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De Jesús in 2022. Born. Norwalk, Connecticut, U.S. Occupation. Actor. Years active. 2003–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.
- Actor
- Norwalk, Connecticut, U.S.
- 2003–present
Dec 26, 2022 · The Connecticut-born actor of Puerto Rican descent has seamlessly shifted from screen to stage in movies like Ryan Murphy’s “The Boys in the Band” and Broadway shows like “La Cage Aux Folles,”...
- Alicia Ramírez
Nov 19, 2021 · The actor Robin de Jesús in the Bronx. Steven Molina Contreras for The New York Times. By Laura Zornosa. Nov. 19, 2021. The T-shirt says it all: “This body was built on arroz con gandules ...
Jan 10, 2022 · Robin de Jesús Takes Flight. The Broadway veteran, who costarred with Lin-Manuel Miranda in the original Broadway run of In the Heights, shines in his first major film role in Tick,...
- Hillary Busis
- Overview
- Broadening identity, inclusiveness
Fans know him from award-winning Broadway musicals such as “In the Heights” and “La Cage aux Folles” and recent movies such as the award-winning “Tick, Tick… Boom!” and “The Boys in the Band.” On Friday, Puerto Rican actor Robin de Jesús will use his musical talent to connect with younger viewers as a faun who steals sounds from neighbors and nature to make music.
“I’m making my guest star appearance as Pepito on the show ‘Santiago of the Seas,’” he told NBC News. “It’s a beautiful show about this kid named Santiago who lives in the Caribbean, on an island with a very similar name to Puerto Rico.”
Nickelodeon’s “Santiago of the Seas” is an animated preschool TV show that follows an 8-year-old pirate and his friends on treasure-seeking adventures. It teaches young English-speaking viewers Spanish words and phrases and features music, food, dances and other traditions from Latino and Caribbean cultures.
The series is set on Isla Encanto, which translates to Charm Island or Enchantment Island. This name is akin to Puerto Rico’s nickname, which is La Isla del Encanto (the Island of Enchantment).
De Jesús said having grown up in Connecticut, he did not have access to shows that spoke directly to his Puerto Rican heritage. He recalled watching “Sonic the Hedgehog,” “Darkwing Duck,” “Power Rangers” and “Care Bears,” just like other kids from his generation.
But because he was raised in a bilingual household, he said he considers himself fortunate to have connected with Spanish-language television, specifically the Mexican children's telenovela “Carrusel.”
Now, after 20 years onstage, the actor said he identifies as many things — Boricua (another name for Puerto Rican), Latino, Latine, Latinx — and feels empowered by the idea that society is figuring out how to become more inclusive.
He pointed out, however, that diversity needs to be present throughout film and TV production.
“As someone who was changed by seeing Rosie Pérez in ‘White Men Can’t Jump’ and didn’t know there was space for him until I saw her — and now I get to be in this place where maybe someone gets that from me — I feel so grateful,” he said. “But I want to see that behind the camera. I want to see diversity for my producers, for my writers, for the crew, because that is what will let me know that it is, in fact, systemic.”
De Jesús said his mission as an actor is to push beyond the borders that limit identities, so different viewers can connect with characters and stories on the stage or through their screens.
“I’m a gay Latino who presents in a way that is sometimes effeminate and sometimes not. And so I wish to diversify specifically queer Latino characters and kind of challenge what we define as masculine,” he said. “I would love for my career to be predominately queer characters in different time periods, so that we insert Latinos specifically into period pieces that we’ve been erased from, even though we all know we existed.”
When asked about off-screen music that inspired his character Pepito in “Santiago of the Seas,” the Puerto Rican actor remembered fondly the parrandas, or Christmas carols, that he used to sing with family and friends during the holidays.
- Arturo Conde
Sep 30, 2020 · How Robin de Jesús Crafted One of the Best Performances of. The Boys in the Band. The three-time Tony nominee brings an energy to his role in the Netflix film that's impossible to resist. He told us how he approached bringing Emory to the screen. By Naveen Kumar. September 30, 2020.
Learn about Robin De Jesús on Apple TV. Browse shows and movies that feature Robin De Jesús including 11:55, Elliot Loves, and more.
