Daniel Radcliffe, famous for his iconic role as Harry Potter, has achieved a significant milestone in Broadway history by winning a Tony Award at the 2024 ceremony. He secured his first Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical, portraying Charley Kringas in the revival of ‘Merrily We Roll Along,’ a musical from 1981 by Stephen Sondheim and George Furth, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
At the David H Koch Theater in Lincoln Center, New York, Radcliffe delivered a heartfelt acceptance speech expressing his immense gratitude and happiness. In a video shared on The Tony Awards’ official Instagram page, he said, “I’m gonna just talk fast and try not to cry. This has been one of the best experiences of my life. It’s been unbelievable.”
Radcliffe thanked his fellow actors Jonathan Groff and Lindsay Mendez, as well as the entire cast and crew of ‘Merrily We Roll Along.’ He gave a special acknowledgement to his parents in the audience and paid tribute to his father on Father’s Day, saying, “Thank you for playing Sondheim in the car and just loving me.” He also recognized the support and guidance of mentors and collaborators, including the Broadway League, American Theatre Wing, director Maria Friedman, and the original creators of the musical, Sondheim and Furth.
Radcliffe’s journey from the magical world of Harry Potter to Broadway stardom has been marked by significant achievements, including a recent Emmy nomination for his portrayal of Weird Al Yankovic in ‘Weird: The Al Yankovic Story.’ Reflecting on his career shift, Radcliffe shared backstage, “When I finished Potter, I had no idea what my career was going to be. So, to have had the last year of playing Weird Al and also doing ‘Merrily We Roll Along,’ I do think there was some… playing one character for a long time builds up in you a desire to do as many things as you possibly can.”
‘Merrily We Roll Along’ received additional accolades at the Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Musical and Best Orchestrations for Jonathan Tunick, according to The Hollywood Reporter. This production marked Radcliffe’s fifth appearance on Broadway and his first Tony nomination.
