Anthony Ramos Calls Out Madonna for Distraction During ‘Hamilton’

NEW YORK, NY — Actor Anthony Ramos vividly recalled the moment he spotted Madonna in the audience during his days in the Broadway hit “Hamilton.” In a recent appearance on “Watch What Happens Live,” host Andy Cohen asked Ramos about the most intimidating celebrity he encountered while performing. The 33-year-old actor didn’t hesitate, saying, “The most terrifying was Madonna with her iPad in her face.”

Ramos described Madonna’s behavior, imitating her as she looked down at her device. He expressed his disbelief, commenting, “I was like, ‘Damn, shorty. If you’re not enjoying it that much, you know the door is right there.’” His amusing recollection highlighted his astonishment at her lack of engagement with the show.

This isn’t the first time Madonna’s phone usage during performances has sparked controversy. In April 2015, when she attended the show at The Public Theater, Lin-Manuel Miranda, who created and starred in “Hamilton,” tweeted about needing to prevent a celebrity from entering backstage due to her texting during the second act. He later deleted the tweet.

Insiders indicated that Madonna had arrived late and used her phone repeatedly during the performance, with one source noting that her phone’s glow was clearly visible in the small theater. Although a representative for Madonna claimed that she was invited backstage multiple times, critics, including fellow actor Jonathan Groff, expressed their frustration with her behavior.

Groff mentioned, “You couldn’t miss it from the stage. It was a black void of the audience in front of us and her face there perfectly lit by the light of her iPhone through three-quarters of the show.” This kind of distraction has now become a topic of conversation among fans of Broadway.

Ramos, who played dual roles in “Hamilton,” has since moved on to film roles in projects such as “In the Heights” and “Twisters,” but he still remembers the moment fondly, despite the distraction.