Misha Collins

Misha Collins was born Dmitri Tippens Krushnic in Boston, Massachusetts, on August 20, 1974. His early life involved overcoming financial challenges, including periods of homelessness. He attended Greenfield Center School and Northfield Mount Hermon School, eventually earning a B.A. with honors in Social Theory from the University of Chicago. Before his acting career, Collins engaged in diverse work experiences, including carpentry, woodworking, and an internship at the White House during the Clinton Administration, as well as working at National Public Radio headquarters. His background provided him with a broad perspective that later influenced his creative and philanthropic pursuits.

Collins gained significant recognition for his role as the angel Castiel on The CW series “Supernatural,” appearing in 146 episodes from 2008 to 2020. This role made him a prominent figure in the science fiction genre. His acting career also includes appearances in films such as “Girl, Interrupted” (1999) and “Karla” (2006), and television shows like “ER” (1994–2006), “24” (2002), “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” (2005), “NCIS” (2006), “Monk” (2006), and “Timeless” (2017). Beyond acting, he co-produced the documentary “Loot” (2008) and created several short films. He also co-executive produced and starred in the #1 fiction podcast, “Bridgewater” (2021).

In addition to his entertainment career, Collins is a vocal activist and philanthropist. He founded Random Acts, a non-profit inspiring kindness and social good globally, which has built schools and children’s centers. He also created GISH (formerly GISHWHES), a Guinness World Record-holding scavenger hunt that “game-ifies” philanthropy and engagement, drawing tens of thousands of participants from over 100 countries. Collins is also a published poet and co-authored the cookbook “The Adventurous Eater’s Club” with his wife, Victoria Vantoch, and his poetry book “Some Things I Still Can’t Tell You” became a New York Times bestseller in 2021. In 2023, he became an ambassador for United24, a platform supporting Ukraine.