nominees George Clooney and Daniel Dae Kim got their due. Director Sam Pinkleton received praise. Their mum got a mention.
Then came the curveball: “T-Bone from Grindr.”
The moment perfectly captured why we love live television. Authenticity wins every time.
The night belonged to more than just Escola. Jonathan Groff brought his usual charisma to a medley from Just In Time, leaping off stage to straddle Keanu Reeves mid-performance. Reeves played along brilliantly, flashing rock signs while framed between Groff’s legs.
But perhaps the evening’s most moving moment came from Jak Malone. Accepting his Tony for Operation Mincemeat, he spoke about playing Hester Leggatt eight shows a week.
“I walk out on that stage and tell the audience that I’m a woman,” Malone explained. “I’m not one, and I only convey it through simple adjustments to posture, voice and energy. But night after night, audiences believe in Hester.”
Malone’s words hit deeper than typical acceptance speeches. He challenged viewers who connected with his character Hester to examine their own assumptions.
“If you watched our show and found yourself believing in Hester, then I am so glad to tell you intentionally or otherwise, you might have just bid farewell to cynicism, to outdated ideas, to that rotten old binary,” he said.
His message painted a picture of possibility. Theatre has always been about transformation. These performers are simply making that transformation visible in new ways.
The Bigger Picture
What made this Tony ceremony special wasn’t just the wins or memorable moments. It was watching performers own their space completely—no apologies, no hedging, no diminishing their achievements.
Cole Escola’s red carpet wisdom feels especially relevant now in a world that often questions authenticity; their simple message cuts through the noise. You know who you are. Trust that knowledge.
Theatre has always been home to those who don’t quite fit elsewhere. This year’s Tonys reminded us why that matters. When young people see themselves represented on stage and at podiums, possibilities expand.
The industry still has work to do. But nights like these show progress happening in real time. And sometimes, that’s exactly what we need to see.
Aussie Pride on Broadway
The night also celebrated another groundbreaking win with Australian significance. Sarah Snook took home Best Actress in a Play for The Picture of Dorian Gray, playing 26 different characters in this innovative adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s classic novel. The production originated at Sydney Theatre Company under the direction of Kip Williams, bringing Australian theatrical innovation to Broadway’s biggest stage.
For a work based on the writing of Oscar Wilde, one of history’s most celebrated queer literary figures, the win felt particularly meaningful in a ceremony already rich with LGBTQIA+ representation.
