Yahya Abdul-Mateen II Reflects On Tony Nomination For ‘Topdog/Underdog’

Nominations for the 2023 Tony Awards were announced on Tuesday (May 2) and some of the stage’s brightest stars are up for top prizes. Yahya Abdul Mateen II earned a Best Leading Actor In A Play nomination for the Topdog/Underdog revival. The 36-year-old reflected on the full-circle moment with a touching statement on Instagram.

“Topdog/Underdog: I was introduced to you at 20 years old. You taught me that there was a place for me in the theater if I were daring enough to take up space,” the actor wrote.

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“You were confirmation that I belonged. Today, 16 years later, as I wake up to news of a Tony Award Nomination for the role I’ve dreamt about for so long, you continue to be the gift that keeps on giving. I’m grateful to Suzan-Lori Parks, to my Director, Kenny Leon, the entire creative team including our producers, and especially my brother on the boards, Corey Hawkins. Congrats to my fellow nominees. It’s a pleasure to be amongst great company.”

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Hawkins, who also stars in Topdog/Underdog, is up for the same award. Additional nominees in this year’s class are Wendell Pierce, Samuel L. Jackson, and Amber Ruffin.

“After years of creating a body of work in the theater, I received a Tony Award nomination for Best Lead Actor in a Play for DEATH OF A SALESMAN,” wrote Pierce on Twitter in celebration of the accomplishment. “I am profoundly grateful &moved to tears that my colleagues would bestow on me this honor. I share this with my cast. We create as one.”

The awards are scheduled to be broadcast on CBS and Paramount+ on June 11, 2023. View a list of the 2023 Tony Award nominations below and the full list at the official website.

Best Musical

& Juliet
Kimberly Akimbo
New York, New York
Shucked
Some Like It Hot

Best Play

Ain’t No Mo’
Between Riverside and Crazy
Cost of Living
Fat Ham
Leopoldstadt

Best Revival of a Musical

Camelot
Into the Woods
Parade
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Best Revival of a Play

A Doll’s House
The Piano Lesson
The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window
Topdog/Underdog

Best Leading Actress of a Musical

Annaleigh Ashford, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Sara Bareilles, Into the Woods
Victoria Clark, Kimberly Akimbo
Lorna Courtney, & Juliet
Micaela Diamond, Parade

Best Leading Actress of a Play

Jessica Chastain, A Doll’s House
Jodie Comer, Prima Facie
Jessica Hecht, Summer, 1976
Audra McDonald, Ohio State Murders

Best Leading Actor of a Musical

Christian Borle, Some Like It Hot
J. Harrison Ghee, Some Like It Hot
Josh Groban, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Brian D’Arcy James, Into the Woods
Ben Platt, Parade
Colton Ryan, New York, New York

Best Leading Actor of a Play

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Topdog/Underdog
Corey Hawkins, Topdog/Underdog
Sean Hayes, Good Night, Oscar
Stephen McKinley Henderson, Between Riverside and Crazy
Wendell Pierce, Death of a Salesman

Best Featured Actress of a Musical

Julia Lester, Into the Woods
Ruthie Ann Miles, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Bonnie Milligan, Kimberly Akimbo
NaTasha Yvette Williams, Some Like It Hot
Betsy Wolfe, & Juliet

Best Featured Actress of a Play

Nikki Crawford, Fat Ham
Crystal Lucas-Perry, Ain’t No Mo’
Miriam Silverman, The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window
Katy Sullivan, Cost of Living
Kara Young, Cost of Living

Best Featured Actor of a Musical

Kevin Cahoon, Shucked
Justin Cooley, Kimberly Akimbo
Kevin Del Aguila, Some Like It Hot
Jordan Donica, Camelot
Alex Newell, Shucked

Best Featured Actor of a Play

Jordan E. Cooper, Ain’t No Mo’
Samuel L. Jackson, The Piano Lesson
Arian Moayed, A Doll’s House
Brandon Uranowitz, Leopoldstadt
David Zayas, Cost of Living

Best Direction of a Musical

Michael Arden, Parade
Lear deBessonet, Into the Woods
Casey Nicholaw, Some Like It Hot
Jack O’Brien, Shucked
Jessica Stone, Kimberly Akimbo

Best Direction of a Play

Saheem Ali, Fat Ham
Jo Bonney, Cost of Living
Jamie Lloyd, A Doll’s House
Patrick Marber, Leopoldstadt
Stevie Walker-Webb, Ain’t No Mo
Max Webster, Life of Pi

Best Book of a Musical

David West Read, & Juliet
David Lindsay-Abaire, Kimberly Akimbo
Robert Horn, Shucked
Matthew López and Amber Ruffin, Some Like It Hot
David Thompson and Sharon Washington, New York, New York

Best Original Score

Almost Famous, music by Tom Kitt; lyrics by Cameron Crowe and Tom Kitt
Kimberly Akimbo, music by Jeanine Tesori; lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire
KPOP, music and lyrics: Helen Park and Max Vernon
Shucked, music and lyrics: Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally
Some Like It Hot, music: Marc Shaiman; lyrics: Scott Wittman & Marc Shaiman

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