While this year’s Tony Award nominees will likely be celebrating after the nominations were revealed Tuesday morning, some of this year’s notable nominees missed the expected nods.
In one of the most shocking moves, the stars are revived guideStarring Don Cheadle and Ayo Edebiri and directed by HamiltonThomas Kail has been left out of nominations for the 2026 Tony Awards. The play has received mixed to positive reviews, but it still represents a surprising turn for the well-selling revival, and it is also the first time Barack and Michelle Obama’s play Higher Ground has attached its name to a theatrical project. It was also thought that Kara Young, one of the play’s cast members, might receive a potential nomination, making it her fifth consecutive Tony Award nomination, breaking her own historic record.
Another big surprise came when Lea Michele did not receive a Tony nomination for her role in the film Chess. Although a potential nomination was not guaranteed, industry members thought this could be her year, as Michelle received rave reviews for her previous Broadway role in Funny girlbut was not eligible for a Tony Award because she replaced Beanie Feldstein in the role. Ha Chess Stars Bryce Pinkham, Nicholas Christopher, and Hanna Cruz all received nominations.
Beaches, musical It was also completely excluded from Tony nominations, in a move that could mean notice of the show’s imminent closure. While actors Jessica Vosk and Kelly Barrett received positive reviews, the show itself was not a hit with critics and was struggling to connect with audiences, as the show ran at 64 percent capacity last week.
That was less surprising Queen of VersaillesThe Kristin Chenoweth-led musical about a reality TV star trying to build a dream home did not receive any nominations, due to its early closure in December. Overall, it was a weak year for musicals, as evidenced by the fact that there were two plays, Death of a salesman And Joe Turner Come and goreached the category of best results.
Fear 13 It received nominations for sound and lighting design, but did not receive a nomination for Best Important Play, nor did it receive nominations for its stars Adrien Brody and Tessa Thompson. This is somewhat surprising, as two-time Academy Award winner Brody received a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor during the play’s West End run in 2024, but the production was critically acclaimed in the US.
Another star show, Afternoon dog day It also failed to get nominations for its starring roles as Jon Bernthal and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, but received nods for scenic, costumes and lighting. This show also received mixed reviews especially compared to the film it is based on. Overall, the Tony Awards were not inclined to reward stars this year, with Keanu Reeves receiving no nominations Waiting for GodotJean Smart in Call me Izzy (Although the timing of the play, last summer, likely didn’t help its awards consideration.) And for Bobby Cannavale, Neil Patrick Harris, and James Corden in art.
Among other jibes, “Tempress” Chasity Moore’s name has been bandied about among the industry as a potential Tony nomination for her role as Grizabella in Cats: Jellicle Ball, which reimagines Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical as part of the queer dancehall scene. As Grizabella, Moore has the standout song “Memory” among other key moments.
One positive surprise was that, among other things, Leighton Williams, who plays the iceberg in Titanic, received a Tony nomination. While the character himself may be a surprise, Williams also won the 2025 Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical for his role as “Iceberg Girl,” in which he transforms into a Tina-Turner-style iceberg seeking revenge on the ship and has the passengers go toe-to-toe, RuPaul-style. Drag racing In order to survive.
