Darren Criss Wins Greatest Actor in a Musical on the 2025 Tony Awards

Darren Criss has been topped Greatest Actor in a Musical!

On the 2025 Tony Awards on Sunday, June 8, the Perhaps Completely happy Ending star took the stage at Radio Metropolis Music Corridor in New York Metropolis, the place he accepted his prize. “A variety of people obtained me right here,” he quipped, in reference to the robotic character he performs within the authentic musical.

Criss, 38, devoted his win to his wife Mia, with whom he shares two youngsters. “The actual hero about this for this outstanding journey is my spouse, Mia, who took a large swing on permitting me to do that,” he mentioned in his speech. “To permit this loopy upheaval in our life, to make this logistically attainable, and for bearing the brunt of elevating two tiny associates beneath three, in order that I may elevate a singing robotic on the Belasco Theatre eight occasions every week.”

Spinning the wheel of his Tony statuette, Criss smiled, including, “You are the very pedestal that upholds the shiny spinny bit in our lives, and your love and your help for me and our stunning youngsters, mixed with the miracle of engaged on one thing as magical as Perhaps Completely happy Ending, has been and can at all times be award sufficient.”

The actor additionally shouted out costar Helen J Shen, saying he was “so proud” of a “Broadway debut for the books. That is the place you belong.” After honoring his mom, father and brother, in addition to “each trainer to ever have taught me,” he concluded, “All people on the market, break a leg, and I am gonna go rejoice with my favourite form of individuals to social gathering with: theater individuals!”

Criss acquired his first Tony nomination this 12 months for his function as Oliver in Perhaps Completely happy Ending. The musical follows two retired “Helperbot” robots within the distant future as they type an unlikely relationship. The Tony-winning present encompasses a e book by Will Aronson and Hue Park with music by Aronson, lyrics by Park and course by Michael Arden. The Glee alum stars within the work alongside Shen, Dez Duron and Marcus Choi. 

Perhaps Completely happy Ending acquired a complete of 10 Tony Award nominations this 12 months, together with Greatest Musical, Greatest Authentic Rating and Greatest Scenic Design of a Musical. Following Criss’ win the present additionally gained Greatest Musical.

Criss made his Broadway debut within the 2012 revival of How you can Achieve Enterprise With out Actually Making an attempt. The Emmy winner’s earlier Broadway credit additionally embody Hedwig and the Offended Inch and American Buffalo. He additionally starred in Off-Broadway’s long-running manufacturing of Little Store of Horrors.

Additionally within the operating for the Greatest Actor in a Musical class had been Andrew Durand for Useless Outlaw, Tom Francis for Sundown Blvd., Jonathan Groff for Simply in Time, James Monroe Iglehart for A Fantastic World: The Louis Armstrong Musical and Jeremy Jordan for Floyd Collins.

Durand acquired his first Tony nomination this 12 months for taking part in prepare robber Elmer McCurdy within the true story of his dying in a 1911 shootout and the weird occasions that adopted.

Talking about his function within the new musical, he told PEOPLE in an exclusive interview, “A variety of occasions whenever you do a present, you form of know the journey is to get it to Broadway. However this one is particular to me as a result of it was a bunch of people that got here collectively and actually cared about placing the artwork first and saying, ‘Let’s make this nice present after which see what occurs.’ ” 

Durand has beforehand starred in 2023’s Shucked and 2018’s Head Over Heels. 

Francis, 25, can be a part of the first-timers membership. He reprises his function of Joe Gillis in Sundown Blvd. after enjoying the character within the West Finish revival, for which he earned an Olivier Award. The present, costarring Nicole Scherzinger, nabbed a complete of seven Tony nominations. 

When requested about his jaded screenwriter character, he told PEOPLE in an interview, “He is actually disgruntled as a human and on the finish of his tether… He is solely 26, however you simply know that he’ll be a belligerent outdated man, if he ever obtained there. Have you learnt what I imply? And so it is actually enjoyable to play that every evening as a result of it is fairly completely different from who I’m as an individual in my day-to-day life.”

Following his first-time win on the 2024 Tony Awards, Groff, 40, was nominated for his portrayal of the real-life singer Bobby Darin in the new musical Just in Time. The actor additionally produced the present, which charts the highs and the lows of Darin’s iconic profession.

Groff made his Broadway debut in 2005’s In My Life earlier than touchdown his breakthrough function in Spring Awakening. He went on to star in productions of A New Mind, Hamilton, Little Store of Horrors and Merrily We Roll Along. On display, he’s recognized for his roles in Glee, Looking and Mindhunter. 

Iglehart, 50, was nominated for taking part in the titular character in A Fantastic World: The Louis Armstrong Musical. He additionally co-directed the musical, which closed in February.

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The actor, who gained his first Tony for Aladdin in 2014, felt a particular connection to the real-life jazz singer after taking over his function. “What I discovered most fascinating is how a lot in sure facets I really feel like I actually understood him,” Iglehart mentioned in an interview with PEOPLE. “I am not a man who likes battle. I really like performing, however I am unable to stand drama. Louis simply needed to play his horn. That made him so glad. Performing made him glad. He actually did not need to get into all of the drama of cash or coping with individuals.”

Jordan, 40, scored his second-ever Tony nomination for Floyd Collins. He performs the eponymous character within the work, which follows the cave explorer within the weeks he was trapped underground after making an attempt to make a brand new discovery. 

“I really like [Floyd’s] overwhelming sense of hope and positivity. How he can fall into some moments of doubt and fright, however at his core, he is simply so splendidly optimistic and all he cares about is that this one factor,” he advised PEOPLE of his character. “He needs to find one thing. To search out one thing new. He needs to dwell this extremely full and thrilling and joyful life, and to be acknowledged by his household, his dad and the individuals round him for one thing that he is actually good at and likes to do.”

The actor beforehand starred on Broadway in Rock of Ages, Newsies, Waitress and The Nice Gatsby. 

See PEOPLE’s full coverage of the 78th annual Tony Awards, hosted by Cynthia Erivo at New York Metropolis’s Radio Metropolis Music Corridor and airing on CBS and Paramount+.