There was a lot for the Broadway revival of Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes to celebrate last night at the 2018 Tony Awards.
Not only did the acclaimed production pick up the prize for “Best Revival of a Play,” but the show's two leading men – Andrew Garfield and Nathan Lane – also scored trophies winning “Best Actor in a Play” and “Best Featured Actor in a Play” respectively.
Garfield dedicated his Tony Awards acceptance speech to the LGBTQ community saying, “We are all sacred.”
“At a moment in time where maybe the most important thing that we remember right now is the sanctity of the human spirit, it is the profound privilege of my life to play “Prior Walter” in Angels in America because he represents the purest spirit of humanity, and especially that of the LGBTQ community,” said Garfield. “It is a spirit that says no to oppression. It is a spirit that says no to bigotry, no to shame, no to exclusion. It is a spirit that says we are all made perfectly. And we all belong.”
“So, I dedicate this award to the countless LGBTQ people who have fought and died to protect that spirit, to protect that message; for the right to live and love as we are created to.”
Garfield wrapped up his moving speech with a bit of shade as he referenced the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that ruled in favor of homophobic Colorado baker Jack Phillips, who refused to sell a wedding cake to a gay couple.
Taking a not-too-veiled swipe at the anti-gay baker, Garfield closed his remarks saying, “We are all sacred and we all belong, so let’s just bake a cake for everyone who wants a cake to be baked.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UpSKd8B1IE&t=1s
After thanking playwright Tony Kushner for “being such an adorable genius – even his emails are Pulitzer-worthy,” Nathan Lane became flustered and emotional as he thanked his husband.
“Most importantly, to my dear – oh, I’m a mess – to my dear husband Devlin Elliott, the greatest blessing in my life,”said Lane. “Eight years ago I decided I needed to shake things up. I needed to scare myself again, challenge myself more because I felt I had more to offer.”
Watch Lane's teary acceptance speech below.
