A one-sided rift between Patti Lupone and Audra McDonald isn’t the only thing electrifying Broadway ahead of the Tony Awards on Sunday. There are actual Tony nominations to celebrate, too.
On Sunday, Samuel L. Jackson celebrated his wife, LaTanya Richardson’s, Tony nomination with a champagne-flowing cocktail party co-hosted by pals Spike Lee, Tonya Lewis Lee and Sotheby’s real estate guru Spencer Means.
The Jacksons and their friends took over the swank Whitby hotel, as partygoers gushed over Richardson, who is nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role in A Play for “Purpose.”
The “Pulp Fiction” star praised his wife’s acting while reminiscing about their marriage of nearly 45 years – including how she helps make him better too, according to the source. Richardson hilariously interrupted his speech, pointing out, “See, he had to make it about him!” Her comment underlined a previous theme she had spoken about – “wives trying to bloom in the shadow of a big personality, highly accomplished husbands.” our source said.
After a few other speeches from a few guests and the party’s hosts, the couple’s daughter, Zoe, congratulated her mom with a ten-second speech. “Ok, we’ve been listening to 30 minutes of this,” she said before handing the mic to her mom.
Angela Bassett, fashion journalist Constance C.R. White, ABC News’ Deborah Roberts, Kathy Chenault, “Purpose” playwright Brandon Jacobs Jenkins and her co-star Harry Lennix were all there to fete Richardson.