Nina Arianda won the Tony Award for lead actress in a play for her provocatively sexual performance in the two-hander play "Venus in Fur" by David Ives.
"Venus in Fur," adapted from the Leopold von Sacher-Masoch novella, first ran at the Classic Stage Company in New York before transferring to Broadway. The Broadway production co-stars Hugh Dancy while the Classic Stage version featured Wes Bentley.
Arianda won over Tracie Bennett for "End of the Rainbow." The other nominees in the category are all previous Tony winners -- Stockard Channing in "Other Desert Cities," Linda Lavin in "The Lyons" and Cynthia Nixon in "Wit."
TONYS 2012: Red carpet | Winners & Nominees
Arianda had a supporting role in the Woody Allen movie "Midnight in Paris." Her acceptance speech on Sunday was one of the more effusive of the evening, with Arianda gushing over presenter Christopher Plummer.
Last year's winner in the category was Frances McDormand for "Good People."
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