June Squibb has officially made history as the oldest Tony Award nominee ever. She is 96 years-old.
Squibb’s Historic Tony Nomination
Squibb has landed her first Tony nomination decades after she made her Broadway debut. Indeed, she’s been nominated for best actress in a featured role in a play for Marjorie Prime.
“I’m thrilled with what this nomination will do for my career,” Squibb told People Magazine.
Squibb went on to give a shoutout to her Marjorie Prime co-star Danny Burstein, who also scored a Tony nomination for his work in this play.
“Over the moon for Danny as well!” Squibb said. “I share this nomination with everyone who worked so hard to bring Marjorie Prime back to life.”
Squibb additionally celebrated her historic Tony nomination on Instagram.
“Basking in this Tony Award Nomination full circle moment,” she wrote alongside a photo of herself in her dressing room.
Previous Record For Oldest Tony Nomination
The previous record for oldest Tony Award nomination was held by Lois Smith. She was 89 years-old when she was nominated in 2020 for her performance in The Inheritance. Prior to that, the record was held by Cicely Tyson, who was 88 years-old when she was nominated for her turn in The Trip to Bountiful in 2013. Both Smith and Tyson won the Tony for their performances. That certainly bodes well for Squibb’s chances!
Squibb portrays the title character in Marjorie Prime. According to The Hollywood Reporter, she plays “an elderly woman battling dementia and memory loss, who uses an AI-generated “Prime” of her late husband, Walter, to help preserve and revisit memories from their life together.”
Ironically, it was Smith who played Marjorie in the original off-Broadway production of this play. She also portrayed the role in the 2017 film adaptation opposite Jon Hamm.
Squibb’s fellow nominees for the Tony are Laurie Metcalf (Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman), Aya Cash (Giant), Betsy Aidem (Liberation) and Marylouise Burke (The Balusters). Burke is another veteran of the theater, and she is 85 years of age.
Squibb’s History
Squibb made her Broadway debut back in 1959, when she played Electra in the original production of Gypsy.
“I moved a lot differently then,” Squibb admitted of her Gypsy days in a September of 2025 interview. “I was doing a lot of bumps and grinds every night. Not so many bumps and grinds now.”
Squibb later appeared in other Broadway shows, including The Happy Time, Waitress, Sacrilege and Gorey Stories.
Aside from the theater, Squibb has acted in movies like Meet Joe Black, About Schmidt, and Thelma. Last year, she starred in the title role in the movie Eleanor the Great, which was the directorial debut of the Hollywood star Scarlett Johansson.
Most notably, Squibb was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her work in the 2013 Alexander Payne movie Nebraska. She ended up losing that award to Lupita Nyong’o for her turn in 12 Years a Slave. However, Squibb also scored Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild, Critics Choice and Independent Spirit Award nominations that year.
Squibb being nominated for a Tony at 96 serves as proof that age really is just a number. Here’s hoping she takes home the coveted trophy when the Tony Awards take place on June 7.
God bless you, June Squibb!