Nicole Scherzinger Wins First Tony Award for Powerful Role in Broadway Revival of Sunset Boulevard

Nicole Scherzinger, best known as a former member of the chart-topping music group The Pussycat Dolls, took home her first-ever Tony Award for Best Actress for her critically acclaimed role as Norma Desmond in the Broadway revival of Sunset Boulevard. The production also claimed the prestigious Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical.

In an emotional acceptance speech, Scherzinger expressed gratitude, calling the moment “a testament that love always wins.”

Earlier in the evening, Scherzinger captivated audiences with a breathtaking performance of the iconic ballad “As If We Never Said Goodbye.” Her powerful vocals and emotive delivery earned a standing ovation from the live audience, which included legendary composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, who penned the score for Sunset Boulevard.

Scherzinger appeared barefoot on a mist-covered stage, wearing a sleek black dress—an aesthetic that added dramatic depth to her rendition and showcased the raw emotion that has defined her role.

Stage and screen legend Glenn Close, who originated the role of Norma Desmond in the 1994 Broadway production and won a Tony for her performance, introduced Scherzinger’s showstopping number. Close later reprised the role in the 2017 revival and has been a vocal supporter of this new production, previously calling it a “thrilling experience” on Instagram.

Based on the Academy Award-winning 1950 film by Billy Wilder, Sunset Boulevard tells the haunting story of Norma Desmond, a faded Hollywood icon of the silent film era, who lives in seclusion in her crumbling mansion on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles.

The musical originally debuted in London’s West End in 1993 before its Broadway premiere in 1994. This latest revival, praised for its modern edge and emotional intensity, earned a total of three Tony Awards at Sunday night’s ceremony.

For fans of Broadway, Sunset Boulevard continues to prove itself a timeless classic—now reinvigorated by Scherzinger’s unforgettable performance.