Darren Criss

Darren Criss was born on February 5, 1987, in San Francisco, California. His early life was marked by a deep engagement with music and performing arts. He began violin lessons at age five and was classically trained for fifteen years, alongside teaching himself multiple other instruments including guitar, piano, and drums. Criss attended Catholic schools, graduated from St. Ignatius College Preparatory in 2005, and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Michigan in 2009, majoring in theatre performance with minors in musicology and Italian. He showcased his theatrical talents in early productions like “Fanny” (1997), “Do I Hear a Waltz?” (1998), and “Babes in Arms” (1999) with 42nd Street Moon.

In 2009, Criss co-founded StarKid Productions, a musical theater company, where he gained initial recognition for playing Harry Potter in “A Very Potter Musical” and its sequels, also contributing significantly as a songwriter and composer. His independent EP, “Human,” released in 2010, peaked at No. 17 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers Albums chart. Criss achieved widespread fame with his role as Blaine Anderson on the Fox television series “Glee” (2010–2015). His performance of “Teenage Dream” became a best-selling single and was certified gold in the US. Later, he composed original songs for “Glee,” including “Rise” and “This Time,” earning a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for the latter. His Broadway career includes successful runs as J. Pierrepont Finch in “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” (2012) and Hedwig in “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” (2015-2016).

Criss’s portrayal of serial killer Andrew Cunanan in “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story” (2018) garnered critical acclaim, leading to a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie. He further expanded his musical endeavors by co-founding the indie pop band Computer Games with his brother Chuck Criss and releasing the solo EP “Homework” (2017), which topped the Billboard Heatseekers Chart. Criss has also taken on executive producer roles for projects such as “Royalties” (2020) and “Hollywood” (2020). In 2025, he won two Tony Awards for “Maybe Happy Ending,” for Best Actor in a Musical and as a co-producer, becoming the first Asian American actor to win in the leading actor category. Throughout his career, Criss has been an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and actively supports The Trevor Project, demonstrating his commitment beyond entertainment.