When Hamilton premiered, no one could've anticipated just what a smashing success it would become. Some of the cast members already were household names thanks to their work on television, film, and of course, stage. Names like Lin Manuel Miranda and Jonathan Groff made waves even before Hamilton's first curtain call.
Since the musical premiered, the cast has gone to achieve greater fame. Some gave critically acclaimed performances, like Leslie Odom Jr. in One Night in Miami. Others landed major roles in upcoming franchises, while some chose to stay on the stage. Whether on film, television, or theater, these actors and their gifted voices keep wowing audiences, proving why they were so vital to Hamilton's jaw-dropping success.
Leslie Odom Jr. - One Night In Miami...
Based on the stage play of the same name, One Night in Miami... serves as Regina King's directorial debut. It portrays a fictionalized meeting between Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown, and Sam Cooke, in a room at the Hampton House in 1964.
Odom Jr. portrays Cooke and performs the original song "Speak Now," which he also co-wrote alongside Sam Ashworth. For his performance, Odom Jr. received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, while "Speak Now" also gave him a nomination in the Best Original Song category.
Giles Terera - Horrible Histories
A British actor, musician, and filmmaker, Terera portrayed the leading role of Aaron Burr in the 2017 West End production of Hamilton. For his performance, Terera won the 2018 Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical, the UK equivalent of the Tony.
A veteran performer, Terera appeared in the children's live-action historical and musical sketch comedy show Horrible Histories, from 2009 to 2013. He performs several songs in the show, which deals with the historic and often dark and gruesome aspects of UK history in an irreverent way.
Brian D'Arcy James - Shrek The Musical
Another veteran and underrated performer of the stage, Brian D'Arcy James has an impressive resume that includes roles in Broadway productions like Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Shrek the Musical, and Next to Normal. He also played small roles in prominent projects like Spotlight and 13 Reasons Why.
James originated the role of King George III in the 2015 Off-Broadway production of Hamilton. He can be seen playing the role of Shrek in a filmed stage production of Shrek the Musical opposite another Broadway icon, Sutton Foster.
Rory O'Malley - Dreamgirls
Best-known for his Tony-nominated role as Elder McKinley in the original Broadway production of The Book of Mormon, O'Malley took on the role of King George III for Hamilton's first U.S. tour.
A co-founder of the gay rights activist group Broadway Impact, O'Malley had a small role in the 2006 film Dreamgirls. He played the part of a singer who performs the song "Cadillac Car," originally recorded by Jimmy Early and the Dreams.
Renée Elise Goldsberry - Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist
Before her star-making turn as Angelica Schuyler in Hamilton, Renée Elise Goldsberry spent years singing backup in the Fox dramedy Ally McBeal. More recently, she played the role of Ava Price in a three-episode arc in Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist, where she performed a duet of "The Boy is Mine" alongside Lauren Graham.
Goldsberry played several notable roles in Broadway before Angelica, including Nala in The Lion King, Nettie in The Color Purple, and Mimi in the 2008 Rent revival. For her part as Angelica, she won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.
Daveed Diggs - Blindspotting
After playing the dual role of the Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson, Daveed Diggs wrote, produced, and starred in the 2018 comedy-drama film, Blindspotting, in which he also performs a memorable rap at the end.
For his performance, Diggs received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Male Lead. Diggs also won a Tony for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his role in Hamilton and is one of the busiest cast members. He is set to play the role of Sebastian the crab in the upcoming live-action version of The Little Mermaid.
Emmy Raver-Lampman - The Umbrella Academy
After being an understudy for all three female lead roles during the original Broadway production, Emmy Raver-Lampman went on to play the part of Angelica Schuyler in the first U.S. tour. Previously, she had been a stand-in for the role of Elphaba during Wicked's first U.S. tour and was part of the ensemble of the musicals Jekyll & Hyde and A Night with Janis Joplin.
Since 2018, Raver-Lampman has played the role of Allison Hargreeves in Netflix's The Umbrella Academy, in which she also performs as part of the soundtrack.
Anthony Ramos - Trolls World Tour & In The Heights
After originating the roles of John Laurens and Philip Hamilton, Anthony Ramos is slowly becoming one of the most promising stars in Hollywood. He'll work with Lin Manuel Miranda again, playing the lead role of Usnavi de la Vega in the upcoming film adaptation of In the Heights, set to premiere on June 18.
In the meantime, however, Ramos can be heard as part of the Trolls World Tour soundtrack, performing a cover of Daft Punk's "One More Time."
Lin Manuel Miranda - Mary Poppins Returns
The brains behind the entire operation, Lin Manuel Miranda ascended into A-list status thanks to Hamilton. Soon after, he entered into a partnership with Disney, writing several songs for Disney Animation's Moana, including the Oscar-nominated "How Far I'll Go."
Miranda then starred opposite Emily Blunt in Mary Poppins Returns, playing the role of Jack and performing several songs in the soundtrack. Miranda will make his directorial debut in another musical, Tick, Tick... Boom!, starring Andrew Garfield and set to premiere on Netflix this year. He also wrote new songs for the upcoming live-action The Little Mermaid and will work with Disney Animation again for the upcoming Encanto.
Jonathan Groff - Frozen II
Already a Tony nominee thanks to his breakout role as Melchior in Spring Awakening, Jonathan Groff played the part of King George III in the original Broadway production of Hamilton, earning a second Tony nod. Mainstream audiences perhaps knew him as Jesse St. James, a role he played in four seasons of Glee, where he also performed memorable covers of songs like Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody."
In 2013, Groff lent his voice to the character of Kristoff in Disney Animation's Frozen. He returned for the 2019 sequel, Frozen II, where he also sang the '80s inspired ballad, "Lost in the Woods." Groff can be seen in Netflix's Mindhunter and he'll also appear in the upcoming Matrix 4.