Born and raised in Brooklyn, Wilson J Heredia was always surrounded by
music. His mother was a seamstress and his father was a super. But they
were both very musical. He studied medicine, and thought about
advertising, but he realized he had to express himself, so he got into
acting. He worked at a railway station in NY before he auditioned for
the musical, RENT. He said he needed the $300 a week. Unbeknownst to
him, his stint with the hit-musical would bring him popularity as a
singer, dancer and actor, fans from all over the world and both the
1996 Tony award and Drama Desk award for Best Featured Actor in a
Musical.
Won Broadway's 1996 Tony Award as Best Actor (Featured Role - Musical)
for "Rent."
Reprised his role as Angel in the major motion picture
release of "Rent" directed by Chris Columbus.
He reprised his role as Angel in the London production of Rent
and had just recently left the cast last October.
Debuted in Broadway theatre in the hit musical, "RENT", as part
of the Original Broadway Cast. He played Angel Dumott Schunard, a gay
transvestite infected with AIDS for two years before quitting on
November of 1997.
His character from Rent, Angel, is modeled after the character
Schaunard, from La Boheme. The original character's name re-appears as
Angel's last name, Schunard.