Renée Elise Goldsberry has been a trailblazer in the theater world for many years. She has used her artistry and presence to challenge norms and redefine what it means to take up space in a traditionally exclusive realm. With a Tony Award, Grammy Award and a string of celebrated performances to her name, the actress has shattered barriers, proving that Black voices have an enduring and essential place in the theater.

Beyond the stage, Goldsberry continues to use her platform to elevate and empower communities, including a partnership with Wells Fargo in December 2024. As a part of the collaboration, she lent her support to a cause close to her heart — helping to give back to formerly homeless New Yorkers by distributing food and holiday gifts alongside Wells Fargo volunteers. This initiative is a natural extension of her commitment to creating positive change and increasing access to opportunity.

In celebration of Black History Month, check out our inspiring interview with the star below!

You have given voice to powerful, transformative stories through your art. How does your partnership with Wells Fargo extend that storytelling to amplify the narratives of those often overlooked in conversations about housing and community resilience?

This is a tremendous partnership. It just fell in my lap. It is like a holiday present for me. I am excited to be connected to the bank because I want to be doing more. We are here at 90 Sands in Brooklyn at this wonderful apartment complex. It is the only 100% rent stabilized apartment building in Dumbo. We have a pop-up food pantry here and are giving out 1,000 bags of groceries and holiday gifts to the residents and they are thrilled. I want to be more than a slogan. [I want to use] the resources and the blessings I have been given to make an impact in the world in meaningful ways. I think all of those things are a really perfect marriage.

As someone who has left an indelible mark on Broadway, how do you define what it means to leave a legacy — not just on the stage but in life?

I do not know if you can think about it in broad strokes. I think you have to show up every day, and sometimes that means every hour and every minute, and try to prioritize in ways that are bigger than yourself. I try to remind myself in the morning that what it seems like I am supposed to do might not be the thing I am supposed to do.

To try not to miss the person sitting next to me on the train or the person who gives me my morning breakfast burrito, or to try not to be so consumed with the to-do list and [be] a little bit more focused on interacting with people, and recognizing that my energy and awareness of them […] and just kind of being present with them, matters. I think that living in that kind of way really does create a legacy. I try to show up as prepared [and] as bravely as possible for some of these really big swings I get to take in these different shows. The true legacy is really left in your interactions with people on an everyday level.

Reflecting on Francesca Amewudah-Rivers' experience facing backlash for her portrayal of Juliet, have you encountered moments where your casting was questioned due to preconceived notions? How did you navigate such challenges, and what advice would you offer to actors facing similar scrutiny?

The wonderful thing about Hamilton for me is that if you Google Angelica Schuyler, the historical figure, often a picture of me shows up. I think that is hilarious because we look absolutely nothing alike. If you are looking from the outside in, that is what might seem true. The beauty is that from the inside out, that is how we see ourselves. That is how people that truly know us see us. That is the place of power that you operate from on the stage. There really is no distance to overcome, and we should not acknowledge it.

If there is a hurdle in being cast, that is one thing. When you are Juliet, when you are Angelica Schuyler, your only job in the world is to embody that character with all of the greatness that is you, including all the vulnerabilities and all of your strength. That is the job. I am proud of that young actress (Amewudah-Rivers) because she did a wonderful job in spite of what might have felt unwelcoming. You do not have to be a Black person playing a white person to feel like somebody is not going to be happy with how you were cast. I think the biggest hurdle is for you to believe that you are right and when you can figure that out, you are off to the races. I am excited that she was cast. She was wonderful, which is why that show is still on Broadway.

Have you ever encountered a moment where you felt torn between duty and desire in your personal life?

Every single day — that is the struggle and the balance. I love playing Angelica Schuyler because [there is] a moment in Hamilton where they say, “Look how lucky you are to be alive right now.” When you think about women in that era feeling lucky to be alive when as intelligent, as powerful as they were, they were not. They were not in line to be President of the United States. That show is about looking at all of these intelligent people to figure out who is going to be the next president, and the most intelligent person in that show is Angelica Schuyler, and she is not on the list. So, to live in the face of that kind of disregard and to still see possibility is, I think, an example for all of us today. Look out in the face of whatever disregard we think we are experiencing and look for opportunity. Look for the opportunity that does exist for us, because that is the only way we will seize it.

If you could tell the untold story of any character — real or fictional — whose narrative has been erased, misrepresented or forgotten, whose story would you bring to life, and why ?

I would love to play Sarah Vaughan, the singer. She has been a huge inspiration for me and my singing journey telling the story of woman heroes.

What do you hope future generations of Black performers will take away from your body of work?

I hope this gives them courage to keep showing up and to not say “No” to yourself. You never know what will happen. Show up and see what will happen.

Having played characters who often grapple with issues of justice and belonging, how does participating in initiatives like this one with Wells Fargo expand your understanding of the real-life struggles those characters represent?

We think about drama and add it into this — our narratives and the stories we are telling — just to make the drama more interesting. We are truly thinking about the audience and the numbers. It is almost like we are using these dramatic situations and conflict just to make our stories more interesting and gain viewership. The beauty of being here is that I get to see firsthand that the struggle is real. It is not about the dramatic line or interest; it is about real human beings who matter and are made invisible sometimes and deserve more than what we give most of the time, because I think we think it is about us and what we are doing. It is not. I am grateful that I got to be here, not just to talk about what is happening here, but to do it — to meet people, hand them presents, smile and laugh with them, say, “Happy Holidays,” receive their gratitude and share mine.