HAMILTON's Jonathan Groff on Madonna's Poor Theater Etiquette: 'That Bitch Was On Her Phone'

In a new interview with FourTwoNine, Jonathan Groff talks about his new role as King George in Hamilton, hitting Broadway's Richard Rodgers Theatre for previews on July 13th and opening August 6th.

"I wear the most ridiculous costume you've ever seen," shares the actor. "They've sort of written a breakup song for King George in the show. It's like a '60s Beatles pop British song in the midst of this score that is mostly R&B and rap. Then King George pops out and sings a kind of fuck-you-for-leaving-me "breakup" number. It's so f-ing fun."

He adds, "When they asked me to do it, I just said sure because I love those guys-Lin and Andy and Thomas. I hadn't even seen it, so I wasn't even sure what I was saying yes to. But then I saw it for the first time and wept. I saw it five times in a row and wept every time. It's basically a cameo. I'm only in it for nine minutes. But the moment pops because of the costume, and I'm white, and no one else is in the cast."

The 'Looking' star goes on to speak about the highly publicized incident involving Lin-Manuel Miranda's refusal to allow audience member Madonna backstage due to her poor theater etiquette during the show's off-Broadway run. Asked if he had any regrets over not being able to meet the iconic singer, he shares, "No. Because that bitch was on her phone. You couldn't miss it from the stage. It was a black void of the audience in front of us and her face there perfectly lit by the light of her iPhone through three-quarters of the show." Click here to read BroadwayWorld's original report on the incident!

But the 'Spring Awakening' alum has nothing but praise for another recent HAMILTON attendee, Michelle Obama. "We were collecting for Broadway Cares after the show, and Mrs. Obama stayed in the audience while the Broadway Cares speech happened, and Lin called her out and the audience applauded for her. Then she came backstage and hugged every crew member-the wig girl, all the costume people, every cast member. She said to us-and this is a direct quote- "This is the greatest piece of art I've ever seen." It's crazy." Click here to check out pics of the First Lady with the cast!

Read the interview in full here

Groff recently starred in HBO's drama LOOKING, and lent his voice to Disney's mega animated hit FROZEN, which also featured Idina Menzel and Kristen Bell. Besides SPRING AWAKENING and GLEE, Groff also appeared in the Shakespeare in the Park productions of HAIR and THE BACCHAE, the off-Broadway plays THE SINGING FOREST and A PRAYER FOR MY ENEMY, Ang Lee's TAKING WOODSTOCK, in the Starz series BOSS, alongside Kelsey Grammer.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride / WM Photos

Photo credit: Darren Bell