Giant Tony Nominees on Broadway Buzz, Roald Dahl and First-Time Recognition
From first-time nominees to Broadway veterans, the team behind Giant reflects on the joy and celebration of Tony Awards season
(Photo: Joan Marcus)
What to Know
- Giant earned four 2026 Tony Award nominations, including Best Play for Mark Rosenblatt, Best Direction of a Play for Nicholas Hytner and Best Actress in a Featured Role in a Play for Aya Cash
- John Lithgow, nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Play for his portrayal of Roald Dahl, discusses the demanding role’s wide emotional range on The Broadway Show
- Lithgow and Rosenblatt reflect on Giant’s Broadway success and Tony recognition ahead of the 2026 Tony Awards ceremony on June 7
We’re highlighting the 2026 play Tony nominees this week on The Broadway Show! Broadway.com Editor-in-Chief Paul Wontorek and Managing Editor Beth Stevens had a big conversation with two of the Tony nominees for Mark Rosenblatt’s drama Giant, which has four total nominations, including Best Play for Rosenblatt and Best Direction of a Play for Nicholas Hytner. Starring 2026 Tony nominees John Lithgow and Aya Cash, the larger-than-life cast features Elliot Levey, Rachael Stirling, Stella Everett and David Manis.
Lithgow plays children’s author Roald Dahl as discourse regarding a review he penned grows rampant. The role allows Lithgow to demonstrate his versatility as an actor. "It's a huge role with a gigantic range of emotion," he says. "As the evening goes on, it gets more and more demanding."
Rosenblatt, who made his Broadway debut as a playwright with Giant, reflects on the show's nominations. “It's such a different kind of energy around the Tonys. You become aware that there are these wonderful events thrown and everyone makes you feel very special. The specialness of the nomination gets immediately compounded and amplified by all this celebration. It's really lovely.”
Watch the video below to hear more from Lithgow and Rosenblatt ahead of the ceremony on June 7:
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