Okieriete Onaodowan, better known as Oak, might be best known for his brilliant portrayal of Hercules Mulligan and James Madison in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s smash Broadway hit, Hamilton an American Musical.
Okieriete Onaodowan is not a stranger to the stage. He’s been seen off-off-Broadway in The Shipmen, and The Last Days of Judas Iscariot. He’s performed off-Broadway in Langston in Harlem, Neighbors, Luce, and The Shipment. On Broadway, Okieriete Onaodowan has been seen in Cyrano de Bergerac and Rocky. He performed in Ruined at the Huntington Theatre Company, La Jolla Playhouse, and Berkeley Repertory Theatre. He’s been on tour with American Idiot. He’s been on television in Gravity, NYC 22, and Blue Bloods. He’s also been seen in the films Ribbons, The One You Marry, and Thanks for Sharing...
It’s Hercules Mulligan and James Madison in Hamilton an American Musical that really brought Okieriete Onaodowan into the spotlight. As Hercules Mulligan, he’s brash, loud, fierce, and thunderous. As James Madison, he’s understated and flawlessly nuanced.
Okieriete Onaodowan is spectacular because he can go back and forth between the subtle and the over-the-top. He can support an ensemble and also command an entire stage with just one word - and for those wondering, that word is "…France." He has the best lines in Hamilton. He is the fiercest flower girl, causing cheers and screams with the toss of a few rose petals. He’s a supporting player and a star, something not many actors can pull off over and over in the same show. He’s one of my favorite parts of Hamilton, and it was amazing to finally work with him in my studio.
I love this image of Oak because it shows off one facet of his strengths as a performer : his fierceness. He can be at turns funny, charming, self deprecating, silly, sweet, strong, sexy, scary, and subtle. To accurately portray all of these strengths, just one headshot from this session would not suffice. We needed a wide range of images to show off his wide range of skills.
If you're looking for unique personal branding photography for yourself and your business, I'd love to talk to you. I'd love to hear what your strengths are, and work to craft a photo session that helps you show those strengths off to potential clients and audiences. I hope to hear from you soon!
