John Lithgow, at 80, has become the oldest male actor to win a competitive Tony Award, taking home the prize for his role in the play “Giant.”
Breaking Records on Broadway
Lithgow's win for “Giant,” a drama focused on Roald Dahl's antisemitism, breaks the record previously held by Roy Dotrice, who won at 77 for “A Moon for the Misbegotten” in 2000. Following Dotrice, Dick Latessa and André De Shields also held notable records, with wins at 73 and 80 respectively.
Longest Gap Between Wins
This victory marks Lithgow's third Tony Award, with his first win dating back to 1973 for “The Changing Room.” This 53-year gap sets a new record for the longest duration between competitive acting Tony wins, surpassing Angela Lansbury’s 43-year record.
Competition and Achievements
Lithgow's award came against tough competition, including Nathan Lane, Mark Strong, Daniel Radcliffe, and Will Harrison. With this win, Lithgow joins Kevin Kline and Boyd Gaines as one of only four performers to win in three different acting categories.
Lithgow's Acceptance Speech
In his acceptance speech, Lithgow expressed gratitude, saying, “I’m such a lucky actor. This is my third Tony Award. 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 Theatre, just like ‘Giant.’ Two Tony bookends with 53 years between them. In those years, I have worked with hundreds of just fantastic theatre artists. I’ve had dozens and dozens of ecstatic moments on the stage, but I have to tell you right now, this moment has got to be one of the best.”
Source: https://variety.com/2026/legit/awards/john-lithgow-oldest-male-acting-tony-winner-giant-1236768997/
