Lin-Manuel Miranda Leaves 'Hamilton': Who Will Play Rapping Founding Father on Broadway?

Following weeks of rumors and barely days after Hamilton took home 11 Tony Awards last Sunday, creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda has confirmed he'll be leaving the role of the $10 bill Founding Father, as his alternate prepares to take the spot of one of the hottest roles in Broadway. Who is Javier Muñoz, the actor who will be playing Alexander Hamilton starting next month?

According to USA Today, Miranda confirmed his departure from the Broadway smash last Thursday, when he was part of a breakfast event in his native Washington Heights neighborhood in New York; his last bow will be on July 9. It was then announced that he could be replaced by Muñoz, who already plays the role once a week and has performed for some major figures already -- including the First Family and arguably the Second Family, Beyoncé and Jay Z.

Miranda himself took to Twitter to confirm news that he was leaving the production, saying he was "thrilled" Muñoz was taking the role of Alexander Hamilton, saying the two had "created the role together." CNN reports that, in fact, he was even involved in Hamilton before it was envisioned as a musical, back when it was still called the Hamilton Mixtape.

3) I'm so thrilled for @JMunozActor. We created the role together. I'm still jealous he got to perform for Jay-Z & Beyonce.

— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) June 16, 2016

Muñoz has been very well received in the role, and The New York Times even called him the "sexy" Hamilton in its review of the matinée show, saying he had a "penetrating stare and a Don Juan smile" and that the character was plain "sexy on Sundays."

Muñoz, a cancer survivor, has been working with Miranda for quite a while, and it's not the first time he steps in his shoes on Broadway. In the Heights, the first show Miranda starred in and created (earning him his first couple of Tony Awards, Grammy and recognition in the medium), also saw Muñoz taking his role when Miranda left, similarly after spending a year. Miranda got the idea to create Hamilton when he was on vacation from Heights, so it's everyone's gain that he's taking a break this time around!

Still, when rumors of Miranda's departure first began a few weeks back, resale ticket prices for the already madly popular Broadway musical sky-rocketed, as fans were willing to pay up to see the title character played by the man who not only created the role but the entire show.

Miranda has said this isn't really goodbye, because he'll be popping into the character from time to time; unlike Christopher Jackson's George Washington, it seems this isn't his "One Last Time!"