Cynthia Erivo brought all the sparkle, soul, and star power to the 2025 Tony Awards as she opened Broadway’s biggest night with a heartfelt and dazzling performance — and a surprise cameo from none other than Oprah Winfrey.
The award-winning actress, singer, and now Tony Awards host made a powerful entrance backstage in a nod to Sunset Blvd. and the viral Wicked moment with co-star Ariana Grande. Backstage, Erivo found Winfrey waiting and asked, “What are you doing here?” Winfrey, with her signature calm and encouragement, replied, “Forget about them, babe. The only thing you need to do is just be yourself.” Erivo smiled, grabbed her finger — a playful nod to her recent Wicked press tour moment — and stepped into the spotlight.
Wearing a shimmering red gown with white accents, Erivo kicked off the show with a rousing musical number. Her original tune, featuring the uplifting lyric “Sometimes all you need is a song,” celebrated the spirit of Broadway and its power to heal, uplift, and unite. Mid-performance, the Broadway Inspirational Voices joined her on stage, dressed in angelic white, creating a powerful moment of unity and harmony.
Erivo didn’t just stay on stage — she brought the energy into the audience. She got stars like Kristin Chenoweth, Aaron Tveit, and Adam Lambert to sing along, while even Gayle King was spotted joining in from her seat. The opening number cleverly weaved in references to several Tony nominees, including Oh, Mary, Maybe Happy Endings, and performances from Sarah Snook, George Clooney, Denzel Washington, Robert Downey Jr., and Kieran Culkin.
The night’s first award fittingly went to Sarah Snook for The Picture of Dorian Gray, setting the tone for a celebration of stellar performances.
Returning after the first commercial break, Erivo gave award winners a friendly warning: “Keep your speeches short — or I might sing you off.” In classic Broadway fashion, she wasn’t kidding. When Kara Young, who made history as the first Black performer to win two consecutive Tonys, went over time, Erivo’s vocals playfully started singing “My Way” to gently move the show along. The same happened later during the Eureka Day team’s acceptance speech.
Erivo’s monologue also sparkled with wit and theater references. She threw in a deadpan joke about Abraham Lincoln and balcony seats — referencing Oh, Mary — and even poked fun at Succession stars flooding Broadway. She also hilariously warned viewers that the balcony is the “safest place to watch Jonathan Groff sing, if getting spit on isn’t your thing.”
In a more solemn moment, Erivo joined Sara Bareilles for a moving duet of “Tomorrow” from Annie during the In Memoriam segment.
Oprah returned later in the show for a lighthearted gag when Erivo handed her a gold bag with candy and a toy car under her seat. “You get a car!” Erivo exclaimed, channeling the iconic Oprah giveaway moment.
Capping off a night of unforgettable performances, Erivo delivered a powerhouse rendition of “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” from Dreamgirls, proving once again why Broadway — and audiences everywhere — can’t get enough of her.