The 2025 Olivier Awards nominations have positioned “Fiddler on the Roof” as the frontrunner with a commanding 13 nods, the most for any production this year.
The Jordan Fein-directed musical revival, which returns to the Barbican Theatre later this year, scored nods in nearly every major musical category including best musical revival, best director, and acting nominations for Adam Dannheisser, Lara Pulver, Raphael Papo, Liv Andrusier and Beverley Klein. The production also dominated the technical categories with nominations for lighting, choreography, sound design, set design and costume design.
Contenders for the best new musical include “The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button,” “MJ The Musical,” “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet Of 1812” and “Why Am I So Single?” Meanwhile, “Fiddler” faces competition in the award for best musical revival from “Hello, Dolly!,” “Oliver!” and “Starlight Express.”
In a strong year for plays, “Giant” and “The Years” lead with five nominations each. Fresh off his Oscar win, Adrien Brody scored his first Olivier nomination for best actor in “The Fear Of 13,” competing against Billy Crudup (“Harry Clarke”), Paapa Essiedu (“Death Of England: Delroy”), John Lithgow (“Giant”) and Mark Strong (“Oedipus”).
The Sir Peter Hall Award for best director includes Nicholas Hytner (“Giant”) and Eline Arbo (“The Years”), whose productions led the play nominations. Meanwhile, the best revival category showcases fresh interpretations of classics with the National Theatre’s “The Importance Of Being Earnest,” The Old Vic’s “Machinal,” the Wyndham’s Theatre production of “Oedipus,” and “Waiting For Godot” at Theatre Royal Haymarket all vying for recognition.
The best actress category sees Lesley Manville and Indira Varma both nominated for playing the same role in different productions of “Oedipus” – Manville in the Wyndham’s Theatre version and Varma at The Old Vic. They compete alongside Heather Agyepong (“Shifters”), Rosie Sheehy (“Machinal”) and Meera Syal (“A Tupperware Of Ashes”).
The best actor in a supporting role category includes Jorge Bosch (“Kyoto”), Tom Edden (“Waiting For Godot”), Elliot Levey (“Giant,” his third Olivier nomination) and Ben Whishaw (“Bluets”). For best actress in a supporting role, Sharon D. Clarke (“The Importance Of Being Earnest”) competes with Romola Garai (double-nominated for “Giant” and “The Years”) and Gina McKee (“The Years”).
Among musical performers, Imelda Staunton landed her 14th Olivier nomination for “Hello, Dolly!” in the best actress in a category that includes Chumisa Dornford-May (“Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet Of 1812”), Lauren Drew (“Titanique”), Clare Foster (“The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button”) and Lara Pulver (“Fiddler on the Roof”).
For best actor in a musical, Tony winner Myles Frost (“MJ The Musical”) competes with John Dagleish (“The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button”), Adam Dannheisser (“Fiddler on the Roof”), Simon Lipkin (“Oliver!”) and Jamie Muscato (“Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet Of 1812”).
The best actor in a supporting role in a musical category pits Raphael Papo (“Fiddler on the Roof”) against Andy Nyman (“Hello, Dolly!”), Layton Williams (“Titanique”) and Tom Xander (“Mean Girls”), while the best actress in a supporting role in a musical sees Liv Andrusier and Beverley Klein (both for “Fiddler on the Roof”) nominated alongside Amy Di Bartolomeo (“The Devil Wears Prada”) and Maimuna Memon (“Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet Of 1812”).
The Noël Coward Award for best new entertainment or comedy play features an eclectic mix with the National Theatre’s “Ballet Shoes,” Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith’s “Inside No. 9 Stage/Fright,” “Spirited Away” and “Titanique” all in contention.
The Olivier Awards ceremony will take place on April 6 at the Royal Albert Hall with hosts Beverley Knight and Billy Porter. ITV and Magic Radio will broadcast highlights the same evening.