Miss Saigon’s Jon Jon Briones nominated for Laurence Olivier award

By ROSE-AN JESSICA DIOQUINO, GMA News

Published March 10, 2015 12:17pm

Filipino theater actor Jon Jon Briones has been nominated for the coveted Laurence Olivier awards for his portrayal of The Engineer in the 25th anniversary revival of Miss Saigon.

Briones is vying for Best Actor in a Musical, an announcement from the award-giving body said Monday night (Manila time). Winners will be announced on April 12.

"Miss Saigon" is also nominated for Best Musical Revival.

Best Actor In A Musical #oliviers nominees: pic.twitter.com/u8tTw8YRzO

— Olivier Awards (@OlivierAwards) March 9, 2015

The Filipino actor was part of the musical's original 1989 cast, then led by Lea Salonga, who won an Olivier in 1990, among other honors, for her portrayal of Kim.

Meanwhile, Pussycat Dolls' lead vocalist Nicole Scherzinger, who is part-Filipino, is nominated for a Best Supporting Actress in a Musical award for her role in "Cats."

The Laurence Olivier awards is considered one of the most prestigious recognitions in the theater community. Annually presented by the Society of London Theatre, its past winners include Dames Helen Mirren and Judi Dench, Benedict Cumberbatch, Kevin Spacey, and Jonathan Pryce, who created Briones' role in 1989.

Thank you for the love, friends! We're very excited @MissSaigonUK for the nominations! See you at our proud little show! We love you!

— Jon Jon Briones (@JonJonBriones) March 9, 2015

Oh my goodness, @JonJonBriones!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OH MY GOODNESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! #OlivierAwards #BestActorInAMusical

— Lea Salonga (@MsLeaSalonga) March 9, 2015

Earlier, Briones was named Best Actor in a Musical at the 2015 WhatsOnStage Awards, where his fellow Filipinos in the cast, Rachelle Ann Go and Eva Noblezada, bagged the Best Supporting Actress and Best Actress awards, respectively. — RSJ, GMA News

Tags: jonjonbriones, misssaigon