78th Tony Awards: Will Laura Donnelly Win Best Leading Actress in a Play?
78th Tony Awards: Will Laura Donnelly Win Best Leading Actress in a Play?
The Tony Awards annually present the award for Best Leading Actress in a Play, highlighting an unforgettable performance by a female lead on Broadway.
Many respected actresses have accepted the award throughout the decades, such as Audrey Hepburn, Julia Harris, Glenn Close, Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, Viola Davis, and Jodie Comer.
Five phenomenal theater stars are in contention for the prestigious award this year, and many believe Laura Donnelly is likely to win at the ceremony on June 8, 2025.
Continue reading to learn if Laura Donnelly could win Best Leading Actress in a Play at the 78th Tony Awards.
LEADERBOARD
78th Tony Awards: Who Will Win Best Leading Actress in a Musical?
| # | Bet Options | Chance to Win | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied Projected Winner Megan Hilty - Death Becomes Her Wins - Yes | 34.19% | ||
| Implied Projected Winner Nicole Scherzinger - Sunset Boulevard Wins - Yes | 13.03% | ||
| Implied Projected Winner Audra McDonald - Gypsy Wins - Yes | 6.54% |
Analysis of BEO’s betting odds points to Laura Donnelly (The Hills of California) winning Best Leading Actress in a Play at the 78th Tony Awards ::: Discover the latest Bet Entertainment Odds predictions for this market.
Who Are the Nominees for Best Leading Actress in a Play?
The following five fantastic Broadway stars have earned a nomination for Best Leading Actress in a Play at the 2025 Tony Awards:
- Sadie Sink – John Proctor is a Villain
- Sarah Snook – The Picture of Dorian Gray
- LaTanya Richardson Jackson – Purpose
- Mia Farrow – The Roommate
- Laura Donnelly – The Hills of California
The Odds Are in Laura Donnelly’s Favor to Win
Northern Irish actress Laura Donnelly has wowed as Veronica/Joan in the West End and Broadway productions of The Hills of California.
The critically acclaimed play, written by renowned playwright Jez Butterworth, has wowed audiences since its opening in New York City’s Broadhurst Theatre on September 11, 2024.
Many have been impressed by Donnelly’s performance, resulting in her receiving a Laurence Olivier Award nomination for Best Actress.
Thanks to the many positive reviews she has received from audiences and top critics, BEO betting odds are showing she stands a good chance of accepting Best Actress in a Play at the Tony Awards this June.
Sarah Snook Could Steal It
Sarah Snook (Succession) initially wowed in the lead role of The Picture of Dorian Gray on London’s West End. The show ran from February to May 2024, earning the acclaimed actress a 2025 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress.
The show later transferred to Broadway’s Music Box Theater, with Snook reprising all 26 roles in the play adapted from Oscar Wilde’s classic 1891 novel.
The play opened on March 10, 2025, and is scheduled to close on June 29, 2025, with the actress earning many glowing reviews from top theater critics. For example, Time Out’s Adam Feldman described Snook as making The Picture of Dorian Grey “a thing of beauty.”
For this reason, betting odds indicate she is a strong contender for winning Best Actress in a Play at the 78th Tony Awards.
Mia Farrow is a Realistic Threat
Mia Farrow’s impressive performance as Sharon in The Roommate could earn her the Best Actress in a Play at this year’s Tony Awards.
After successful runs in various US cities, the critically acclaimed play opened at Broadway’s Booth Theatre on September 14, 2024, and closed on December 15, 2024.
According to Gold Derby’s Sam Eckmann (April 29, 2025), “Mia Farrow feels guaranteed for her sensitive and quirky performance, despite The Roommate being closed for months.”
Also, TimeOut’s Adam Feldman wrote, “The play is essentially Sharon’s story, and Farrow tells it masterfully: Her voice spans octaves to dazzling effect, and she positively glows as she peels behind Sharon’s mild mannerisms to reveal an exultant shrewdness. While Farrow has been funny in the past—her diction-class scene in Radio Days is priceless—she is not an actor we associate primarily with comedy, which makes her triumph in this role all the more satisfying. What a delightful surprise.”
