NEED TO KNOW
Renée Elise Goldsberry’s children are certainly Hamilton fans.
While speaking with PEOPLE exclusively at Hamilton Night at the Yankees game on Monday, Aug. 25, the Waves actress, 54, shared that her two children — daughter Brielle, 11, and son Benjamin, 16 — are fans of the hit Broadway show. So much so that her kids used to listen to the soundtrack so much that she had to tell them to “turn it off.”
“They listen to it often,” Goldsberry tells PEOPLE. “I think especially now, in this 10-year anniversary, there’s a lot of listening to Hamilton, and I let them listen to it in my house because when I was actually in the show and I would wake up in the morning and they’d be playing [it], I used to be like, ‘turn it off.'”
New York Yankees/Getty
Goldsberry, who starred as Angelica Schuyler Church in the Broadway hit musical, shares her children with attorney husband Alexis Johnson. In 2020, the proud mom spoke with PEOPLE about what being a parent means to her, as well as her greatest wish for her children.
“My greatest wish for my children is that they fulfill their purpose,” said Goldsberry, who was also among the group of people who won a Grammy for the Hamilton soundtrack. “I know that all children, and in particular mine, are here for a reason.”
“My path to motherhood was challenging, to say the least, and I always feel like I’m living a Sliding Doors version of my life,” she continued, saying she believed her children “getting here means they’re supposed to be here” before adding with a laugh, “I feel like my job is not to screw them up!”
She also shared that if she could do anything, she’d clone herself so she’d have extra hands when dealing with her two kids.
“I wish, mainly, that I could have a job and work all the time and also not have to leave my kids,” she said. “If there was a way to clone myself, and be at every parent-teacher meeting and be there to put my kids to bed every single night, and also star on Broadway, that’s what I would do.”
Renee Elise Goldsberry/Instagram
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
While parenting can be a lot, Goldsberry said the little moments with her kids make everything worth it.
“My kids make me laugh every single day — especially when they’re their most precocious,” Goldsberry said, laughing. “My son said to me the other day, ‘Why are you so dramatic?’ And I just thought, ‘Really? You know that word? And also, you’ve already noticed how dramatic I am?’ That just really made me laugh.”
In May, the Tony winner posted a touching tribute for her son’s 16th birthday on Instagram. The post featured several clips and photos throughout the years, including a video of them playing the piano together and several photos of the mother-son pair together.
“16 years ago today I became a mother. That was after 8 years of trying…and failing🤍” she began her post. “I don’t believe it’s a coincidence that it is Sunday, and I get to witness the glory of God, and the answering of prayers. So I say: despite all evidence to the contrary, don’t quit. Keep going… Happy birthday, Benjamin.”
