Alex Newell Makes History as 1st Non-Binary Actor to Win a Tony Award | Playbill

Tony Awards Alex Newell Makes History as 1st Non-Binary Actor to Win a Tony Award

Newell takes the prize for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for their performance in Shucked.

Alex Newell Heather Gershonowitz

Alex Newell was named the winner of the 2023 Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical June 11 at the 76th Annual Tony Awards at United Palace in Washington Heights, becoming the first openly non-binary actor to win a Tony Award.

Newell's win follows last year's historic win for Toby Marlow, who became the first openly non-binary person to win a Tony Award in any category, winning Best Original Score along with Lucy Moss for SIX The Musical.

“I’m not gonna hold y’all cause it hot in here," said Newell accepting the award. "I have wanted this my entire life. Mommy, I love you. Thank you for believing in me, thank you for loving me unconditionally, thank you for teaching me what strength is…I should not be up here as a queer non-binary fat little baby from Massachusetts. And to anyone who thinks they can't do it—you can do anything you put your mind to.”

Others in the Best Featured Actor in a Musical category included Kevin Cahoon in Shucked; Justin Cooley in Kimberly Akimbo; Kevin Del Aguila in Some Like It Hot; and Jordan Donica in Lerner & Loewe's Camelot.

This is Newell's first Tony nomination. Their other Broadway credit is Once on This Island

READ: Alex Newell Is Ready to Break Down the Gender Barrier

Check Playbill throughout the evening for the latest in Tony Awards coverage, including photos from the red carpet, a continually updated list of winners, analysis from Playbill's theatre experts, and more.

For more about the Tony Awards, visit Playbill.com/Tonys.

Check Out Photos of Broadway's Shucked

 
Today’s Most Popular News:
 X

Blocking belongs
on the stage,
not on websites.

Our website is made possible by
displaying online advertisements to our visitors.

Please consider supporting us by
whitelisting playbill.com with your ad blocker.
Thank you!