Clooney gets Tony nomination for Broadway debut
George Clooney has said it is a “thrill” to have received his first Tony Award nomination, for his debut Broadway performance.
The Hollywood actor, who is starring on stage in Good Night, and Good Luck, was one of a number of stars to receive their first Tony nods on Thursday.
Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger, Succession’s Sarah Snook and Breaking Bad’s Bob Odenkirk were nominated for their roles in Sunset Blvd, The Picture of Dorian Gray and Glengarry Glen Ross respectively.
The Tonys reward excellence in Broadway theatre over the past year. This year’s nominations are led overall by the musicals Buena Vista Social Club, Death Becomes Her and Maybe Happy Ending, which have 10 each.
They are all up for best musical in a crowded field that also includes Dead Outlaw and Operation Mincemeat, which has transferred to New York from London.
Elsewhere, Audra McDonald received her 11th Tony nomination, for her role in Gypsy, making her the most nominated performer in history.
Rosemary’s Baby actress Mia Farrow is another famous screen star up for her first Tony award, for her part in The Roommate.
‘Feel lucky’
Clooney is up for best performance by an actor in a leading role in a play, for his role in the stage adaptation of 2005 film Good Night, and Good Luck.
It focuses on the conflict between veteran TV journalist Edward R Murrow and US senator Joseph McCarthy.
“It’s a thrill to have five nominations for this play,” Clooney said of the play, which he also co-wrote, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
“For everyone involved, this has been an incredible experience. I couldn’t be more proud or feel more lucky.”
Snubs and surprises
However, Clooney’s drama was not listed in the best play category, despite being the highest grossing production on Broadway in recent weeks.
The contenders for that prize include English, The Hills of California, John Proctor Is The Villain, Oh Mary! and Purpose.
Meanwhile, one of the most expensive productions on Broadway, Othello, led by Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal, was snubbed completely in the nominations.
The play has been drawing in the crowds but also received mixed reviews from critics.
New musical Redwood, starring Idina Menzel, was also entirely shut out, as was another musical, The Last Five Years, starring Nick Jonas and Adrienne Warren.
Robert Downey Jr had less luck on his Broadway debut than Clooney, as his one-act stage play McNeal received no nominations.
Romeo + Juliet was recognised for best revival of a play, yet its stars Rachel Zegler and Kit Connor missed out.
But singer and actress Gracie Lawrence, from TV show The Sex Lives of College Girls, received her first Tony nomination too for her Broadway musical debut in Just In Time.
The Tony Awards ceremony will take place on 8 June at the Radio City Music Hall in New York, hosted by Wicked star Cynthia Erivo.
