Googerewon Knox is gearing up to portray a Blak George Washington in the upcoming production of 'Hamilton'.
Making its comeback to Sydney this month following its premiere in 2021, the Gamilaraay actor will play the first president of the United States, George Washington in the popular musical, and he is fully aware of the personal significance of this role.
"It's the biggest show in the world, and I get to play George Washington," he told NITV.
Mr Knox auditioned for the role of James Madison during the initial staging of the musical in Sydney in 2021. He told The Guardian that he made it far in the audition process but eventually lost to fellow Indigenous actor Shaka Cook.
"The first time I heard of Hamilton, I was like, this is the coolest thing ever. I love rapping and I also love musicals. When someone told me it was musical done with rap, I was like 'no way!'," he said.
"I started doing more workshops for more experience, knowing the show would come back around again. Then I saw they were trying out for a new George Washington and I was like, 'I think I can do that.' I was super keen!"
The creator of Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda, always intended for the musical to feature an all Black/Latino cast. Mr Knox will make history as the first Indigenous Australian to portray George Washington, following in the footsteps of Māori actor Matu Ngaropo who played the president in 2021.
"I think it's important to see a First Nations fella doing such a big thing," Mr Knox said.
"I want to be that inspiration for people. I'm not just doing it for me – it's for everyone who thinks they've got what it takes and is willing to give it a shot."
Washington plays a major role in the show, and this will be Mr Knox's first musical theatre performance, so when he got a callback he was stunned.
"That was a huge surprise," he told NITV.
"A happy surprise: he's got all the ballads! He gets to sing big. So I was like, 'I wanna do that.'"
Mr Knox portrayed George Rrurrambu in Big Name No Blankets, a "rock and roll theatre show" about the Warumpi Band, during a brief stint at the recent Sydney festival. While he has had limited experience in stage acting, he has primarily appeared in screen roles such as Stan's Black Snow and SBS's While the Men are Away.
He also comes from a family of musical excellence; his grandfather, Roger Knox, a star of country music is known as the "Blak Elvis" and "Koori King of Country". That tradition was carried on by Googoorewon's father, Roger's son Buddy, a Blues guitarist.
Mr Knox's grandmother from the other side of the family was Auriel Andrew, a country singer who made history as the first Aboriginal woman to grace television screens in the early 1970s on Reg Lindsay's Country and Western Hour.
He has a natural talent for performing on stage, which he discovered at a young age. Despite coming from a family of musicians, Mr Knox never felt pressured to pursue the arts.
While some may feel burdened by their parents' achievements, he is grateful for the unwavering support he receives from his family.
"This is the biggest step of my career!" Mr Knox told NITV.
Hamilton 2024 will run 30 July 'til 6 August.
