John Lithgow, 80, Becomes Oldest Man to Win Competitive Acting Tony for 'Giant'
By
Clayton Davis
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· 2 sourcesJohn Lithgow, 80, won the 2026 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his role in "Giant," making him the oldest man ever to win a competitive acting Tony, according to Variety. Deadline reported that the milestone comes 53 years after his first Tony win for his Broadway debut in "The Changing Room." The win broke the previous record held by Roy Dotrice (77), as noted by Variety.
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Summary
John Lithgow, at 80 years old, won the 2026 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his role in "Giant," making him the oldest man ever to win a competitive acting Tony. He broke the previous record held by Roy Dotrice (77). The win also capped a remarkable 53-year span between his first Tony win and this latest achievement.
Key quotes
· 1 pulledJohn Lithgow is only getting better with age.
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