Relive 10 of the Most Emotional Acceptance Speeches in Tony Awards History
Grab a tissue — these Tony Awards speeches may make you teary-eyed!
For most thespians, winning a Tony Award is a dream come true — some have even been practicing their speech for years.
From Lin-Manuel Miranda’s iconic sonnet after winning the Best Original Score award for Hamilton to Kelli O’Hara doing “The Worm” as she exits the stage, below are some of our favorite moments from the annual Tony Awards.
Lin-Manuel Miranda (Best Original Score for Hamilton, 2016)
One of the most unforgettable moments in Tony Awards history was when Lin-Manuel Miranda won for his score of the megahit musical Hamilton. As he took the stage at the Beacon Theatre, he read a sonnet he had written beforehand. In it, he paid tribute to the victims of the shooting at Pulse LGBTQ+ nightclub in Orlando — which took place just hours before that year’s ceremony — declaring, “Love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love; cannot be killed or swept aside.”
Audra McDonald (Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play for Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill, 2014)
It was an incredibly emotional moment when Audra McDonald made Tonys history as the most-awarded performer ever after taking home the trophy for her performance as Billie Holiday in Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill. Speaking through tears to a crowd that leapt to its feet, McDonald thanked her mother and late father for “disobeying the doctor’s orders and not medicating their hyperactive girl — and finding out what she was into instead and pushing her into the theater.” She also thanked her daughter, Zoe Madeline Donovan, who was in the audience, telling her directly, “Without you, I am nothing. Do you understand? Mommy is nothing without you.”
Billy Porter (Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical for Kinky Boots, 2013)
When Billy Porter accepted his first Tony Award for his performance as Lola in Kinky Boots, he began screaming, “Oh my God!,” as friends and colleagues jumped to their feet to applaud him. “Shakespeare said to thine own self be true,” he began. “When I was 11 years old, my journey to truth began when I discovered the Tony Awards washing dishes in my kitchen, and the performance of Jennifer Holliday and the cast of Dreamgirls on the Tony Awards took my breath away. That moment changed my life, and I’m here before you today.” Though his speech was heartfelt and incredibly emotional, he also made everyone laugh, saying, “To my costar Stark Sands, you are my rock, my sword, my shield. Your Grace gives me presence. I share this award with you. I’m gonna keep it at my house, but I share it with you!”
Marissa Jaret Winokur (Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical for Hairspray, 2003)
When Marissa Jaret Winokur took home the Tony Award for her performance as Tracy Turnblad in the feel-good musical Hairspray, she proved that dreams really do come true — and that representation matters. At the end of her speech, the leading lady told those watching, “My sister made me a painting years ago that said, ‘Fairy tales do come true. And, oh my God, if a 4-foot-11, chubby New York girl can be a leading lady in a Broadway show and win a Tony… Oh man, then anything can happen!”
Renée Elise Goldsberry (Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical for Hamilton, 2016)
Through tears, Renée Elise Goldsberry thanked her family and colleagues after winning for her performance as Angelica Schuyler in Hamilton. But things really got emotional when she spoke about her journey to motherhood. “Lastly, I would just love to say that if you know anything about me, I’ve spent the last 10 years of my life — what some would consider the lifeblood of a woman’s career — just trying to have children,” she said. “And I get to testify in front of all of you that the Lord gave me Benjamin and Brielle, and then He still gave me this. Thank you, praise God.”
Ali Stroker (Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical for Oklahoma!, 2019)
Ali Stroker made history as the first wheelchair user to win a Tony Award for her performance as Ado Annie, and the moment was incredibly powerful. “This award is for every kid who is watching tonight who has a disability — who has a limitation or a challenge, who has been waiting to see themselves represented in this arena — you are,” she began, before thanking the people who have helped her along the journey. “I need to thank my home team: my best friends who have held my hands and pulled me around New York City for years, helping me.”
Jonathan Groff (Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical for Merrily We Roll Along, 2024)
Jonathan Groff is the ultimate theater kid, and his speech proved just that. He began by thanking his family, who were seated in the audience, for letting him “dress up like Mary Poppins when I was 3” and “act out scenes from I Love Lucy on my 10th birthday,” adding: “Thank you for always allowing my freak flag to fly without ever making me feel weird about it. Even if they didn’t always understand me, my family knew the life-saving power of fanning the flame of a young person’s passions without judgment. I walk through life with an open heart because you let me know that I could.” Concluding his speech, he added, “When I was a kid in Pennsylvania, I used to record the Tony Awards on a VHS tape and watch the performances over and over again, and to actually be able to be a part of making theater in this city — and, just as much, to be able to watch the work of this incredible, incredible community — has been the greatest gift and pleasure of my life.”
Daisy Eagan (Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical for The Secret Garden, 1991)
In 1991, Daisy Eagan became the second youngest person to win a Tony Award (Frankie Michaels was 10 when he won his Tony for Mame) and the youngest female to take home the trophy. The young actress was clearly overcome with emotion when she took the stage to accept the award, admitting to the audience, “I don’t think I can talk!” Shouting out her friends and family as well as her colleagues at The Secret Garden, the actress — who won for her performance as Mary Lennox — said, “Thank you for being so wonderful to me.” Eagan even kissed her Tony Award before exiting the stage.
André De Shields (Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical for Hadestown, 2019)
André De Shields was 73 when he took home his first Tony Award for playing Hermes. The beloved actor used the time in his speech to share some words of wisdom for others in the field — a moment that remains unforgettable. “There are not enough minutes for me to name the many people who during my 73 years on the earth plane have loved me into consciousness,” he said. “So I would like to share with you just three cardinal rules of my ability and longevity: 1) Surround yourself with people whose eyes light up when they see you coming. 2) ‘Slowly’ is the fastest way to get to where you want to be. And 3) The top of one mountain is the bottom of the next, so keep climbing.”
Kelli O’Hara (Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical for The King and I, 2015)
Before Kelli O’Hara won her first Tony Award for her performance as Anna Leonowens in The King and I, she had been nominated five other times. Her speech was both funny and heartfelt. “You’d think that I would have written something down by now, but I haven’t,” she began. “I wouldn’t allow myself to do that, but I will say this. I love what I do, and I don’t need this [award], but now that I have it, I’ve got some things to say.” She thanked her teachers, family and friends and gave an emotional tribute to husband Greg Naughton before her enthusiastic conclusion that ended with a few timesteps and a shuffle off to Buffalo. “I’ll be back!” O’Hara proclaimed. “Maybe not up here, but I’ll be on the theater stage! I’m gonna do ‘The Worm.’ Woo!”
Photo Credit: John Paul Filo/CBS
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