Helen Mirren and Bradley Cooper land Drama Desk Award nods

DAME HELEN MIRREN and BRADLEY COOPER have landed lead acting nominations for the upcoming 2015 Drama Desk Awards, thanks to their triumphant turns on Broadway.
Mirren’s latest portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in The Audience has earned her a nod in the Outstanding Actress in a Play category, going up against the likes of fellow Brit Carey Mulligan (Skylight) and Tonya Pinkins (Rasheeda Speaking), while Cooper, who recently ended his run in The Elephant Man, will vie for the Outstanding Actor in a Play title with Bill Pullman (Sticks and Bones) and newcomer Alexander Sharp (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time).
Meanwhile, critical darling Hamilton, which has enjoyed a string of sold-out performances since opening Off-Broadway in February (15), received the most nominations of any production, with 13. It’s haul includes Outstanding Musical, Outstanding Director and four separate nods for star/creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, who is up for Outstanding Actor in a Musical, Outstanding Music, Outstanding Lyrics, and Outstanding Book of a Musical.
The stage adaptation of Gene Kelly’s film An American in Paris follows close behind with 12 nominations.
Hosted by Tony Awards winner Laura Benanti, The 60th Annual Drama Desk Awards, which honour the best of Broadway and off-Broadway talent, will be handed out on 31 May (15).
Meanwhile, Mirren and Cooper will also vie for the New York Drama League’s prestigious Distinguished Performance award at an awards gala on 15 May (15).