Episode 59 - Brian d'Arcy James

Little Known Facts with Ilana Levine

Brian d'Arcy James (award winning actor) originated the role of King George in "Hamilton," The Broadway musical. He has starred in over 14 Broadway shows and just as many film and tv shows. Among them, the Academy Award winning film "Spotlight," "13 Reasons Why," "Smash," "Unabomber," "Ghost Town," and many more upcoming projects.

In this candid conversation, Brian shares with Ilana the tough choice he had to make when the opportunity to star on Broadway in "Something Rotten" was presented at the same time "Hamilton" was going into rehearsal for it's Public Theater run. This and other stories about his life in the theater make for one of the most compelling and hilarious episodes of "Little Known Facts."

Brian dʼArcy James is an award-winning theater, film, and television actor as well as a recording artist. Hailed recently as “one of the most celebrated actors of his generation in both straight plays and musicals” (Jeremy Gerard, Deadline), Brian is a three-time Tony nominee, and an Obie and Drama Desk Award winner for his varied and extensive work in the theater on Broadway and off-Broadway. Brian reprised his award-winning role as King George III in Lin-Manuel Mirandaʼs musical HAMILTON at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on Broadway. He originated the role of King George (“played with vaudevillian brilliance”—Ben Brantley, The New York Times) in the sold-out Off-Broadway run of Hamilton at The Public Theater. In 2015, immediate following Hamilton, Brian starred in the Broadway musical SOMETHING ROTTEN, for which he was nominated for a 2015 Tony Award, Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, and Drama League Distinguished Performance Award.

In film, Brian starred in the 2016 Academy Award–winning Best Picture SPOTLIGHT, alongside Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, and Rachel McAdams as the four-member “Spotlight” columnists for the Boston Globe. Brian was awarded the 2016 SAG Award, Critics Choice Award, Gotham Award and the Independent Spirit’s Robert Altman Award for Best Ensemble for his portrayal of Matt Carroll. 2017 proved to be a busy year with the spring premiere of the Netflix series THIRTEEN REASONS WHY, in which Brian co-stars with Kate Walsh, followed by his appearance in Discovery Channel’s Manhunt:UNABOMBER miniseries.

Additional credits include guest starring roles in THE GOOD WIFE, THE BIG C and PERSON OF INTEREST, among many others. A veteran of the stage with more than a dozen Broadway credits to his name, highlights include his Tony award nominated performances for starring roles in SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS and SHREK THE MUSICAL, as well as roles in Broadway plays such as MACBETH, TIME STANDS STILL and LIEUTENANT OF INISHMORE. Off Broadway highlights include his Obie winning solo performance of THE GOOD THIEF, Drama Desk nominations for GIANT and THE WILD PARTY along with originating roles in NEXT TO NORMAL and FLOYD COLLINS, among others. As a recording artist, Brian has a Grammy nomination for his performance on the Broadway Cast Album of SOMETHING ROTTEN. His solo Christmas album FROM CHRISTMAS EVE TO CHRISTMAS MORN features holiday classics along with three original songs including the popular song “Michigan Christmas.” Brian dʼArcy James resides in New York City with his wife and daughter. He has supported and performed many times for an organization in his hometown of Saginaw, Michigan, called the Field Neurosciences Institute (FNI). The mission of the FNI is the prevention, early diagnosis, care and cure of neurological diseases, disorders and injuries.

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