Chris Messina

Christian Messina was born on August 11, 1974, in New York City, New York, USA, and raised in Northport, New York. He began his career in off-Broadway theater after studying acting privately in Manhattan, having previously attended Marymount Manhattan College. His early acting career included appearances in television series such as “Law & Order,” “Third Watch,” and a recurring role as Ted Fairwell in the HBO drama series “Six Feet Under” in 2005. Early film credits include “Rounders,” “The Siege,” and “You’ve Got Mail.” His consistent work across various platforms established his presence in the entertainment industry.

Messina’s career gained wider recognition with roles in notable films like “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” (2008), “Julie & Julia” (2009), and “Argo” (2012), where he played Malinov. He also starred as Detective Bowden in “Devil” (2010), Tom in “Away We Go” (2009), and Harry in “Ruby Sparks” (2012). A significant role in his television career was Dr. Danny Castellano in “The Mindy Project” from 2012 to 2017, which earned him two Critics’ Choice Television Award nominations for Best Actor in a Comedy Series. He further expanded his repertoire by directing his first feature film, “Alex of Venice,” in 2014, and served as an executive producer on films like “Fairhaven” (2012) and “28 Hotel Rooms” (2012), showcasing his involvement beyond acting.

More recently, Messina has continued to appear in prominent film and television projects. He took on diverse roles such as mob killer Victor Zsasz in “Birds of Prey” (2020), Dean Ericson in “I Care a Lot” (2020), and David Falk in “Air” (2023). On television, he appeared as Richard Willis in the HBO miniseries “Sharp Objects” (2018), Nick Haas in “The Sinner” (2020) on USA Network, and Nathan Bartlett in the Peacock comedy thriller “Based on a True Story” (2023). His consistent work in varied genres, along with his ventures into directing and producing, underscore his versatile and sustained career in Hollywood.