During the 2023 Tony Awards on CBS, actress Denée Benton made a surprising statement while presenting the Excellence in Theatre Education Award from Carnegie Mellon University.
As she took the stage, Benton, known for her roles in Broadway productions like Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, Hamilton, and Into the Woods, as well as TV shows like UnReal and The Gilded Age, decided to take a shot at Florida Governor and 2024 presidential candidate Ron DeSantis.
She compared him to a Ku Klux Klan leader, causing gasps from the audience.
Benton began her speech by introducing herself as an actor and proud CMU alum. She then proceeded to address the award presentation, stating that CMU and the Tony Awards were honoring the recipient of the Excellence in Theatre Education Award.
However, she made a provocative remark about Governor DeSantis, referring to him as the "current Grand Wizard" before correcting herself and expressing her belief that he would be changing the name of a town in Florida.
Benton went on to announce that the award was given to Jason Zembuch Young, a teacher at South Plantation High School in Plantation, Florida, who had made a significant impact on the lives of students.
The audience reacted with surprise and applause, while Governor DeSantis did not immediately respond to Benton's comments on social media.