One Last Time: Christopher Jackson heading back to ‘Hamilton’
Christopher Jackson of ‘Hamilton’ performs onstage during the 70th Annual Tony Awards at The Beacon Theatre on June 12, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)
He taught them how to say goodbye, and now he’s back again.
Christopher Jackson will be reprising his role of George Washington in the Tony-winning Broadway musical Hamilton. He originated the role in 2015 and was nominated for a Tony.
His limited run of shows begins Tuesday, Sept. 8, and goes through Sunday, Jan. 3, 2027, at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in New York City.
“Returning to Hamilton as George Washington is a deeply meaningful homecoming,” Jackson says in a statement. “This show changed my life, and it remains one of the great honors of my career to be part of telling this story. To step back into this room, with this company and this audience, is something I will never take for granted.”
His return follows Leslie Odom Jr.’s own return to the show last year to reprise his role as Aaron Burr for the show’s 10th anniversary. Hamilton, written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, officially opened on Broadway August 6, 2015.
Tickets for Jackson’s run of shows are on sale now.
Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater attend the ‘Wicked’ New York Premiere at the Museum of Modern Art on Nov. 14, 2024 in New York City. (Theo Wargo/Getty Images)
Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater have reportedly ended their relationship, according to People.
The Wicked co-stars have amicably called it quits after nearly three years of dating, according to a source who spoke to Peoplethis week.
ABC News reached out to Grande’s and Slater’s representatives for comment.
Slater and Grande met while working on Wicked, which began filming in December 2022. Grande played Glinda in the film, while Slater played Boq.
The pair were first photographed together at Michelle Yeoh’s Oscar party in March 2023, alongside their Wicked co-star Cynthia Erivo.
Grande and Slater, both of whom were married previously, were spotted together in public a few times, including in October 2023, when Grande attended Spamalot on Broadway to support Slater, who was appearing in the show.
They appeared to make their relationship Instagram official in November 2024, when they each shared the same behind-the-scenes photo of themselves at the Wicked premiere in Sydney, Australia.
When Grande was nominated for best supporting actress at the Critics Choice Awards in 2025 for her turn as Glinda, Slater spoke with ABC’s Good Morning Americaon the carpet about what it was like to see Grande take on the role.
“It’s really moving,” Slater said at the time. “When somebody’s wanted to play a role for so long, something that’s meant so much to her, it’s meant so much to everyone on the cast, and then everybody had to really go for it and earn these roles and deliver every day on set, I feel immensely proud of Ariana, of Cynthia, of [Jonathan Bailey], of every single person.”
Grande is currently on her Eternal Sunshine Tour, which kicked off on June 6, in Oakland, California.
She is expected to make stops across North America in Los Angeles, Austin, New York, Boston, Montreal, and more, before hitting the stage at The O2 in London on Aug. 15 for a multi-show run.
Her upcoming album, petal, will be released July 31.
Miley Cyrus and Dolly Parton appear in this photo for ‘Dolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Christmas.’ (Katherine Bomboy/NBC via Getty Images)
Miley Cyrus is remembering her honorary godmother, Dolly Parton, following the country music legend’s death at age 80.
“The feeling of losing my Aunt Dolly is beyond what feels right to share. Our most sacred moments were private and they’ll stay there behind the stage, beneath the glamour & between our hearts,” Cyrus wrote in a social media post Wednesday, alongside a photo of Parton.
“What I KNOW is Dolly would want me to feel it, write a song about it, and then continue on and be strong. I have an angel by my side. I always have. One of our last conversations was about music and metamorphosis,” Cyrus continued. “I will always love her and want to make her proud. My heart breaks for the world, her family and friends who will miss her deeply. We’re in this loss together and we will see her in all of the most beautiful things.”
Parton died on Tuesday in Nashville after a “brief battle” with cancer, according to her publicist.
Parton told ABC News’ Robin Roberts in a 2009 interview that she was asked to be Cyrus’ godmother by the singer’s father, Billy Ray Cyrus.
“I’m her honorary godmother. I’ve known her since she was a baby,” Parton said. “Her father’s a friend of mine, and when she was born, he said, ‘You just have to be her godmother,’ and I said, ‘I accept.’ We never did do a big ceremony, but I’m so proud of her, love her and she’s just like one of my own.”
Years later, Parton opened up about her bond with Miley Cyrus in the ABC News special Dolly Parton: From Rhinestones to Rock & Roll, saying she loved her “like a child.”
Parton also praised Miley Cyrus as “talented in every way” and spoke about the connection they shared when performing together.
“I know where she’s going and she knows where I’m going,” Parton said. “So out of that really comes a really magical thing sometimes.”
The two singers collaborated several times over the years, including on a cover of Miley Cyrus’ 2013 hit “Wrecking Ball” for Parton’s 2023 album, Rockstar.
After the album’s release, Miley Cyrus shared a video celebrating Parton as she drove past a billboard of her on Hollywood Boulevard.
“I love you so much Aunt Dolly, congratulations on your rock ‘n’ roll album,” Miley Cyrus said in the video. “I love you.”
The pair also reunited musically earlier this year, when Miley Cyrus joined Parton, Reba McEntire, Queen Latifah and Lainey Wilson for a new version of Parton’s “Light of a Clear Blue Morning” in celebration of Parton’s 80th birthday.
Miley Cyrus — who featured Parton on several episodes of her show Hannah Montana — has described Parton as a maternal figure in her life.
“Dolly’s been like a mother to me,” Miley Cyrus told W Magazine in 2024 while recalling a Mother’s Day message she received from Parton that read, “How much do I love you? As much as my heart can hold and as far as my arms can reach.”
More recently, in March, Miley Cyrus told Good Morning America that one of the biggest lessons she learned from Parton was “to start promoting something before it’s real.”
Billy Ray Cyrus paid tribute to Parton on his own after her death, recalling their decadeslong friendship in a post on Instagram.
Billy Ray Cyrus said Parton had recently sent him a message telling him she loved him “with her whole heart.”
“I will always love her in the same way … with my whole heart … and I always will,” he wrote.
Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) in ‘Toy Story 5.’ (Pixar)
The final trailer for Toy Story 5 has arrived just as tickets for the film have gone on sale.
Disney and Pixar have released a brand-new look at the upcoming animated sequel film. Everyone’s favorite toys — including Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), Jessie (Joan Cusack) and Forky (Tony Hale) — are back in this new look that shows off how Jessie feels about the new high-tech, frog-shaped smart tablet Lilypad, and the threat she brings to playtime.
Lilypad, voiced by Greta Lee, calls the cowgirl “Jessica,” which causes her to lash out at the device. Later, we see many toys gathered into a cardboard box and put into the garage.
“Are we getting donated?” Rex the dinosaur (Wallace Shawn) asks, after which Karen Beverly (Melissa Villaseñor) says, “Mmm, doughnuts!” Her partner, Forky, has to tell her, “No, sweetie. Do-na-ted!”
Joining the cast of the film is music superstar Bad Bunny. He plays the role of Pizza with Sunglasses. The cameo character is described as “effortlessly cool and mysterious” and “is a member of a small but mighty community of forgotten toys that live in an abandoned backyard shed.”
Also announced as part of the film’s voice cast is Alan Cumming. He will take on the voice of Evil Bullseye, a playtime alter ego of the lovable character Bullseye.
“While Woody’s trusty steed still lacks the power of speech in the world of Toy Story, Cumming provides Bullseye’s voice during a funny playtime sequence in the film,” according to a press release.
Toy Story 5 is directed by WALL-E and Finding Nemo helmer Andrew Stanton and co-directed by Kenna Harris. Randy Newman returns to score his fifth Toy Story film. The movie rides like the wind into theaters on June 19.
Disney is the parent company of ABC News and Pixar.
