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The 78th Annual Tony Awards celebrated the best of Broadway, but it was a trio of surprise guests who stole the show Sunday night. Angelina Jolie, Daniel Radcliffe and Hillary Clinton each made unexpected appearances and major impacts at the ceremony honoring theater's biggest achievements.
Jolie, making her Broadway debut as a producer, earned her first Tony Award when the gritty musical "The Outsiders" took home the prize for Best Musical. The actress walked the red carpet with daughter Vivienne, who served as a producer assistant on the hit show about teenage outcasts.
"Society changes, but the experience of being an outsider is universal," Jolie said while accepting the top honor. According to Ben Brantley of The New York Times, Jolie's "haunting" lead performance "lays bare the soul of a woman pushed to the edge."
In another major surprise, former "Harry Potter" star Daniel Radcliffe captured the Best Actor in a Musical award for his hilarious turn as a Russian oligarch in the satirical comedy "Oligarscene."
"You've just got to be kidding me," Radcliffe exclaimed through tears when his name was announced. The Hollywood Reporter hailed it as "the role he was born to play."
The magical night also included a special appearance by Hillary Clinton, who received thunderous applause when introducing a performance from her produced show "Suffs," about the women's suffrage movement.
"I know a little bit about how hard it is to make change," Clinton told the audience. "It's an election year and we need to be reminded how important it is to vote."
Other emotional highlights included Jonathan Groff ("Merrily We Roll Along") and Maleah Joi Moon ("Hell's Kitchen") delivering heartfelt speeches honoring their parents. And Jeremy Strong ("An Enemy of the People") joked about his intense, physically punishing lead role while thanking theater staff "who see me walking in looking like I've been run over by a truck."
Easily the most electrifying performance came courtesy of Alicia Keys, whose "Hell's Kitchen" cast kicked off an energetic medley before the singer launched into "Empire State of Mind." Keys then welcomed surprise guest Jay-Z for the New York anthem, sending the star-studded crowd into a frenzy.
On the red carpet, Brooke Shields turned heads by wearing affordable yellow Crocs with her gown as she recovered from foot surgery. And Sarah Paulson, who won Best Actress in a Play for "Appropriate," got candid about how she decompresses after the "physically hard" performances.
"I would lie and say I meditate," Paulson said. "But I watch the 'Housewives' and that 'Dancing with the Devil' show. I'm trying to put air into my brain because there's a lot to hold with this play."
While acclaimed shows like "Stereophonic" and "Merrily We Roll Along" were properly celebrated, it was a series of unexpected cameos that transcended the typical Broadway pomp. From Jolie's dramatic win to Radcliffe's hilarious speech to surprise guests like Clinton and Jay-Z, the 2024 Tonys delivered once-in-a-lifetime moments that will be remembered for years to come.
