Paddington and Into the Woods Dominate Olivier Awards Nominations
The 2026 Olivier Awards nominations have been announced, with two musicals leading the pack. Paddington: The Musical and Into the Woods each received 11 nominations, making them the frontrunners for London's most prestigious theatre awards. The ceremony, celebrating its 50th anniversary, will take place at the Royal Albert Hall on 12 April, hosted by actor Nick Mohammed.
Musical Showdown: Paddington vs. Into the Woods
Paddington: The Musical, based on Michael Bond's beloved bear, opened to critical acclaim at the Savoy Theatre. It is nominated for Best New Musical, with Luke Sheppard up for Best Director and Ellen Kane for Best Theatre Choreographer. The dual portrayal of Paddington by James Hameed (voice and puppeteer) and Arti Shah (costume performer) earned a joint nomination for Best Actor in a Musical. Supporting actors Tom Edden, Amy Booth-Steel, and Victoria Hamilton-Barritt also received nods, alongside recognition for costumes, puppet designs, set, video, sound, and orchestrations.
Into the Woods, Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's fairytale mash-up, has been a hit at the Bridge Theatre. It competes for Best Musical Revival, with Jordan Fein nominated for Best Director. Jamie Parker and Katie Brayben are up for Best Actor and Actress in a Musical, respectively, while Jo Foster and Oliver Savile vie for Best Supporting Actor, and Kate Fleetwood for Best Supporting Actress. Nominations also extend to sound, lighting, video, and set and costume designs.
Other Key Contenders and Categories
In the Best New Musical category, Paddington faces competition from Sondheim's swansong Here We Are at the National Theatre, Shucked at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, and The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry from Chichester. Jane Krakowski and Tracie Bennett of Here We Are received nominations.
For Best Musical Revival, Into the Woods contends with Evita, the Almeida's American Psycho, and The Producers at the Garrick Theatre. Rachel Zegler's performance in Evita, including singing from the Palladium balcony, earned her a Best Actress nomination alongside Brayben, Krakowski, Jenna Russell, and Danielle Fiamanya and Georgina Onuorah from Brigadoon.
Best Actor in a Musical nominees include Marc Antolin and Andy Nyman for The Producers, and Diego Andres Rodriguez for Evita. Trevor Ashley and Corbin Bleu are shortlisted for Best Supporting Actor.
Play Categories and Notable Omissions
Plays with six nominations each are Arthur Miller's All My Sons, Jack Holden's one-man show Kenrex, and Broadway transfer Stereophonic. All My Sons competes for Best Revival against Tom Stoppard's Arcadia, Chekhov's The Seagull, and Jamie Lloyd's Much Ado About Nothing.
Tom Hiddleston (Much Ado About Nothing) vies for Best Actor with Bryan Cranston (All My Sons), Sean Hayes (Good Night, Oscar), Jack Holden (Kenrex), and David Shields (Punch). Notably, Hiddleston's co-star Hayley Atwell and director Jamie Lloyd were omitted from nominations.
Best Actress nominees are Cate Blanchett (The Seagull), Marianne Jean-Baptiste (All My Sons), Rosamund Pike (Inter Alia), Rosie Sheehy (Guess How Much I Love You?), and Julia McDermott (Weather Girl). Supporting actress nods include Isis Hainsworth, Julie Hesmondhalgh, Lucy Karczewski, Hayley Squires, and Sophie Thompson.
Zachary Hart received two nominations for Best Supporting Actor for roles in Stereophonic and The Seagull, competing against Hammed Animashaun, Paapa Essiedu, and Giles Terera.
Directing and New Play Awards
The Sir Peter Hall Award for Best Director features Luke Sheppard (Paddington), Jordan Fein (Into the Woods), Ed Stambollouian (Kenrex), Ivo van Hove (All My Sons), and Lyndsey Turner (1536). Best New Play nominees are 1536 by Ava Pickett, Inter Alia by Suzie Miller, Kenrex by Jack Holden and Ed Stambollouian, and Punch by James Graham.
A surprising omission was Conor McPherson's revival of The Weir, starring Brendan Gleeson, despite its five-star reviews and past Olivier win in 1999.
Dance, Opera, and Ceremony Details
Best New Dance Production nominees include Into the Hairy, Mimi's Shebeen, Random Taranto, and She's Auspicious. For Best New Opera, Royal Opera House productions The Makropulos Case, Tosca, and Die Walküre compete with English National Opera's Dead Man Walking.
The Olivier Awards, overseen by the Society of London Theatre, will be judged by industry professionals and public members. The event promises to highlight the best of London's vibrant theatre scene, with intense competition across all categories.
