At the New York Mets' opening day, Broadway star Christopher Jackson found himself in the spotlight for a different reason than usual. Known for his powerful portrayal of George Washington in the acclaimed musical "Hamilton," Jackson took to the field to perform the National Anthem before the Mets faced off against the Pittsburgh Pirates. However, the performance hit a snag when Jackson stumbled over the lyrics.
Starting with confidence, Jackson's rendition of the “Star Spangled Banner” took an unexpected turn. Midway through the anthem, he mistakenly repeated an earlier line, “What so proudly we hailed,” instead of “O'er the ramparts we watched.” Despite the hiccup, Jackson quickly regained his composure and continued smoothly with the rest of the song.
Reactions from fans were mixed but mostly forgiving. One fan humorously compared Jackson's performance to LeBron James' occasional lyrical slips when rapping.
Another fan, unaware of the mistake, simply asked, “What time did he mess up?” A supportive voice noted, “Even Broadway stars have off days!
😬 "Hamilton" star messes up the National Anthem at the Mets' Opening Day game.
— TMZ (@TMZ) March 26, 2026
Credit: X / Mets pic.twitter.com/k5o1taAh2F
Hope the Mets fans were forgiving.”
However, not all comments were sympathetic. A more critical fan remarked on the irony of Jackson, who famously portrayed a founding father, not fully nailing the anthem's lyrics, suggesting it was a metaphor for the disconnect between the entertainment elite and the public.
Jackson, who originated the role of George Washington in "Hamilton" from 2013 to 2016, earned a Tony nomination and a Grammy Award for his work in the musical. Despite the minor anthem mishap, his contributions to theater remain highly celebrated.