Rachel Zegler’s 'Evita' turn lands her first Olivier nod

Rachel Zegler has landed a 2026 Olivier Award nomination for her performance as Eva Perón in Jamie Lloyd’s revival of Evita, a production that became one of the most talked-about shows on the West End.

Zegler is nominated for Best Actress in a Musical for her run at the London Palladium, where she played the Argentine first lady in a stripped-back revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s musical. Her performance drew particular attention for its staging of “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina,” which had Zegler step out onto the Palladium’s exterior balcony and sing live to crowds gathered on Argyll Street, while the audience inside watched on a screen.

The choice turned the number into a nightly public spectacle and helped make Evita one of London’s buzziest theater events. It also sparked debate, with some praising the idea for bringing musical theater directly to passersby, and others questioning whether the show’s signature moment should happen outside the auditorium.

Still, the balcony scene quickly became inseparable from Zegler’s performance. The actress, making her major London stage bow, drew hundreds of people most nights, with the crowd outside the theater becoming part of the show’s atmosphere. Her portrayal of Eva Perón, a role long associated with powerhouse performers, is now one of the season’s top musical acting contenders.

Across the full nominations, Paddington The Musical and Into The Woods led the field with 11 nominations each, while Evita earned five. Other high-profile nominees include Cate Blanchett, Bryan Cranston, Tom Hiddleston, Rosamund Pike, and Marianne Jean-Baptiste.

The 2026 Olivier Awards will be held at the Royal Albert Hall on 12 April 2026, marking the ceremony’s 50th anniversary.

Complete list of 2026 Olivier Award nominees:

Best New Musical

• Here We Are, book by David Ives, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim — National Theatre, Lyttelton

• Paddington The Musical, music and lyrics by Tom Fletcher, book by Jessica Swale — Savoy Theatre

• Shucked, book by Robert Horn, music and lyrics by Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally — Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

• The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry, book by Rachel Joyce, music and lyrics by Passenger — Theatre Royal Haymarket

Best Musical Revival

• American Psycho — Almeida Theatre

• Evita — London Palladium

• Into The Woods — Bridge Theatre

• The Producers — Garrick Theatre

Best New Play

• 1536 — Almeida Theatre

• Inter Alia — National Theatre, Lyttelton

• Kenrex — The Other Palace

• Punch — Young Vic and Apollo Theatre

Best Revival

• All My Sons — Wyndham’s Theatre

• Arcadia — The Old Vic

• Much Ado About Nothing — Theatre Royal Drury Lane

• The Seagull — Barbican Theatre

Best New Entertainment or Comedy Play

• The Comedy About Spies — Noël Coward Theatre

• Every Brilliant Thing — @sohoplace

• Oh, Mary! — Trafalgar Theatre

• Paranormal Activity — Ambassadors Theatre

Best Actress

• Cate Blanchett — The Seagull

• Marianne Jean-Baptiste — All My Sons

• Julia McDermott — Weather Girl

• Rosamund Pike — Inter Alia

• Rosie Sheehy — Guess How Much I Love You?

Best Actor

• Bryan Cranston — All My Sons

• Sean Hayes — Good Night, Oscar

• Tom Hiddleston — Much Ado About Nothing

• Jack Holden — Kenrex

• David Shields — Punch

Best Actor in a Musical

• Marc Antolin — The Producers

• James Hameed and Arti Shah — Paddington The Musical

• Andy Nyman — The Producers

• Jamie Parker — Into The Woods

• Diego Andres Rodriguez — Evita

Best Actress in a Musical

• Katie Brayben — Into The Woods

• Danielle Fiamanya and Georgina Onuorah — Brigadoon

• Jane Krakowski — Here We Are

• Jenna Russell — The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry

• Rachel Zegler — Evita

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

• Isis Hainsworth — Arcadia

• Julie Hesmondhalgh — Punch

• Lucy Karczewski — Stereophonic

• Hayley Squires — All My Sons

• Sophie Thompson — When We Are Married

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

• Hammed Animashaun — Dealer’s Choice

• Paapa Essiedu — All My Sons

• Zachary Hart — The Seagull

• Zachary Hart — Stereophonic

• Giles Terera — Oh, Mary!

Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical

• Trevor Ashley — The Producers

• Corbin Bleu — The Great Gatsby – A New Musical

• Tom Edden — Paddington The Musical

• Jo Foster — Into The Woods

• Oliver Savile — Into The Woods

Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical

• Tracie Bennett — Here We Are

• Amy Booth-Steel — Paddington The Musical

• Kate Fleetwood — Into The Woods

• Victoria Hamilton-Barritt — Paddington The Musical

• Georgina Onuorah — Shucked