# Renée Elise Goldsberry
**Renée Elise Goldsberry** (born 1971) is an American actress and singer best known for originating the role of Angelica Schuyler in the musical *Hamilton*, for which she won the 2016 Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical and, as part of the original Broadway cast, a [Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album](https://www.edgepedia.org/grammy-award-for-best-musical-theater-album).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1971, California[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0325989/) |
| Training | BFA in acting/music theater, Carnegie Mellon University, 1993; Master of Music in jazz studies, University of Southern California, 1997[2](https://drama.cmu.edu/alumni-story/renee-elise-goldsberry/) |
| Signature role | Angelica Schuyler, original cast of *Hamilton* on Broadway (July 13, 2015 – September 3, 2016)[3](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/renee-elise-goldsberry-113220) |
| Awards | 2016 Tony (Featured Actress, Musical); 2015 Drama Desk (Outstanding Featured Actress); 2016 Grammy (Best Musical Theater Album); Primetime Emmy nomination for the Disney+ filmed *Hamilton*[3](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/renee-elise-goldsberry-113220) • [4](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=renee-elise-goldsberry) • [5](https://apnews.com/article/854fdd501e5edd882917685e84e742c2) |
| Breakout TV role | Evangeline Williamson on *One Life to Live*, with two Daytime Emmy Award nominations[4](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=renee-elise-goldsberry) |
| Recording career | Debut album *Who I Really Am*, 13 tracks, released June 2025[5](https://apnews.com/article/854fdd501e5edd882917685e84e742c2) |
## Early life and training
Goldsberry grew up largely in Houston, where she first stepped onstage at age 8 during a summer camp at HITS Theatre, the Houston International Theater School[6](https://news.rice.edu/news/2026/tony-winner-and-hamilton-star-renee-elise-goldsberry-perform-rice-jan-23). She earned a BFA from [Carnegie Mellon University](https://www.edgepedia.org/carnegie-mellon-university)'s Music Theater program in 1993 and a Master of Music in jazz studies from the [University of Southern California](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-southern-california) in 1997[2](https://drama.cmu.edu/alumni-story/renee-elise-goldsberry/). Carnegie Mellon awarded her an Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree in May 2024[2](https://drama.cmu.edu/alumni-story/renee-elise-goldsberry/).
## Stage career
Her Broadway credits span three decades. She appeared in *The Lion King* as a replacement [Nala](https://www.edgepedia.org/nala-the-lion-king), originated the role of Nettie in the original Broadway cast of *The Color Purple* (2005–2008), joined the final year of the original *Rent* run as a replacement Mimi Marquez in 2008, played Kate in the original cast of David Lindsay-Abaire's play *Good People* (2011), and was also starring in the play *All In: Comedy About Love* in 2024–2025[3](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/renee-elise-goldsberry-113220).
**Hamilton.** In 2015 she originated the role of Angelica Schuyler, Eliza's sister, in [Lin-Manuel Miranda](https://www.edgepedia.org/lin-manuel-miranda)'s rap-styled musical about [Alexander Hamilton](https://www.edgepedia.org/alexander-hamilton), first in the off-Broadway run and then on Broadway from July 13, 2015 through September 3, 2016[3](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/renee-elise-goldsberry-113220) • [7](https://www.broadway.com/buzz/stars/renee-elise-goldsberry/profile/). Her first-act showstopper "Satisfied" became her signature number[8](https://www.houstoniamag.com/arts-and-culture/2021/10/renee-elise-goldsberry-hamilton-star). The performance brought the 2016 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical, the 2015 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress, and a Lucille Lortel Award; the cast recording won her a shared 2016 Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album[3](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/renee-elise-goldsberry-113220) • [9](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/renee-elise-goldsberry/) • [5](https://apnews.com/article/854fdd501e5edd882917685e84e742c2). The Disney+ filmed version of the original Broadway cast earned her a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie[2](https://drama.cmu.edu/alumni-story/renee-elise-goldsberry/).
## Screen career
Goldsberry's breakout television role was attorney Evangeline Williamson on the daytime soap opera *One Life to Live*, which brought two Daytime Emmy Award nominations[4](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=renee-elise-goldsberry). Her screen credits also include *The Good Wife*, *[Altered Carbon](https://www.edgepedia.org/altered-carbon-tv-series)*, *The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks*, in which she played the title role, *The House with a Clock in Its Walls*, *She-Hulk: Attorney at Law*, *Waves*, and *A House of Dynamite*[4](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=renee-elise-goldsberry).
In the [Tina Fey](https://www.edgepedia.org/tina-fey)-produced Netflix comedy *Girls5eva* she played the diva Wickie Roy, a '90s girl-group singer attempting a comeback; the role brought multiple Critics Choice and TCA Award nominations[4](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=renee-elise-goldsberry) • [10](https://time.com/6173529/renee-elise-goldsberry-girls5eva-season-two-interview/). In 2026 she began starring as Nichole E. Ferebee in CBS's new legal drama *Cupertino*, from the creators of *The Good Wife* and *Elsbeth*[4](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=renee-elise-goldsberry).
## Recording and documentary work
Goldsberry released her debut solo album, *Who I Really Am*, in June 2025. The 13-track album draws on soul, funk, blues, and gospel and includes a reimagined version of "Satisfied", a song she initially declined to re-record before recording it in a Nashville studio[5](https://apnews.com/article/854fdd501e5edd882917685e84e742c2). She is also the subject of the documentary *Satisfied*, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2024 and examines her *Hamilton* years alongside family-building and new motherhood; she served as an executive producer on the film[5](https://apnews.com/article/854fdd501e5edd882917685e84e742c2) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0325989/).
## Personal life
She married Alexis Johnson on December 8, 2002, and the couple has two children[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0325989/). She resides in [Connecticut](https://www.edgepedia.org/connecticut)[4](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=renee-elise-goldsberry).
## References
1. [Renée Elise Goldsberry, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0325989/)
2. [Renée Elise Goldsberry, CMU Drama alumni story](https://drama.cmu.edu/alumni-story/renee-elise-goldsberry/)
3. [Renée Elise Goldsberry, IBDB](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/renee-elise-goldsberry-113220)
4. [Renee Elise Goldsberry bio, Paramount Press Express / CBS Entertainment](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=renee-elise-goldsberry)
5. [Renée Elise Goldsberry talks new album and EGOT aspirations, AP News (2025)](https://apnews.com/article/854fdd501e5edd882917685e84e742c2)
6. [Tony winner and 'Hamilton' star Renée Elise Goldsberry to perform at Rice, Rice News (2026)](https://news.rice.edu/news/2026/tony-winner-and-hamilton-star-renee-elise-goldsberry-perform-rice-jan-23)
7. [Renée Elise Goldsberry Biography, Broadway.com Star File](https://www.broadway.com/buzz/stars/renee-elise-goldsberry/profile/)
8. [How Renée Elise Goldsberry Found Her Voice, Houstonia Magazine (2021)](https://www.houstoniamag.com/arts-and-culture/2021/10/renee-elise-goldsberry-hamilton-star)
9. [Renee Elise Goldsberry, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/renee-elise-goldsberry/)
10. [Renée Elise Goldsberry on Playing an 'Unapologetically Ambitious' Diva on Girls5eva, TIME (2022)](https://time.com/6173529/renee-elise-goldsberry-girls5eva-season-two-interview/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 2000s onward › Surnames Go to G*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license