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Rachel Zegler wins best actress at 2026 Olivier awards

Rachel Zegler has added another major award to her collection.

Zegler recently received Best Actress in a Musical for her role in Evita, which ran at the London Palladium last year. She also performed Don’t Cry for Me Argentina during the ceremony and received a standing ovation.

The 24-year-old, who has been at the centre of controversy since her role in Snow White, was one of the standout winners at the Laurence Olivier Awards 2026, which took place on April 12 at Royal Albert Hall in London.

Other major winners included Rosamund Pike, who took home Best Actress for Inter Alia, staged at the National Theatre, and Paapa Essiedu, who won Best Actor in a Supporting Role for All My Sons at Wyndham’s Theatre. All My Sons, a revival of Arthur Miller’s 1946 play, also won Best Revival.

Paddington The Musical emerged as one of the night’s biggest successes. Directed by Luke Sheppard, it won Best New Musical and Best Director, along with multiple acting awards.

The ceremony, hosted by Nick Mohammed, celebrated the best of British theatre, with winners spanning musicals, plays and revivals across London’s stage scene. Here’s the complete list of all the winners from the night:

  • Best New Musical — Paddington The Musical
  • Best Musical Revival — Into The Woods
  • Best New Play — Punch
  • Best Revival — All My Sons
  • Noël Coward Award for Best New Entertainment or Comedy Play — Oh, Mary!
  • Best Actress — Rosamund Pike for Inter Alia
  • Best Actor — Jack Holden for Kenrex
  • Best Actor in a Musical — James Hameed & Arti Shah for Paddington The Musical
  • Best Actress in a Musical — Rachel Zegler for Evita
  • Best Actress in a Supporting Role — Julie Hesmondhalgh for Punch
  • Best Actor in a Supporting Role — Paapa Essiedu for All My Sons
  • Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical — Tom Edden for Paddington The Musical
  • Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical — Victoria Hamilton-Barritt for Paddington The Musical
  • Sir Peter Hall Award for Best Director — Luke Sheppard for Paddington The Musical