Overview

• Anthony Ramos described Madonna as “terrifying” for holding an iPad in her face throughout a 2015 performance of Hamilton during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live.
• Lin-Manuel Miranda previously posted and deleted a 2015 tweet banning a celebrity from backstage access for texting through Act Two, fueling speculation it referred to Madonna.
• Madonna’s publicist countered that she was never barred and had been invited backstage multiple times after generously donating to the show’s fundraising.
• Jonathan Groff also recalled seeing Madonna on her phone during the performance, noting her face was lit by the device for much of the show.
• The renewed focus on celebrity conduct coincides with the original Hamilton cast’s 10th-anniversary Tony Awards medley and Madonna’s hints at new music and a potential Netflix series.