The core of Daveed Diggs’ creative philosophy is simple — “I like making cool stuff with my friends. That’s how I make art, and that’s the only way I’ve ever known how to do it.”
That’s how he found himself in “The Room Where It Happens.”
At Cal State Fullerton’s Feb. 20 Beyond the Conversation event, the Tony and Grammy Award-winning actor spoke to students about the importance of artistry and community and how his love for rapping and acting came together to shape his performance as Thomas Jefferson and Marquis de Lafayette in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s hit Broadway musical “Hamilton.”
The landmark musical story of rapping founding fathers debuted on Broadway nearly a decade ago, signaling the emergence of a new cultural phenomenon that went on to win the 2016 Pulitzer Prize in Drama and 11 Tony Awards.
Diggs’ road to Broadway started with a substitute teaching role in Marin City. Working with a friend, he began beatboxing and freestyling with students to teach them new concepts. It didn’t take long for Diggs’ friend to recognize his talent and love for music and performance.
“He said, ‘You should meet my friend Lin Manuel. We have this group called Freestyle Love Supreme.’ That’s how I ended up in ‘Hamilton’ 12 years later,” said Diggs.
From mastering Lafayette’s signature rap in “Guns and Ships” to perfecting Jefferson’s air of entitlement and privilege, Diggs said that his “Hamilton” performance was a pivotal moment in his career. As a first-time Broadway star, he was amazed by the national response. Taking the stage each night and signing autographs after every show, he remembers asking co-star Christopher Jackson, “Is this what it’s like to be on Broadway?”
“Chris said, ‘Oh no, it’s never been like this. Nothing has ever been like this.’”
As it changed the landscape of Broadway musicals, Diggs said the show also opened doors for him to pursue artistry in all facets of the industry, from hip-hop and Hollywood to theater and spoken word.
As an actor, he starred in and co-wrote the 2018 film “Blindspotting,” and he’s also appeared in several other projects, including “Snowpiercer,” “Wonder” and “Black-ish.” He’s lent his voice to such animated projects as Disney Pixar’s “Soul,” Disney’s live-action remake of “The Little Mermaid” and DreamWorks Animation’s “Trolls Band Together.” His love for hip-hop and spoken word has also inspired his work with the band Clipping.
For college students, Diggs emphasized the importance of focusing on education. When he was in college, Diggs said he often felt pressured to achieve all of his goals at once, but he learned that some phases of life are meant for development.
“It’s OK if it’s not all working right now. You’re learning and you can draw on all of those experiences later,” said Diggs. “Make art that you believe in and that you love, and keep interpreting the world around you.”
Taking the Stage With Daveed
Hosted by Associated Students Inc. and the Division of Student Affairs, the Beyond the Conversation speaker series invites notable guests to campus to share their stories and inspire the Titan community.
Two years ago, Tanya Gonzalez was in the audience at her very first Beyond the Conversation event. She watched in awe as actress and artist Hunter Schafer encouraged students to stay true to who they are.
“I never imagined that two years later I would be on the stage, conducting an interview for the same series,” said Gonzelez, an art-graphic and interactive design student who interviewed Diggs at the Feb. 20 event. “I am a huge fan of his work, so when we confirmed him as our next guest speaker, I jumped at the opportunity.”
Gonzalez, who currently serves as the chair for the Association for InterCultural Awareness within ASI’s programming and engagement team, said that her favorite part of the experience was seeing the students’ excitement. She also appreciated Diggs’ insight into the art industry and his advice to students.
“The Beyond the Conversation series is important because each guest speaker brings something new or different to share with our students,” said Gonzalez. “It’s rewarding to see students learn from these guest speakers and be inspired for their futures.”