Around the world, many people got to see the award-winning Broadway hit Hamilton for the first time on Friday, but one spitting side character stole the show for some. A filmed version of the beloved musical went up on Disney+ on Friday, featuring the entire original cast — including, Mindhunter star, Jonathan Groff as King George III. Groff's outlandish performance stuck with fans and caused a stir on Twitter this weekend.
Groff stepped out on stage just three times throughout Hamilton as George III, each time delivering a sociopathic song and dance about how much the American colonies must love him. More than once, these rants involved spittle flying from his mouth or sticking to his lips — a sight that could just as easily have been a mistake or a distinct choice for the character. While many singers have been known to let their spittle fly on stage, something about Groff's close-up shots stuck in fans' minds and haunted them until the next morning on Twitter.
Even Hamilton writer and star Lin-Manuel Miranda tweeted about the spittle on Friday night, calling it "truly transgressive in 2020" due to the extreme coronavirus risk. Thankfully, this version of the show was filmed back in 2016, when the original cast was still performing Hamilton on Broadway in New York City. It includes Miranda as Alexander Hamilton, Daveed Diggs as Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson, and other breakout stars.
While many of them have gone on to do big things, Groff may be getting more attention than any of them this weekend — at least on Twitter, where his spittle made a serious impression. Here is a look at how social media dealt with the expulsive king on Saturday.