Cheyenne Jackson

Cheyenne David Jackson was born on July 12, 1975, in Spokane, Washington, and raised in Oldtown, Idaho. His family, including his parents David and Sherri Jackson, lived in a rural home with limited amenities. Jackson’s early exposure to music came from his mother, who played artists like Joan Baez and Joni Mitchell. Before pursuing a full-time acting career, he worked as an ad executive in Seattle, where he also performed in regional theater productions. He then moved to New York City after 2001 to focus on acting.

Jackson began his Broadway career as an understudy in “Thoroughly Modern Millie” (2002) and “Aida” (2003). His first leading role on Broadway was in “All Shook Up” (2005), which earned him a Theatre World Award for “Outstanding Broadway Debut.” He continued to build a notable stage career with roles in productions such as “Xanadu” (2007), “Damn Yankees” (2008), and “Finian’s Rainbow” (2010), earning Drama League and Drama Desk nominations. Beyond theater, Jackson transitioned into film and television, with a significant role in the 2006 Academy Award-nominated film “United 93,” where his portrayal of Mark Bingham contributed to the Boston Society of Film Critics’ award for Best Ensemble Cast. From 2015, he starred in multiple seasons of the FX horror anthology series “American Horror Story.”

In addition to his acting, Jackson has developed a music career, selling out Carnegie Hall twice for performances like “The Power of Two” (2010), a collaboration with Michael Feinstein, and “Music of the Mad Men Era” (2011). He has released three albums, including “The Power of Two” (2008), “I’m Blue, Skies” (2013), and “Renaissance” (2016). Jackson has also appeared in television series such as NBC’s “30 Rock” (2009-2013) and Fox’s “Glee” (2010-2011). More recently, he starred as Hades in Disney Channel’s “Descendants 3” and in Netflix’s “Julie and the Phantoms” (2020). He plays Max in the Fox comedy series “Call Me Kat” (2021–2023). Jackson is also involved in charity work, serving as an international ambassador for amfAR and a national ambassador for the Hetrick-Martin Institute, advocating for LGBT rights, animal welfare, and HIV/AIDS research.