The nominations for the 2026 Olivier Awards, recognizing outstanding achievements in London’s theatrical scene, have been unveiled. Celebrated as the UK’s counterpart to the Tony Awards, the Oliviers honor the best productions, performances, and creative work in British theater. This year’s shortlist features a number of prominent actors and shows, including Tom Hiddleston, who earned a nomination for Best Actor, highlighting the significance of his role in the acclaimed stage production.
Prominent Talent Leading the 2026 Nominations
This year’s nominations showcase a high-profile group of performers and productions. Alongside Tom Hiddleston, nominated for Best Actor in “Much Ado About Nothing,” the list includes Rachel Zegler, nominated for Best Actress in a Musical for “Evita,” which is rumored to be preparing for a Broadway move. Jane Krakowski, Cate Blanchett, Rosamund Pike, Sean Hayes, Bryan Cranston, and Corbin Bleu are among others recognized for their exceptional work. Tom Hiddleston’s involvement in a production scheduled for Broadway later this year adds further excitement to his nomination.
Full Range of Award Categories and Contenders
The awards span numerous categories, celebrating new productions, revivals, and individual performances. Below is the complete breakdown of nominations across all major areas:
Best New and Revived Musicals
The Best New Musical nominees include “Here We Are,” “Paddington The Musical,” “Shucked,” and
“The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry.”
For Best Musical Revival, contenders are “American Psycho,” “Evita,” “Into the Woods,” and “The Producers.” This reflects a diverse mix of fresh storytelling and classic revivals, demonstrating the vibrancy of London’s musical theater.
Outstanding New and Revived Plays
Four productions are vying for Best New Play: “1536,” “Inter Alia,” “Kenrex,” and “Punch.” In the Best Revival category, “All My Sons,” “Arcadia,” “Much Ado About Nothing,” and “The Seagull” are nominated, with Tom Hiddleston’s performance featured in the latter. These plays highlight a range of contemporary and classic works that have resonated this season.
Excellence in Comedy and Family Entertainment
Best New Entertainment or Comedy Play nominees feature “The Comedy About Spies,” “Every Brilliant Thing,” “Oh, Mary!,” and “Paranormal Activity.” In the family show category, productions such as
“The Boy at the Back of the Class”
adapted by Nick Ahad, “The Boy With Wings” adapted by Arvind Ethan David, “The Firework-Maker’s Daughter” by Jude Christian, and “The Three Little Pigs,” with music by George Stiles, book and lyrics by Anthony Drewe, are recognized.
Leading Acting Nominations Highlight Performances Across Genres
Tom Hiddleston’s nomination for Best Actor places him among esteemed nominees including Bryan Cranston for “All My Sons,” Sean Hayes for “Good Night, Oscar,” Jack Holden for “Kenrex,” and David Shields for “Punch.” For Best Actress, nominees include Cate Blanchett in “The Seagull,” Marianne Jean-Baptiste for “All My Sons,” Julia McDermott in “Weather Girl,” Rosamund Pike in “Inter Alia,” and Rosie Sheehy in
“Guess How Much I Love You?”
This list celebrates strong performances elevating diverse theatrical works.
Recognizing Musical Performances and Supporting Roles
Best Actor in a Musical nominees feature Marc Antolin and Andy Nyman for “The Producers,” James Hameed and Arti Shah for “Paddington The Musical,” Jamie Parker for “Into the Woods,” and Diego Andres Rodriguez for “Evita.” Best Actress in a Musical recognizes Katie Brayben in “Into the Woods,” Danielle Fiamanya and Georgina Onuorah in “Brigadoon,” Jane Krakowski in “Here We Are,” Jenna Russell in
“The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry,”
and Rachel Zegler in “Evita.”
Supporting acting categories include Hammed Animashaun for “Dealer’s Choice,” Paapa Essiedu for “All My Sons,” Zachary Hart for both “The Seagull” and “Stereophonic,” and Giles Terera for “Oh, Mary!” in Best Actor in a Supporting Role. Trevor Ashley in “The Producers,” Corbin Bleu in
“The Great Gatsby – A New Musical,”
Tom Edden in “Paddington The Musical,” and Jo Foster and Oliver Savile for “Into the Woods” make up the Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical nominations. Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical nominess include Tracie Bennett for “Here We Are,” Amy Booth-Steel and Victoria Hamilton-Barritt for “Paddington The Musical,” Kate Fleetwood for “Into the Woods,” and Georgina Onuorah for “Shucked.”
Creative Achievements in Direction, Design, and Choreography
Outstanding contributions behind the scenes are also honored this year. Best Director nominees are Jordan Fein for “Into the Woods,” Luke Sheppard for “Paddington The Musical,” Ed Stambollouian for “Kenrex,” Lyndsey Turner for “1536,” and Ivo van Hove for “All My Sons.” The choreographers nominated include Fabian Aloise for “Evita,” Ellen Kane for “Paddington The Musical,” Drew McOnie for “Brigadoon,” and Lynne Page for “American Psycho.”
The design categories feature top talents like Enver Chakartash for “Stereophonic” in costume design, Linda Cho for
“The Great Gatsby – A New Musical,”
Tom Scutt for “Into the Woods,” and Gabriella Slade and Tahra Zafar for “Paddington The Musical.” Set design nominees include Paul Tate dePoo III for
“The Great Gatsby – A New Musical,”
Tom Pye and Ash J Woodward for “Paddington The Musical,” Tom Scutt also for “Into the Woods,” and David Zinn for “Stereophonic.” Lighting and sound design recognize Robbie Butler for “Punch,” Jon Clark for “Evita,” Aideen Malone and Roland Horvath for “Into the Woods,” Joshua Pharo for “Kenrex,” Adam Fisher for “Into the Woods,” Gareth Owen for “Paddington The Musical,” Ryan Rumery for “Stereophonic,” and Giles Thomas for “Kenrex.”
Musical Contributions and Additional Award Categories
The award for Outstanding Musical Contribution celebrates individuals such as Matt Brind for orchestrations and arrangements in “Paddington The Musical,” Will Butler and Justin Craig for “Stereophonic,” John Patrick Elliott for composition in “Kenrex,” and Chris Fenwick alongside Sean Hayes for musical supervision and live performance in “Good Night, Oscar.”
Other categories feature Best New Production in Affiliate Theatre with nominees including “Ben and Imo” by Mark Ravenhill, “The Glass Menagerie” by Tennessee Williams, “The Ministry of Lesbian Affairs” by Iman Qureshi, “Miss Myrtle’s Garden” by Danny James King, and “The Shitheads” by Jack Nicholls. Best New Dance Production contenders are “Into the Hairy” by Sharon Eyal for S-E-D, “Mimi’s Shebeen” by Alesandra Seutin and KVS, “Random Taranto” by María del Mar Suárez (La Chachi) as part of Dance Umbrella: Change Tempo, and “She’s Auspicious” by Mythili Prakash. Finally, the Best New Opera Production nominations include “Dead Man Walking” by English National Opera, “The Makropulos Case,” “Tosca,” and “Die Walküre,” all staged by The Royal Opera.
Event Details and Broadcast Information
The Olivier Awards ceremony will take place on April 12, 2026, and will be broadcast on Britain’s BBC Two. This event attracts wide interest in the theatrical community, celebrating creativity and excellence on London’s stages and beyond. The Tom Hiddleston Olivier Nomination underscores the continued recognition of remarkable talent transitioning between West End and Broadway.
