Christopher Jackson
Jackson in 2019
Born
Christopher Neal Jackson

(1975-09-30) September 30, 1975 (age 48)[1][2]
Metropolis, Illinois,[3] U.S.
Other namesChris Jackson
Alma materAmerican Musical and Dramatic Academy
Occupations
  • Actor
  • singer
Years active1996–present
Known forIn 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.

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

Year Production Role Category
1997–2000 The Lion King Featured soloist/Simba u/s Broadway
2000–02 Simba
2003–04 Ensemble National tour
2004 Beggar's Holiday Happy Mac California
Comfortable Shoes Clay Harris Chicago
2005 Candide Ensemble Off-Broadway
Patience Duke of Dunstable Off-Broadway
In the Heights Benny Workshop
Regional
2007 Off-Broadway
2008–09 Broadway
2009 Memphis Delray Broadway
2010–11 In the Heights Benny Broadway
2011 Lonely, I'm Not Performer Off-Broadway
2012 The Jammer Charlie Heartbreak Off-Broadway
2013 Hamilton George Washington Workshop
After Midnight Special Guest Star Broadway
Bronx Bombers Bobby Sturges/Derek Jeter Off-Broadway
2014 Broadway
Holler if Ya Hear Me Vertus Broadway
2015 Hamilton George Washington Off-Broadway
2015–16 Broadway
2019 Freestyle Love Supreme C-Jack (Cameo at certain unannounced performances) Broadway
2021

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2009 After.Life Neal
2012 You'll Be a Man... — Composer, documentary
2013 Broken Aster — Composer, 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 Softee Cameo
Tick, Tick... Boom! TTB Concert Attendee
2023 World's Best Corey

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2003 Oz Perry Loftus 5 Episodes
2009 The Electric Company — Music Director
Fringe EMT #1 Episode: "Unleashed"
2010 Nurse Jackie Trey Episode: "Bleeding"
White Collar Nico Episode: "Unfinished Business"
2010–2014 Sesame Street Justin Bieber Muppet (2011) Composer
2011 A Gifted Man Rafael Douglas Episode: "In Case of Discomfort"
2014 Person of Interest Farrow Episode: "Provenance"
The Good Wife Michael Wood Episode: "The Trial"
2016–2022 Bull Chester "Chunk" Palmer Main Cast
2018–2019 The Lion Guard Shujaa & Kitendo (voice) 3 Episodes
2019 When They See Us Peter Rivera Episode: "Part Two"
2020 Vampirina Headless Horseman (voice)[28] Episode: "A Tale of Two Hallows"
2020-2022 Central Park Glorious Gary 2 Episodes
2021–present And Just Like That... Herbert Wexley 5 Episodes

Discography

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

  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. ^ a b c Cara Racine (March 10, 2015). "Cairo's Christopher Jackson heading to Broadway in 'Hamilton'". The Southern Illinoisan.
  4. ^ a b c d e 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. ^ a b 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.

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