The race for the starring actress in a musical was one of the most avidly monitored in the industry. Nicole Scherzinger’s captivating portrayal of Desmond and her masterful vocals, which consistently resulted in two standing ovations per show, were closely followed by McDonald’s nuanced portrayal of Rose in Gipsy and powerhouse performance of “Rose’s Turn,” which also brought the audience to their feet.
Jennifer Simard, Megan Hilty from Death Becomes Her, and Jasmine Amy Rodgers from Boop! The Musical were also nominated in the category.
Tony voters were weighing Scherzinger’s strong Broadway debut against McDonald’s long Broadway career and six previous Tonys. Scherzinger also had a moment of controversy early in her run, when she liked and commented on a MAGA-style hat, which read “Make Jesus First Again,” while McDonald saw a recent surge of community support after facing negative comments from Patti LuPone, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Scherzinger stars in Sunset Blvd., through July 12, alongside Tom Francis, who was also Tony-nominated for his portrayal of Joe Gillis