Cynthia Erivo has been announced as the host the 2025 Tony Awards in New York City in June.
‘I am so proud and excited to take on this glorious honor,’ Erivo said in a statement, as reported by Variety.
‘I am looking forward to ushering the theater community at large through a night that celebrates the wonderful performances we have witnessed throughout the year. I hope I can rise to the occasion.’
The British actress and singer takes over as emcee from Ariana DeBose, who has hosted the past three Tony shows.
It also marks the return of the prestigious ceremony to the famed Radio City Music Hall for the first time since 2022.
The announcement comes in the wake of her box office smash, and subsequent Best Actress Oscar nomination, for the musical fantasy film Wicked, directed by Jon M. Chu and co-starring Ariana Grande.
Cynthia Erivo, 38, has been tapped as the host of the upcoming 2025 Tony Awards in NYC; the Wicked star is pictured in London just days ago
The Tony’s ceremony honors the best in Broadway theatre productions and performances, while handing out several discretionary non-competitive awards, including a Special Tony Award, the Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre and the Isabelle Stevenson Award.
Eligibility for the 2024-2025 Broadway season spans from April 29, 2024 through April 27, 2025.
Erivo, 38, is a former two-time Tony nominee, which includes winning Best Leading Actress In A Musical in 2016 for her run in the Broadway revival of The Color Purple.
The London, England native is currently nominated for a Best Actress Academy Award for her performance as Elphaba in Wicked (2024), as part of the 10 nominations the film received, such as Best Picture and Best Supporting Actress for Grande.
She previously earned nods for her role in Harriet (2019), as well as one for co-writing Stand Up, a song that was featured in the biographical film.
During her career, Erivo has also taken home an Emmy for Outstanding Musical Performance In A Daytime Program and a Best Musical Theater Album for a televised performance of The Color Purple.
If she does in fact win the Oscar for Wicked she would make Hollywood history by joining the prestigious list of EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Awards) winners.
Currently, only 27 people have achieved this status, which has been referred to as the ‘grand slam’ of American show business.
The London, England native is currently nominated for a Best Actress Academy Award for her performance as Elphaba in Wicked (2024), as part of the 10 nominations the film received, including Best Picture and Best Supporting Actress for Grande
If the UK native takes home the Oscar for Wicked she would make Hollywood history by joining the prestigious list of EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Awards) winners
Erivo and Grande reprise their roles as Elphaba Thropp and Glinda Upland in the upcoming sequel Wicked: For Good, which is set to drop on November 21
The 97th Oscars are scheduled to be held on March 2 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
Erivo began her career in theater in 2010 with productions of Marine Parade and I Was Looking at the Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky in the UK.
Most recently she performed in A Little Night Music (2024) at the Lincoln Center in New York, and is set to take on the male title role in Jesus Christ Superstar (2025) at the Hollywood Bowl this summer in Los Angeles, according to another report from Variety.
The 78th Tony Awards, with Cynthia Erivo serving as host, will air live from Radio City Music Hall in New York City on June 8 on CBS and Paramount+; the actress is seen on Feb. 7 in LA
She recently wrapped up her her guest role in the Emmy Award-winning comedy series Poke Face.
Erivo will also slip back into the shoes of Elphaba in Wicked: For Good, the sequel to Wicked, written by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman and adapted from the second act of the stage musical by Stephen Schwartz and Holzman that’s loosely based on Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel.
Originally titled Wicked Part Two, also co-starring Grande and directed by Chu, the follow-up is film slated to premiere in theaters on November 21.
The 78th Tony Awards will air live on June 8 from Radio City Music Hall in New York City starting at 8 p.m. EDT on CBS and Paramount+.
