“Grown-Ish” Actor Warren Egypt Franklin On New Character, Hamilton, And Life Goals

This actor is in the room where it happens!

Warren just started his TV debut with his brand new role as ‘Des’, in Freeform’s favorite series “Grown-ish”, alongside Yara Shahidi. And, if you were wondering where you’ve seen him before, Warren also currently stars as Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson in the touring company of Hamilton!

We had the amazing honor of talking with Warren on favorite musical, Hamilton’s audition process, and more!

Warren, huge things have been happening to you in the last couple of years. But I would love to start from the beginning. When and how was your passion for performing born?

W: “My passion for performing started when I was a kid from singing in church, to eventually doing plays and writing music with my cousins during the summertime. I always wanted to be on stage.”

What is your favorite musical? 

W: “Hamilton, I was just entranced the first time I saw it. It’s a really beautiful show.”

You just landed your first major recurring role last year in Grownish, how was that transition from the stage to the TV world?

W: “It was a pretty easy transition. They are totally different, but in the best ways possible. I feel like I had the training to be successful for TV, and the things that I didn’t know, the cast and crew were so gracious in teaching with love.”

Your Character Des on Grownish identifies as Gender Fluid and Queer. Could you tell us how was the process of bringing “Des” to life and telling his story? Do you feel close to the character?

W: “Des is actually the coolest person ever and I’m so grateful the team trusted me to bring him to life. Des went through many version of who Des was as a person, and the team really wanted me to play Des in the way I wanted and asked me lots of questions to make him feel authentic and real. I do feel close to Des, sometimes we aren’t allowed to go for things for fear of judgment from others, and he’s taught me to be brave in my own life. No matter what it is, go for it. Be yourself and the world will follow.”

As we all know, you are no stranger to the theatre. You got to tour with one of the most successful musicals of all time, Hamilton, and got to embody Lafayette & Thomas Jefferson. Could you describe how it was to be in one of the greatest shows of all time?

W: “I never take it for granted. Being in “Hamilton” was always a dream, and to tour the country changing lives 8 shows a week still feels like a dream and I’m so blessed I got to play the best role in the show! (in my humble opinion.)”

Could you share with us how you ended up being the youngest actor to play that role in the touring company?

W: “Honestly, it just so happened that I got the audition straight out of college. The team is very particular in who they let in the HamFam and I tried to play casting director and tell myself all the reasons I wouldn’t be a lead because I was so young and they don’t normally do that, I truly psych myself out when I get nervous, but I trusted the process and God and then it was mine!”

Do you have any rituals or specific prep routines that you cannot miss while you are on tour? Or about to go on stage?

W: “I have to listen to good music to put me in the mood before a show, that’s a must. And believe it or not, I have to brush my teeth no matter what. Haha.”

What would you say are your favorite hobbies?

W: “I love going to see concerts, watching sports live, and I love traveling and am obsessed with architecture.”

What would be your dream role? Are there any type of characters you aspire to play the most?

W: “I would say a dream role for me for TV would be to play a superhero. I’ve always wanted to be a superhero. A live-action Miles Morales would be pretty sick but any superhero or villain actually.” 

What word of advice would you give to young performers starting out today? And where do you see yourself in 10 years?

W: “I would say work really hard and make sure no one in the room knows it better than you. Give it your all, and trust God. And in 10 years whew, geesh I’ll be 35, so hopefully at this point I’ll have started to direct and produce some of my own things in addition to staring in them. That would be the goal.”

Stream Season 4 of “Grownish now!

Jojo Gentil–Entertainment/ Celebrity  Reporter- Joaquina (Jojo) is a Latinx actress, podcaster, writer, producer, and creative, who trained in France and in the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, where she also has been working in Production and in the Industry Relations Department for the past 3 years. She is a bit of a traveler and adventurer, having lived around the world. In her free time, Jojo loves watching Formula 1, going Wine Tasting, hiking, and watching a good episode of a crime show.