British actor Jak Malone spoke about his awards and recognition for playing Hester Leggett in “Operation Mincemeat” on Broadway.
Malone on his Tony recognition
Malone won the 2025 Tony Award for “Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical.”
On his Tony nomination recognition, Malone remarked, “It feels wonderful to be nominated for a Tony. We were in England four months ago, thinking what people would think of the show or our performances.”
“The fact that the Broadway community has taken to what we were doing and is enjoying it, and is throwing nominations our way is really, really sweet. This is more than we feel we deserve,” Malone added.
Lessons learned from playing Hester Leggett in ‘Operation Mincemeat’
On the lessons learned from this role, Malone said, “This role taught me not to write people off. If somebody is closed or guarded or not much fun, give them a chance and try to talk to them about the right thing because everybody has passions and things they enjoy.”
“Everybody is fun in some ways, so give people a chance and get to know them. Don’t judge a book,” he noted.
“At its core, it’s a story about a group of individuals,” Malone said. “I don’t know if I can call them outsiders but they are individual thinkers, and they were somehow forged together to put on this mission to do what is truly unthinkable, and I can relate to that because I started my career in fringe theatre,” he explained.
“So, I can really relate to the idea that a group of individuals thinkers can come up with a cool product at the end of it, or we can do something that changes minds and hearts. So, I see a lot of my own path in this story of ‘Operation Mincemeat’,” he elaborated.
Advice for young and emerging performers
For young and aspiring performers, Malone said, “Find something you love just as much as performing that is entirely yours such as knitting or collecting stickers.”
“You have to really love it and it has to be something that you have complete ownership over because performing is hard, and you don’t have a lot of control,” he noted.
“If you have something that brings you great joy and is entirely yours, then you’ll make it through and you’ll be fine,” he added.
Malone talks about his 2025 Drama Desk Award win
Malone shared the 2025 “Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical” Drama Desk award with fellow actors Michael Urie and Brooks Ashmanskas.
“It was absolutely wonderful, especially because I got to win with Brooks Ashmanskas and Michael Urie,” Malone said. “Brooks is my new favorite person. I am so obsessed with him; there is no funnier person on Broadway than him. I love that man so much; it is such a joy.”
Malone on his 2025 Theatre World Award win
On winning the 2025 Theatre World Award, Malone said, “This is really, really beautiful. I am so honored to be here and to make my Broadway debut, and for them to honor me like this, and to even think of me amongst all these wonderful people is a real gift and I cherish it. I really do.”
Success
Regarding his definition of success, Malone said, “Success, to me, means having lots of ‘pinch me’ moments, which I’ve been very blessed with this Broadway season.”
“I am constantly meeting so many of my heroes and that is really rare. So, I am feeling like a success because I am surrounded by successful people,” Malone concluded.
To learn more about Tony winner Jak Malone, follow him on Instagram.
