Pauletta Washington, actress and Denzel Washington’s wife, has come to the defense of her husband’s current Broadway show, Othello.
Despite Othello being critically acclaimed and breaking records as Broadway’s highest-grossing production, it was surprisingly left out of the 2025 Tony Awards nominations list.
The Reasonable Doubt actress shared her thoughts in a fresh interview with People, expressing shock at Othello’s snub. The production stars Washington in the lead role alongside Jake Gyllenhaal as Iago.
“My family has experienced this numerous times. And I believe I can speak candidly and truthfully from an artistic perspective that it was rejected, so you have to question why,” Pauletta stated. “But we already know the answer: It’s narrow-minded people in positions to make these decisions and judgments.”
Washington has received two Tony Award nominations in his career, winning Best Leading Actor in a Play in 2010 for his role as Troy Maxson in Fences. His son, John David Washington, has also earned recognition, receiving a nomination in 2022 for Best Actor in a Play for portraying Boy Willie in The Piano Lesson.
Following the Tony nomination announcements, Othello producer Kandi Buruss expressed her disappointment on social media.
“Well y’all… Othello didn’t get the Tony nomination. Of course I’m disappointed, but I’m still beyond proud to be part of this phenomenal production. Every time I watch our cast, I’m blown away and inspired,” she posted on Instagram.
“#DenzelWashington @jakegyllenhaal — you both are delivering a masterclass in acting every single night. Truly unforgettable performances. Congratulations to all the nominees this year!”
She then clued fans in on her upcoming projects: “As for me, I’m already looking ahead to what’s next. I’m not giving up on the dream. ‘Tell Me No’ by Whitney Houston (co-written by yours truly) is playing on repeat right now… and it hits different today.”
