Tony Awards: Scarlett Johansson and Catherine Zeta-Jones shimmer in floor-length gowns as they collect coveted gongs

and Catherine Zeta-Jones went head-to-head on the red carpet of the Tony Awards in New York last night.
Johansson, who won an award for her Broadway debut in the Arthur Miller play A View From A Bridge, showed off her stunning figure in a emerald green Elie Saab gown and backcombed bouffant-style updo.
Welsh star Zeta-Jones, who found out this weekend she was becoming a CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours list, moved past her recent fashion disasters with a chic strapless baby blue Versace gown.

Which way to the emerald city? Nominee  looked stunning in an emerald green floor-length gown as she arrived at the Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall in New York last night

While Zeta-Jones arrived with husband Michael Douglas, notoriously-private Johansson declined to pose with actor husband Ryan Reynolds on the red carpet, who was spotted arriving separately 10 minutes later.
Accepting her trophy for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play for A View From A Bridge from Katie Holmes - who made a bad fashion choice with her shapeless Giorgio Armani Prive silk chiffon dress - and Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe, the emotional star said: 'Ever since I was a little girl I've wanted to be on Broadway...'
The 25-year-old thanked her husband during her speech: 'To my Canadian, whom I live with, Ryan thank you for becoming a theatre widower with me.'

Rhapsody in baby blue: Catherine Zeta-Jones looked chic in a strapless Versace gown

Catherine Zeta Jones let the world know of her love for husband Michael Douglas when she won the award for best actress in a musical.
The star looked dumbfounded when she heard her name because she knew she had not been the front-runner to win.
She swept onto the stage and wondered aloud how Cinderella 'does it in this dress'.

Little and large: Actress Katie Holmes towers over Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe as they present the award for Featured Actress in a Play to Scarlett Johansson for her role in A View From The Bridge.

She said she was losing her voice but nevertheless went on to thank her leading man Alexander Hanson, director Trevor Nunn and the 'delicious and wonderful Angela Lansbury', and revealed that her parents were in attendance.
Then she pointed to husband Michael Douglas and declared ,'See that man there? He's a movie star and I get to sleep with him every night', as the 3,000 plus crowd at the Radio City Music Hall roared their approval.
Later, backstage the actress blushed and said: 'I can't believe I said something like that. Just can't believe I said something as crass as that.'

Theatre veterans: Dame Helen Mirren (left) in a daring off-the-shoulder navy dress, while Angela Lansbury - Zeta-Jones co-star in A Little Night Music - matched the red carpet with her colourful gown

Then she threw her head back, laughed, and added: 'Boy, I could have said something worse and then I'd really be in trouble.Mind you, the problem with saying that I get to sleep with Michael every night is that it was done on television and it's on tape forever'.

She admitted she was having trouble taking it all in and said: 'I'm in a state of shock to be totally honest with you.I can't believe I won the Tony Award. I couldn't believe I'd been nominated with a group of such great actresses'.
Zeta Jones then clutched her Tony trophy tighter and joked: 'I'm wearing Versace and a Tony right here', as she cradled it to her breasts.

Date night: Naomi Watts looked chic in a nude floor-length gown as she arrived with partner, Best Actor in Play nominee Liev Schreiber (left) while Melanie Griffith and Antonio Banderas matched in black

Other early winners included British playwright Alan Ayckbourn with a Lifetime Achievement Special Tony Award. His 74th play is set to open this summer.
British director Terry Johnson won best musical director Tony for his work on musical La Cage Aux Folles, which started life at the tiny Menier Chocolate Factory Theatre near London Bridge. The show moved into the West End and then transferred to Broadway in the Spring.
Johnson faced formidable competition and was not seen as the front runner to win the Tony, hence his droll comment during his acceptance speech.

Leading men and their ladies in red: Will Smith and wife Jada Pinkett Smith (left) and former Frasier star Kelsey Grammer and wife Camille

He said: 'I'd like to thank my fellow nominees because without whom I'd have written a speech'.
Former Frasier actor David Hyde Pierce was also the recipient of a special award for his charity work.
The actor flew into the Big Apple from London, where he is currently rehearsing the forthcoming West End production of La Bete.
The show was opened by rock group Green Day, who recently became acquainted on Broadway due to a musical called American Idiot, based on their 2004 album of the same name.

Glee-ding ladies: Lea Michele, who plays Rachel Berry in Glee, performs Don't Rain On My Parade, while her Glee-co-star Kristin Chenoweth also entertained the audience

Another one of the night's musical highlights came when Lea Michele the leading lady of TV show Glee walked through the auditorium singing Don't Rain on My Parade from the musical Funny Girl, a number first made famous by Barbra Streisand in the 1964 stage musical and the 1968 film.
She and Matthew Morrison, who plays teacher Will Schuster in Glee - and who said later that he was heading to London to record a solo album - had the audience cheering them to the rafters.
Making a date night out of the ceremony was Melanie Griffith, who wore a black cocktail dress and a handsome accessory in the form of her husband Antonio Banderas.

Broadway boys: Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe, who makes his New York stage debut next spring, and Glee star Matthew Morrison, looked smart on the red carpet

Nominee Denzel Washington skipped the carpet altogether and he and his wife ran from their limo straight into the Radio City Music Hall. He did, however, find two seconds to make a peace sign to the Daily Mail reporter.
British-Australian actress Naomi Watts was a late arrival as she and partner Liev Schreiber dashed into the ceremony.
Schreiber was up for Best Performance by a Leading Man in a play for his role in A View From A Bridge alongside Johansson.
Sex And The City heart-throb Chris Noth, otherwise known as Mr Big, got one of the biggest cheers of the night from the soaked crowd that lined 50th Street opposite Radio City Music Hall.

Feminine frills: Former American Idol judge in a peach mermaid dress (left), while Lucy Liu looked stunning in a strapless baby pink creation

Down the Great White Way: (L-R) Best Actress nominee Laura Linney in a blue mini, former Destiny's Child singer Michelle Williams in a Gothic asymmetrical number and Best Actress in a Musical nominee Christiane Noll in maroon

Latin singer Ricky Martin, who 'came out' as gay three months ago, also drew plenty of cheers as he walked up the soggy carpet.
The 38-year-old has agreed to play Che in the musical Evita on Broadway in a couple of seasons time.
Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe apologised for the downpour that drenched the red carpet for the Tony Awards.
He laughed as he quipped: 'Ah, the rain.I'm sorry for it but I promise you I didn't bring it over with me from England'.

Glee all round: Glee star Lea Michele, a well-known star on Broadway, was joined by theatre veteran Idina Menzel, who cameoed in the TV show as the long-lost mother of Michele's character Rachel Berry

Variety is the spice of life: (L-R) Actress Kerry Washington went for a draped Grecian style, Kristin Chenoweth went for a white bejewelled mini, while Aretha Franklin wore a sparkly bronze number

He explained how he had been 'singing and dancing day in and day out' in preparation for his musical theatre debut on Broadway in the show How to Succeed in Business Without Even Trying.
The musical opens next Spring and is his first major assignment after completing the last of the Harry Potter films.
While the stars braved the downpour to see who had won, one nominee stayed away this year.
Jude Law sent word that due to 'family holiday commitments' he wouldn't be at the ceremony, despite being nominated for Best Performance By a Leading Actor In A Play for Hamlet.

Eye-catching: (L-R) Broadway star Laura Bell Bundy shimmered in a gold, Best Actress nominee Viola Davis in a satin lime halterneck and former Sopranos actress Jamie-Lynn Sigler in a tie-dyed maxi dress

Suited and booted: (L-R) Johansson's husband Ryan Reynolds, Christopher Walken and Ricky Martin

The winners include...

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play: Denzel Washington, Fences.
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play: Viola Davis, Fences.
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical: Douglas Hodge, La Cage aux Folles.
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical: Catherine Zeta-Jones, A Little Night Music.
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play: Scarlett Johansson - A View From A Bridge
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play: Eddie Redmayne - Red
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical:  Levi Kreis, Million Dollar Quartet.
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical: Katie Finneran, Promises, Promises.
Best Play: Red
Best Direction Of A Play: Michael Grandage - Red
Best Musical: Memphis
Best Direction Of A Musical: Terry Johnson - La Cage Aux Folles
Best Book of a Musical: Memphis
Best Revival of a Musical: La Cage aux Folles
Best Choreography: Bill T. Jones, Fela!
Best Original Score (Music and/or lyrics) Written for the Theatre: Memphis
Best Orchestrations: Daryl Waters and David Bryan - Memphis
Best Revival of a Play: Fences
Best Scenic Design Of A Play: Christopher Oram - Red
Special Tony Award for Lifetime of Achievement in the theatre: Alan Ayckbourn and Marian Seldes
Regional Theatre Award: The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, Waterford, Connecticut
Isabelle Stevenson Award: David Hyde Pierce
Tony Honours for Excellence in the Theatre: B.H. Barry and Tim Viola