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Aaron Tveit
Aaron Tveit Tony Awards First Impressions Cam (cropped).png
Tveit in 2021
Born
Aaron Kyle Tveit

(1983-10-21) October 21, 1983 (age 41)
Alma mater Ithaca College (BFA)
Occupation Actor and singer
Years active 2003–present

Aaron Kyle Tveit (/təˈvt/; born October 21, 1983) is an American actor and tenor singer.

Tveit originated the lead role of Christian in the stage adaptation of Moulin Rouge! on Broadway, a performance for which he won the 2020 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical and received a 2020 Grammy Award nomination. His other work on the Broadway stage includes originating the roles of Gabe in Next to Normal and Frank Abagnale Jr. in Catch Me If You Can, as well as performing the roles of Fiyero Tigelaar in Wicked, Link Larkin in Hairspray, and the title role in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. He also played John Wilkes Booth in an Off West End production of Assassins.

Tveit has also portrayed several musical theatre roles on screen, such as Enjolras in the film adaptation of Les Misérables (2012), as well as Danny Zuko in Fox's Grease: Live (2016). Tveit is also known for his work in television, including the roles of Gareth Ritter on BrainDead, Tripp van der Bilt on Gossip Girl, Mike Warren on Graceland, and Danny Bailey/Topher in Schmigadoon!.

Early life and education

Tveit was born in Middletown, Orange County, New York, to Posie and Stanley Tveit. His brother, Jon, is five years younger and a Catholic priest in the Archdiocese of New York. His surname is Norwegian.

..... As a child, he played the violin and French horn. He turned down business school scholarships to major in vocal performance at Ithaca College, a decision his parents supported, before switching to musical theater after his first year because he missed acting and theater.

Career

2003–2007: Early career and Broadway debut

Tveit began his professional career in 2003 when he joined the national tour of Rent as Steve and the understudy for Roger/Mark. He was in his second year of studying at Ithaca College at the time; nine years later, in 2012, Tveit completed his college degree, when he was given college credit for his theatre roles.

Following Rent, he returned to school briefly but left to play Link Larkin in the first national tour of Hairspray. He made his Broadway debut in this role in 2006. In the following two years, he performed in regional productions including as Matt in Barrington Stage Company's Calvin Berger in July 2007 and as D'Artagnan in a musical adaptation of The Three Musketeers which played at the North Shore Music Theatre from August to September 2007, before returning to the Broadway production of Hairspray. Other credits include an early workshop of The Black Suits. Tveit made his film debut in Ghost Town (2008), as a young anesthesiologist.

2008–2011: Rise to prominence

In 2007, Tveit originated the role of Gabe in the Off-Broadway production of the musical Next to Normal. The production ran from January 16 through March 16, 2008, at the Second Stage Theater. Tveit received a nomination for the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Featured Actor for this role. In the interim time before the out-of-town production of Next to Normal, Tveit played Dean in the musical theatre adaptation of the film Saved!, which ran for a limited engagement at Playwrights Horizons in June 2008. Also in June 2008, Tveit took over the role of Fiyero in Wicked on Broadway. He left the show in November to reprise his role in the Arena Stage production of Next to Normal, for which he won the 2009 Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Non-Resident Production.

Tveit returned to Wicked as Fiyero in January 2009. However, he left once again on March 8, 2009, after only a couple of months, to join the Broadway production of Next to Normal, which began previews in March 2009 and officially opened on April 15. His performance as Gabe earned him the Clarence Derwent Award from the Actors' Equity Association. Tveit was included on AfterElton.com's 2009 list of the "37 Hottest Guys in Theater". Tveit left Next to Normal on June 6, 2009, to prepare for Catch Me If You Can, where he played Frank Abagnale Jr. The musical was performed at the 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle from July 28 through August 16, 2009. Tveit returned to Next to Normal from September 7 through January 3, 2010. In August, he also starred in the Hollywood Bowl's production of Rent directed by Neil Patrick Harris, as Roger Davis. He took part in the MCC Theater Miscast Gala in 2009 and 2010.

Tveit played Frank Abagnale Jr in the Broadway production of Catch Me If You Can, opening on April 10, 2011, and closing on September 4, 2011. For this role he was nominated for the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical, the Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance, and the Fred Astaire Award for Best Male Dancer on Broadway.

During the Broadway production of Next to Normal, Tveit also had a recurring role in the CW series Gossip Girl as Tripp van der Bilt, the cousin of Nate Archibald. During this period, Tveit appeared in an episode of the television series Ugly Betty titled "All the World's a Stage" as Zachary Boule, Betty Suarez's boyfriend. He appeared in Rob Epstein's Howl, a biopic about the Allen Ginsberg poem and the controversy and trial that ensued after its publication. Tveit played Peter Orlovsky, Ginsberg's longtime partner, opposite James Franco. .....

2012–2017: Focus on screen acting

Aaron Tveit in Boston
Tveit singing in 2016

In 2012, Tveit played Enjolras, leader of the student revolutionary group in the film adaptation of Les Misérables. As the 'designated Broadway actor' in a celebrity ensemble cast, this was one of Tveit's most high-profile roles up to that point. On February 24, 2013, he performed with the cast of Les Misérables at the 85th Academy Awards ceremony. In July 2012, Tveit took part in a private reading for a new musical based on the animated film, Anastasia. He read for the character Dimitri, a con man who brings Anastasia to a wealthy Empress searching for her missing granddaughter, in return for a reward. The following year, Tveit parlayed his stardom into a starring role in the USA Network series Graceland where he played undercover FBI Special Agent Mike Warren. The show premiered on June 6, 2013, and ran for thirty-eight episodes before being canceled after the completion of its third season in October 2015.

Between filming seasons of Graceland, Tveit starred and made his London stage debut in the Menier Chocolate Factory's production of Stephen Sondheim's Assassins as John Wilkes Booth. The production ran from November 21, 2014, to March 7, 2015. However, he had to leave the production on February 8, due to his working schedule, he was replaced by Michael Xavier. During this time he also began performing solo concerts and recorded his own album The Radio in My Head as well as the concept album for a new Broadway show An American Victory: A New Musical in January 2014 with Ashley Brown, Hugh Panaro, Ruthie Henshall, Alexander Gemignani, and many other Broadway stars. The cast recording was released more than two years later in April 2016. Additionally, he appeared in the film Big Sky which was released on August 14, 2015 and performed at the first Elsie Fest in New York that September.

Following the end of Graceland, Tveit was cast in a variety of other television and film productions. In 2016, Tveit appeared as Danny Zuko in a live version of Grease that aired on Fox on January 31. He is featured on the soundtrack for Grease Live. He returned to the MCC Theater Miscast Gala in April 2016. Tveit then starred in the baseball themed movie Undrafted which was released on July 15. His next film Better Off Single was released in theaters and on demand on October 7.

In October 2015, it was announced that Tveit would star in CBS's summer series BrainDead, which premiered on June 13, 2016. Following the cancellation of BrainDead after one season on October 17, 2016, Tveit had time to perform more concerts in 2017 and more screen roles including a reprisal of his role from The Good Wife on an episode of The Good Fight and a starring role in the independent film Created Equal which held screenings in early 2018. Tveit returned to Barrington Stage Company for their production of Company in the role of Bobby, running from August 10 to September 10, 2017. He next had a role in the Patricia Clarkson-starring crime thriller Out of Blue, which premiered at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival.

2018–present: Return to Broadway

Aaron Tveit, Karen Olivo, Danny Burstein 2019 Tony Awards
Tveit, Karen Olivo and Danny Burstein at the Tony Awards in 2019

In November 2017, Tveit participated in a developmental lab for the stage adaptation of the 2001 movie Moulin Rouge!, cast in the role as Christian, the character originally created by Ewan McGregor. In April 2018, it was announced that Tveit would be reprising his role in the premiere engagement of Moulin Rouge! at Boston's Emerson Colonial Theatre. The musical's premiere was scheduled for June 27; however, delays pushed the start of performances to July 10, 2018. Between the Boston and Broadway productions of Moulin Rouge!, Tveit had a recurring role as the aspiring politician Matt Dobbins on the 2019 CBS show The Code.

Tveit starred as Christian The Composer in the Broadway production of Moulin Rouge! at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre; previews began on June 28, 2019, and the production had its opening night on July 25. Tveit has been universally praised for his portrayal; New York Times theater critic Ben Brantley said that Christian was "a role [Tveit] was born to play" during the Boston run of the show and later said that his 'passionate and uncompromising' performance was his "best Broadway work to date". The production was put on hold, beginning on March 12, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and on March 23, Tveit became the first Broadway star to announce a positive COVID-19 test result. He was one of at least four cast members who contracted the virus. In October 2020, he was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical, one of the musical's fourteen nominations. Although not the only eligible actor in the category, he made history as the sole nominee for his category. He won the award, having received an affirmative vote by 60% or more of Tony voters. Tveit resumed his role as Christian when Moulin Rouge! reopened on September 24, 2021. With other original cast members, he departed the production on May 8, 2022.

During Broadway's closure in 2020, Tveit filmed the movie One Royal Holiday, part of Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas movie slate. Tveit starred opposite theater actresses Laura Osnes and Krystal Joy Brown. Released in April 2021, Tveit was a cast member of Hit Job, a scripted comedy podcast produced by Lorne Michaels' Broadway Video for Audible. That year he also appeared in two episodes of the horror anthology series American Horror Stories. In 2021, he played Danny Bailey in the Apple TV+ musical comedy parody series Schmigadoon!; in the show's second season he plays Topher, a young hippie seeking his purpose in life. Tveit returned to Moulin Rouge! as Christian for 12 weeks beginning on January 17, 2023.

On February 9, 2024, he replaced Josh Groban in the Broadway revival of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street in the title role. He is set to be in the production for a 12 week limited engagement opposite Sutton Foster as Mrs. Lovett.

Personal life

Tveit moved to Manhattan in 2006 where he first lived in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood. From 2007 to 2020, he lived in Astoria, Queens.

Acting credits

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2008 Ghost Town Anesthesiologist
2010 Howl Peter Orlovsky
2011 Girl Walks into a Bar Henry
2012 Premium Rush Kyle
2012 Misérables, LesLes Misérables Enjolras
2013 Dream of Flying, AA Dream of Flying The Young Man Short film
2015 Big Sky Pru
2016 Undrafted John "Maz" Mazzello
2016 Better Off Single Charlie Previously named Stereotypically You
2017 Created Equal Tommy Reilly
2018 Out of Blue Tony Silvero

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2009–2012 Gossip Girl William "Tripp" van der Bilt III 10 episodes
2010 Ugly Betty Zachary Boule Episode: "All the World's a Stage"
2010 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Jan Eyck Episode: "Beef"
2011 Body of Proof Skip Episode: "Point of Origin"
2011 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Stevie Harris Episode: "Personal Fouls"
2011 Good Wife, TheThe Good Wife Spencer Zschau Episode: "Executive Order 13224"
2013–2015 Graceland Mike Warren Main cast; 38 episodes
2016 Grease Live Danny Zuko Television movie
2016 BrainDead Gareth Ritter Main cast; 13 episodes
2017–21 The Good Fight Spencer Zschau 3 episodes
2019 The Code Matt Dobbins 5 episodes
2020 One Royal Holiday Prince James Gallant Television movie
2021 American Horror Stories Adam Episode: "Rubber(wo)Man Part Two"
Jay Gantz Episode: "Feral"
2021-23 Schmigadoon! Danny Bailey/Topher Main cast; 12 episodes

Theatre

Year Title Role Venue Notes
2003 Footloose Garvin Merry-Go-Round Playhouse:
2003
Regional production
2004 Rent Steve
u/s Roger Davis
u/s Mark Cohen
US national tour:
January – December 2004
National tour replacement
2005–2006 Hairspray Link Larkin US national tour:
August 2005 – July 2006
First national tour replacement
2006–2007 Neil Simon Theatre:
July 18, 2006 – January 18, 2007
Broadway replacement
2007 Calvin Berger Matt Barrington Stage Company:
July 3–14, 2007
Original regional production
The Three Musketeers D'Artagnan North Shore Music Theatre:
August 21 – September 9, 2007
Regional production
2008 Next to Normal Gabe Goodman Second Stage Theatre:
January 16 – March 16, 2008
Original Off-Broadway production
Hairspray Link Larkin Neil Simon Theatre:
April 1 – May 4, 2008
Limited engagement
Saved! Dean Playwrights Horizons:
May 10 – June 22, 2008
Original Off-Broadway production
Wicked Fiyero Tigelaar Gershwin Theatre:
June 24 – November 9, 2008
Broadway replacement
2008–2009 Next to Normal Gabe Goodman Arena Stage:
November 21, 2008 – January 18, 2009
Original Washington, D.C. production
2009 Wicked Fiyero Tigelaar Gershwin Theatre:
January 20 – March 9, 2009
Broadway replacement
Next to Normal Gabe Goodman Booth Theatre:
March 27 - June 8, 2009
Original Broadway production
Catch Me If You Can Frank Abagnale, Jr. 5th Avenue Theatre:
July 28 – August 16, 2009
Original Seattle production
2009–2010 Next to Normal Gabe Goodman Booth Theatre:
September 7, 2009 - January 4, 2010
Original Broadway production
2010 Rent Roger Davis Hollywood Bowl:
August 6–8, 2010
Limited engagement
2011 Catch Me If You Can Frank Abagnale, Jr. Neil Simon Theatre:
March 11 – September 4, 2011
Original Broadway production
2012 Anastasia Dmitry Unknown Reading
2014–2015 Assassins John Wilkes Booth Menier Chocolate Factory:
November 21, 2014 – February 8, 2015
Off-West End
2017 Company Robert Barrington Stage Company:
August 10 – September 10, 2017
Regional
Moulin Rouge! Christian Unknown Workshop
2018 Emerson Colonial Theatre:
July 10 – August 19, 2018
Original Boston production
2019–2020 Al Hirschfeld Theatre:
June 28, 2019 – March 11, 2020
Original Broadway production; paused due to COVID-19
Won – 2020 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical
2021–2022 Al Hirschfeld Theatre:
September 24, 2021 – May 8, 2022
2023 Al Hirschfeld Theatre:
January 17 – April 9, 2023
July 1, 2023
Limited engagement
2024 Gutenberg! The Musical! The Producer James Earl Jones Theatre
January 2, 2024
Broadway Cameo
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Sweeney Todd Lunt-Fontanne Theatre
February 9 – May 5, 2024
Broadway replacement

Podcasts and audio books

Year Title Voice role Notes Ref.
2011 Perfect by Ellen Hopkins Co-narrator Audio book
2011 The Angel Esmerelda: Nine Stories by Don DeLillo Co-narrator Audio book
2012 Dead To You by Lisa McMann Narrator Audio book
2017 Mrs. Fletcher by Tom Perrotta Co-narrator Audio book
2021 Hit Job Hot Kyle Audible original podcast

Discography

Solo albums

  • The Radio In My Head: Live at 54 Below (Broadway Records, 2013)

Cast recordings

  • Next to Normal (Original Broadway Cast Recording) (Ghostlight Records, 2009);12 tracks
  • Catch Me If You Can (Original Broadway Cast Recording) (Sh-K-Boom Records, 2011); 10 tracks
  • Les Misérables: Highlights from the Motion Picture Soundtrack (Universal Republic, 2012); 4 tracks
  • Les Misérables: The Motion Picture Soundtrack (Deluxe Edition) (Polydor Records, 2013); 9 tracks
  • Grease Live! (Music From the Television Event) (Paramount Pictures, 2016); 6 tracks
  • An American Victory (Studio Cast Recording) (Broadway Records, 2016); "Sons of Adventure"
  • Moulin Rouge! The Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording) (RCA, 2019); 13 tracks
  • Hallmark Channel's Christmas Album, Vol. II (Crown Media/Warner Music Nashville, 2020); "Winter Wonderland" from One Royal Holiday
  • Schmigadoon! (Apple TV+ Original Series Soundtrack) EPs (Milan Records, 2021)
  • Album (Ghostlight Records, 2022); "The Answer"

Accolades

Film and television

Year Award Category Work Result Ref
2012 Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award Best Ensemble Les Misérables Won
San Diego Film Critics Society Award Best Performance by an Ensemble Nominated
17th Satellite Award Best Cast – Motion Picture Won
Phoenix Film Critics Society Award Best Cast Nominated
National Board of Review Award Best Cast Won
2013 Critics' Choice Award Best Acting Ensemble Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Nominated
2017 MTV Movie & TV Awards Best Musical Moment Grease Live!
"You're The One That I Want"
Won
2017 Sunscreen Film Festival Award Best Actor Created Equal Won

Theatre

Year Award Category Work Result Ref
2008 Lucille Lortel Awards Outstanding Featured Actor Next to Normal Nominated
2009 Helen Hayes Award Outstanding Supporting Performance, Non-Resident Production Won
Clarence Derwent Award Most Promising Male Performer Won
Broadway.com Audience Awards Favorite Featured Actor in a Broadway Musical Won
Favorite Breakthrough Performance (Male) Nominated
2011 Drama League Awards Distinguished Performance Catch Me If You Can Nominated
Outer Critics Circle Awards Outstanding Actor in a Musical Nominated
Chita Rivera Awards for Dance and Choreography Best Male Dancer Nominated
2017 Berkshire Theatre Awards Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actor in a Musical Company Nominated
2019 IRNE Awards Best Actor in a Musical Moulin Rouge! Nominated
Broadway.com's Star of the Year Nominated
2020 Tony Award Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical Won
Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Actor in a Musical Honoree
Grammy Award Best Musical Theater Album Nominated
2021 Broadway.com Audience Awards Favorite Leading Actor in a Musical Won
Favorite Onstage Pair (with Karen Olivo) Won
2024 Favorite Replacement (Male) Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Nominated

See also

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