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.
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
American Psycho — Almeida Theatre
Evita — London Palladium
Into The Woods — Bridge Theatre
The Producers — Garrick Theatre
1536 — Almeida Theatre
Inter Alia — National Theatre, Lyttelton
Kenrex — The Other Palace
Punch — Young Vic and Apollo Theatre
All My Sons — Wyndham’s Theatre
Arcadia — The Old Vic
Much Ado About Nothing — Theatre Royal Drury Lane
The Seagull — Barbican Theatre
The Comedy About Spies — Noël Coward Theatre
Every Brilliant Thing — @sohoplace
Oh, Mary! — Trafalgar Theatre
Paranormal Activity — Ambassadors Theatre
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?
Bryan Cranston — All My Sons
Sean Hayes — Good Night, Oscar
Tom Hiddleston — Much Ado About Nothing
Jack Holden — Kenrex
David Shields — Punch
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
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
Isis Hainsworth — Arcadia
Julie Hesmondhalgh — Punch
Lucy Karczewski — Stereophonic
Hayley Squires — All My Sons
Sophie Thompson — When We Are Married
Hammed Animashaun — Dealer’s Choice
Paapa Essiedu — All My Sons
Zachary Hart — The Seagull
Zachary Hart — Stereophonic
Giles Terera — Oh, Mary!
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
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