John Lithgow won Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play at the 2026 Tony Awards.
Lithgow received the award for playing Roald Dahl in Giant. His fellow nominees included Will Harrison for Punch, Nathan Lane for Death of a Salesman, Daniel Radcliffe for Every Brilliant Thing, and Mark Strong for Oedipus.
Giant was one of the original plays recognized during Broadway’s 2025–26 season. The production was directed by Nicholas Hytner, who was also nominated for Best Direction of a Play. Lithgow’s win therefore connected one of the ceremony’s acting prizes with a major new drama.
This category is separate from the leading-actor prize for musicals. Joshua Henry won that musical category for Ragtime. The Tony Awards divide acting honors by both role level and production type, which is why the ceremony presents separate leading and featured awards for plays and musicals.