# Michael Benjamin Washington

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{{Short description|American actor}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Michael Benjamin Washington
| image              = 
| alt                = 
| caption            = 
| birth_date         = <!-- Valid citation required for date of birth for BLP. (WP:BLPPRIVACY) -->
| birth_place        = [Dallas, Texas](/source/Dallas%2C_Texas), U.S.
| death_date         = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} or {{Death-date and age|death date†|birth date†}} -->
| death_place        = 
| other_names        = 
| occupation         = Actor
| years_active       = 2004–present
| known_for          = 
}}
'''Michael Benjamin Washington''' <!-- Valid citation required for date of birth for BLP. (WP:BLPPRIVACY) --> is an American actor with screen roles spanning ''[American Auto](/source/American_Auto)'', ''[100 Questions](/source/100_Questions)'', and ''[Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt](/source/Unbreakable_Kimmy_Schmidt)''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Moore |first=Camille |date=2020-09-08 |title=10 Things You Didn't Know about Michael Benjamin Washington |url=https://tvovermind.com/michael-benjamin-washington/ |access-date=2022-04-18 |website=TVOvermind |language=en-US}}</ref> His career began on [Broadway](/source/Broadway_theatre), first appearing in [''Mamma Mia!''](/source/Mamma_Mia!_(musical)) as part of the musical's original cast.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Michael Benjamin Washington Theatre Credits, News, Bio and Photos |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Michael-Benjamin-Washington/ |access-date=2022-04-18 |website=www.broadwayworld.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Michael Benjamin Washington Biography {{!}} Broadway Buzz {{!}} Broadway.com |url=https://www.broadway.com/buzz/stars/michael-benjamin-washington/profile/ |access-date=2022-04-18 |website=www.broadway.com}}</ref>

== Early and personal life ==
Washington was born in [Dallas, Texas](/source/Dallas).{{citation needed|date=December 2024}} He is a [YoungArts](/source/YoungArts) alumnus.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Our History {{!}} 40 years for artists |url=https://youngarts.org/history/#decade-1990s |access-date=2024-10-02 |website=YoungArts |language=en-US}}</ref> In 1997, he was named a Presidential Scholar of the Arts as part of the 1997 U.S [Presidential Scholars Program](/source/Presidential_Scholars_Program).<ref>{{Cite web |title=MICHAEL BENJAMIN WASHINGTON'S “BLUEPRINTS TO FREEDOM”: PASSION WITH PURPOSE - The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint |url=https://sdvoice.info/michael-benjamin-washingtons-blueprints-to-freedom-passion-with-purpose/ |access-date=2024-10-02 |website=sdvoice.info}}</ref> Afterwards, he received a [Bachelor of Fine Arts](/source/Bachelor_of_Fine_Arts) from [New York University Tisch School of the Arts](/source/New_York_University_Tisch_School_of_the_Arts), with a Journalism minor.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Michael Benjamin Washington on Playing Boys in the Band's Only Black Character |url=https://www.advocate.com/theater/2018/5/29/michael-benjamin-washington-playing-boys-bands-only-black-character |access-date=2024-10-02 |website=www.advocate.com |language=en}}</ref>

== Career ==

=== Stage ===
Washington has several [Broadway](/source/Broadway_theatre) credits, beginning with the jukebox musical [''Mamma Mia!''](/source/Mamma_Mia!_(musical)) in 2001. He was cast in the 2002 ''[Funny Girl](/source/Funny_Girl_(musical))'' benefit concert, followed by the 2004 revival of ''[La Cage aux Folles](/source/La_Cage_aux_Folles_(musical))''.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Viagas |first1=Robert |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=x-rAxSOTQJwC&dq=Michael+Benjamin+Washington&pg=PA185 |title=The Playbill Broadway Yearbook |last2=Asch |first2=Amy |date=2005 |publisher=Playbill |isbn=978-1-55783-682-3 |language=en}}</ref> Washington later took dramatic roles in plays, with the 2018 revival of ''[The Boys in the Band](/source/The_Boys_in_the_Band_(play))'' and the 2026 revival of ''[Death of a Salesman](/source/Death_of_a_Salesman)''.

=== Film ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+
!Year
!Title
!Role
!Notes
|-
|2010
|''[Love & Other Drugs](/source/Love_%26_Other_Drugs)''
|Richard
|
|-
|2020
|[''The Boys in the Band''](/source/The_Boys_in_the_Band_(2020_film))
|Bernard
|
|}

=== Television ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year
!Title
!Role
!Notes
|-
|2004
|[''The Jury''](/source/The_Jury_(TV_series))
|Myles
|Episode: "Bangers"
|-
|2005
|''[Hope & Faith](/source/Hope_%26_Faith)''
|Angst-Ridden Performer
|Episode: "Hope in the Middle"
|-
|2009
|''[Law & Order](/source/Law_%26_Order)''
|George Lafferty
|Episode: "Bailout"
|-
|2009–10
|''[30 Rock](/source/30_Rock)''
|Donald
|2 episodes
|-
|2010
|[''10 Things I Hate About You''](/source/10_Things_I_Hate_About_You_(TV_series))
|Winston the Waiter
|Episode: "Great Expectations"
|-
|2010
|[''Glee''](/source/Glee_(TV_series))
|Tracy Pendergrass
|Episode: "[Home](/source/Home_(Glee))"
|-
|2010
|''[100 Questions](/source/100_Questions)''
|Andrew
|6 episodes
|-
|2010
|''Open Books''
|Ray
|Television film
|-
|2013
|''[Wendell & Vinnie](/source/Wendell_%26_Vinnie)''
|Deke
|Episode: "Baseball and Bad Dates"
|-
|2014
|''Save the Date''
|Wedding Planner
|Television film
|-
|2017
|''[Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt](/source/Unbreakable_Kimmy_Schmidt)''
|Ruben
|3 episodes
|-
|2020
|[''Ratched''](/source/Ratched_(TV_series))
|Trevor Briggs
|3 episodes
|-
|2021–23
|''[American Auto](/source/American_Auto)''
|Cyrus Knight
|23 episodes
|-
|2023
|''Until the Wedding''
|Sam
|Pilot
|-
|2023
|''[We Baby Bears](/source/We_Baby_Bears)''
|Caterpillar (voice)
|Episode: "Bug City Frame Up"
|-
|2025
|''[Godfather of Harlem](/source/Godfather_of_Harlem)''
|[James Baldwin](/source/James_Baldwin)
|season 4
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{IMDb name}}
* {{IBDB name}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Washington, Michael Benjamin}}
Category:Living people
Category:American male film actors
Category:American male television actors
Category:Male actors from Texas
Category:Male actors from Dallas
Category:21st-century African-American male actors
Category:21st-century American male actors
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

{{US-screen-actor-stub}}
{{US-theat-actor-stub}}

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Michael Benjamin Washington](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Benjamin_Washington) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Benjamin_Washington?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.