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As far as modern Broadway blockbusters go, there is no show quite as popular as Hamilton. Lin-Manuel Miranda's Tony Award-winning musical tells American history through a modern lens, including a hip-hop infused score and diverse cast of actors. Hamilton became a worldwide sensation following its opening in 2015, with the original cast booking plenty of jobs following its success. Disney+ is going to release a filmed performance Hamilton in July, although it turns out that Daveed Diggs is actually "terrified" of seeing himself in the Hamilton movie.
The Hamilton movie features the original cast, filmed shortly before the principal actors began departing the Broadway musical. Daveed Diggs is one of the cast members whose career was greatly boosted by his duel performance as Marquis de Lafayette / Thomas Jefferson, which ultimately earned him a Tony Award for
Best Featured Actor in a Musical. Diggs spoke about why he's so nervous about the movie's release on Disney+, saying:
It seems like it’s going to make a lot of people very happy. I’m terrified. I’ve never seen myself do that and it’s still the thing that most people talk to me about that I have done. One of the only reasons I can stand that kind of attention is that I haven’t seen it. At some point, I’m going to be forced to watch it and actually deal with my own feelings about this, and so that is complicated for me, for the kind of artist I am, which is I don’t really like to watch myself doing things. The sort of saving grace of a play is that I never have to watch myself doing it.
This actually makes a great deal of sense. Plenty of actors don't like to watch their own performances, including the likes of Adam Driver and Joaquin Phoenix. Daveed Diggs is another actor of this nature, especially considering the Hamilton movie is a filmed theater performance. After all, people will be able to dissect every movement and line Diggs does without the luxury of multiple takes.
Daveed Diggs' performance in Hamilton made him an instant star, signing on for a ton of TV and film projects after departing the Broadway show after a year of performances. While other actors have taken on the roles of Lafayette/Washington, Diggs will always be the OG. And now people all over the world will get to see him spit bars, sing, dance, and portray two very different figures in American history.
Hamilton will be released on Disney+ on July 3rd. In the meantime, check out our 2020 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
