Javier Muñoz (actor)

Javier Muñoz

Javier Muñoz with co-star Renée Elise Goldsberry in costume for Hamilton
Born (1975-11-27) November 27, 1975
Alma mater New York University
Occupation Actor

Javier Muñoz is an American actor who played Usnavi in the Broadway musical In the Heights and the title role in the musical Hamilton.

Early life and education

Muñoz, the son of a Puerto Rican family, grew up in the Brooklyn neighborhood of East New York.[1][2] He attended Brooklyn's Edward R. Murrow High School where he participated in the drama club.[1] He got his BFA at New York University and was part of the CAP 21 acting program.[1][3][4]

Career

Muñoz's early roles include Ziad, the "best friend" in Kari Floren's The Porch at Altered Stages in New York,[5] and roles in other off-Broadway productions.[6] He was playing off-Broadway in the musical, All is Love, and had abandoned acting to accept a full-time job as a manager at the restaurant 441/2 in Hell's Kitchen when he auditioned for the musical In the Heights.[1] He landed a role that was cut from the show during rehearsals, but he stayed on as a member of the ensemble.[1]

On February 16, 2009 Muñoz took the male lead of Usnavi in the Broadway cast of In the Heights.[7][8] Muñoz went on to play Usnavi in the national tour.[9] Theater critic Robert Feldberg wrote that he preferred Muñoz in the role originated by Miranda, pointing out that the romance between Usnavi and Vanessa seemed more "believable" and that in putting across the main storyline in a way that Miranda had been unable to do, Muñoz turned the star vehicle into an "emotionally persuasive" ensemble performance.[10]

In 2015 Muñoz began performing as alternate for the role of Alexander Hamilton in the Broadway production Hamilton. By spring 2016, Muñoz appeared in the role originated by Lin-Manuel Miranda every Sunday and on weekdays whenever Miranda needed to be elsewhere on a weekday.[11][12][13][14][15] Muñoz played the role of Hamilton the night President Obama brought his family to watch the show.[16][17] New York Times theatre critic Ben Brantley noted Muñoz's role subbing for Miranda in the role of Hamilton, stating "the cutting carnal edge of Mr. Muñoz's performance may slightly alter the production's chemistry, especially between Hamilton and Angelica Schuyler, his intellectual equal and sister-in-law."[18]

On July 11, 2016, Muñoz took over the lead role of Alexander Hamilton in Hamilton.[19]

Personal life

Muñoz is a cancer survivor and has lived with HIV since 2002. He is openly gay.[20]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Hernandez, Lee (February 10, 2009). "'In The Heights' creator names bodeguero heir". Daily News. New York City. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
  2. ↑ Kaye, Kimberley (19 February 2009). "Javier Muñoz Interview". Broadway.com. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Javier Muñoz". osfashland.org. Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
  4. ↑ Kahn, Jessica (November 30, 2015). "Hamilton's Javier Munoz Nabs 'Sexy' New York Times Review". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved December 1, 2015.
  5. ↑ Midgette, Anne (June 13, 2006). "Unexpected Guests, and Results, in 'The Porch' (review)". The New York Times. Retrieved 11 November 2015.
  6. ↑ Horn, Miriam (May 31, 2005). "Secrets (Gasp) In the 1950's (review)". The New York Times. Retrieved November 11, 2015.
  7. ↑ Jones, Kenneth (January 30, 2009). "Javier Muñoz Graduates to Star of In the Heights on Feb. 16". Playbill. Retrieved August 11, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Javier Munoz Brings His 'Usnavi' IN THE HEIGHTS". BroadwayWorld.com. February 16, 2009. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  9. ↑ Maupin, Elizabeth (April 17, 2009). "Broadway series beckons to hipper, younger crowd". Orlando Sentinel.
  10. ↑ Feldberg, Robert (August 16, 2009). "Recast puts new spin on 'Heights'". Bergen County, New Jersey: The Record.
  11. ↑ Goldstein, Jessica (November 12, 2015). "Javier Muñoz on What It's Like to Play Alexander Hamilton When Lin-Manuel Miranda Isn't". Vulture.com. Retrieved November 15, 2015.
  12. ↑ Gans, Andrew. " Lin-Manuel Miranda's Alternate Will Play Title Role in Hamilton Once a Week" playbill.com, July 6, 2015
  13. ↑ Purcell, Carey (August 10, 2015). "Meet Hamilton's Other Leading Man, Standing By for Lin-Manuel Miranda for More Than Ten Years". Playbill. Retrieved August 11, 2015.
  14. ↑ Wexler, Matthew (August 8, 2015). "Does Broadway's Hamilton Shine Without Its Star?". Gothamist.com. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
  15. ↑ Henry, Sally (October 18, 2015). "HAMILTON's Javier Munoz Featured in Latest Photo Using 1800s Lens". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
  16. ↑ Schuessler, Jennifer (July 18, 2015). "Starring on Broadway, Obama and Alexander Hamilton". New York Times. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
  17. ↑ Ramsey, Nick (July 18, 2015). "Obama attends matinee performance of Broadway's 'Hamilton'". MSNBC. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
  18. ↑ Brantley, Ben (December 1, 2015). "The Same Founding Father's New Vibe". New York Times.
  19. ↑ Marks, Peter (June 16, 2016). "Hurry up, 'Hamilton' fans: Lin-Manuel Miranda announces departure date from show". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
  20. ↑ "The New Star Of "Hamilton" Is Gay, HIV-Positive And Faced Down Cancer. Broadway Should Be A Snap".

External links

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