New Oscar Winner Mark Rylance Wakes Up to an Olivier Award Nomination

Nominations for the 2016 Olivier Awards, one of the UK’s theater's highest honors, were announced today by past winners Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton at Rosewood London, kicking off a celebration that will culminate in an awards-show event on April 3 at the Royal Opera House. The Olivier Awards celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.

The Best Actor and Best Actress categories are packed with notable nominees, including Benedict Cumberbatch (for Hamlet at the Barbican) and current Nice Fish star and fresh Oscar winner Mark Rylance (for Farinelli and the King at Duke of York's Theatre), as well as 2003 Oscar winner Nicole Kidman (for Photograph 51 at Noël Coward Theatre). In addition, Dame Judi Dench has earned her 15th Olivier Award nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for The Winter's Tale, having previously won six awards and one special award, the most of any performer.

The Chichester Festival Theatre’s production of Gypsy and Kinky Boots lead the musical categories with eight and seven nominations respectively. Gypsy's many nominations included several acting nods, including a recognition for West End favorite Imelda Staunton, who received her 11th Olivier nomination for her performance as Momma Rose. Her costars Dan Burton and Peter Davison were also nominated, as Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical, with Lara Pulver was nominated as Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical. Nominations in the Best New Musical category also feature King's Cross Theatre's production of In the Heights, the Tony-winning musical by Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda.

For a complete list of 2015 Olivier Award nominees, visit WhatsOnStage.com.