“A Very Potter Musical” Actor Darren Criss Wins Tony Award for “Maybe Happy Ending”

by · June 8, 2025

Daniel Radcliffe isn’t the only actor who played Harry Potter to win a Tony Award. Following Radcliffe’s victory in the Best Featured Actor in a Musical category for his role in Merrily We Roll Along last year, Darren Criss – known to Harry Potter fans for his star turn as Harry Potter in StarKid’s A Very Potter Musical and its sequels – has won the Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for his role as the robot Oliver in Maybe Happy Ending.

Criss is no stranger to awards, Broadway, or taking after Daniel Radcliffe. Following his role in A Very Potter Musical, for which he also wrote the songs, he starred on television in Glee and The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, the latter of which earned him Emmy and Golden Globe Awards in 2018 and 2019, respectively. On Broadway, he once again followed in Daniel Radcliffe’s footsteps, this time playing J. Pierrepont Finch in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. He went on to star in Hedwig and the Angry Inch and American Buffalo, as well as in Little Shop of Horrors off-Broadway.

 

 

 

This was Criss’s first Tony nomination. He received widespread critical praise for his performance as Oliver, an outdated Helperbot obsessed with jazz music who falls in love with a newer model named Claire. Criss also co-hosted the earlier part of the ceremony and had the opportunity to present awards to his collaborators. Maybe Happy Ending was nominated for 10 Tony Awards in total and also won for book, score, scenic design, direction, and the top prize of the night, Best Musical.

Among the presenters was Tom Felton, who last week was announced to be making his Broadway debut in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, returning to his role of Draco Malfoy for the first time since the Harry Potter films. Dame Maggie Smith (Minerva McGonagall), who won a Tony Award in 1990 and died in 2024, was featured in the In Memoriam part of the ceremony.

Congratulations to Criss on his totally awesome victory and to all of the nominees and winners.

Laurie Beckoff

My Harry Potter journey began in 2000 when I was six and continued through a bachelor's thesis and master's dissertation on medievalism in the series. I'm a Gryffindor from New York City with a passion for theatre, fantasy, Arthurian legend, and science fiction.