Final Tony Predictions: Best Featured Actor/Actress in a Play – Anything Can Happen in the Supporting Theater Races

Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.

Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:

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UPDATED: June 8, 2023

2023 Tony Predictions:
Best Featured Actor in a Play

Weekly Commentary: In the race for featured actor in a play, Arian Moayed has attracted notice for the infuriating nice-guy veneer he gives to the oppressive husband in “A Doll’s House,” and both Jordan E. Cooper (“Ain’t No Mo’”) and Samuel L. Jackson (“The Piano Lesson”) also have supporters.

But based on the polling, the category stands poised to go to Brandon Uranowitz, a well-liked Broadway regular (and frequent nominee) whose standout role in “Leopoldstadt” is the closest thing to a lead the ensemble drama has.

Read: Variety’s Awards Circuit for the latest Tony Awards predictions in all categories.

Gordon Cox’s Picks
Will win: Brandon Uranowitz, “Leopoldstadt”
Could win: Arian Moayed, “A Doll’s House”
Should win: Arian Moayed, “A Doll’s House”
Should Have Been Nominated: Gregg Mozgala, “Cost of Living”

Clayton Davis’ Picks
Will win: Brandon Uranowitz, “Leopoldstadt”
Could win: Samuel L. Jackson, “August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson”

And the Nominees Are:

1. Brandon Uranowitz — “Leopoldstadt” (Longacre Theatre)

2. Arian Moayed — “A Doll’s House” (Hudson Theatre)

3. Jordan E. Cooper — “Ain’t No Mo’” (Belasco Theatre)

4. Samuel L. Jackson — “August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson” (Barrymore Theatre)

5. David Zayas — “Cost of Living” (Samuel J. Friedman Theatre)

1. Samuel L. Jackson — “The Piano Lesson” (Barrymore Theatre)

2. Gregg Mozgala — “Cost of Living” (Samuel J. Friedman Theatre)

3. David Krumholtz — “Leopoldstadt” (Longacre Theatre)

4. Ray Fisher — “The Piano Lesson” (Barrymore Theatre)

5. Chris Herbie Holland — “Fat Ham” (American Airlines Theatre)

All Eligible Shows and Performances (Unranked)

• Jordan E. Cooper — “Ain’t No Mo’” (Belasco Theatre)

• Marchant Davis — “Ain’t No Mo’” (Belasco Theatre)

• Ray Fisher — “August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson” (Barrymore Theatre)

• Samuel L. Jackson — “August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson” (Barrymore Theatre)

• Michael Potts — “August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson” (Barrymore Theatre)

• Victor Almazar — “Between Riverside and Crazy” (Hayes Theater)

• Common — “Between Riverside and Crazy” (Hayes Theater)

• Michael Rispoli — “Between Riverside and Crazy” (Hayes Theater)

• Erik Jensen — “The Collaboration” (Samuel J. Friedman Theatre)

• Gregg Mozgala — “Cost of Living” (Samuel J. Friedman Theatre)

• David Zayas — “Cost of Living” (Samuel J. Friedman Theatre)

• Khris Davis — “Death of a Salesman” (Hudson Theatre)

• André De Shields — “Death of a Salesman” (Hudson Theatre)

• McKinley Belcher III — “Death of a Salesman” (Hudson Theatre)

• Arian Moayed — “A Doll’s House” (Hudson Theatre)

• Okieriete Onaodowan — “A Doll’s House” (Hudson Theatre)

• Chris Herbie Holland — “Fat Ham” (American Airlines Theatre)

• Billy Eugene Jones — “Fat Ham” (American Airlines Theatre)

• Calvin Leon Smith — “Fat Ham” (American Airlines Theatre)

• Ben Rappaport — “Good Night, Oscar” (Belasco Theatre)

• Faran Tahir — “The Kite Runner” (Samuel J. Friedman Theatre)

• Arty Froushan — “Leopoldstadt” (Longacre Theatre)

• David Krumholtz — “Leopoldstadt” (Longacre Theatre)

• Brandon Uranowitz — “Leopoldstadt” (Longacre Theatre)

• Henry Lewis — “Peter Pan Goes Wrong” (Barrymore Theatre)

• Jonathan Sayer — “Peter Pan Goes Wrong” (Barrymore Theatre)

• Henry Shields — “Peter Pan Goes Wrong” (Barrymore Theatre)

• Andy Grotelueschen — “The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window” (James Earl Jones Theatre)

• Scott Foley — “The Thanksgiving Play” (Hayes Theater)

• Chris Sullivan — “The Thanksgiving Play” (Hayes Theater)

2023 Tony Predictions:
Best Featured Actress in a Play

Weekly Commentary: The trophy for featured actress in a play has shaped up into a showdown between two much-admired performances. In “Fat Ham,” Nikki Crawford scores votes for her funny, affectingly empathetic performance as the Gertrude analog in the play’s retelling of “Hamlet.” Also regularly mentioned as a top contender is Katy Sullivan, earning admiration for her turn as a woman struggling with a new disability in “Cost of Living.”

Miriam Silverman has also grabbed attention for her role in “The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window,” but both Crawford and Sullivan’s names come up more regularly in conversations with voters. Look for Crawford to take the prize – but it could be a close one.

Gordon Cox’s Picks
Will win: Nikki Crawford, “Fat Ham”
Could win: Katy Sullivan, “Cost of Living”
Should win: Nikki Crawford, “Fat Ham”
Should Have Been Nominated: Danielle Brooks, “The Piano Lesson”

Clayton Davis’ Picks
Will win: Katy Sullivan, “Cost of Living”
Could win: Nikki Crawford, “Fat Ham”

Read: Variety’s Awards Circuit for the latest Tony Awards predictions in all categories.

The 76th Annual Tony Awards are scheduled for June 11, 2023, at the United Palace in New York City. It will air on CBS and Paramount+ and be produced by Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss, with the latter also serving as the director.

And the Nominees Are:

1. Nikki Crawford — “Fat Ham” (American Airlines Theatre)

2. Katy Sullivan — “Cost of Living” (Samuel J. Friedman Theatre)

3. Miriam Silverman — “The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window” (James Earl Jones Theatre)

4. Kara Young — “Cost of Living” (Samuel J. Friedman Theatre)

5. Crystal Lucas-Perry — “Ain’t No Mo’” (Belasco Theatre)

All Eligible Shows and Performances (Unranked)

• Crystal Lucas-Perry — “Ain’t No Mo’” (Belasco Theatre)

• Fedna Jacquet — “Ain’t No Mo’” (Belasco Theatre)

• Ebony Marshall-Oliver — “Ain’t No Mo’” (Belasco Theatre)

• Elizabeth Canavan — “Between Riverside and Crazy” (Hayes Theater)

• Liza Colon-Zayas — “Between Riverside and Crazy” (Hayes Theater)

• Rosal Colon — “Between Riverside and Crazy” (Hayes Theater)

• Krysta Rodriguez — “The Collaboration” (Samuel J. Friedman Theatre)

• Katy Sullivan — “Cost of Living” (Samuel J. Friedman Theatre)

• Kara Young — “Cost of Living” (Samuel J. Friedman Theatre)

• Sharon D. Clarke — “Death of a Salesman” (Hudson Theatre)

• Nikki Crawford — “Fat Ham” (American Airlines Theatre)

• Adrianna Mitchell — “Fat Ham” (American Airlines Theatre)

• Benja Kay Thomas — “Fat Ham” (American Airlines Theatre)

• Emily Bergl — “Good Night, Oscar” (Belasco Theatre)

• Faye Castelow — “Leopoldstadt” (Longacre Theatre)

• Caissie Levy — “Leopoldstadt” (Longacre Theatre)

• Ellie Morris — “Peter Pan Goes Wrong” (Barrymore Theatre)

• Nancy Zamit — “Peter Pan Goes Wrong” (Barrymore Theatre)

• Danielle Brooks — “The Piano Lesson” (Barrymore Theatre)

• Miriam Silverman — “The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window” (James Earl Jones Theatre)

• D’Arcy Carden — “The Thanksgiving Play” (Hayes Theater)

• Katie Finneran — “The Thanksgiving Play” (Hayes Theater)

Tony Awards Predictions Categories

BEST MUSICAL | BEST PLAY | MUSICAL REVIVAL | PLAY REVIVAL | ACTOR (MUSICAL) | ACTOR (PLAY) | ACTRESS (MUSICAL) | ACTRESS (PLAY) | FEATURED ACTOR (MUSICAL) | FEATURED ACTOR (PLAY) | FEATURED ACTRESS (MUSICAL) | FEATURED ACTRESS (PLAY) | DIRECTOR (MUSICAL) | DIRECTOR (PLAY) | ORIGINAL SCORE | MUSICAL BOOK | CHOREOGRAPHY

About the Tony Awards

The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, better known as the Tony Awards, is given out annually by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League, recognizing excellence in live Broadway theatre. The ceremony, held annually in New York City, was founded by theatre producer and director Brock Pemberton and is named after Antoinette “Tony” Perry, an actress, producer and theatre director who was co-founder of the American Theatre Wing.

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