Audra McDonald Biography: Audra Ann McDonald born July 3, 1970 is an acclaimed American singer and actress, best known for her work on the Broadway stage. She holds the record for the most Tony Award wins by any performer, with six wins, and is the only actor to have won in all four acting categories. As of the 78th Tony Awards, McDonald has received a total of eleven nominations, the most for any performer. Beyond her six Tony Awards, she has also earned two Grammy Awards and an Emmy Award. In 2016, she was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Barack Obama, and in 2017, she was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame. McDonald’s versatile career spans musicals, operas, and dramas. Her Tony-winning performances include roles in Carousel (1994), Master Class (1996), Ragtime (1998), A Raisin in the Sun (2004).
Audra McDonald Biography
Audra McDonald was born Audra Ann McDonald on July 3, 1970, in Berlin, Germany. She is a renowned actress and singer, particularly celebrated for her numerous roles on Broadway. Her mother worked as a university administrator, and her father was a high school principal serving with the U.S. Army in West Berlin.
Audra McDonald Biography 2025 Details
| Born | July 3, 1970
West Berlin, West Germany
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| Education | Juilliard School (BM) |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1994–present |
| Spouses |
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| Children | 2 |
| Category | Singers Bio |
Audra McDonald Personal Life
Audra has a younger sister and was raised in Fresno, California. She graduated from Theodore Roosevelt High School before studying classical singing at Juilliard, graduating in 1993. she won her first Tony Award for her performance in Carousel. Audra released her debut solo album, Way Back to Paradise, in 1998. She earned her first Emmy nomination in 2001 for her role in the TV movie Wit. In 2006, she made her opera debut in the one-act La Voix humaine at Houston Grand Opera.
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About Audra McDonald
Audra Ann McDonald is an American singer and actress. Primarily known for her work on the Broadway stage, she has won six Tony Awards, more performance wins than any other actor, and is the only person to win in all four acting categories.
Audra McDonald Wiki
- Born: 3 July 1970 (age 54 years), West Berlin
- Spouse: Will Swenson (m. 2012), Peter Donovan (m. 2000–2009)
- Awards: Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical · See more
- Children: Zoe Madeline Donovan
- Parents: Anna McDonald, Stanley McDonald, Jr
- Education: The Juilliard School (1993), Roosevelt High School
Early Life and Education
Audra McDonald was born in West Berlin, West Germany, to American parents Anna Kathryn (Jones), a university administrator, and Stanley James McDonald Jr., a high school principal. At the time of her birth, her father was serving with the United States Army. She grew up in Fresno, California, her father’s hometown, as the eldest of two daughters. Her younger sister, Alison, is a television and film writer and director. Audra graduated from the Roosevelt School of the Arts program at Theodore Roosevelt High School in Fresno.
Her acting journey began with Dan Pessano and Roger Rocka’s Good Company Players, where she started in their junior company. Reflecting on her early experiences, Audra said she realized her passion for theater during her first performance with the Good Company Players Junior Company. She credits the biggest influences in her life to be Good Company director Dan Pessano and her mother. Audra went on to study classical voice at the Juilliard School under Ellen Faull, earning her degree in 1993.
Audra McDonald at a Glance
- Category: Richest Celebrities › Actors
- Net Worth: $8 Million
- Birthdate: July 3, 1970 (54 years old)
- Birthplace: Berlin
- Gender: Female
- Height: 5 ft 7 in (1.72 m)
- Profession: Singer, Actor
- Nationality: United States of America
Theatre Career
Audra McDonald made her Broadway debut in 1992 as a replacement in The Secret Garden. From 1994 to 1995, she portrayed Carrie Pipperidge in Carousel, winning her first Tony Award. She starred in Master Class (1995), Ragtime (1997), and Sweeney Todd (2000). She also performed as Deena Jones in a 2001 benefit concert of Dreamgirls. In 2004, she won her fourth Tony for A Raisin in the Sun, reprising the role in a 2008 ABC adaptation that earned her an Emmy nomination. She won additional Tonys for Porgy and Bess (2011) and Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill (2014). In 2019, she received a Tony nomination for Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune. Audra made her West End debut in 2017 at Wyndham’s Theatre reprising her role as Billie Holiday.
Film and Television Career
Audra’s first film appearance was in Seven Servants (1996). She appeared in films like The Object of My Affection (1998) and Cradle Will Rock (1999), and played Grace Farrell in a 1999 TV adaptation of Annie. She starred as Professor Carla Bonatelle in The Bedford Diaries (2006) and was a series regular on Private Practice (2007–2013). Other credits include It Runs in the Family (2003), Rampart (2011), and Ricki and the Flash (2015). She played Mother Abbess in NBC’s The Sound of Music Live! (2013), and Madame de Garderobe in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (2017). Since 2018, she has starred as Liz Lawrence-Reddick on The Good Fight. In 2021, she appeared in The Bite and portrayed Aretha Franklin’s mother in Respect. Audra has hosted PBS’s Live from Lincoln Center since 2012.
Personal Life
Audra married bassist Peter Donovan on September 10, 2000; they had a daughter, Zoe, born in 2001. The couple divorced in 2009. In 2012, she married actor Will Swenson, and their daughter Sadie was born in 2016. Audra is also stepmother to Will’s sons from a previous marriage. In 2014, she performed “Smile” at Joan Rivers’ funeral. In 2020, Audra co-founded Black Theatre United, supporting Black artists and communities in theater. She also participated in the bilingual children’s album Singing You Home (2018) to support families separated at the border. Audra serves on the board of Covenant House, a nonprofit aiding homeless youth, and received their Beacon of Hope Award in 2018.
Awards and Honors
Audra McDonald has been recognized extensively throughout her career. In 2012, she received the American Academy of Achievement’s Golden Plate Award. In 2016, President Barack Obama awarded her the National Medal of Arts. She has five Primetime Emmy nominations, winning Outstanding Special Class Program for Sweeney Todd in 2015. She won two Grammys for Best Opera Recording and Best Classical Album for Weill: Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny (2009), and was nominated for Best Musical Theater Album for Porgy and Bess (2013). Other honors include the Marion Dougherty New York Apple Award (2020), multiple Drama Desk Awards, Outer Critics Circle Awards, and Broadway.com Audience Awards. She received the Sarah Siddons Award in 2013 and won an Antonyo Award in 2020 for Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune.
What is Audra McDonald’s net worth 2025?
Audra McDonald is an American actress and singer with an estimated net worth of $8 million. She is considered one of the most celebrated theatre actresses ever, having won six Tony Awards and appeared in numerous Broadway productions, including Carousel (1994–1995), Ragtime (1998), A Raisin in the Sun (2004), and Porgy and Bess (2012). By age 28, she became the youngest person to win three Tonys and remains the only performer to win in all four acting categories.
FAQs
Where was Audra McDonald born?
Audra McDonald was born in West Berlin, West Germany.
What did Audra McDonald’s parents do for a living?
Her mother was a university administrator, and her father was a high school principal.
Where did Audra McDonald grow up?
She was raised in Fresno, California, her father’s hometown.
How did Audra McDonald get started in acting?
She began her acting career with the Good Company Players, starting in their junior company.
Who were the biggest influences on Audra McDonald’s life?
Audra credits Good Company director Dan Pessano and her mother as the most impactful figures in her life.
Where did Audra McDonald study classical voice?
She studied classical voice at the Juilliard School under Ellen Faull and graduated in 1993.