Christina Applegate's Best Actress nomination

[JakeB]

Posted: 5/10/05 at 9:33am

So despite the negative reviews, she gets a nomination. Boosts the Tony's own publicity by nominating an Emmy winner though.. I suspect this could be one of the reasons why, in the same way that a famous TV actor in Britain won Best Actor last year because he was the only way that the Oliviers could get into the newspaper..

[Princeton78]

Posted: 5/10/05 at 9:37am

Well, many on this board, and many critics found Ms. Applegate endearing. If you're going to make the statement you've made, be sure to add Lithgow and Turner to your list.

[JakeB]

Posted: 5/10/05 at 9:40am

For the record, I love Applegate. But I will add John Lithgow, who has appeared in 20 Broadway shows, if you wish me to.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 5/10/05 at 9:41am

There weren't really too many women to nominate in this category. The only other people who could have gotten a nomination instead of Christina were Gambatese, Reinders or Errico. I think Christina definitely deserved the nomination over those three.

[harris007]

Posted: 5/10/05 at 9:42am

I'm very excited for her, she worked very hard.

Posted: 5/10/05 at 9:43am

I think they should nominate her strickly on guts and greasepaint. She IS Sweet Charity now (even though, I would have liked to have seen Jenna ELfman in the role)

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 5/10/05 at 9:45am

Elfman by accounts couldn't sing -- at ALL.

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 5/10/05 at 9:47am

Which makes you wonder how she was ever cast in Nine to start with (even though she ended up not playing the role). I guess I could always ask Brooke Shields..............

[MATheaterLover]

Posted: 5/10/05 at 9:55am

JakeB, if you like Ms. Applegate, then why are you even complaining about this?

And, whether anyone likes her performance or not, the work she does every night is certainly more commendable than the roles played by Gambatese, Reinders, and Errico, as someone mentioned earlier.

I think she absolutely deserves to be in the nominated five. I think her nomination has little, if anything, to do with her celebrity.

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 5/10/05 at 9:56am

I'm pretty sure reviews were better for Lithgow then Christina. I mean a lot of her reviews were she wasn't terrible but she wasn't great, at least it seemed. If I remember correctly, despite some of the mixed reviews Dirty Rotten Scoundrels received, all the actors were credited as being great in it. Of course Norbie got the raves and stole the show, but I'm pretty sure they said Lithgow was great in his role as well.

[OnTheAisle]

Posted: 5/10/05 at 10:02am

Don't forget, this is a true show-biz story (the foot, the closing, the re-opening) - seems to me they needed to give it to her not only for her performance, but also for all the attention directed at Broadway through the whole ordeal... PUBLICITY!

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 5/10/05 at 10:05am

Again maybe the publicity helps the show and Broadway in general, but Christina was assured a nomination she was a LOCK as soon as her reviews were not awful because the competition was dracula and two Jukebox musicals.
And to the the person who said Lithgow, Litgow is a Broadway star who does movies and TV not the other way around.

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 5/10/05 at 10:18am

Well by saying all that, remember last year Hugh Jackman won and in close contention was Alfred Molina......basically the same shoes!!!!!!

[#1Elphie]

Posted: 5/10/05 at 10:47am

I think Applegate definitely deserved her nomination. Her reviews weren't that bad and I absolutely loved her performance. Like someone else said, there were only 8 possible women to nominate and it was not a strong year for female performances. She deserves to be on that list. I would be happy to see her win, though I'm not expecting that.

[BwayTheatre11]

Posted: 5/10/05 at 10:51am

I am SO proud of her and what she has done. She is living out a dream and truly wants to be on that stage. BUT, from what I have seen and heard, there are others who deserve the nomination more. Oh well, I have not seen the show, so I cannot say. CONGRATS, CHRISTINA!

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 5/10/05 at 11:06am

Good point about there only being 8 possible choices!!!!!!

[allofmylife]

Posted: 5/10/05 at 11:11am

Christina Applegate's nomination is also a wonderful history lesson. It teaches us what it really takes to be a Broadway star. Some talent, yes, but mainly guts and determination and a blazing self-confidence. We've come to believe that an incredibly powerful voice and a hearty helping of Star Search Melisma are required to become a Broadway sensation. We should remember that many of the truly great stars of Broadway from the past had only average (or sometimes, as in the case of Gertrude Lawrence, far less-than-average) singing voices. It's the ability to bring in the crowds, to tell a story, to get 1500 people every night to care. THAT"S what makes one a star. And this woman has that in spades.

[Princeton78]

Posted: 5/10/05 at 11:12am

allofmylife=my new favorite poster! Nicely said!

[bwaysinger]

Posted: 5/10/05 at 11:17am

Allofmylife, while I agree, that's what is so special about this year's musical acting nominees. Look at 'em. Show me the American Idol wannabes. This is a GREAT year for legitimate musical theatre performers (like Clark, Butz, Curry - say what you will about him - Lithgow, Scott - who, along with Ramirez, are the closest thing to pop nominees this year...).

[OnTheAisle]

Posted: 5/10/05 at 11:17am

xcellent post, Allofmylife... I agree with you, and I didn't mean to disparage the nomination - I just think that her determination to keep the show afloat is going to be a big story leading up to the awards...

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 5/10/05 at 11:28am

Bwaysinger and all my life I totally agree with you both. I feel that in the end this has turned out to be a great year for Broadway! The acting categories have some varied and superb choices.

[apdarcey]

Posted: 5/10/05 at 11:34am

yay. congrats!

[bwaysinger]

Posted: 5/10/05 at 11:37am

Thanks, Pengy. I am personally thrilled they chose to go with musical theatre (Clark, Foster, Bolger, O'Hara) and musical comedy performances (Fogler, Sieber, Ramirez) over animated histrionics and vocal pyrotechnics...even though I am a fan of those in the appropriate venue.

[MagicToDo82]

Posted: 5/10/05 at 11:40am

Christina gave an endearing performance, and proved herself a determined, hard worker who wanted to go to Broadway. And by God, she did it.

Will she win? Who knows? But she got here, and got her Tony nom... the rest is out of her hands.

[cathyhyatt]

Posted: 5/10/05 at 11:42am

I never saw it and I don't know how she was or not.

But I do know that no matter if she was good or bad she'd get a nomination because she is a well-known actress...and that';s mostly how it goes...and it sucks..and I hate when peiople like taht enter the broadway community.