Christopher Jackson Loves ‘Hamilton’ Easter Eggs on ‘AJLT’ (Exclusive)

Warning: this story contains spoilers from season 2 and 3 of And Just Like That…

After famously spending time onstage “in the room where it happens,” Christopher Jackson is enjoying being part of the Sex and the City franchise, which includes several nods to Hamilton.

The stage and TV star, 49, originated the role of George Washington in creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda‘s hit biopic musical about Alexander Hamilton, which is celebrating its 10-year anniversary after first starting performances Off-Broadway in January 2015 before transferring to Broadway in July 2015.

Since leaving the production in November 2016, Jackson has made his mark on-screen with roles on Bull, which ran for six seasons from 2016 to 2022, and And Just Like That…, which returns for season 3 on Thursday, May 29.

Over the course of the first two seasons, as well as the new episodes unfolding over the summer, the HBO Max original has included subtle references to the award-winning musical — mostly through Jackson’s character, Herbert Wexley, a political candidate and husband of Lisa Todd Wexley (Nicole Ari Parker).

During the Halloween-themed episode (“Trick or Treat”) of season 2, Herbert notably donned a George Washington costume — well most of it; he was pantless in the scene. And as Jackson tells PEOPLE, the idea came from the writers room.

“I thought it was hilarious. I thought it was absolutely hilarious,” the actor says. “I was all for it, you know, I felt like it was gonna be an inside joke that the audience would certainly appreciate.” Glad to see both worlds collide, Jackson says, “I was happy to put [the uniform] on.”

The costume was more than just a visual nod to Jackson’s onstage character, it was the very one he wore as Washington, which the series got permission to use from the producers. “At the fitting, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh,’ cause it had been the first time that I’d put it on [since leaving Hamilton] and I got a little emotional about it,” he says.

“I mean, it was such an impactful moment in my life and to just wear that again, it was pretty special,” the actor continues.

Season 3 of And Just Like That… features even more overlap with Jackson’s time spent on Broadway as Lisa continues working on her documentary. At the urging of her producers, she’s trying to get Michelle Obama involved in the project.

As fans may remember, the former first lady and her husband, Barack Obama, were among the many famous supporters of Hamilton, with the couple even hosting the cast at the White House for a special performance in 2016 just months after the former president spoke onstage at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in New York City during a Democratic fundraiser involving the musical.

Acknowledging the Obama connection to both projects, Jackson says it’s just the benefit of being part of “one of those powerful, very fortunate circumstances I find myself in over the last 10 years.”

“Obviously, Hamilton has had an incredible impact culturally,” he continues. “To essentially be able to do that and then to be able to do a show like And Just Like That, which has been moving the zeitgeist for decades, I feel like those things are just gonna intersect at some point. They’re bound to.”

“Of course, any time that I got to interact with the first family was special,” the actor recalls. “And yes, at the mention of their names, I’m constantly reminded that, you know, that was a moment that we were in and I’m so glad that those moments intersected.”

He adds, “It’s pretty special.”

The three actors, plus Broadway’s Destan Owens, even get to sing on-screen, bringing a little musicality to the series. “The shooting of it was spectacular,” Jackson says of the brief moment in season 3. “I called in some of my Broadway friends, including James — Tony winner and 2025 nominee — and we had a ball.”

“Anytime the world of Broadway can collide with something that I’m doing on-screen is always just a treat,” he continues.

The moment was also significant for Jackson’s portrayal of Herbert, with the actor explaining that it was a way into seeing more of the character — “you know, his past and the things that made him who he was.” He adds, “You see Herbert as a well-rounded, very crafted man through his experiences, through his associations of friendships not unlike ones I share.”

“To the extent of their wealth and their struggle to try to check all the boxes all the time and find themselves as they’re being successful in business, as they’re being successful as a family,” he explains. “Yet they’re dealing with the things that married couples deal with, regardless of tax bracket.”

“It’s been incredible to tell that story,” Jackson says, adding that Parker, 54, is a great costar. “She’s an incredible partner. From the very first moment that we got into the makeup trailer, all we did was laugh.”

He adds that when they’re together, “All we do is talk about our kids and talk about life in general and how much we enjoy these characters.”

And Just Like That… season 3 debuts Thursday, May 29 at 9 p.m. ET on Max. The 12-episode season will continue with one new episode weekly through Aug. 14.