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John Lithgow has earned a 2026 Tony Award nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Play for his portrayal of Roald Dahl in the Broadway drama Giant, marking his eighth career Tony nomination and his return to the stage in a role critics have called the finest performance of his career.
Quick Facts
- Lithgow’s nomination is for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
- Giant earned four 2026 Tony nominations total, including Best Play and Best Direction
- The play opened at Broadway’s Music Box Theatre on March 23, 2026
- This is Lithgow’s eighth Tony nomination; he previously won two Tony Awards in 1973 and 2001
The Play and the Role
Giant, written by Mark Rosenblatt in his Broadway debut and directed by Nicholas Hytner, tells the story of Roald Dahl, the beloved children’s author, during a single afternoon in 1983 at his English home. The play centers on a crisis: Dahl has published a literary review containing antisemitic language, and representatives from his American publisher arrive to pressure him into a public apology. Lithgow portrays the aging author as a figure of dizzying complexity — brilliant and charming, yet unrepentant and increasingly hostile. The cast includes Aya Cash, who is also Tony-nominated for Best Featured Actress in a Play, and Elliot Levey.
Lithgow, who is 80 years old, uses his considerable physical presence — he stands six feet three inches tall — to dominate the stage and embody Dahl‘s commanding authority. Critics have praised his ability to shift between warmth and menace, making audiences simultaneously drawn to and repelled by the character. The New York Times called him “superb and fearsome — a master thespian,” while Variety described it as “a titanic performance.”
John Lithgow nominated for Tony Award for Giant role
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Career Milestone and Commercial Success
Lithgow‘s Broadway career spans 53 years across 25 productions. He won his first Tony Award in 1973 just three weeks after his Broadway debut in The Changing Room, and his second in 2001 for Sweet Smell of Success. Since then, he has received six additional nominations, including this one. Beyond the stage, Lithgow has established himself as a two-time Oscar nominee, six-time Emmy winner, and Olivier Award recipient, with notable screen roles in The Crown, Dexter, and Conclave.
Giant has become a commercial triumph on Broadway. The production recouped its entire $5.6 million budget in just 10 weeks, making it one of only four Broadway shows this season to achieve that milestone. The play regularly grosses over $1 million weekly and plays to audiences approaching 90 percent capacity. A filmed version of the West End production will be screened in cinemas worldwide beginning November 19, 2026.
Awards Season and What’s Next
The 79th Annual Tony Awards ceremony takes place on June 7, 2026 at Radio City Music Hall. Lithgow competes for Best Actor alongside Will Harrison (Punch), Nathan Lane (Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman), Daniel Radcliffe (Every Brilliant Thing), and Mark Strong (Oedipus). Giant closes on June 28, 2026, after a planned 16-week Broadway run. Looking ahead, Lithgow has been cast as Albus Dumbledore in HBO‘s forthcoming Harry Potter series, a role that has generated significant anticipation worldwide.
Sources
- Broadway.com — Tony nomination details, cast information, and Lithgow’s comments on the role
- Theatregold.com — Comprehensive career profile, Tony history, and production details
- TonyAwards.com — Official Tony Award nominations and ceremony information
- The New York Times — Critical review and production recoupment reporting
