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Spotlight on HAMILTON: Catching Up with Daveed Diggs
By: Nicole Rosky Jun. 25, 2020
Hamilton is coming! In just a matter of days (July 3), Disney+ will broadcast the hugely-anticipated Hamilton, captured live on stage at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in 2016.
The original Broadway cast appearing in the film include Tony Award winners Lin-Manuel Miranda as Alexander Hamilton; Daveed Diggs as Marquis de Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson; Renée Elise Goldsberry as Angelica Schuyler; Leslie Odom, Jr. as Aaron Burr; Tony Award® nominees Christopher Jackson as George Washington; Jonathan Groff as King George; Phillipa Soo as Eliza Hamilton; and Jasmine Cephas Jones as Peggy Schuyler/Maria Reynolds; Okieriete Onaodowan as Hercules Mulligan/James Madison; and Anthony Ramos as John Laurens/Philip Hamilton.
History may have its eyes on Hamilton, but today, we have our eyes on the history of its stars. Below take a deep dive into the career of Daveed Diggs, both before and after his Tony-winning turn in as Marquis de Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson!
Born in Oakland, California, Diggs attended Berkeley High School and Brown University, where he received a bachelor's degree in theatre arts. After graduation, he worked as a substitute teacher and performed experimental theater- most notably on the national tour for Marc Bamuthi Joseph's choreopoem, Word Becomes Flesh.
In 2010, Diggs joined the experimental hip-hop and rap group Clipping, founded by William Hutson and Jonathan Snipes. He is also a member of True Neutral Crew, with Brian Kinsman, Margot Padilla, and Signor Benedick the Moor. In 2010, he made an album with Rafael Casal titled The BAY BOY Mixtape. Diggs also founded a hip hop triumvirate with Chinaka Hodge and Casal known as The Getback. His rapping has been featured on tracks by Busdriver, George Watsky, Rafael Casal, and Leslie Odom, Jr.
In 2012, Lin-Manuel Miranda brought on Diggs for early readings of Hamilton to play the dual role of Thomas Jefferson and Marquis de Lafayette. He would continue with the roles for the show's off-Broadway premiere in 2015, followed by the Broadway run later that year.
For his performance, Daveed won the 2016 Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical, as well as a 2016 Grammy Award for the cast album. He played his final performance in the show on July 15, 2016.
On the small screen, Diggs has had recurring roles on the series The Get Down, Black-ish, and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Diggs served as an executive producer of the ABC series The Mayor. He currently stars in the television adaption of Snowpiercer.
Diggs had his film debut in the Disney animated film Zootopia, for which he wrote and performed the "Parlez Vous Rap". He also appeared in the 2017 film Wonder, starring Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson. Alongside his lifelong friend Rafael Casal, Diggs co-wrote, co-produced, and co-starred in the 2018 film Blindspotting, which premiered at Sundance in January 2018. Next up, he'll voice Sebastian in Disney's live-action remake of The Little Mermaid.
Sign up for Disney+ today for your chance to catch Leslie and even more of the original cast of Broadway's biggest hit from home on July 3!
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