AKRON, Ohio — An Akron man who is three-quarters of the way to an EGOT after the 2025 award season won his second Tony last night.
Earlier this year, Paul Tazewell became the first Black man to win an Oscar for Costume Design for the blockbuster film "Wicked."
RELATED: Akron Buchtel grad Paul Tazewell makes history at the Oscars
On Sunday night, he learned he won a Tony for his costume design in the musical "Death Becomes Her." During his speech, Tazewell said he never could have predicted this.
"The Black, queer, little boy, in Akron, Ohio, had no idea that in 2025, he would have the year that he had," Tazewell said in his acceptance speech.
Tazewell previously won a Tony Award for his costume designs in Hamilton.
He won an Emmy the same year for "The Wiz Live!" on NBC.
Tazewell graduated from Buchtel High School in 1982. During his time there, he was part of the school's production of The Wiz.
LaCresia Denson, the current Buchtel principal, said Tazewell inspires students.
"To have students who can look up to an African American male or female and say that can be my inspiration is amazing," Denson said.
Dee Dee Jacobs Moses, an incoming Buchtel freshman, said seeing someone from her hometown make it big helps her dream big.
"It showed what you can do as a young person, how you could turn into something great and big," she said.
What's an EGOT?
An EGOT is an individual who has won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony Award. Only 21 people have ever won an EGOT.
