Okieriete Onaodowan

 

 

Born:     August 16, 1987

Birthplace:    Newark, NJ  

Zodiac Sign:  Leo

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Okieriete "Oak" Onaodowan is an American actor, known for originating the roles of Hercules Mulligan and James Madison in the 2015 musical Hamilton and the role of Dean Miller in the ABC drama and Grey's Anatomy spin-off series, Station 19.

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Onaodowan was born in Nigeria. He grew up in Kampala, Uganda, and graduated from West Orange High School in 2005. Onaodowan briefly played football at Kampala High School but stopped after an injury during practice. As a result of the injury, Okieriete started to explore acting as an alternative extracurricular activity.

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Onaodowan had roles in Rocky the Musical and Cyrano de Bergerac on Broadway and was in the ensemble of the first national tour of American Idiot. He had the leading role in Young Jean Lee's 2009 play, The Shipment, and played the title role in J.C. Lee's Luce.

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By 2015, Onaodowan was an experienced stage actor. He also had several screen credits, including Lou in Thanks for Sharing, and roles in Gravity and Blue Bloods. He originated the roles of James Madison and Hercules Mulligan in the musical Hamilton on Broadway. He won a Grammy Award as part of the cast album of Hamilton.

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Beginning July 11, 2017 (a week later than planned), he took on the role of Pierre in the musical Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812, replacing the outgoing Josh Groban.

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In 2018, he began playing the role of firefighter Dean Miller in the Grey's Anatomy spin-off Station 19. Source.

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