Olivier Awards 2025: Lithgow’s Doorstops, Dion’s Musical, and Memorable Moments
The 2025 Olivier Awards celebrated outstanding achievements in UK theater with a star-studded ceremony at London’s Royal Albert Hall. American actor John Lithgow took home the best actor trophy for his portrayal of Roald Dahl in “Giant,” a play that confronts the children’s author’s darker side, including his antisemitic views.
The emotional 79-year-old joked about using awards as doorstops while highlighting the special relationship between American and British theater. Lesley Manville won best actress as Jocasta in the modern reimagining of “Oedipus,” while Imelda Staunton secured her fifth Olivier for “Hello, Dolly!” The backward-biographical story “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” was named best new musical, with John Dagleish winning best actor in a musical for the titular role.
The ceremony, hosted by Billy Porter and Beverley Knight, featured memorable moments, including Romola Garai’s award joining her son’s superhero collection and the creators of “Titanique” hoping Celine Dion might someday attend their tribute musical. The evening showcased exceptional performances and the personal stories behind the prestigious awards.
Broadway Meets West End at Theater’s Most Prestigious Night
The Olivier Awards, Britain’s equivalent of Broadway’s Tony Awards, brought together the theater’s finest talents. Billy Porter, currently starring as the Emcee in the West End production of “Cabaret,” co-hosted the ceremony with British soul singer Beverley Knight.
Porter shared his observations about UK audiences, noting they were “a little more reserved” than US crowds but had “loosened up” considerably. Stars in attendance included Academy Award winner Adrien Brody, nominated for “The Fear of 13,” and Cate Blanchett, fresh from her performance in “The Seagull.”
Lithgow’s Emotional Win and Doorstop Collection
John Lithgow delivered one of the night’s most heartfelt moments when accepting his best actor award for “Giant.” The actor, known for roles in “Conclave,” “The Crown,” and “3rd Rock from the Sun,” studied drama in London during the 1960s and even saw Sir Laurence Olivier perform when he was a student.
“I think I’m going to faint,” said an emotional Lithgow. “I never thought I would win an Olivier.”
The American actor added to his impressive collection of awards, which already includes multiple Tony, Emmy, and Golden Globe trophies. When asked where he would display his first Olivier, Lithgow said, “I’m not very vain. I use awards for doorstops. I have six doors on the second floor of my Los Angeles home and won six Emmys. So I will have to look for another door!”
From Royalty to Greek Tragedy: Crown Stars Triumph
The cast of”The Crow” made their mark at the ceremony. Lesley Manville, who played Princess Margaret in the Netflix series, took home the best actress prize for her performance as Jocasta in Oedipus.”
The modern-day reimagining of the ancient Greek tragedy, directed by Robert Icke, was named the best revival of a play and is set to open on Broadway later this year. Imelda Staunton, who portrayed Queen Elizabeth II in the final seasons of The Crown, won the fifth Olivier of her career for best actress in a musical for Hello, Dolly!”
John Lithgow 🤝 Best Actor
Watch the full highlights programme on @ITV at 10.15pm or tune into @magicfm from 8pm. pic.twitter.com/Mcik7T1EUX
— Olivier Awards (@OlivierAwards) April 6, 2025
Multiple Winners and Family Celebrations
Giant was a major winner, winning three prizes, including best actor and best new play. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button also won three awards, as did an outdoor production of “Fiddler on the Roof” at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, which was named best musical revival.
Romola Garai beat intense competition – including herself, as she was nominated twice in the same category – to win Best Supporting Actor for “The Years.” It was Garai’s first Olivier win, and she revealed her plans for the trophy: “My little boy did ask that if I won, could he keep it in his room. So it will be with all his action figures. I feel that I’m accepting this on behalf of my kids and my husband. Everybody wanted me to do something I felt so passionately about.”
Titanique Makes Waves Without Dion (Yet)
One of the night’s most unusual success stories was “Titanique,” a jukebox musical of Celine Dion hits in. Dionrself hijacks a museum tour about the Titanic to narrate her version of what happened. The show won two Oliviers—best supporting actor in a musical for Layton Williams for his portrayal of the infamous iceberg and best entertainment or comedy play.
While the Canadian diva hasn’t yet seen the production, the creators say her set designer, backing singer, and even Celine’s sister have attended. Creator Constantine Rousouli said he “would explode into a million pieces of dust” if Celine was in the audience.
FAQs
Q. How many Olivier Awards has Imelda Staunton won in her career?
A. Imelda Staunton has won five Olivier Awards throughout her distinguished career, most recently for her performance in “Hello, Dolly!”
Q. What unique role won Layton Williams an Olivier Award?
A. He won for portraying the iceberg in Titanic, a jukebox musical featuring Celine Dion’s music.
Q. Where does John Lithgow plan to keep his Olivier Award?
A. Lithgow joked that he uses awards as doorstops in his Los Angeles home and will need to find another door for his Olivier.
Q. What play addressing controversial views won multiple Olivier Awards?
A. “Giant,” featuring John Lithgow as children’s author Roald Dahl, won three awards, including best new play and best actor.
Q. How did Meera Syal learn about her Olivier nomination?
A. Syal discovered she was nominated after leaving a Zumba class, noting it was “such a lovely surprise for a Tuesday morning!”
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