Why Fans Think Oprah Winfrey Shaded Patti LuPone at The Tony Awards

Did Oprah Winfrey diss Patti Lupone at the 2025 Tony Awards? That’s certainly what fans think.

During the Tony Awards ceremony on June 8, the previous talk show host appeared to make a subtle reference to Patti’s recent remarks concerning Kecia Lewis and Audra McDonald. Notably, Audra McDonald was nominated in the category that Oprah was presenting for her role in “Gypsy,” where she was also nominated.

She exclaimed, “This remarkable year in live theater is all about the women whose contributions have ignited passionate discussions among theater enthusiasts.” As the crowd at Radio City Music Hall began to buzz, she paused, taking a moment to scan the audience with a knowing smile. “There’s certainly a lot of chatter!

Audience members swiftly concluded that the elderly individual’s remarks were directed towards Patti, as evidenced by a social media post stating, “Wow! It seems like Oprah Winfrey is casting subtle side-eyes at Patti LuPone during the Tony Awards presentation. Ha-ha!

A different individual expressed, “Oprah subtly throwing shade at Patti is making me tear up,” and another spectator stated, “I’ve rarely witnessed such an elegantly delivered ‘take that,’ as what Oprah apparently communicated to Patti LuPone.

As an ardent admirer, let me rephrase the situation in my own words: The uproar erupted following the publication of an interview by The New Yorker with none other than Patti on May 26. In this interview, she advised Kecia to refrain from using the term ‘Broadway veteran’ and expressed that Audra was not considered a friend. When I inquired about Audra’s stunning portrayal of Rose in Gypsy – a role for which Patti had earned a Tony 17 years prior – her response left me speechless. Instead of sharing her thoughts, she gazed out the window for an extended moment before merely commenting, “What a splendid day.

Audra later shared that she was not aware that she and Patti even had a rift.

She mentioned during an interview with Gayle King on CBS Mornings (May 29) that she’s unsure what any disagreement might be if one exists, as it would be best to ask Patti about it. They haven’t met in approximately 11 years due to being occupied by everyday life matters.

She added, “I don’t know what rift she’s talking about but you’d have to ask her.”

Following approximately 600 Broadway community members signing an open letter criticizing Patti’s remarks, urging the Tony Awards to exclude her from the event (which she ultimately did not attend), the 76-year-old issued an apology for her “offensive and disrespectful” statements.

She expressed her full accord with the content of the open letter on social media on May 31st. She sincerely apologizes for her impulsive and emotional reactions during the interview, which she now recognizes as unsuitable, and is deeply remorseful that her actions have caused offense and contradicted our cherished values within this community.

Patti expressed, “I’d love to talk directly with Audra and Kecia so I can express my heartfelt apologies in person.