There are only a few Broadways shows in its historic history that have reached the towering heights Hamilton has seen. In fact, Hamilton's success around the world might truly be unprecedented. The multi-award-winning musical smash hit from Lin-Manuel Miranda is a highly-acclaimed, incredibly high-selling, Pulitzer Prize-winning musical smash. While the production has toured nationwide, people are finally able to get to a chance to see the musical for themselves now that Disney has released a filmed version of the original 2015-2016 Broadway production onto their streaming platform Disney+ on July 3, 2020.
Though in the years since this hit musical's original Broadway run, the show's talented original Broadway cast has moved on to several exciting projects. Let's take a look at what they've done since their final bow.
Lin-Manuel Miranda (Alexander Hamilton)
As the writer of the book, music and lyrics, as well as the title star, of Hamilton, this incredibly successful musical is undoubtedly Lin-Manuel Miranda's baby. Having previously won the Tony Award for Best Musical with In the Heights, Miranda was already one of the most promising young music talents on Broadway, but Hamilton proved to be an unbelievable triumph, propelling the actor/writer into worldwide stardom. Miranda holds a Pulitzer Prize, an Emmy Award, three Tonys, three Grammys, a MacArthur Fellowship, and a Kennedy Center Honor to his name. If he gets an Oscar (and he already has a nomination), he'll officially be an EGOT. That's undeniably impressive for the 40-year-old superstar, and he's continuing his ongoing career ascension. Since stepping away from performing Hamilton regularly on Broadway, Miranda has kept himself busy with a wide variety of new and exciting projects.
As an actor, Lin-Manuel Miranda starred in Mary Poppins Returns, for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe award, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Curb Your Enthusiasm (as a variation of himself), Speech & Debate, His Dark Materials, Fosse/Verdon (which he helped executive produce), BoJack Horseman, and DuckTales. He also made an uncredited cameo in last year's Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. He appeared as a guest and host on Saturday Night Live a couple times in the last few years. Additionally, Miranda provided music for 2016's Moana, for which he received his aforementioned Oscar nomination.
Miranda has also been working hard to provide relief for those suffering in Puerto Rico following the devastation of Hurricane Maria. In 2018, the performer did a three-week run of his award-winning show in Puerto Rico to provide relief funds. The engagement was sold out in a matter of hours.
Outside of his acting work, Lin-Manuel Miranda published Gmorning, Gnight!: Little Pep Talks For Me & You in 2018, featuring illustrations from Jonny Sun. Additionally, Miranda produced In the Heights, a movie adaptation of his musical of the same name, which was expected to be released this year, but was moved to June 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Miranda admits he's continuing to work on it. Additionally, Miranda will jump into the director's chair soon to make a Netflix adaptation of Jonathan Larson's autobiographical musical, Tick, Tick... Boom. He previously played the lead role when it appeared on stage.
Miranda will produce Disney's The Little Mermaid live-action remake, and he'll make new music with Alan Menken. He'll also executive produce and compose The Kingkiller Chronicle and will provide songs for Sony Pictures Animation's Vivo. He's also making a documentary with Norman Lear about actress Rita Moreno.
Phillipa Soo (Eliza Hamilton)
As Eliza Hamilton, Phillipa Soo played a prominent role as the female lead in Hamilton. She was nominated for Best Actress at the Tonys in 2016, and she continues to work hard on the stage and screen. As an actress, Soo starred in the CBS series, The Code, which aired for only one season. Shortly after Hamilton, Soo moved on to another Broadway production. Specifically, she appeared in Amelie, which played off and on Broadway in 2017, and The Parisian Woman, written by Beau Willimon (the creator of Netflix's House of Cards), which ran from 2017-2018. Recently, Soo appeared in Tumacho, which appeared for about a month off-broadway this year. She also provided voices for Moana and starred in Here and Now.
She'll next be seen in The Broken Heart Gallery. Soo also married actor Steven Pasquale (Rescue Me) in 2017.
Leslie Odom Jr. (Aaron Burr)
As Aaron Burr, the former Vice President who'd fatefully kill Alexander Hamilton (spoilers for those who fell asleep in history class!), Leslie Odom Jr. played a pivotal role in Hamilton. Sure enough, the accomplished theater actor found more fame since Hamilton's enormous success. He won Grammy and Tony Awards for his work in the sensational musical, and he's appeared in a number of movies and TV shows following his Broadway run, including The Good Wife, One Dollar, and Murder on the Orient Express. Most recently, Odom Jr. played another famous historical figure, William Still, in last year's Harriet, and he played a role in the post-apocalyptic romance movie, Only. As a musician, Odom Jr. released his second album in late 2016 with Simply Christmas. Also, this past November, he released his third album, titled Mr.
As a musician, Leslie Odom Jr. sang "America the Beautiful" during 2018's Super Bowl LII. In 2018, Odom Jr. released his first book, titled Failing Up: How to Take Risks, Aim Higher, and Never Stop Learning. He also became a father with the birth of his daughter, Lucille Ruby, in 2017.
As an actor, Odom Jr. will star in The Many Saints of Newark, Regina King's One Night in Miami, Sia's Music, and Needle in the Timestack. Odom Jr. also lends his voice to the AppleTV animated series, Central Park, and he starred in a comedy pilot alongside Kerry Washington.
Renée Elise Goldsberry (Angelica Schuyler)
As Angelica Schuyler, Renee Elise Goldsberry played one of the main characters in Hamilton. She won a Grammy for her work in the musical and as well as the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. An accomplished actress who appeared on the stage and screen in several noteworthy projects, including the original Broadway run of The Color Purple, as well as Rent and The Lion King, Goldsberry established herself before Hamilton's famous run.
Prior to Hamilton, Goldsberry was seen in The Good Wife and One Life to Live, for which she received two Emmy nominations. Since Hamilton, she starred in the title role of HBO's The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. She's also a series regular on Altered Carbon and starred in The House with a Clock on Its Walls and A24's Waves.
Christopher Jackson (George Washington)
As George Washington, the first president of these United States of America, Christopher Jackson had an important role in Hamilton. An accomplished actor and musician, notably taking over the role of Simba during The Lion King's extended run on Broadway, while also playing parts in After Midnight and In the Heights' original run, it was his Tony-nominated role in Hamilton that became his biggest claim to fame — even with The Lion King's lead role on his resume. While he previously appeared in Oz, Gossip Girl, and The Good Wife prior to Hamilton, while also composing for Sesame Street, the Broadway sensation continued to open doors. Following Hamilton, Jackson notably starred in a lead role on CBS' Bull and he appeared in Netflix's When They See Us. He also starred and sang in Moana.
Daveed Diggs (Marquis de Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson)
In the dual role of Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson, Daveed Diggs gave an electrifying pair of performances during Hamilton's original run. The stage/screen actor walked away with Grammy and Tony Awards for his work in the acclaimed musical, and Diggs became one of the award-winning show's biggest successes. Outside of Hamilton, Diggs appeared in The Great Down, Black-ish and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. He also played parts in Wonder, Velvet Buzzsaw and Ferdinand. Most notably, Diggs co-wrote, produced and played the lead in the indie dramedy, Blindspotting. He was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for this passion project. He also provided music for Zootopia and the short-lived series, The Mayor, the latter of which he also produced. As a musician, he worked with Lin-Manuel Miranda and Thomas Kail in the freestyle rap group, Freestyle Love Supreme, a.k.a. FLS.
Soon, Daveed Diggs lends his voice to the upcoming Pixar movie, Soul, and he'll be seen in The Starling, with Melissa McCarthy and Timothy Olyphant. He also plays a character in the AppleTV+ animated show, Central Park, and he did voice work for animated shows like Green Eggs & Ham, Bob's Burgers, and Star Wars Resistance. Additionally, Diggs plays one of the lead roles in the TNT series, Snowpiercer, based on the 2013 film of the same name. He's also set to voice Sebastian in Disney's live-action remake of The Little Mermaid.
Okieriete Onaodowan (Hercules Mulligan/James Madison)
In the dual role of Hercules Mulligan and James Madison, Okieriete Onaodowan played a key pair of roles in Hamilton. Having established himself as an actor of the stage and screen, Onaodowan continued to expand his resume after the show's incredible success. On TV, Onaodowan appeared in Girls, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and The Get Down. He currently plays a main role in Station 19, a spin-off of Grey's Anatomy. Furthermore, on Broadway, Onaodowan appeared in Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812.
Anthony Ramos (John Laurens/Philip Hamilton)
In the dual role of John Laurens and Philip Hamilton, Anthony Ramos is a young actor with lots of talent who boosted his acting/music career tremendously through Hamilton. Since then, Ramos has appeared in A Star is Born, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Will & Grace, Patti Cake$, Netflix's She's Gotta Have It, and, most recently, Trolls World Tour. He'll soon be seen in the Sundance film, Summertime, and he'll star in Honest Thief and in the lead role of In the Heights, which reconnects him with Lin-Manuel Miranda. He's also engaged to fellow Hamilton star Jasmine Cephas Jones.
Jonathan Groff (King George III)
As King George III, Jonathan Groff played one of the central antagonists in Hamilton during its original Broadway run. While several actors played the role during its off-broadway run, and several more took over during its continued presence on Broadway, Groff might be the actor people most commonly associate to this deliciously nasty role. Prior to Hamilton, Groff played the lead in Spring Awakening, and he received a Tony nomination for this performance. He was also known for voicing Kristoff in Frozen and he played the lead in HBO's underrated Looking, as well as roles in Boss and Glee. Since Hamilton, Groff starred in Netflix's Mindhunter and reprised his role as Kristoff in Frozen II. Additionally, in 2017, Groff appeared in 36 Questions, one of the first musical podcasts. Coming up, he's starring in The Matrix 4.
Jasmine Cephas Jones (Peggy Schuyler/Maria Reynolds)
In the dual roles of Peggy Schuyler and Maria Reynolds, Jasmine Cephas Jones played in the Grammy-winning cast of Hamilton. Since the show's incredibly successful run, she continues to work on the stage and screen. In theater, Jones recently appeared in the off-broadway production of Cyrano last year. On television, she was seen on HBO's Girls and in a reoccurring role on Mrs. Fletcher. She has also appeared in movies like Marriage Story, Blindspotting, and, most recently, The Photograph, and she's set to be seen in Honest Thief and One Night in Miami. She's also star in the TV series #Freerayshawn. Additionally, as mentioned earlier, Jones is engaged to fellow Hamilton star Anthony Ramos.
Who is your favorite Hamilton performer? Tell us in the comments.
