The Tony Awards is a long standing tradition to recognize the hard working actors and actresses that make Broadway shows the impressive, jaw-dropping productions that they are. This year Broadway hit a new stride, breaking attendance and box-office records thanks to new shows and seasoned actors that truly wowed audiences. While most Broadway performers have musical backgrounds, the Midtown Manhattan theatres saw an influx of movie and TV show stars like Bryan Cranston, known for his outstanding performance in award-winning Breaking Bad, and Laurie Metcalf, who starred in the coming-of-age film Ladybird.
If you, like many of us, weren’t able to see these dazzling stars perform in person, there are plenty of opportunities to see them from the comfort of your own couch with trusty Control Center universal remote in hand, of course! We’ve compiled some of the nominees for Best Actor and Best Actress on the stage and listed must-see films they’ve also starred in. If you didn’t hear, our friend Sally Horchow’s production, Tootsie, was nominated for a Tony! You can see her list of favorite films with duplicitous characters on our Caavo app or in our What to Watch list.
Best Actors in Play Nominees
Bryan Cranston
Oh Bryan, how he’s skyrocketed from playing an eccentric dentist on Seinfeld, a silly dad on Malcolm in the Middle, to performing on the most important and acclaimed theatrical stage in America! Nominated for his energetic portrayal of Howard Beale, a network anchor, in the play, Network, this wasn’t the first time Cranston showed some zeale. Besides watching him as an unassuming drug dealer in Breaking Bad, check him out in Trumbo as a successful Hollywood screenwriter who gets blacklisted during America’s McCarthy era.
Jeff Daniels
Jeff Daniels isn’t new to the Broadway scene, which probably explains why he crushed his performance as lawyer Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird, breathing new life into the renowned 60s novel. On the opposite side of his serious role as the lawyer defending a Black man wrongly accused of raping a white woman, Daniels co-starred with Jim Carrey in their incredibly goofy Dumb and Dumber, which is a good watch for the whole family.
Adam Driver
We’ve all come to know Adam Driver for his appearance as conflicted soul Kylo Ren in the new Star Wars films- but his part in Burn This, an emotional play about a life lost during the 80s AIDs epidemic, has earned him his Broadway stripes. If you want to see Driver in a movie that also reflects the reality of life, check him out in Paterson, a sweet film about the poetically simple life of a bus driver.
Paddy Considine
British actor Paddy Considine may not be widely known in the States, but after he helped carry The Ferryman from the U.K. to American theater, people are beginning to take notice! He played Quinn Carney, a former IRA (Irish Republican Army) member who has retired to the countryside to escape his traumatic past—a tale many veterans can relate to. If you want to see Considine in a piece equally as moving, watch In America, a film about an Irish family who recently migrated to America.
Best Actresses in Play Nominees
Annette Bening
In her return to Broadway, Annette Bening shook up the stage with her performance in Arthur Miller’s All My Sons as a wife and mother who refuses to believe that her son is dead after World War II. Bening is no stranger to the big screen though, she recently starred in the action-packed Captain Marvel, and was absolutely stellar in the 90s drama American Beauty.
Elaine May
Iconic Elaine May has been gracing us with her comedic genius, screenwriting and directing skills since the 1950s when she performed improv with her partner Mike Nichols. Now, at 87 years old, she hasn’t slowed down at all, as a Tony Best Actress nominee for her role as a woman battling against dementia in The Waverly Gallery. If you want to see her during her days as a comedian, you have to check out 1971’s A New Leaf, which will surely give you a good laugh.
Laurie Metcalf
Seasoned Broadway star Laurie Metcalf already has two Tony wins under her belt, so it’s no surprise she’s being nominated for her role in Hillary and Clinton, a dramatic play that examines Bill and Hillary Clinton’s relationship. Metcalf recently starred in Oscar nominee drama Lady Bird, as the hard working mother to a rebellious, but gifted, teenage daughter.
Janet McTeer
British actress Janet McTeer has already taken home the Tony Award for Best Actress in ‘97, but she’s back on the ballot again for her stage presence in Bernhardt/Hamlet. Showcasing her acting ability, McTeer plays Frenchwoman Sarah Bernhardt and reenacts her fight to play Shakespeare’s Hamlet on stage. If you want to see a Golden Globe award winning performance by McTeer, watch Tumbleweeds, a story about a mother and daughter constantly on the run.
