Who is Justin David Sullivan? Broadway actor protests 'gendered categories' and declines Tony award nomination
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Justin David Sullivan, a non-binary who is a principal performer in the Broadway hit musical '& Juliet' withdrew their Tony Awards nominations marking their protest against the major awards' gendered categorization.
"I felt that I had no choice but to abstain from being considered for nomination this season," Sullivan said in their statement shared on social media. In an interview with Playbill, the non-binary performer pointed out that neither category of the organization "resonated" with them and added, "I hope that award shows across the industry will expand their reach to be able to honor and award people of all gender identities."
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Who is Justin David Sullivan?
Justin David Sullivan, is a trans-non-binary artist, actor, and singer originally from Southern California. With a passion for theatre since childhood, they began their career at the age of 15. They graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BA in Communication from UC San Diego where they studied acting and media production. They are of Mexican and Korean descent. According to their official website, they are "openly queer."
They landed roles of Harry Potter in 'A Very Potter Musical,' Leading Player in 'Pippin,' and Troy Bolton in 'High School Musical: On Stage!.' Following Sullivan's shift to New York City, they signed for musical theatre representation with the Daniel Hoff Agency. In November 2022, the '& Juliet' show debuted and gained popularity among A-listers who made it to its premiere. Currently, the show is running at the Stephen Sondheim Theater
Sullivan's Tony Award withdrawal
Talking to Playbill, Sullivan explained how they "struggled a lot" in their situation when they had to choose a gender to decide while submitting for the nominations. "There's nothing more that I want to empower than non-binary people, to show that it's possible to be non-binary on Broadway, play a non-binary character on Broadway and be nominated, and possibly potentially awarded," the star continued.
Sullivan revealed that neither the male nor female category "resonated" with them and decided to "abstain" from the nomination. According to The New York Times, Sullivan has "put public pressure on the awards."
"There are so many gender-queer and gender-expansive artists in our community, and they bring so much to the table," they said in the interview with Playbill. "I am hopeful that award shows will learn from this and make the meaningful changes necessary in order to consider, nominate, and award people of all gender identities moving forward," they wrote in their social media post.
In the interview, the Broadway actor said being nominated for the Tony Awards was "all you dream about", especially for a "young theater kid.'' Following the decision, about declining the award eligibility, the star stated, "I hope that this inspires a conversation to be had and an important one that needs to happen, to make sure that, moving forward, there is more inclusivity in the nomination categories."