Nicole Scherzinger Wins Her First Tony Award for ‘Sunset Boulevard’
Photo by Victor Boyko/Getty Images for Magnum Reading Time: 2 minutes
Former The Masked Singer panelist Nicole Scherzinger won her first Tony Award on Sunday night for her role in Sunset Boulevard on Broadway. Scherzinger delivered an emotional acceptance speech for the award, in the category of Best Lead Actress in a Musical.
Nicole Scherzinger Wins First Tony Award for Sunset Boulevard
The 78th Annual Tony Awards were held on Sunday night, hosted by Wicked star Cynthia Erivo. Scherzinger was up against Audra McDonald, Megan Hilty, Jennifer Simard, and Jasmine Amy Rogers in the category of Best Lead Actress in a Musical.
Scherzinger was named the winner, for her role as Norma Desmond in Jamie Lloyd’s revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard, which marked her Broadway debut. While accepting the award, Scherzinger became emotional on stage.
The former Pussycat Dolls star first thanked “God, for carrying me every step of the way.” She then acknowledged her fellow nominees and thanked her family, her fiancée Thom Evans, and Andrew Lloyd Webber. She also shouted out her co-star Tom Francis and director Jamie Lloyd.
“Growing up, I always felt like I didn’t belong,” Scherzinger said. “But you all have made me feel like I belong, and I have come home at last. So if there’s anyone out there who feels like they don’t belong, or your time hasn’t come, don’t give up.”
SEE ALSO: NICOLE SCHERZINGER CELEBRATES TONY NOMINATION WITH FORMER ‘MASKED SINGER’ CO-STAR KEN JEONG
Scherzinger Also Performed During the Show
During Sunday’s awards ceremony, Nicole Scherzinger also took the stage to perform “As If We Never Said Goodbye” from Sunset Boulevard. Her performance was introduced by Glenn Close, who also won a Tony for playing Norma Desmond on Broadway in 1995.
The audience cheered for Scherzinger as she belted out the lyrics to the emotional song. Lloyd’s production of Sunset Boulevard also won two other Tony Awards on Sunday night — Best Revival of a Musical and Best Lighting Design of a Musical.
Scherzinger previously won an Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical, for her performance as Norma Desmond on London’s West End. In 2015, she received an Olivier nomination for her West End debut as Grizabella in Cats.
