Oprah Winfrey delivered more than just applause at the 2025 Tony Awards — she delivered a thinly veiled dig that had the theater world buzzing.
While presenting the award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical, Oprah took a moment to commend the powerhouse women of Broadway, saying:
“Our celebration of this astounding year in live theater turns to the women whose work sparked lively conversations among theater fans.”
Then, with a knowing smile, she added: “Lotta talking going on!”
The audience burst into laughter, and theater Twitter lit up instantly — many interpreting the line as a sly reference to the recent drama involving Broadway icon Patti LuPone, Audra McDonald, and Kecia Lewis.
McDonald, one of the actresses caught in the feud’s crossfire, was in attendance as a nominee in the category Oprah was presenting. She ultimately lost to Nicole Scherzinger for Sunset Boulevard. LuPone, however, was conspicuously absent from the ceremony.
Backstory: Broadway’s Off-Stage Drama
The shade comes on the heels of LuPone’s explosive profile in The New Yorker, where she reportedly referred to Lewis as a “bitch” and dismissed her as someone who “doesn’t know what the f*** she’s talking about.”
The comments were in response to Lewis publicly criticizing LuPone’s earlier complaints about rehearsal noise, calling them “micro-aggressive.”
The fallout was swift and public: more than 500 members of the Broadway community signed an open letter condemning LuPone’s remarks. Amid mounting pressure, LuPone issued a formal apology, though many saw it as too little, too late.
Oprah: Queen of the Soft Clapback
Though Oprah didn’t mention any names, her quip was widely seen as a masterclass in subtle celebrity shade — cutting enough to spark headlines, yet polished enough to keep it classy.
In true theater fashion, the real drama wasn’t confined to the stage — and Oprah’s line might have just earned her a standing ovation from the Broadway tea-watchers.
