Fina Strazza's 2025 Tony Awards Getting Ready Diary With Cosmo
At just 19 years old, Fina Strazza is having the kind of moment most actors only dream about. Currently captivating audiences eight times a week in John Proctor Is the Villain, Fina's searing performance as Beth Powell landed her a Tony nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Play, cementing her status as one of Broadway's brightest new stars.
But theater insiders have had their eyes on her for a while. The provocative, modern coming-of-age play has racked up praise across the board—earning seven Tony nominations, along with nods from the Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Drama League Awards. And not that we're keeping count (we are), but Fina also picked up a Dorian Theater Award win for Outstanding Featured Performance in a Broadway Play.
Broadway is buzzing about Fina, but so is the silver screen. Most recently, she made waves as Tiffany Falconer in Fear Street: Prom Queen, a chilling addition to the cult-favorite horror franchise on Netflix. She also led Amazon Prime's time-traveling teen saga Paper Girls as KJ Brandman, instantly becoming a fan favorite.
If it seems like she was born to be on stage, it's because she practically was. Fina made her Broadway debut at the age of 8, stepping into the iconic title role in Matilda the Musical. Whether she's battling monsters, time-hopping through alternate realities, or tearing up the stage with raw, emotional firepower, one thing is clear: Fina Strazza isn't just one to watch—she's one to remember.
We caught up with the actor as she got ready at the Mandarin Oriental for her first-ever Tony Awards.
It's a lot. But before I answer that, though, I'd like to first confirm with everyone in this room that I have indeed remained grounded. *laughs* I was just having this conversation with my mom the other day. How I feel like I'm in this dream world right now where I'm not in charge of what's happening to me and everything is so much bigger than me. It's almost like I can't possibly even claim these fortunes in a way. You know?
I am, I am. *laughs* I mean, it's not like I don't think I deserve them or something. It just feels like I've been given these gifts, and I don't take that for granted. Everything I'm getting to do is so fun. It's like being on a playground. If you're on a playground, you don't act highfalutin and better than everyone else.
I'm just playing! All the time. And I love it.
Well, it was a little delayed, because I was trying to watch the broadcast, but something was going on with my WiFi. And my computer kept stalling. My category hadn't even come up on my screen yet, but my phone just started blowing up. I got a ton of calls all at once. I picked up my mom's call and she yelled that I was nominated. It immediately felt like the world rushed past me. All in one second. I just kept repeating, 'Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god.' Nothing else was coming to mind and nothing else would come out of my mouth. That's just kind of where I was for the rest of the day.
None! I haven't had the time. Well, Eureka Day and English closed before my show opened so I didn't get to see either of those. I know that Purpose has a Sunday evening show, which I've been meaning to catch. But I've been able to get to know some of my fellow nominees a little bit through all the Tonys press, and everyone is so grounded and welcoming. Tala and Sanaz invited me over to teach me how to do a proper curly hair routine and get chicken and rice bowls uptown.
I saw Oh, Mary! and I am obsessed. Loved it. So funny, so fun. And I saw Maybe Happy Ending when it was in a workshop years ago. I'm cheering them on. Not that I have favorites or anything, but I have friends in that show and I'd love to see them win something.
I first read this play when I was 17 for a workshop of it with Sadie [Sink] and the director Donna Taymor and the playwright Kimberly Belflower. I remember walking out of that presentation and feeling such electricity leaving the room. The performance was still vibrating in my body. The way Kimberly writes is so authentic and real, and it sets this blazing fire throughout the whole show that just doesn't go out until the blackout at the end. I felt how special it was in my bones. It was a feeling that stuck with me for two years, because I didn't hear anything after doing the reading.
So for two years, I thought about that show. Every single day. I would ask my team for constant updates. 'Is there anything new with John Proctor? Anything happening with John Proctor?' And the thing is, I've done tons of readings before so have kind of learned to not get attached to them. Especially as a child, because I'd grow out of the role before it got to production. But there was something about this show where I couldn't see a world in which I wasn't in it. I had to be in it. I can't explain it. Because I don't think Beth and I are super similar, but I do feel a kinship with her. There's a certain energy, you know? We understand each other.
No, no, no. *laughs* Tiffany and I are not connected. She was like playing my opposite, which was fun in a different way. I felt very free with Tiffany because I was able to be as absurd as I wanted. She's a whole different beast.
I feel like so often when you watch shows or any kind of media with teenagers, specifically high schoolers, whoever is the smartest one is usually the most unlikable. And it's like, why are these intelligent girls always these unlikable human beings? That's not the case in real life. At least I don't think so. I love that about this show. Beth is the person in the room with all the answers, but she also has the most questions. She's often the smartest person in the room, but she is so open to new ideas. She doesn't ever feel like she is done learning. She's intelligent but also very tenderhearted. I think that's very admirable.
Yes. We were just talking about this last night! We had this kind of pre Tony Awards seance and stayed in the theater very late last night to share our gratitude with one another and talk about the show. Our entire cast, including our understudies, consists of 15 people. Do you know how rare it is to find a group of 15 people where nobody is an issue and no one has a problem with anyone else? We joke that it's pretty boring sometimes because there's no one to gossip about, but it's really just a very supportive, loving environment where we all have a lot of respect for each other's tracks, which is so important in a show with such emotional weight. It can be very easy to walk off stage and keep yourself in that headspace. If we didn't have someone to lean on, it would be really hard. But luckily that's not the case. We have each other. And the second I walk off stage, I know there's someone there who I can laugh with. We'll be crying on stage one minute and then giggling about someone in the audience who had a weird laugh the next. I feel very lucky that we all enjoy one another. And the head of our social media, Austin Spero, is so great at capturing that. He's also open to any ideas we have. I love that he collaborates with us.
I still feel like I'm waiting for it to feel like I'm actually in the show. It all still feels so unreal in a way. I'm kind of waiting for it to kick in, which has me worried that I'm gonna leave the show still in this dream world. I want to make sure I lock in before it's over and feel truly grounded. Because we really have such a cool job. My costar Amalia Yoo reminded me of that the other night. She was washing her face and turned to me with her makeup still smudged on her face and was like, 'Our job is really, really cool.' And I was like, 'Yeah. It really is.'
I'm wearing Michael Fausto. He's a New York designer, which I love because I'm a born and raised New Yorker. I told my stylist, Sarah Slutsky, that I've always wanted to wear a ballgown. Tonight felt like the one night where I could get away with it without anyone thinking, Who does she think she is? I told Sarah I wanted to try and nod to the show in some way as well. So there is this slight Puritan aspect to the look where it feels like it could potentially be something in the realm of 1666. There's something a little bit vintage about it. It feels like an elevated version of what the girls wear at the end of the show.
I wanted the glam to be like this [Fina feigns an innocent doe-eyed expression caught between surprise and delight] *laughs* I don't know how to put that into words. But my hairstylist Corey Tuttle and makeup artist Amanda Thesen have figured it out.
We have the entire family in the room. My boyfriend and my mom and my dad and my sister are all coming. My mom is my official plus-one. Everyone else bought tickets. I haven't seen what my mom is wearing yet, but no one is coordinating. My boyfriend looks like a penguin though!
I'm excited to see Jonathan Groff again. I've really enjoyed talking to him through the season at all of our different events. I think Lizzy McAlpine might be at some parties later tonight, and I'm excited to see her again.
I've known Sadie for a long time because I was in Matilda with her brother when I was younger. She and her brother both have this incredible nonchalance about them, which helps me find my center. She's very like, 'Whatever happens, happens.'
Fated. It all feels like fate.
The Tony went to Kara Young for 'Purpose' in what ultimately felt like a wide-open category. Congratulations to Kara, Fina, and all the nominees!
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