Odds and Ends: Wicked Nabs Actor Awards Nomination, Cynthia Erivo Gets the Royal Treatment, Clooney Heads to Netflix & More

Here's a quick roundup of stories you might have missed.

Glinda Goes for Gold

SAG-AFTRA's 2026 Actor Awards (formerly known as the Screen Actors Guild Awards) nominations are hot off the press, with Wicked: For Good's resident bubble traveler Ariana Grande securing a nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role. Theater veteran Amy Madigan recieved a nomination in the same category for her chilling performance in Weapons. Additionally, The Picture of Dorian Gray Tony winner Sarah Snook is among the nominees for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series for her tour de force turn in the Peacock limited series All Her Fault. West End girl Jessie Buckley is up for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role, having impressed voters as Shakespeare’s grieving wife in Hamnet. Jean Smart, who wowed Broadway audiences last year in Call Me Izzy, is nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series, having won the year before for playing comedy queen Deborah Vance in Hacks. Madigan, Snook and Buckley were all winners at this year's Critic's Choice Awards as well.

Clooney’s Broadway Triumph Has a Victory Lap on Netflix

George Clooney and Grant Heslov’s historical drama Good Night, and Good Luck made history as the highest grossing play in Broadway history and drew in 7.34 million viewers when it was broadcast on CNN. On January 7, viewers will be able to stream the play on Netflix, having previously been able to rent or purchase the taping on Amazon Prime. Based on a 2005 film also starring Clooney, Good Night, and Good Luck tells the true story of CBS journalist Edward R. Murrow and his on-air showdown with Senator Joseph McCarthy. The play, which was directed by David Cromer, received five Tony nominations.

Marisha Wallace Is Island Bound

Beltress Marisha Wallace has been cast as Erzulie in Theatre Royal Drury Lane’s concert staging of Once on This Island. Wallace joins the previously announced Alex Newell as Asaka, who will be reprising the role they played in the show's 2017 Broadway revival. Wallace was most recently seen on Broadway as Sally Bowles in Cabaret and has had West End engagements in Dreamgirls, Hairspray and Guys and Dolls. In a statement, Wallace said, “I have wanted to be part of Once on This Island for many years. I used to listen to the Original Cast Recording in the car on my way home for drama school. I saw Alex Newell in the Broadway revival and thought I must do that show one day and here we are.” The cast also includes Jamael Westman as Daniel Beauxhomme, Casey Al-Shaqsy as Andrea Deveraux, Waylon Jacobs as Armand Beauxhomme, Ako Mitchell as Tonton Julian and Wendy Mae Brown as Mama Euralie. The concert will be directed by Annabel Mutale-Reed. London audiences can see Wallace breathe new life into “The Human Heart” February 8, 2026.

A Loss for the Theater Community

The Drama League of New York announced in a statement that their Associate Artistic director Nilan passed away on January 4, 2026 due to a sudden illness involving complications from the flu. In addition to his nine years as Associate Artistic Director, Nilan also co-founded the producing company A Certain Something and authored several plays. His work includes A Rock and a Hard Place, FOLKtales: Stories of the Black Diaspora, Endangered Species, We Like To Party and Heaven, Hell, Or Carolina, as well as adaptations of August Strindberg’s Miss Julie and Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People. As an internationally recognized performer, Nilan was a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association, SAG-AFTRA, and the Black Theatre Network. He is survived by his mother and his sister.

Cynthia Erivo Receives a Royal Honor

Cynthia Erivo may be an Oscar away from EGOT status, but the Wicked superstar has another acronym to add to her behemoth résumé. Erivo recently received a Member of the Order of the British Empire—MBE—for services to music and drama. This accomplishment comes in conjunction with her inclusion on King Charles III’s annual New Year Honors list, which celebrates British individuals who have achieved distinction in their fields or provided exceptional service to their communities. Now that she’s caught the attention of the monarchy, we suspect that someday we will address the once and future Wicked Witch as DAME Cynthia Erivo!