Nicole Scherzinger wins first Tony Award for lead actress

Nicole Scherzinger, who was born on Oʻahu won her first Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical for her star role in "Sunset Blvd."

“I think I just want to go home and cry for a very long time,” she told the Tony Awards’ first impressions camera, which catches winners right as they exit the stage. “I canʻt believe I won a Tony.”

Scherzinger was born in Honolulu and raised in Louisville, Kentucky. She is also the voice of Moana’s mother, Sina, in the Disney films.

In her acceptance speech, she broke down in tears.

“First of all, I just have to thank God for carrying me every step of the way,” she told the audience. “I want to thank all of you all so much for making this little Hawaiian Ukrainian Filipino girl’s dream come true. So proud to represent.”

She also thanked her mom, who had her at 18 years old, along with her father, sister and “my ʻohana — all 5,000 of you — you know that I love you,” she said.

“Growing up, I always felt like I didn’t belong,” she said in her acceptance speech. “But you all have made me feel like I belong.”

Watch her speech.

Katie Helland can be reached at katie@alohastatedaily.com.