It may have been a night to remember for Rachel Zegler at London’s prestigious Olivier Awards on Sunday, but a certain marmalade-loving bear owned the evening.
The U.K. equivalent of the Tony Awards, celebrating the best and brightest talent leading the country’s vibrant theater scene, crowned its winners at a ceremony broadcast by the BBC and hosted by The Traitors and Ted Lasso star Nick Mohammed.
The new smash-hit production of Paddington the Musical stole the show with seven prizes in total, including best actor for performers James Hameed and Arti Shah, who operate the beloved bear’s voice (Hameed) and suit (Shah). The musical, currently running at the Savoy Theatre on London’s West End, also nabbed Oliviers for best new musical, best supporting actor and actress, best director, best set design, and best costume design.
McFly singer Tom Fletcher, who composed songs for Paddington the Musical, said while accepting the best new musical award: “We tried to make a show that is all about celebrating kindness… and to be part of this group of people that is putting that out into the world at this time feels so special, thank you so much.”
Elsewhere, Snow White star Zegler won best actress in a musical for her viral turn in Jamie Lloyd’s Evita, playing Argentinian first lady Eva Perón. She stirred the city by performing live to passersby on the London Palladium balcony every night last year. “Thank you so much to the city of London for making me feel so welcome here, I never could’ve imagined it,” Zegler said as she took to the stage. “It was the honour of a lifetime singing to the people on Argyll Street eight times a week, I can’t believe I got so lucky to sing in front of thousands of you.”
Rosamund Pike also won for her performance in legal drama Inter Alia, and while Harry Potter‘s Paapa Essiedu took home best supporting actor for All My Sons — a show which also won best revival — U.S. star Bryan Cranston lost best actor to Jack Holden’s Kenrex outing.
Take a look at the full winners list from the 2026 Olivier Awards below.
Best revival
All My Sons (WINNER)ArcadiaMuch Ado About NothingThe Seagull
Best musical revival
American PsychoEvitaInto The Woods (WINNER)The Producers
Best new play
1536Inter AliaKenrexPunch (WINNER)
Best new musical
Here We ArePaddington The Musical (WINNER)ShuckedThe Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry
Best actress
Cate Blanchett, The SeagullMarianne Jean-Baptiste, All My SonsJulia McDermott, Weather GirlRosamund Pike, Inter Alia (WINNER)Rosie Sheehy, Guess How Much I Love You?
Best actor
Bryan Cranston, All My SonsTom Hiddleston, Much Ado About NothingSean Hayes, Good Night, OscarJack Holden, Kenrex (WINNER)David Shields, Punch
Best actress in a musical
Katie Brayben, Into The WoodsDanielle Fiamanya & Georgina Onuorah, BrigadoonJane Krakowski, Here We AreJenna Russell, The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold FryRachel Zegler, Evita (WINNER)
Best actor in a musical
Marc Antolin, The ProducersJames Hameed & Arti Shah, Paddington The Musical (WINNER)Andy Nyman, The ProducersJamie Parker, Into The WoodsDiego Andres Rodriguez, Evita
Best supporting actor
Hammed Animashaun, Dealer’s ChoicePaapa Essiedu, All My Sons (WINNER)Zachary Hart, The SeagullZachary Hart, StereophonicGiles Terera, Oh, Mary!
Best supporting actress
Isis Hainsworth, ArcadiaJulie Hesmondhalgh, Punch (WINNER)Lucy Karczewski, StereophonicHayley Squires, All My SonsSophie Thompson, When We Are Married
Best supporting actor in a musical
Trevor Ashley, The ProducersCorbin Bleu, The Great GatsbyTom Edden, Paddington The Musical (WINNER)Jo Foster, Into The WoodsOliver Savile, Into The Woods
Best supporting actress in a musical
Tracie Bennett, Here We AreAmy Booth-Steel, Paddington The Musical (WINNER)Kate Fleetwood, Into The WoodsVictoria Hamilton-Barritt, Paddington The MusicalGeorgina Onuorah, Shucked
Best director
Jordan Fein, Into The WoodsLuke Sheppard, Paddington The Musical (WINNER)Ed Stambollouian, KenrexLyndsey Turner, 1536Ivo van Hove, All My Sons
Best new entertainment or comedy play
The Comedy About SpiesEvery Brilliant ThingOh, Mary! (WINNER)Paranormal Activity
Best new dance production
Into The Hairy (WINNER)Mimi’s ShebeenRandom TarantoShe’s Auspicious
Best new production in affiliate theatre
Ben And ImoThe Glass Menagerie (WINNER)The Ministry Of Lesbian AffairsMiss Myrtle’s GardenThe Shitheads
Best family show
The Boy At The Back Of The Class (WINNER)The Boy With WingsThe Firework Maker’s DaughterThe Three Little Pigs
Best new opera production
Dead Man Walking (WINNER)The Makropulos CaseToscaDie Walküre
Best sound design
Adam Fisher, Into The WoodsGareth Owen, Paddington The MusicalRyan Rumery, StereophonicGiles Thomas, Kenrex (WINNER)
Outstanding musical contribution
Matt Brind, Paddington The MusicalWill Butler & Justin Craig, StereophonicJohn Patrick Elliott, KenrexChris Fenwick & Sean Hayes, Good Night, Oscar (WINNER)
Best lighting design
Robbie Butler, PunchJon Clark, EvitaAideen Malone & Roland Horvath, Into The Woods (WINNER)Joshua Pharo, Kenrex
Best set design
Paul Tate dePoo III, The Great GatsbyTom Pye & Ash J Woodward, Paddington The Musical (WINNER)Tom Scutt, Into The WoodsDavid Zinn, Stereophonic
Best costume design
Enver Chakartash, StereophonicLinda Cho, The Great GatsbyTom Scutt, Into The WoodsGabriella Slade & Tahra Zafar, Paddington The Musical (WINNER)
Best theatre choreographer
Fabian Aloise, Evita (WINNER)Ellen Kane, Paddington The MusicalDrew McOnie, BrigadoonLynne Page, American Psycho
Source:
www.hollywoodreporter.com
