Angela Lansbury will soon have a sixth Tony to add to her mantel. The stage and screen legend will be presented with the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre at the 2022 awards ceremony, Deadline reports. She previously won Tonys for her lead performances in “Mame,” “Dear World,” “Gypsy,” and “Sweeney Todd,” as well as for her featured turn in “Blithe Spirit.” Lansbury has also netted Tony nods for “Deuce” and “A Little Night Music.”
“Angela Lansbury’s contributions to the stage are insurmountable,” stated Broadway League president Charlotte St. Martin and American Theatre Wing CEO Heather Hitchens. “From her groundbreaking role in ‘Mame’ to her iconic performances in ‘Deuce’ and ‘Sweeney Todd,’ and most recently, in the revival of ‘A Little Night Music,’ Ms. Lansbury has given us a lifetime of unforgettable performances, and it is a great honor to present her with the 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award.”
Lansbury’s first Broadway gig was 1957’s “Hotel Paradiso.” Her other stage credits include “Hamlet,” “The King and I,” and “The Importance of Being Earnest.” She won an Olivier Award in 2015 for “Blithe Spirit.”
On-screen, Lansbury is probably best known for portraying mystery writer and amateur detective Jessica Fletcher in CBS’ “Murder She Wrote,” for which she earned 12 Emmy nominations. The series aired 1984-1996, making it TV’s longest-running detective drama series.
Lansbury received Oscar nominations for her feature debut, “Gaslight,” as well as “The Picture of Dorian Gray” and “The Manchurian Candidate.” The Academy presented her with an Honorary Oscar in 2014. The seasoned actress has also been honored with the National Medal of Arts, the Kennedy Center Honors, and the BAFTA/LA Britannia Award for Lifetime Achievement in Television and Film.
“Mary Poppins Returns,” the latest iteration of “The Grinch,” and a “Little Women” miniseries are among Lansbury’s more recent screen work. Her many notable credits also include “Beauty and the Beast,” “National Velvet,” and “Death on the Nile.”
The 2022 Tony Awards will take place June 12, and will air on CBS and Paramount+. Oscar-winning “West Side Story” star Ariana DeBose is hosting.
