Christopher Jackson (actor)

Last updated

Christopher Jackson
Christopher Jackson (47948010257) (cropped 2).jpg
Jackson in 2019
Born
Christopher Neal Jackson

(1975-09-30) September 30, 1975 (age 48) [1] [2]
Other namesChris Jackson
Alma mater American Musical and Dramatic Academy
Occupations
  • Actor
  • singer
Years active1996–present
Known for In the Heights
Hamilton
Bull
Spouse
(m. 2004)
Children2

Christopher Neal Jackson (born September 30, 1975) is an American actor and singer. He began his career in 1995 starring in the Off-Broadway musical Time and the Wind by composer Galt MacDermot at the age of 20. He made his Broadway debut in 1997 as an ensemble member in the original Broadway cast of Disney's The Lion King . He remained with the show for several years, ultimately taking over the role of Simba. He went on to perform leading roles in several more Broadway musicals and plays, including After Midnight , Bronx Bombers , Holler If Ya Hear Me , and Memphis . He drew critical acclaim in several projects with Lin-Manuel Miranda: originating the roles of Benny in In the Heights and George Washington in the smash hit Hamilton . For the latter role he was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. He also collaborated with Miranda on the Disney film Moana in which he provides the singing voice of Chief Tui. His other film work includes secondary roles in After.Life and Tracers .

Contents

Jackson starred as Chunk Palmer in the main cast of the CBS television drama Bull between 2016-2022. His other television work includes the recurring role of Perry Loftus in the HBO prison drama Oz and guest appearances on Fringe , Gossip Girl , Nurse Jackie , The Good Wife and White Collar . Also active as a film and television composer, he won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Song for "What I Am" for the children's television program Sesame Street . He has also written music for LL Cool J, Sean Kingston, and will.i.am. [3] In 2018, Jackson received an Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts from Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, Georgia.

Early life and education

Born in Metropolis, Illinois, and raised in Cairo, Illinois, by his mother, Jane Adams, a vocal music teacher, and stepfather Herbert Michael Hodges. [3] [4] In 1993 he graduated from Cairo High School. [4] While a student there, he performed in plays and was encouraged to pursue a career as an actor by one of his high school teachers, Lynn Steveson, who also led the school's debate team of which Jackson was a part. She also cast him in a production of Arthur Miller's The Crucible . [4] He credits Pilots basketball coach Larry Baldwin and Pastor Larry Potts of Mighty Rivers Regional Worship Center as other important mentors during his formative years in Cairo. [4]

After graduating from high school, Jackson attended the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City. [5]

Career

Jackson began his career in 1995 starring in the Off-Broadway musical Time and the Wind by composer Galt MacDermot of Hair fame. [6] He made his Broadway debut in 1997 as an ensemble member and the understudy for Simba in the Original Broadway Cast of The Lion King . [4] He later took over the role of Simba in 2000. [7] He then did work in the theater scenes in Chicago and Minneapolis–Saint Paul, notably earning a BATC Award nomination for Best Actor for Beggar's Holiday in 2004 for and winning a Joseph Jefferson Award (Chicago's equivalent to the Tony Awards) in 2006 for Comfortable Shoes. In 2007 he returned to New York to join the cast of the Off-Broadway musical In the Heights as Benny. [8] The cast won the 2007 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Ensemble Performance. He continued with the show when it moved to Broadway in 2008. [9]

In 2009 Jackson was tapped to write music for the revived children's television program The Electric Company . [10] In 2012 he returned to Broadway as Delray in Memphis , and in 2013 he replaced Everett Bradley as "Diga Diga Doo" in the Broadway musical After Midnight . [11] [12] In 2013 he appeared as Derek Jeter and Bobby Sturges in the Eric Simonson's Off-Broadway play Bronx Bombers at Primary Stages. [13] He remained with the production when it moved to Broadway in 2014. [14] That same year he portrayed Vertus in the short lived Broadway musical Holler If Ya Hear Me which was based on the life of Tupac. [15]

In 2015, Jackson originated the role of President George Washington in the musical Hamilton on Broadway. [16] [17] He was nominated for a Tony Award and concluded his run on November 13, 2016. [18] Beginning with the 2016–2017 season, he plays Chunk Palmer in the CBS courtroom drama Bull. [19] Jackson's film and TV work includes Moana , Tracers , The Good Wife , Person of Interest , A Gifted Man , and Nurse Jackie . He is also a member of hip-hop group Freestyle Love Supreme. [20] [21] 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. [22] The success led to a first look deal at CBS Studios. [23]

In February 2021, Jackson signed with Nickelodeon to compose the NOGGIN SVOD original series Rhymes Through Times, [24] which features Nick's preschool characters in a Broadway extravaganza recreating the stories of the greatest heroes of America, specifically focusing on Black history. [25] The animation for the show was done by LionForge Animation LLC. who have previously worked on the Oscar-winning Netflix movie Hair Love. [26] The second season dropped on March 7, 2022.

Personal life

In 2004, after meeting through a production of In the Heights, Jackson married actress and singer Veronica. Before the first run-through of the Off-Broadway production of In the Heights, Jackson learned that his son had been diagnosed with autism. [27] Jackson and his wife are advocates for KultureCity: a nonprofit promoting acceptance and inclusion of all individuals regardless of their abilities. They have one son, C. J., and one daughter, Jadelyn. They live in Scarsdale, New York. [20]

Acting credits

Theatre

YearProductionRoleCategory
1997–2000 The Lion King Featured soloist/Simba u/sBroadway
2000–02Simba
2003–04EnsembleNational tour
2004 Beggar's Holiday Happy MacCalifornia
Comfortable ShoesClay HarrisChicago
2005 Candide EnsembleOff-Broadway
Patience Duke of DunstableOff-Broadway
In the Heights BennyWorkshop
Regional
2007Off-Broadway
2008–09Broadway
2009 Memphis DelrayBroadway
2010–11In the HeightsBennyBroadway
2011Lonely, I'm NotPerformerOff-Broadway
2012The JammerCharlie HeartbreakOff-Broadway
2013 Hamilton George Washington Workshop
After Midnight Special Guest StarBroadway
Bronx Bombers Bobby Sturges/Derek JeterOff-Broadway
2014Broadway
Holler if Ya Hear Me VertusBroadway
2015 Hamilton George Washington Off-Broadway
2015–16Broadway
2019 Freestyle Love Supreme C-Jack (Cameo at certain unannounced performances)Broadway
2021

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2009 After.Life Neal
2012You'll Be a Man...Composer, documentary
2013Broken AsterComposer, short film
2015 Tracers Lonnie
2016 Moana Chief Tui (singing voice)
2020 Hamilton George Washington Filmed recording of the 2016 Broadway musical
2021 In the Heights Mister SofteeCameo
Tick, Tick... Boom! TTB Concert Attendee
2023 World's Best Corey

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2003 Oz Perry Loftus5 Episodes
2009 The Electric Company Music Director
Fringe EMT #1Episode: "Unleashed"
2010 Nurse Jackie TreyEpisode: "Bleeding"
White Collar NicoEpisode: "Unfinished Business"
2010–2014 Sesame Street Justin Bieber Muppet (2011)Composer
2011 A Gifted Man Rafael DouglasEpisode: "In Case of Discomfort"
2014 Person of Interest FarrowEpisode: "Provenance"
The Good Wife Michael WoodEpisode: "The Trial"
2016–2022 Bull Chester "Chunk" PalmerMain Cast
2018–2019 The Lion Guard Shujaa & Kitendo (voice)3 Episodes
2019 When They See Us Peter RiveraEpisode: "Part Two"
2020 Vampirina Headless Horseman (voice) [28] Episode: "A Tale of Two Hallows"
2020-2022 Central Park Glorious Gary2 Episodes
2021–present And Just Like That... Herbert Wexley5 Episodes

Discography

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryWorkResult
2004BATC AwardBest Actor Beggar's Holiday Nominated
2006 Joseph Jefferson Award Best ActorComfortable ShoesWon
Black Theater Alliance Award Best ActorNominated
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
2014Nominated
2016 Tony Award Best Featured Actor in a Musical Hamilton Nominated
Grammy Award Best Musical Theater Album Won
Broadway.com Audience AwardFavorite Featured Actor in a MusicalNominated

Related Research Articles

<i>The Lion King</i> (musical) Musical

The Lion King is a stage musical with music by Elton John, lyrics by Tim Rice, and a book by Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi, with additional music and lyrics by Lebo M, Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, Julie Taymor, and Hans Zimmer. It is based on the 1994 Walt Disney Animation Studios' film of the same name. Directed by Taymor, the musical features actors in animal costumes as well as giant, hollow puppets. The show is produced by Disney Theatrical Productions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian d'Arcy James</span> American actor and musician

Brian d'Arcy James is an American actor and musician. He is known primarily for his Broadway roles, including Shrek in Shrek the Musical, Nick Bottom in Something Rotten!, King George III in Hamilton, and the Baker in Into the Woods, and has received four Tony Award nominations for his work. On-screen, he is known for his recurring role as Andy Baker on the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why, Officer Krupke in West Side Story, and reporter Matt Carroll in Spotlight.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Rannells</span> American actor (born 1978)

Andrew Scott Rannells is an American actor and singer. He is best known for originating the role of Elder Kevin Price in the 2011 Broadway musical The Book of Mormon, for which he was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical and won the 2012 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. He received his second Tony nomination in 2017 for his performance as Whizzer in the 2016 Broadway revival of Falsettos. Other Broadway credits include Hairspray (2005), Jersey Boys (2009), Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2014), Hamilton (2015), The Boys in the Band (2018), and Gutenberg! The Musical! (2023). For his performance in the Off West End production of Tammy Faye, he was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award.

<i>In the Heights</i> 2005 musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda

In the Heights is a musical with concept, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda and a book by Quiara Alegría Hudes. The story is set over the course of three days, involving characters in the largely Dominican American neighborhood of Washington Heights in Upper Manhattan, New York City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jonathan Groff</span> American actor (born 1985)

Jonathan Drew Groff is an American actor and singer. He began his career on Broadway, rising to prominence for his portrayal of Melchior Gabor in the original production of Spring Awakening (2006–08), for which he was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical. He returned to Broadway to portray King George III in the original production of Hamilton (2015), for which he earned a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. He currently stars opposite Daniel Radcliffe and Lindsay Mendez in the first Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lin-Manuel Miranda</span> American songwriter, actor, and librettist (born 1980)

Lin-Manuel Miranda is an American songwriter, actor, singer, filmmaker, rapper and librettist. He created the Broadway musicals In the Heights (2005) and Hamilton (2015), and the soundtracks for the animated films Moana (2016), Vivo, and Encanto. He has received numerous accolades including a Pulitzer Prize, three Tony Awards, two Laurence Olivier Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and five Grammy Awards, along with nominations for two Academy Awards. He received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2018.

Richard H. Blake is an American actor and singer best known for his work in musical theatre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alex Lacamoire</span> American composer

Alex Lacamoire is a Cuban-American composer, arranger, conductor, musical director, music copyist, and orchestrator who has worked on many shows both on and off-Broadway. He is the recipient of multiple Tony and Grammy Awards for his work on shows such as In the Heights (2008), Hamilton (2016), and Dear Evan Hansen (2017). Lacamoire was awarded the Kennedy Center Honor in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott Sanders (producer)</span> American TV, film and theatre producer

Scott Sanders is an American television producer, film producer and theatre producer. His theatrical musical version of Alice Walker's novel The Color Purple, for which he was a lead producer alongside co-producers Oprah Winfrey and Quincy Jones, premiered on Broadway in 2005, garnering 11 Tony Award Nominations including Best Musical.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karen Olivo</span> American musical theatre actor (born 1976)

KO, formerly known as Karen Olivo, is an American stage and television actor, theater educator, and singer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mandy Gonzalez</span> American actress and singer (born 1978)

Mandy Gonzalez is an American actress and singer, best known for her leading roles on Broadway. She originated the role of Nina Rosario in the Off-Broadway and Broadway productions of the musical In the Heights. In 2010 and 2011, she played Elphaba in the Broadway production of Wicked. She also played Angelica Schuyler in the Broadway production of Hamilton for a six-year run, from 2016 to 2022.

Thomas Kail is an American theatre and television director, known for directing the Off-Broadway and Broadway productions of Lin-Manuel Miranda's musicals In the Heights and Hamilton, garnering the 2016 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical for the latter. Kail was awarded the Kennedy Center Honor in 2018. He has also directed the television series Fosse/Verdon (2019), for which he was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joshua Henry</span> Canadian-American singer and actor

Joshua Anthony Charlton Henry is a Canadian-American actor and singer of stage and screen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brandon Victor Dixon</span> American actor and producer

Brandon Victor Dixon is an American actor, singer and theatrical producer. As a musical theatre actor, he is known for Tony Award-nominated Broadway performances as Harpo in the 2005 musical The Color Purple and Eubie Blake in Shuffle Along, or, the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed (2016). He originated both roles, as well as the leading role of Berry Gordy Jr. in Motown: The Musical (2013) on Broadway, which earned a nomination for a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. In 2016, Dixon assumed the role of Aaron Burr in the Broadway company of Hamilton. Off-Broadway as well as in London's West End, Dixon played the role of Hayward Patterson in The Scottsboro Boys and was nominated for a 2014 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nick Cordero</span> Canadian actor and singer (1978–2020)

Nicholas Eduardo Alberto Cordero was a Canadian actor and singer. He was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his role as Cheech in the 2014 Broadway musical Bullets Over Broadway and was twice nominated for Drama Desk Awards. His career also included television and film roles.

<i>Hamilton</i> (musical) 2015 biographical musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda

Hamilton: An American Musical is a sung-and-rapped-through biographical musical with music, lyrics, and a book by Lin-Manuel Miranda as well as choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler. Based on the 2004 biography Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow, the musical covers the life of American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton and his involvement in the American Revolution and the political history of the early United States. Composed over a seven-year period from 2008 to 2015, the music draws heavily from hip hop, as well as R&B, pop, soul, and traditional-style show tunes. It casts non-white actors as the Founding Fathers of the United States and other historical figures. Miranda described Hamilton as about "America then, as told by America now."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phillipa Soo</span> American actress

Phillipa Anne Soo is an American actress and singer. Known for her leading roles on Broadway primarily in musicals, she has received two Grammy Awards along with nominations for a Tony Award and a Primetime Emmy Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anthony Ramos</span> American actor and singer

Anthony Paul Ramos Martinez is an American actor and singer. After graduating in musical theatre from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, he began working in stage musicals. In 2015, he originated the dual roles of John Laurens and Philip Hamilton in the Broadway musical Hamilton. He received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Actor in a Supporting Role in a Limited Series or Movie for his performance in the 2020 stage recording of the play.

Lexi Lawson is an American actress and singer, best known for her work in musicals. She held the lead female roles in touring productions of Rent and In the Heights. Lawson made her Broadway debut as Eliza Hamilton in Hamilton.

Gregory Diaz IV is an American actor, singer and dancer. Diaz is known for his role as Quentin in the Netflix series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Sonny in the musical drama In the Heights.

References

  1. "Christopher Jackson @ChrisisSingin | Twitter" . Retrieved November 11, 2016.
  2. Daniels, Karu (April 11, 2016). "10 Things You May Not Know: Christopher Jackson of 'Hamilton'". Archived from the original on November 12, 2016. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 Cara Racine (March 10, 2015). "Cairo's Christopher Jackson heading to Broadway in 'Hamilton'". The Southern Illinoisan .
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Molly Parker (March 8, 2016). "From Cairo To Broadway: Actor Christopher Jackson clings to his roots as his star rises". The Southern Illinoisan .
  5. Daniels, Karu (July 8, 2014). "Broadway Audiences Hear Chris Jackson's Holler: Leading Man Plays Three Starring Roles in One Season". Playbill. Retrieved October 9, 2015.
  6. Stephen Holden (August 11, 1995). "Theater Review: Romantic Adventures Of 3 Urban Couples". The New York Times .
  7. "On Broadway, Where Actors Get Physical". The New York Times . August 1, 2000.
  8. Charles Isherwood (February 9, 2007). "From the Corner Bodega, the Music of Everyday Life". The New York Times .
  9. Charles Isherwood (March 10, 2008). "The View From Uptown: American Dreaming to a Latin Beat". The New York Times .
  10. Michael Davis (May 12, 2008). "PBS Revives a Show That Shines a Light on Reading". The New York Times .
  11. broadwayworld.com. "Christopher Jackson Theatre Credits". Broadway World website. Retrieved September 10, 2015.
  12. Gans, Andrew (December 20, 2011). "In the Heights and The Lion King, will join the cast of the Tony-winning Best Musical Memphis". Playbill. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
  13. Hetrick, Adam (September 20, 2013). "Primary Stages' Bronx Bombers, Starring Christopher Jackson, Richard Topol and Wendy Makkena, Begins Off-Broadway Sept. 20". Playbill.com. Archived from the original on January 10, 2014. Retrieved February 6, 2014.
  14. Hetrick, Adam (October 21, 2013). "Yankees Drama Bronx Bombers Will Transfer to Broadway; Peter Scolari Joins Cast". Playbill.com. Archived from the original on October 21, 2013. Retrieved February 6, 2014.
  15. McPhee, Ryan (April 7, 2014). "Saul Williams, Tonya Pinkins & Christopher Jackson to Star in Tupac Shakur Musical Holler If Ya Hear Me". Broadway.com. Retrieved October 9, 2015.
  16. Kennedy, Mark (July 17, 2015). "3 presidents in 'Hamilton' put 'blood into the statues'". Lima, Ohio. AP. Archived from the original on September 23, 2020. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
  17. Hoch, Danny (April 23, 2015). "Sure, 'Hamilton' Is a Game-Changer, But Whose Game?". American Theatre. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
  18. Jordan Crucchiola (October 14, 2016). "Christopher Jackson Is Saying Good-bye to Hamilton". Vulture. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
  19. Levin, Gary (November 11, 2016). "A day in the life: Christopher Jackson, from 'Bull' to Broadway's 'Hamilton'". USA Today. Retrieved November 14, 2016.
  20. 1 2 freestylelovesupreme.com. "Freestyle Love Supreme - The Crew". Freestyle Love Supreme website. Archived from the original on October 18, 2018. Retrieved September 10, 2015.
  21. Kaufman, Joanne (May 5, 2016). "What I Love: Christopher Jackson of 'Hamilton,' at Home in the Bronx". New York Times. Retrieved November 14, 2016.
  22. amda.edu. "Alumnus Christopher Jackson nominated for his 3rd Emmy Award!". AMDA blog. Retrieved September 10, 2015.
  23. Malkin, Marc (October 25, 2021). "'Hamilton' Star Christopher Jackson Signs First-Look Deal With CBS Studios (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
  24. "Rhymes through Times". Noggin . Archived from the original on May 6, 2021. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
  25. Slaton, Joyce (March 8, 2021). "Rhymes Through Times Review". Common Sense Media . Archived from the original on August 11, 2021. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
  26. Milligan, Mercedes (February 16, 2021). "Noggin Debuts Musical Black History Shorts 'Rhymes Through Times'". Animation Magazine . Archived from the original on March 10, 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
  27. Purcell, Carey (October 9, 2015). "Christopher Jackson On the "Incredible Moments" He's Shared With Lin-Manuel Miranda — Musicals, Marriage and Children". Playbill. Retrieved October 9, 2015.
  28. Evans, Greg (September 28, 2020). "Disney Junior's 'Vampirina' Taps Broadway & TV For Season 3 Guest Star Line-Up: Audra McDonald, Christopher Jackson, Taran Killam, Mayim Bialik, Among Others". Deadline .