Daveed Diggs

Daveed Diggs began his career performing in experimental theater, including the national tour of Marc Bamuthi Joseph’s Word Becomes Flesh. He also appeared in regional Shakespeare productions. In 2015, he originated the roles of Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson in the Off-Broadway production of Hamilton, transferring with the show to Broadway later that year. He won the 2016 Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical and a 2016 Grammy Award for the cast album. He departed the production in July 2016.

Diggs is the vocalist and writer for the experimental hip-hop group clipping., founded in 2009, which he joined in 2010. The group released the mixtape midcity (2013), followed by CLPPNG (2014), the EP Wriggle (2016), and the album Splendor & Misery (2016). In 2017, they released the single The Deep, which received a 2018 Hugo Award nomination. Subsequent albums include There Existed an Addiction to Blood (2019) and Visions of Bodies Being Burned (2020). Diggs is also a member of True Neutral Crew, releasing the EPs #MONSANTO (2013) and #POPPUNK (2014), and the album soft rules (2016). He released The BAY BOY Mixtape with Rafael Casal in 2010 and his solo album Small Things to a Giant in 2012. He has performed with Freestyle Love Supreme and contributed music to the 2016 animated film Zootopia, including writing and performing a rap number. In 2020, he co-created and performed the song “Puppy for Hanukkah” in partnership with Disney Channel.

On television, Diggs has had recurring roles on The Get Down, Black-ish, and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and appeared on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. He served as executive producer, writer, and guest star on the ABC series The Mayor (2017). Beginning in 2017, he played Mr. Noodle on Sesame Street. In 2020, he began starring in the TNT series Snowpiercer and portrayed Frederick Douglass in the Showtime miniseries The Good Lord Bird. He co-wrote and executive produced the television adaptation of Blindspotting, which premiered in 2021 and was renewed for a second season. In 2024, it was announced that he would join the fifth season of The Boys.

Diggs made his film debut in the 2016 animated feature Zootopia. In 2017, he appeared in Wonder and voiced a character in the animated film Ferdinand. He co-wrote, co-produced, and starred in Blindspotting, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2018 and was released theatrically in July 2018. He later voiced Sebastian in Disney’s live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid.