Danny Burstein reflects on losing wife Rebecca Luker and how she inspires his Gypsy performance
The actor earned a record-tying eighth Tony Award nomination for his role in the musical, which he stars in alongside Audra McDonald
In a candid chat, Burstein opens up to PEOPLE about grief, love and why Gypsy “has been the greatest gift to me”
Danny Burstein stands center stage on Broadway, entertaining audiences eight shows a week alongside Audra McDonald in George C. Wolfe’s acclaimed revival of Gypsy
But inside the Tony winner’s heart, the spotlight remains on his late wife Rebecca Luker — whose spirit, nearly five years after her death, still lingers with him.
“It was a better world with Rebecca Luker in it, and I miss her terribly to this day,” Burstein tells PEOPLE, at the 2025 Tony Awards’ ‘Meet the Nominees’ junket on Thursday, May 8. “But at the same time, she inspires me to continue on.”
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Luker — a three-time Tony nominee known for her crystalline soprano and celebrated roles in The Music Man, Show Boat and Mary Poppins — died in December 2020 at the age of 59 following a battle with ALS. She and Burstein were married for more than 20 years.
It’s not just Burstein who has kept Luker’s memory alive. A fixture of the Broadway community, she’s beloved by actors, creatives and critics alike. “She genuinely made people feel loved. That was her gift,” Burstein says. “Her legacy is strong and a lot of people think about her and talk about her and are inspired by her to this day.”
“That means the world to me,” he adds. ” It means more to me than I could ever say.”
Stephanie Augello/Variety via Getty
Danny Burstein at the 2025 Tony Awards’ ‘Meet the Nominees’ junket on May 8, 2025 in New York City
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Burstein is currently nominated for his eighth Tony — a feat that ties him in the record books with Jason Robards Jr. for most nominations by a male performer. Coincidentally, his Gypsy costar McDonald nabbed the record this year for most nominations by a female performer, with eleven.
“Honestly, there’s nothing bad about being nominated for a Tony Award,” Burstein, who won in 2020 for Moulin Rouge! The Musical, tells PEOPLE. “The whole process is fun. Just getting this wonderful pat on the back from your peers is a great honor. And then you get to go to the Tony Awards and you sit there and you’re dressed up and people are taking pictures of you and telling you how incredible you are. So there’s nothing bad about any of it — win or lose, honestly, it’s okay whatever happens.”
Julieta Cervantes
Danny Burstein, Joy Woods and Audra McDonald in ‘Gypsy’ on Broadway
He’s also having fun in Gypsy playing Herbie, the agent who reluctantly comes out of retirement to help McDonald’s Rose land her daughters’ Vaudeville act on the Orpheum Circuit.
“I love Herbie. I love his story,” Burstein says. “I love how he falls in love with Rose, and how head-over-heels he is in love with her. That is the easiest part of my job, falling in love with Audra McDonald over and over again. She’s been a dear friend for 30 years and I marvel at her performance every single night.”
The hardest part? Leaving her at the end.
“That was a real challenge for me to figure out and make as honest as possible,” the actor explains. “We’ve been running the show for about five, six months now, and still, going there every single night is not easy.”
Marc J. Franklin
Danny Burstein in a promo shot for his role in ‘Gypsy’ on Broadway
Gypsy is widely considered to be the greatest musical of all time. Inspired by the 1957 memoirs of legendary burlesque entertainer Gypsy Rose Lee, the enduring musical has a masterful book by Arthur Laurents that’s rich in character development and captivating dramatic structure. That’s all seamlessly integrated into a score by Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim filled with show tune staples like “Everything’s Coming Up Roses,” “You Gotta Get a Gimmick,” “Together, Wherever We Go” and “Rose’s Turn.”
Wolfe’s production breaks new ground. The director casts Black actresses in the trio of roles at the center of the story of the story: Mama Rose (McDonald), her daughter Baby June (Jordan Tyson) and her sister Louise (Joy Woods).
“I’m just so damn honored to be a part of it,” Burstein says. “Years ago, Stephen Sondheim told me, ‘Well, it doesn’t get much better than Gypsy.’ And this particular production… has been the greatest gift to me.”
Tickets for Gypsy are now on sale. The 2025 Tony Awards air live from Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, June 8 on CBS.
Read the original article on People
