Michael Paulson, Jolie Ruben and Joshua Barone

Adam Driver, nominated for best actor for his role in the play “Burn This,” offered this: “We’re asking 900 people to stop what they’re doing for two hours, and we’re given this opportunity to grab their attention. It had better be worth it.”

Fionnula Flanagan, nominated for best actress for her role in the play “The Ferryman,” said: “I think we go to the theater to have our hearts broken. Because it’s the only real evidence we have that we’re human. Once your heart is broken, you’re home free.”

This article originally appeared in <a id="ba83ea33-d9c7-35dd-a5dc-2efcdb84113a" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/08/theater/tony-awards-nominations-portraits.html">The New York Times</a>.

NEW YORK — A day after receiving word of their Tony nominations last week, actors gathered to discuss the honor with journalists. We captured their smiles, or, in some cases, soulful looks. And we asked them to share their thoughts on why they act, what they’ve learned and what they’ll remember.

Portraits of this year's Tony nominees

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Michael Paulson, Jolie Ruben and Joshua Barone

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Portraits of this year's Tony nominees