"We have so many plays that come to New York from London that I felt well, it can’t possibly work the other way around. But it did and it’s fantastic."
Bruce Norris

"It’s wonderful to have won, but in some ways you have to just assume that it’s lovely to be nominated. To actually win is overwhelming."
Nancy Carroll

"Olivier is somebody I owe so much, my career owes so much to. His generosity, his faith in me. So to win an award in his name is very special"
Derek Jacobi

"It means everything to win an Olivier Award. You certainly don’t go into this for the recognition, but it sure feels lovely when you get it. "
Michelle Terry

"It’s an absolute thrill, particularly looking at the list of people who’ve been given it before, beginning with Olivier and then Gielgud and Richardson and Judi Dench and all those actors I’ve so admired"
Sir Ian McKellen

"I can’t believe I’ve won a Laurence Olivier Award. I feel like I’m completely blagging it and this man never did."
Sheridan Smith

"That’s the highpoint of my life, I’ll look back on this night and think it was downhill from there"
Rupert Goold

"I used to watch the Oliviers on TV as a kid and dream of winning one of these. I’m so pleased they are televising it again this year because that’s the way you inspire the next generation."
Neil Austin

“I’ve been nominated a few times and the fact that I never won until now I always thought was Larry’s revenge.”
Maggie Smith

"Just to have the nomination is amazing because I never believed that I would be in this situation"
Sarah Lancashire

"It’s the most exciting awards event that we have in this country really. It’s the Laurence Olivier Awards; they’re very very precious to us, as he was."
Janie Dee

"I can remember watching the Oliviers when I was 11 or 12... it’s always been THE theatre awards. To be part of it for a year is fantastic."
Nigel Harman

"When I got the phone call – I was actually halfway up Mount Everest when I got the call from my agent saying that I’d been nominated – I was literally jumping up and down."
Oliver Chris

"It’s a wonderful recognition of the industry and the work that we do and I’m very honoured and very proud to be a part of it and recognised in that way."
Sharon D Clarke