John Lithgow Wins 3rd Tony Award, Makes History As Oldest Man to Win Competitive Acting Tony at 80

John Lithgow just made history at the 2026 Tony Awards!

The 80-year-old actor picked up the Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play award for his work in Giant on Sunday (June 7) at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

This marks John‘s third Tony win and he’s making history!

The actor has now become the oldest man to ever win a competitive acting Tony award, surpassing the previously holder of that title, Roy Dotrice, who won for Best Featured Actor in a Play in A Moon for the Misbegotten at 77 in 2000.

John previously won Tonys for Best Featured Actor in a Play in 1973 for The Changing Room, and Best Leading Actor in a Musical for Sweet Smell of Success in 2002. He has been nominated four other times.

“Uh, the other gentlemen in my category, you’re all marvelous actors. You all deserve this. I got it,” John shared in his acceptance speech. “Because I played the lead role in an extraordinary play, Giant… A stunning play made by a bunch of people full of love and kindness, but it’s a play about cruelty in a cruel age. And it’s an extraordinarily important play of this moment.”

“I thank my family, especially my wife Mary, who has seen me through two exhilarating but exhausting years bringing this incredible play to Broadway and to this evening,” he continued. “I’m such a lucky actor and this is my my third Tony Award. My my first one was 53 years ago at my Broadway debut in the American premiere of an English play which by an amazing coincidence originated at London’s Royal Court Theater, just like Giant.”

“Two Tony book ends with 53 years between them. In those years, I have worked with hundreds of just fantastic theater artists. I’ve had dozens and dozens of static ecstatic moments on stage,” John concluded. “But I have to tell you right now, this moment has got to be one of the best. Thank you all so much.”

Earlier in the night, John walked the carpet with his wife of over 40 years, Mary Yeager.

If you missed it, see the complete list of Tony award winners!

Check out more photos of John Lithgow’s historic win at the 2026 Tony Awards below…

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