Thanks to the streaming service Disney+, musical theatre fans across the world have finally been able to watch the original cast perform Hamilton.
Since opening on Broadway in August 2015, the hit musical has been the most popular show in every town it’s played in, including London, and now for the first time admirers can enjoy the performance in their own homes.
But as fans get to see the talented stars of the show at work, some viewers have been left wondering about what has become of the original cast members.
The Tony-award winning musical catapulted creator Lin-Manuel Miranda into the global spotlight – including a series of collaborations with Disney, such as writing the music for Moana and starring in Mary Poppins Returns alongside Emily Blunt.
Meanwhile, Daveed Diggs, who played Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson in the show, has seen his career take off both on the small and big screen, with a recurring role in the series Black-ish and a performance alongside Jake Gyllenhaal in the 2019 movie Velvet Buzzsaw.
Here, FEMAIL reveals how the original stars of Hamilton went on to become Hollywood actors, Netflix stars and a Disney lyricist…
Lin-Manuel Miranda
Disney lyricist
Lin-Manuel Miranda (pictured left in Hamilton) recently starred in Mary Poppins Returns (pictured right) alongside Emily Blunt
He’s become one very busy man after creating and starring in Hamilton, playing the titular role, and Lin-Manuel Miranda’s schedule doesn’t look it’ll be clear anytime soon.
The Tony-award winner has worked on a wide array of projects focused on songwriting, acting and production and appears to be a favourite with Disney bosses.
He penned music for the company’s musical adventure animation Moana in 2016 and featured in Mary Poppins Returns, last year, playing the major role of friend and helper Jack opposite Emily Blunt.
Lin-Manuel is also co-producing and writing new songs for Disney’s forthcoming remake of The Little Mermaid with the original composer, Alan Menken.
On top of this, he’s writing the music to a new Disney animated movie set in Colombia.
But it’s not just Hollywood that wants a piece of the talented star, with Lin-Manuel also featuring heavily on the small screen since his Hamilton debut.
He appeared in the series His Dark Materials on HBO, which was a fantasy drama based on the novels of the same name by Philip Pullman.
Playing an adventurer, the story follows the coming of age of two children, Lyra Belacqua and Will Parry, as they wander through a series of parallel universes.
Lin-Manuel also featured and helped executive produce the 2019 Emmy-nominated drama Fosse/Verdon which told the story of Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon, a legendary Broadway pair who shared a love-hate relationship.
But the actor will never be one to refuse Broadway work, and returned to the stage late last year with Freestyle Love Supreme, the improvised hip-hop musical comedy show he helped create.
He also reprised the role of Alexander Hamilton in the 2019 Puerto Rican production of his Tony and Pulitzer-winning show.
The two-week run in January raised millions of pounds for artists and cultural groups struggling in the wake of Hurricane Maria, which hit Puerto Rico in September 2017, killing more than 3,000 people and causing widespread devastation.
In his latest project, Lin-Manuel is developing a movie version of In the Heights, his first Broadway hit, which is set to premiere in 2021.
Daveed Diggs
Hollywood film star
Since performing in Hamilton (pictured left) in 2015, Daveed Diggs co-starred in the 2017 comedy drama Wonder, with Owen Wilson and Julia Roberts
Playing Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson in the show, Daveed Diggs’ dual role led to a Tony win for featured actor in a musical.
And since then his career has well and truly taken off – both on the small screen and with an array of movies.
Since starring in Hamilton in 2015, the actor has played a recurring role in the US comedy series Black-ish, which follows an upper middle class African-American family.
He then co-starred in the 2017 comedy drama Wonder, with Owen Wilson and Julia Roberts – which told the story about a young boy struggling with a disfigurement.
Following this was a performance in 2019’s horror film Velvet Buzzsaw alongside Hollywood A-lister Jake Gyllenhaal.
Daveed also co-wrote, produced, and starred in the 2018 critically-acclaimed Sundance film, Blindspotting.
The synopsis for the social issues drama reads: ‘Nearing the end of his probation, ex-convict Colin just wants to avoid prison — but his best friend Miles and their city of Oakland don’t make it easy.’
He is currently appearing alongside American actress Jennifer Connelly in the post-apocolyptic drama series, Snowpiercer, based on the 2013 Bong Joon-ho film.
But Daveed will soon be reunited with his Hamilton cast member Lin-Manuel when taking on the role of Sebastian in the live action remake of The Little Mermaid.
He’s also made an appearance on Netflix in Season 3 of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt as the titular character’s new love interest.
Renée Elise Goldsberry
Broadway, films and TV
Renée Elise Goldsberry (pictured right in 2017) was a well-known face on Broadway before her performance as the eldest Schuyler sister Angelica (pictured left) earned her the Tony for best featured actress in a musical
Renée Elise Goldsberry was a well-known face on Broadway before her performance as the eldest Schuyler sister Angelica earned her the Tony for best featured actress in a musical.
She had appeared in Rent, The Lion King and the original cast of The Colour Purple – but there’s no doubt that Hamilton made sure her career went from strength to strength.
Following her performance in the hit musical, she played the title role in HBO’s film, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, an adaptation of the 2010 best-selling book which also starred Oprah Winfrey.
A description of the film reads: ‘ A true story of a woman’s search for enlightenment about her mother – whose cancer cells would save millions.’
She also appeared in the fantasy film The House with a Clock in its Walls, starring Cate Blanchett and Jack Black.
But the talented actress has turned her focus to TV recently, starring in the Netflix sci-fi series Altered Carbon since 2018.
Renée also guest starred as Eva Price on NBC ’s first season of new musical series Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist.
Leslie Odom Jr
Singer and movie star
Leslie Odom Jr played the role of Aaron Burr, Alexander Hamilton’s political and personal adversary, pictured left, and went onto enjoy more acting and singing parts – including the release of a Christmas album in 2016. Pictured right: Leslie singing in 2018
Leslie Odom Jr played the role of Aaron Burr, Alexander Hamilton’s political and personal adversary, and won the 2016 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for the performance.
After his success, he went onto enjoy more acting and singing parts – including the release of a Christmas album in 2016 called Simply Christmas and a jazz album, Mr, in late 2019.
He played abolitionist William Still in the 2019 film Harriet and is currently lending his voice to Central Park, a new animated series on AppleTV+.
The work continues to roll in for the actor, with him set to star in Regina King’s One Night in Miami, playing Sam Cooke and in the Sopranos prequel, The Many Saints of Newark.
He’ll also appear in Needle in a Timestack, an upcoming science fiction film written and directed by John Ridley and featuring Orlando Bloom.
Phillipa Soo
Thriving theatrical career
Phillipa Soo (pictured right in 2019), who played Alexander’s wife Eliza, pictured left, stayed on Broadway following her successful stint as the character and continued to have a thriving theatrical career
Phillipa Soo, who played Alexander’s wife Eliza, stayed on Broadway following her successful stint as the character and continued to have a thriving theatrical career.
Going from one success to the next, she played the title role in Amélie during its 2017 Broadway run and performed as Rebecca in The Parisian Woman from 2017 to 2018, alongside A-lister Uma Thurman.
The Tony-nominee also worked on Moana alongside her Hamilton husband Lin Manuel Miranda.
She voiced a villager of Motunui, Moana’s home island, in the animation – which marked her first voice-over role.
But thanks to her successful part in the Disney film, the actress now has a few animated features in post-production, including The One and Only Ivan and Over The Moon.
Disney announced last month that The One and Only Ivan – which also features the voices of Angelina Jolie, Sam Rockwell, Bryan Cranston, and Danny DeVito – will go straight to the firm’s streaming service on August 21.
It is based on Katherine Applegate’s 2013 book of the same name and follows Ivan, a 400-pound silverback gorilla, who lives in a suburban shopping mall with Stella the elephant and Bob the dog.
He has few memories of the jungle where he was captured, but when a wild baby elephant named Ruby arrives longing to go back to her family, it causes him to question his life.
Meanwhile, Over The Moon is a Netflix musical which follows a young girl who builds a rocket ship to discover the Moon Goddess, who is voiced by Phillipa.
Phillipa’s most recent stage role was Off-Broadway supernatural Western comedy Tumacho, which ran for less than a month before the coronavirus forced it to close.
Jonathan Groff
Netflix star
Jonathan Groff featured in Hamilton as the show-stealing monarch King George III, pictured left. Since Hamilton, Jonathan continues to star in the much loved Netflix crime drama, Mindhunter, as the main protagonist Holden Ford, pictured right
Jonathan Groff featured in Hamilton as the show-stealing monarch King George III, who is well known in children’s history books for being the ‘mad king who lost America’.
But the Tony nominee was already rather famous before appearing on the hit musical, with one of his most major roles being in Fox’s musical comedy drama Glee as Jesse St. James.
He also appeared in Disney’s iconic musical Frozen, playing iceman and love-interest Kristoff, alongside Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel and Josh Gad.
The actor reprised his role in 2019 for the sequel, performing his first musical number for the franchise.
Since Hamilton, Jonathan continues to star in the much loved Netflix crime drama, Mindhunter, as the main protagonist Holden Ford, who is an FBI agent.
The Broadway star also made his return to the theatre last year, playing the part of Seymour Krelborn in the hit Off-Broadway adaptation of Little Shop of Horrors.
Starring as the extremely shy flower-shop worker was worlds away from his arrogant portrayal of a monarch.
Christopher Jackson
Broadway star
Christopher Jackson starred as President of the United States George Washington in Hamilton, pictured left. After leaving the hit musical, Christopher (pictured right in January) appeared as a member of the Freestyle Love Supreme, the improvised hip-hop musical comedy show
Christopher Jackson starred as President of the United States George Washington in Hamilton, but he was already a Broadway veteran when he joined the original cast.
The actor’s credits included Simba in The Lion King and the role of Benny in In the Heights, which included music from his Hamilton co-star Lin-Manuel Miranda.
After leaving the hit musical, he appeared as a member of the Freestyle Love Supreme, the improvised hip-hop musical comedy show.
He voiced the father of Moana in Disney’s 2016 animation and also starred in Ava DuVernay’s acclaimed Netflix series, When They See Us.
He features as Chunk Palmer in the CBS American legal drama, Bull, which he began filming while still in Hamilton, and has a reoccurring role in AppleTV+’s Central Park.
Anthony Ramos
Movie star
Anthony Ramos who played by John Laurens and Philip Hamilton in the musical has now cultivated a glittering career in movies following his run in the hit show. In 2018, he appeared alongside Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper in the Oscar-nominated A Star Is Born
Anthony Ramos who played by John Laurens and Philip Hamilton in the musical has now cultivated a glittering career in movies following his run in the hit show.
In 2018, he appeared alongside Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper in the Oscar-nominated A Star Is Born.
He played Ally’s (Lady Gaga’s) best friend Ramon in the Warner Brothers hit after joining the Spike Lee’s comedy-drama She’s Gotta Have It.
The Netflix series follows a woman as she struggles to stay true to herself and her dreams while juggling three lovers.
He’s also set to play the lead, Usnavi, in the upcoming film adaption of the Broadway classic In the Heights, due next summer.
And his movie star roles don’t stop there, with the actor featuring in Honest Thief later this year, alongside A-lister Liam Neeson, who plays a career bank robber meeting the love of his life.
Anthony is joined in the film by his fiancée and fellow Hamilton veteran Jasmine Cephas Jones.
Jasmine Cephas Jones
Off-Broadway and movies
Jasmine Cephas Jones played the youngest Schuyler sister, Peggy and Hamilton’s illustrious mistress Maria Reynolds in the original production, pictured left. Following this, Jasmine (pictured right in March 2020) moved Off-Broadway in 2019, performing in the musical Cyrano as Roxanne, alongside Game of Thrones’ Peter Dinklage
Jasmine Cephas Jones played the youngest Schuyler sister, Peggy and Hamilton’s illustrious mistress Maria Reynolds in the original production.
Following this, she moved Off-Broadway in 2019, performing in the musical Cyrano as Roxanne, alongside Game of Thrones’ Peter Dinklage.
She also had a recurring role in HBO’s coming-of-age comedy series Mrs. Fletcher, where she played an undergraduate who runs a support group for students who have family members with autism.
Jasmine has continued to work with other original cast members from Hamilton, having performed in Blindspotting with Daveed Diggs.
Next, she will be in Honest Thief later this year, alongside A-lister Liam Neeson and her partner Anthony Ramos.
Okieriete Onaodowan
TV actor
Okieriete Onaodowan performed as Alexander’s friend Hercules Mulligan and Thomas Jefferson’s pal James Madison in Hamilton, pictured left. Okieriete (pictured right in January 2020) was best known for his incredible rap verses in the production and continues to impress with a career in TV
Okieriete Onaodowan performed as Alexander’s friend Hercules Mulligan and Thomas Jefferson’s pal James Madison in Hamilton.
He was best known for his incredible rap verses in the production and continues to impress with a career in TV.
His main role since leaving the musical has been portraying the firefighter Dean Miller in three seasons of the Grey’s Anatomy spinoff Station 19.
Speaking about the release of Hamilton, Okieriete said he was excited ‘to see how this affects young black people today.’
‘Young kids who are out there, who are upset and angry… can watch this and realize that they can put their energies through writing, through challenging the people who are telling you things that you don’t like to hear, like Hamilton did,’ he added.