‘Some Like It Hot’ star J. Harrison Ghee is second Nonbinary performer to win a Tony Award

Nonbinary performer J. Harrison Ghee earned the Tony for best leading actor in a musical for their performance in Some Like It Hot.

It’s a historic win with Ghee the category’s first performer identifying as nonbinary to take hime Broadway’s biggest prize. (Ghee, who originated the role of Jerry/Daphne in the production, goes by he/she/they pronouns.)

“My mother raised me to understand that my gifts that God gave me were not about me [but] to use them to be effective in the world,” Ghee said. “To help somebody else’s journey. So thank you for teaching me how to live, how to love, how to give.”

“For every trans, nonbinary, gender-nonconforming human who ever was told you couldn’t be, you couldn’t be seen, this is for you,” they said before thanking several individuals for “letting me lead,” “letting me bring myself to the work” and more.