Bryan Cranston has earned his second Tony Award for Best Performance By An Actor In A Leading Role In A Play for the ‘Network’.
The 63-year-old actor – who won the same prize in 2014 for his portrayal of Lyndon B. Johnson in ‘All the Way’ – dedicated his award for his part of Howard Beale in the Broadway adaptation of the Oscar-winning 1976 film, which is about a fictional television network that is struggling with poor ratings, to the "real journalists" of the world.
As he collected his gong at the star-studded ceremony at Radio City Music Hall in New York on Sunday night (09.06.19), Cranston quipped: "Finally, a straight old white man gets a break."
In what appeared to be a veiled swipe at President Donald Trump, the ‘Breaking Bad’ star then elaborated: "Howard Beale is a fictitious TV newsman who found himself in the line of fire because of the pursuit of truth.
"I would like to dedicate this to all the real journalists around the world. Both in the press, the print media, and the broadcast media who are in the line of fire. The media is not the enemy of the people. Demagoguery is the enemy of the people."
Elsewhere, The Best Performance By An Actress In A Leading Role In A Play went to Elaine May for her part as Gladys Green in ‘The Waverly Gallery’.
The 87-year-old star won her first Tony six decades after making her Broadway debut.
The stage veteran beat off competition from Annette Bening, who was nominated for the role of Kate Keller in the 2019 Broadway adaptation of Arthur Miller’s 1947 play ‘All My Sons’, as well as Laura Donnoley, Janet McTeer, Laurie Metcalf and Heidi Schreck.
‘Hadestown’ – which is the musical adaptation of a 2010 folk opera concept album – scooped the most prizes on the night, winning eight of the 14 it was nominated for, including Best Musical, Best Original Score, Best Direction of a Musical and Best Featured Actor in a Musical (André De Shields).
British filmmaker Sam Mendes received the Best Direction of a Play prize for ‘The Ferryman’.
Traditional jukebox musical ‘Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations’- received 12 nominations but went home with just Best Choreography.
The evening was hosted by James Corden, who kicked off the ceremony with a musical monologue jokingly encouraging people to head to the theatre instead of binge-watching TV on streaming services.
He sang: "Trade the remote for the near, leave your couch for here.
"And experience a different kind of show."
He then quipped: "I love you TV.
"We all love you. You pay us so much more than theatre!"
An abridged list of the Tony Awards 2019 winners:
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE IN A PLAY
Bryan Cranston, ‘Network’
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE IN A PLAY
Elaine May, ‘The Waverly Gallery’
BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE IN A MUSICAL
Santino Fontana, ‘Tootsie’
BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE IN A MUSICAL
Stephanie J. Block, ‘The Cher Show’
BEST PLAY
‘The Ferryman’
BEST MUSICAL
‘Hadestown’
BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL
Tootsie’, Robert Horn
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE (MUSIC AND/OR LYRICS) WRITTEN FOR THE THEATER
Hadestown, Anaïs Mitchell
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
Sergio Trujillo, ‘Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations’
BEST DIRECTION IN A PLAY
Sam Mendes, ‘The Ferryman’