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Appreciating Daveed Diggs

The actor behind America's favorite fighting Frenchman and our third president.

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Appreciating Daveed Diggs
village voice

Last week it was Lin-Manuel Miranda I fawned over in article form, but honestly, I could write about all of the cast of "Hamilton." I probably won't (I'll leave that to my editors), but it would be criminal to not write about, among other cast members, Daveed Diggs.

Originating the roles of America's favorite fighting Frenchman, the Marquis de Lafayette, and our third President Thomas Jefferson, Diggs was born in Oakland, California where he attended Berkeley High School, and later attended Brown University. Originally he was recruited for his track skills, and in fact, he broke the Brown Bears' school record as a sophomore with a 14.21 second run of the 110-meter hurdle.

But as he earned his degree in theater, it became clear that he was an incredible vocalist, rapper, and performer. Not only was he on the national tour for the choreopoem "Word Becomes Flesh" by Marc Bamuthi Joseph, but he is a former member of the hip-hop improv group Freestyle Love Supreme, along with "Hamilton" co-stars Lin-Manuel Miranda and Christopher Jackson. He is also currently a member of the experimental hip-hop group clipping., which, in 2012, released their album "Small Things to a Giant."

His hip-hop chops show when he's squaring off against Miranda in a cabinet meeting about the national debt as Jefferson, or jumping across the stage as he raps at the speed of sound about kicking the British back across the pond as Lafayette.

And not only does he pull off Jefferson's explosive styles, and Lafayette's stylish and striking revolutionary uniform...

...but his Christmas onesie is precious. It is absolutely fitting that his name is Hebrew for "beloved." Co-stars and friends call him soft spoken when he's not onstage, and his favorite parts to perform aren't his own show stoppers, but singing back up for Leslie Odom Jr.'s number "Wait For It." He absolutely deserves to be beloved.

I, for one, am glad he's getting recognition for his skills. His is an inspiring success story: Ten years ago he was couch surfing and riding the subway overnight when there was nowhere else to sleep. Today, he's headlining in the world's biggest musical next to some of the world's biggest stars, and performing in the White House for the President and the First Lady.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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