Alex Newell, J. Harrison Ghee Make History as First Nonbinary Tony Winners

Alex Newell and J. Harrison Ghee made history Sunday night as the first out nonbinary actors to win Tony Awards.

Newell, who also identifies as gender-nonconforming and gender-fluid, won Best Featured Actor in a Musical for their performance in Shucked, and Ghee won Best Leading Actor in a Musical for Some Like It Hot.

“Thank you for seeing me, Broadway,” Newell said in accepting their award. “I should not be up here as a queer nonbinary fat black lil’ baby from Massachusetts. To anyone that thinks they can’t do it, I’m going to look you dead in your face [and say] that you can do anything you put your mind to.”

In Shucked, about a small town whose corn crop fails, Newell plays Lulu, a whiskey distiller who encourages the townspeople to seek outside help but then becomes wary of the city slicker who offers it.

They thanked the Shucked cast, crew, and creators, plus their mother, “for loving me unconditionally” and “teaching me what strength is.”

Some Like It Hot is an adaptation of the beloved 1959 film about two male musicians who hide from gangsters by joining an all-woman band. For Ghee’s character, Jerry, who adopts the name Daphne, presenting as a woman is initially a disguise, but the character eventually comes to embrace femininity.

Trending stories

Elon Musk deadnames his 'killed' child — his trans daughter claps back

How climate disasters hurt mental health in young people

Exclusive: Mike Maimone honors late husband Howard Bragman in new single “On My Way”

SFAF's Dr. Tyler TerMeer says he'll continue to fight for health care for all

Gerald Garth is determined to keep people of color happy and healthy through trying times

BREAKING NEWS: Trump admin moves to end federal HIV prevention programs

Discover why chic Costa Navarino is Europe's luxury getaway

'White Lotus' S3 E6 recap: We need to talk about the incest storyline

Pride journey Walla Walla: An LGBTQ+ wine, food, and adventure getaway

Trump's orders prompt CDC to erase HIV resources

Kelly Marie Tran says all of her roles are queer — including her latest in 'Control Freak'

10 lesbian sports movies that are total game-changers

Lana Ja'Rae was the ingenue of 'Drag Race' S17. Why are you mad, sis?

All 6 rogue Mississippi cops got long prison sentences in 'Goon Squad' torture of 2 Black men

Elon Musk uses burner accounts on X, doesn’t fact-check: report

France becomes world’s first country to enshrine abortion rights in constitution

Lexi Love goes public with HIV status after Trump wipes resources from federal website

Vivian Wilson calls father Elon Musk a 'pathetic manchild' in new tell-all interview

11 hypocritical MAGA politicians and supporters accused of sexual harassment and assault

Suzie Toot says the 'RuPaul's Drag Race' cast 'got hate crimed' in Las Vegas

Yellowjackets' Liv Hewson: Breaking Hollywood's binary is 'doable'

Where to stay in LGBTQ+ Ireland: Castles, domes and luxury retreats

From rock legends to Pride flags: Discover the vibrant LGBTQ+ scene in Asbury Park

How RuPaul dragified Las Vegas with a triumphant comeback

Joe Biden has tied the record for most LGBTQ+ judges confirmed in federal courts

• 0
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8

“For every trans, nonbinary, gender-nonconforming human, whoever was told you couldn’t be, you couldn’t be seen, this is for you,” Ghee said in their acceptance speech. The thanked the show’s team “for letting me lead, for letting me bring myself to the work, for letting me be representation, letting lives be seen. Thank you for the humanity.”

Newell’s and Ghee’s nominations alone made history for nonbinary performers. They chose to be nominated in the male category, but some other nonbinary actors have withdrawn from competition because of the gendered categories. & Juliet‘s Justin David Sullivan did so this season, and Asia Kate Dillon made the same decision after appearing in Macbeth last season.

From left: Alex Newell and J. Harrison Ghee