For Sean Hayes, Winning the Tony Makes the 'Pain' of Good Night, Oscar Worth It

At the Tony Awards, after the statues are given to the winners, they are taken to the media room, where they speak to journalists about their prizes. Playbill was able to have some one-on-one time with some of the 2023 Tony winners. We spoke with Sean Hayes after winning the prize for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play for his work as Oscar Levant in Good Night, Oscar.

Watch the video above to see Hayes react to winning. "I feel nervous and shaky," he tells Playbill right after winning. He admits that Good Night, Oscar—which he has been working on for 23 years has not been easy. In the play, Hayes plays a long segment from George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" quickly and virtuosically. Hayes has to have cortisone shots injected into his hands and his arms, and he ices his arms every night. But it's all worth it he says, "No matter how much pain you're in, it's why we do what we do because we love it."

Hayes was previously Tony-nominated for Best Actor in a Musical for his work in the 2010 revival of Promises, Promises. He is an Emmy winner for his role as Jack in the sitcom Will & Grace and for his hosting duties for the 64th Annual Tony Awards ceremony.

READ: Who Was Oscar Levant of Good Night, Oscar?

For more about the Tony Awards, visit Playbill.com/Tonys.