"She wants us both to lose!" Darren Criss jokes about what Lea Michele thinks of him competing with Jonathan Groff for a Tony

Glee alum Darren Criss and Jonathan Groff have both scored nominations for the "Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical" category at the 78th Tony Awards, set to take place on June 8, 2025.

Both actors are off-screen buddies and are up against each other in the same category for their performance in Maybe Happy Ending and Just In Time, respectively. Just to avoid confusion, it is Darren Criss who performed in Maybe Happy Ending, which is originally a South Korean musical by Hue Park and Will Aaronson.

The Tony Award-nominated actor, Darren Criss, in Maybe Happy Ending, played the role of a robot named Oliver, along with Helen J Shen. Darren Criss' musical explores themes such as love, companionship, and finding a place in the world.

The 38-year-old Darren Criss, who previously won a Primetime Emmy and a Golden Globe for his exceptional performances Andrew Cunanan in The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, has been making headlines with his signature humor ahead of the 2025 Tony Awards. In a recent interview with Parade, he was asked about Glee and close friend, Lea Michele, might think of him competing with the Mindhunter star, Jonathan Groff for the award.

Friends with both Darren Criss and Groff, songwriter and Scream Queens actress Lea Michele, probably has had a tough time wondering whom to root for as the Tonys are just around the corner. During a recent conversation with Parade, Darren Criss was asked about what Michele might be thinking as the Tonys are close. Criss replied jokingly:

"She wants us both to lose! That's what I heard. She has it out for us — always has!"

He further added, this time "on a serious note", he said:

"Oh gosh, I don't think I can answer that. I tell you what, whatever the right answer is, that's what I'm saying. It doesn't matter what I say. People are gonna believe what they want to believe."

The Tony Awards ceremony is taking place on June 8, 2025, at Radio City Hall, New York City. However, both Darren Criss and Jonathan Groff are a part of Parade's exclusive cover story as it celebrates Broadway's big year.

Darren Criss talks about their group chat for Glee cast members

Darren Criss, who considers Jonathan Groff a good friend, claimed that he has nothing but love for him. Interestingly, he went ahead and talked about a group chat that they are part of, which is only for Glee alums. Criss said:

"We got a whole group thread going, man. It’s the nice thing about working on Broadway. We’re all on the same campus. We’re all within several blocks of each other. We all know each other. We all know each other’s work. We’ve all, you know, been in rooms together before. We’re not all separated. There’s a real fraternity there, and that’s not just some canned line. It’s true. We’re all working [in the] same village. It’s such a fun, amazing thing. We all grew up loving this so much. The fact that we get to do it is already such a huge ‘W,’ so getting to be in a category together for a fancy party is just a fun little bonus."

Darren Criss is not just a talented actor but is also a singer-songwriter. While being in a good place career-wise, he opened up about the difficult times he faced in the entertainment industry, stating:

"As somebody who has a very young family, I'm finding myself pushing through all the time, like right now. I'm sort of hanging on (by) a thread with sleep."

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The Royalties actor added further:

"I'm very happy to be here. I believe in discipline and staying the course."

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