Robin de Jesús

Robin de Jesús
De Jesús in 2022
Born
OccupationActor
Years active2003–present

Robin de Jesús is an American film and theater actor of Puerto Rican descent. He has received Tony Award nominations for his roles in In the Heights, La Cage aux Folles, and The Boys in the Band. He is also known for portraying Michael in tick, tick... BOOM!.

Life and career

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Robin de Jesús was born in Norwalk, Connecticut.[1]

His first major role was as Michael in the independent film Camp (2003), where he plays a gay teen who gets beat up for wearing drag to his prom. While the film (which also starred Anna Kendrick) went relatively unnoticed in the mainstream, it gained a cult following among musical theater fans and teens who connected to the outcast theme.[2]

He is perhaps best known for playing the role of Sonny in the 2008 Broadway musical In the Heights,[3] for which he received a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. In 2010, he joined the revival cast of La Cage aux Folles as Jacob, the sassy housekeeper, which earned him his second Tony Award nomination in the Featured Actor category.[4][5] The production opened at the Longacre Theatre on April 18, 2010. De Jesús left the production on February 13, 2011, replaced by Wilson Jermaine Heredia.[6] De Jesús played the role of Boq in the Broadway production of Wicked[7] at the Gershwin Theatre. In 2019, he received a third Tony Award nomination, for Best Featured Actor in a Play, for his role of Emory in The Boys in the Band.[8] He recreated the role for the 2020 film adaptation produced for Netflix.

In 2021, Jesús played Michael in the musical drama tick, tick... BOOM!, the directorial debut of Lin-Manuel Miranda, for which he received critical acclaim and a nomination for the Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture.[9]

Personal life

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Robin is gay.[10]

Credits

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2003 Camp Michael Flores
2006 Fat Girls Rudy
2011 Gun Hill Road Robin
2012 Elliot Loves Hector
2013 Hair Brained Romeo Torres
Bert and Arnie's Guide to Friendship Student
2016 11:55 Rubio
2020 Milkwater George
The Boys in the Band Emory
2021 tick, tick... BOOM! Michael

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2010 How to Make It in America Street teenager Episode: "Crisp"
2012–2016 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Jose Silva 5 episodes
2022 Santiago of the Seas Pepito Episode: "A Tale of Two-mas"
Would I Lie to You? Himself Episode: "Boy in a Barrel"
2022–2023 Welcome to Chippendales Ray Colon[11] 6 episodes
2023 Big Mouth "Esperando Pelitos" performer (voice) Episode: "The International Show"
TBA Black Rabbit Tony Upcoming miniseries

Theater

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Year Title Role Details Notes
2005 Rent Steve/Waiter
Angel (u/s)
Nederlander Theater
In the Heights Sonny Eugene O'Neill Theater Center
2007 Off-Broadway
2008–2010 Broadway; February 14, 2008 – February 14, 2010
2010–2011 La Cage aux Folles Jacob Broadway revival; April 6, 2010 – February 14, 2011
2012 Aladdin Aladdin The Muny
2013 Domesticated Bar Patron Lincoln Center Theater
2014 Mother Jones and the Children's Crusade[12][13] Jack Dorsey New York Musical Theatre Festival
2014–2016 Wicked Boq Broadway; December 16, 2014 – January 31, 2016
2017–2018 "Munchkinland" national tour; May 2, 2017 – March 12, 2018
2018 The Boys in the Band Emory Broadway revival
2023 Little Shop of Horrors Seymour Krelborn The Muny

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Work Result
2007 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Ensemble Performance In the Heights Won
2008 Tony Award Best Featured Actor in a Musical Nominated
2010 Tony Award Best Featured Actor in a Musical La Cage aux Folles Nominated
Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical Nominated
2019 Tony Award Best Featured Actor in a Play The Boys in the Band Nominated
2021 Satellite Award Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture tick, tick... BOOM! Nominated
Hollywood Critics Association Film Award Best Supporting Actor[14] Nominated
Greater Western New York Film Critics Association Award Best Supporting Actor[15] Nominated

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Q&A: Robin De Jesús". The Ensemblist. November 11, 2015. Archived from the original on March 3, 2017. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
  2. ^ Peitzman, Louis (October 28, 2015). "The Movie That Taught A Generation Of Misfits To Let Their Freak Flags Fly". Buzzfeed. Retrieved January 6, 2018.
  3. ^ Isherwood, Charles. "From the Corner Bodega, the Music of Everyday Life", The New York Times, February 9, 2007.
  4. ^ Jones, Kenneth (February 3, 2010). "Shively, Cox, Andreas, Hoch, De Jesús, Shaddow and Cunningham Join La Cage aux Folles". Playbill. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
  5. ^ Propst, Andy. "PS Classics to Release New Broadway Cast Recording of La Cage Aux Folles" theatremania.com, July 27, 2010.
  6. ^ "Tony Winner Wilson Jermaine Heredia Set for La Cage aux Folles". Broadway.com, January 4, 2011.
  7. ^ "Seven Questions with Wicked's Robin de Jesus About #TheStruggleIsReal & Bringing Sexy Boq". Broadway Box. April 22, 2015. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
  8. ^ "Robin De Jesus Tony Awards Info". broadwayworld.com. Retrieved November 20, 2021.
  9. ^ "2021 Winners | International Press Academy".
  10. ^ Wong, Curtis M. (October 4, 2013). "Robin De Jesús On Taking Over For Ben Rimalower In 'Patti' Issues' And Choosing Gay Roles Responsibly". HuffPost. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
  11. ^ Cordero, Rosy (March 2, 2022). "'Immigrant': 'Tick, Tick, BOOM!' Star Robin de Jesús Boards Hulu Series". Deadline.
  12. ^ "New York Musical Festival :: 2014 Events". NYMF.org. Retrieved January 6, 2018.
  13. ^ Wong, Curtis M. (July 21, 2014). "Robin de Jesús On 'Mother Jones And The Children's Crusade' At The New York Musical Theatre Festival". HuffPost. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
  14. ^ "Dune, Coda, And Belfast Lead The 5th Annual HCA Film Awards Nominations". Hollywood Critics Association. December 2, 2021. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
  15. ^ "Awards: Our 2021 Nominees". Greater WNY Film Critics Association. December 22, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
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