Audra McDonald named 135th Rose Parade grand marshal

Editor’s note: This article has been updated to correct McDonald’s age.

Tony Award-winning actress and singer Audra McDonald has been named the grand marshal of the 2024 Rose Parade.

McDonald, 53, has won six Tony Awards, two Grammy Awards and an Emmy Award. The Fresno, California, native was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 2017.

“I am so grateful and my family is so grateful to be able to kick off 2024 in my home state underneath the California sunshine surrounded by flowers, football fans and music,” McDonald said at Friday morning’s introduction in Pasadena.

“Every January 1st, I would wake up early to watch the parade and the game with my family,” she recalled. “I always found the floats with their colors and flowers so magical as a kid, and I still do.”

The 135th Rose Parade, which airs on KTLA on Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, is themed “Celebrating a World of Music” – a theme McDonald says also exemplifies her life and career.

“Music is a universal language. It can lift us out of personal struggles and more importantly it helps us see the humanity in each other and ourselves,” she said.

In addition to serving as grand marshal of the Rose Parade, McDonald will also participate in the coin toss during the Rose Bowl game.

“I’m really hoping I get the coin toss right. I’m actually practicing because if anybody can mess up a coin toss, it’ll be me,” she joked.

Earlier in the week, the Tournament of Roses teased that this year’s grand marshal was “one award away from the coveted E.G.O.T. status.”

“EGOT” is an acronym for the Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Awards.

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