“June 8th, 2025, New York City: It was the night of the Tony Awards, & actor
@francisjueactor —a Broadway, television, & film veteran of nearly four decades—was nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play for Yellow Face,
@thedavidhenryhwang ’s satire of the long-standing practice of casting white actors in yellowface to play Asian characters.”
“I’ve known Francis since 1988, when he appeared as one of the stagehands in M. Butterfly on Broadway. (He later stepped into the touring production as the play’s cross-dressing lead.) From there, our paths crossed intermittently over the years—emails & quick hellos at stage doors whenever we were in the same town: Pacific Overtures in New York, Soft Power in Los Angeles. Some of his numerous film & television credits include Good Sex, Our Son, White Noise, Joyful Noise, Madam Secretary, New Amsterdam, & Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Francis told me recently, “I’ve always been motivated to show that an out Asian American person can tell universal human stories.” Indeed, he’s currently appearing as Cléante
@nytw79 ’s production of Tartuffe.”
“The 2025 production of Yellow Face was itself a revival. Francis had first earned both an
@obieawards & a
@lortelawards for the play’s 2008
@publictheaterny production. By the time the 2025
@thetonyawards rolled around, he had already won the
@outercriticscircle Award for his scene-stealing performance. When Francis’ name was called, I raised my iPhone & snapped this photo of him on stage, capturing the moment the honor became real. But it was what he said next that made the evening momentous. Addressing the audience, Francis offered words that reached well beyond the theater: “To those who are being targeted in these authoritarian times, I see you. At its best, this community sees you. And I hope that encourages you to be brave, to dream, & to dream big.”
Francis Jue’s Tony Award win for Yellow Face is
@theacademy Award-nominated filmmaker
@arthurdongfilm ’s LGBTQ+ highlight of the year. Read this & more selections at TheQueerReview.com.
📸 Arthur Dong / DeepFocus Productions
#francisjue #tonyawards #broadway #thequeerreview #thequeerreview2025
