Christopher Jackson (actor)
Christopher Jackson | |
---|---|
Jackson in costume as George Washington in Hamilton | |
Born |
Christopher Neal Jackson September 30, 1975[1][2] Cairo, Illinois[3] |
Alma mater | American Musical and Dramatic Academy |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1996–present |
Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) |
Christopher Jackson is an American actor, singer, musician, and composer best known for his roles in Broadway Theatre. Specifically, Jackson is known for starring alongside Lin-Manuel Miranda in the Miranda's original productions of In The Heights in 2008 and Hamilton (musical) in 2015, the latter of which earned Jackson a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical nomination for his role as George Washington
Early life
Jackson attended the American Musical and Dramatic Academy.[4]
Career
In 2015, Jackson originated the role of President George Washington in the musical Hamilton on Broadway.[5][6] He was nominated for a Tony Award and concluded his run on November 13, 2016.[7] Jackson has previously performed on Broadway in In the Heights, Bronx Bombers, After Midnight, The Lion King,[8] Holler If Ya Hear Me,[9] and Memphis.[10]
For the 2016-2017 season, Jackson plays Chuck Palmer in the CBS courtroom drama Bull.[11] Jackson's film and TV work includes Moana, Tracers, The Good Wife, Person of Interest, A Gifted Man, and Nurse Jackie.[12] Jackson is also a member of hip-hop group Freestyle Love Supreme.[13][14] He has been nominated for three Emmy Awards for composing music and lyrics for television; he won the “Outstanding Original Song” Emmy Award in 2011 for his lyrics to “What I Am,” which he co-wrote for Sesame Street with Bill Sherman.[15]
Personal life
Before the first run-through of the Off-Broadway production of In the Heights, Jackson learned that his son had been diagnosed with autism.[16] Jackson and his wife, Veronica Vazquez-Jackson, are advocates for the organization Autism Speaks; they have one son and one daughter.[13] Jackson is 6'2" tall.[17]
Credits
Theatre
- Time and the Wind, off-Broadway, 1996
- Bobo's, off-Broadway, 1996
- The Lion King, Featured soloist/Simba (u/s), Broadway, 1997-2000
- The Lion King, Simba, Broadway, 2000-02
- The Lion King, Ensemble, US tour, 2003-04
- Beggar's Holiday, Happy Mac, California, 2004
- Candide, Ensemble, New York City Opera, 2005
- Patience, Duke of Dunstable, New York City Opera, 2005
- Comfortable Shoes, Clay Harris, Chicago, 2004
- In the Heights, Benny, off-Broadway, 2007
- In the Heights, Benny, Broadway, 2008-09
- Memphis, Delray, Broadway, 2010
- In the Heights, Benny, Broadway, 2010-11
- Lonely, I'm Not, off-Broadway, 2011
- Cotton Club Parade, Encores!, 2012
- The Jammer, Charlie Heartbreak, off-Broadway, 2012
- After Midnight, Special Guest Star, Broadway, 2013
- Bronx Bombers, Bobby Sturges/Derek Jeter, off-Broadway, 2013
- Bronx Bombers, Bobby Sturges/Derek Jeter, Broadway, 2014
- Holler if Ya Hear Me, Vertus, Broadway 2014
- Hamilton, George Washington, off-Broadway, 2015
- Hamilton, George Washington, Broadway, 2015-2016
Film
- You'll Be a Man..., documentary, 2012 (composer)
- Broken Aster, short film, 2013 (composer)
- Tracers, Lonnie, 2015
- Moana, Chief Tui (singing voice), 2016
Television
- Oz, Perry Loftus, 5 episodes, 2003
- The Electric Company, 2009 (music director)
- Gossip Girl, 1 episode, 2009
- Nurse Jackie, Trey, 1 episode, 2010
- White Collar, Nico, 1 episode, 2010
- Sesame Street, 2010-14 (composer)
- A Gifted Man, Rafael Douglas, 1 episode, 2011
- Person of Interest, Farrow, 1 episode, 2014
- The Good Wife, Michael Wood, 1 episode, 2014
- Bull, Chunk Palmer, 2016
Albums
- In The Heights, 2009
- In the Name of Love, 2011
- Hamilton, 2015
Awards and nominations
Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2004 | BATC Award | Best Actor | Beggar's Holiday | Nominated |
2006 | Joseph Jefferson Award | Best Actor | Comfortable Shoes | Won |
Black Theater Alliance Award | Best Actor | Nominated | ||
2007 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Ensemble Performance | In the Heights | Won |
2011 | Daytime Emmy Award | Outstanding Original Song for A Children's Series | Sesame Street | Nominated |
Won | ||||
2014 | Nominated | |||
2016 | Tony Award | Best Featured Actor in a Musical | Hamilton | Nominated |
Grammy Award | Best Musical Theater Album | Won | ||
Broadway.com Audience Award | Favorite Featured Actor in a Musical | Nominated |
References
- ↑ "Christopher Jackson @ChrisisSingin | Twitter". Retrieved November 11, 2016.
- ↑ Daniels, Karu (April 11, 2016). "10 Things You May Not Know: Christopher Jackson of 'Hamilton'". Retrieved November 11, 2016.
- ↑ Mosely, Rachel; Kletnoy, Sergio (July 13, 2015). "Founding Father Alexander Hamilton's Life Is Now a Hip-Hop Musical". Retrieved November 11, 2016.
- ↑ Daniels, Karu (8 July 2014). "Broadway Audiences Hear Chris Jackson's Holler: Leading Man Plays Three Starring Roles in One Season". Playbill. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ↑ Kennedy, Mark (17 July 2015). "3 presidents in 'Hamilton' put 'blood into the statues'". Lima, Ohio. AP. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
- ↑ Hoch, Danny (23 April 2015). "Sure, 'Hamilton' Is a Game-Changer, But Whose Game?". American Theatre. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
- ↑ Jordan Crucchiola (October 14, 2016). "Christopher Jackson Is Saying Good-bye to Hamilton". Vulture. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
- ↑ broadwayworld.com. "Christopher Jackson Theatre Credits". Broadway World website. Retrieved 2015-09-10.
- ↑ McPhee, Ryan (7 April 2014). "Saul Williams, Tonya Pinkins & Christopher Jackson to Star in Tupac Shakur Musical Holler If Ya Hear Me". Broadway.com. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ↑ Gans, Andrew (20 December 2011). "In the Heights and The Lion King, will join the cast of the Tony-winning Best Musical Memphis". Playbill. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
- ↑ Levin, Gary (11 November 2016). "A day in the life: Christopher Jackson, from 'Bull' to Broadway's 'Hamilton'". USA Today. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
- ↑ IMDB.com. "Chris Jackson IMDB". IMBD website. Retrieved 2015-09-10.
- 1 2 freestylelovesupreme.com. "Freestyle Love Supreme - The Crew". Freestyle Love Supreme website. Retrieved 2015-09-10.
- ↑ Kaufman, Joanne (5 May 2016). "What I Love: Christopher Jackson of 'Hamilton,' at Home in the Bronx". New York Times. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
- ↑ amda.edu. "Alumnus Christopher Jackson nominated for his 3rd Emmy Award!". AMDA blog. Retrieved 2015-09-10.
- ↑ Purcell, Carey (9 October 2015). "Christopher Jackson On the "Incredible Moments" He's Shared With Lin-Manuel Miranda — Musicals, Marriage and Children". Playbill. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ↑ Chris Jackson. "Chris Jackson Twitter". Twitter website. Retrieved 2015-12-15.