'I've gotten older': John Lithgow, 80, becomes oldest male acting winner in Tony Awards history
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: John Lithgow is making headlines after winning the 2026 Tony Award for his performance in 'Giant'. The 80-year-old actor made history at the ceremony by becoming the oldest male acting winner in Tony Awards history.
The milestone victory added another chapter to Lithgow's celebrated stage career. His latest win also set a record for the longest gap between competitive Tony wins, with 53 years separating his first and most recent victories.
John Lithgow becomes oldest male acting winner in Tony Awards history
Lithgow made history at the Tony Awards 2026 by becoming the oldest male acting winner, taking home the award for his performance in 'Giant'. While posing with the award, the 'Harry Potter' actor joked, “You know, they’ve gotten heavier over the years. Or I’ve gotten older, I’m not sure which.”
Accepting the award, Lithgow reflected on his journey, saying, “I’m such a lucky actor. This is my third Tony Award."
"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 Theatre, just like ‘Giant’."
"Two Tony bookends with 53 years between them. In those years, I have worked with hundreds of just fantastic theatre artists."
#JohnLithgow poses with his Tony Award after winning Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play:
— Variety (@Variety) June 8, 2026
“You know, they’ve gotten heavier over the years. Or I’ve gotten older, I’m not sure which.”#TonyAwards pic.twitter.com/jkhykTxI4M
"I’ve had dozens and dozens of ecstatic moments on the stage, but I have to tell you right now, this moment has got to be one of the best," he shared.
Lithgow won the award ahead of fellow nominees Nathan Lane for 'Death of a Salesman', Mark Strong for 'Oedipus', Daniel Radcliffe for 'Every Brilliant Thing', and Will Harrison for 'Punch'.
Previous oldest male acting winners at the Tony Awards
Before Lithgow's record-setting victory, the oldest male acting winner was Roy Dotrice, who won at age 77 for Featured Actor in a Play for 'A Moon for the Misbegotten' in 2000.
Other veteran winners include Dick Latessa, who earned a Tony at age 73 for Featured Actor in a Musical in 'Hairspray' in 2003, and Andre De Shields, who won at age 73 for 'Hadestown' in 2019.
Lithgow's victory now places him at the top of that list, making him the oldest male performer ever to win an acting Tony.
How 'Giant' brought Roald Dahl's controversial chapter to Broadway
'Giant' is a 2024 play written by Mark Rosenblatt. It first opened at the Royal Court Theatre in London in 2024, with John Lithgow playing Roald Dahl.
The play is based on a difficult period in Dahl's life in 1983, when comments linked to a book review about the 1982 Lebanon War sparked widespread criticism.
The production was highly successful and won three Olivier Awards, including Best New Play. Lithgow's Tony-winning performance has further cemented the play's success on both sides of the Atlantic.
