Andrew Rannells facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Andrew Rannells
Rannells in 2024
Born	Andrew Scott Rannells (1978-08-23) August 23, 1978 (age 46) Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.
Education	Marymount Manhattan College
Occupation	Actor singer
Years active	1994–present
Partner(s)	Tuc Watkins (2019–present)

Andrew Scott Rannells (born August 23, 1978) is an American actor and singer. He is famous for his work on Broadway and in television. He is best known for playing Elder Kevin Price in the musical The Book of Mormon.

This role earned him a Tony Award nomination. He also won a Grammy Award for the show's cast album. Rannells received another Tony nomination for the musical Falsettos. His other famous Broadway shows include Hairspray, Hamilton, and Gutenberg! The Musical!.

On television, Rannells is known for his roles in the shows The New Normal and Girls. He is also a talented voice actor. He voices Matthew MacDell in Big Mouth and William Clockwell in Invincible.

Early Life and First Steps in Acting

Andrew Rannells was born in Omaha, Nebraska. He was the fourth of five children in his family. He has three sisters and one older brother.

Rannells went to a Catholic grade school and an all-boys Catholic high school in Omaha. After a difficult experience in high school, he decided to leave the Catholic Church after he graduated.

As a child, Rannells loved to perform. He took acting classes and performed in local theaters. He was only 11 years old when he was in his first play. He also did voice-over work for commercials. After high school, he moved to New York City in 1997 to study theater at Marymount Manhattan College. After two years, he began auditioning for roles full-time.

Career Journey

Early Career and Voice Acting

Rannells started his professional career as a teenager doing voice acting. In the mid-1990s, he worked for the animation company DIC Entertainment. He was cast in main voice roles for several of their TV shows.

From 2001 to 2004, he worked with 4Kids Entertainment. He provided voices for the English versions of popular anime shows like Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh!. He also worked as a voice director for Kirby: Right Back at Ya! and Sonic X.

One of his first stage roles was playing James in the touring show Pokémon Live! from 2000 to 2001. In his 2019 book, Rannells wrote that he found the role difficult to play. He felt the character was a poor role model for kids. He said he only took the job because he needed the money at the time.

Broadway Stardom

Rannells in 2009

In 2005, Rannells made his Broadway debut in the musical Hairspray. He started as an understudy and later took over the main role of Link Larkin.

After Hairspray, he toured with the musical Jersey Boys as the character Bob Gaudio. In 2009, he joined the Broadway cast of the same show.

His big break came in 2011 when he was cast as Elder Price in The Book of Mormon. The musical was created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of South Park. His performance was a huge success. It earned him a Tony Award nomination and a Grammy Award. He left the show in June 2012.

Television, Film, and More Theater

Rannells and Justin Bartha at Paleyfest in 2013

After his success on Broadway, Rannells began working more in television and movies. He had a lead role in the TV show The New Normal from 2012 to 2013. He also played the popular character Elijah on the HBO series Girls.

He has continued to perform on Broadway. In 2015, he temporarily played King George III in the hit musical Hamilton. In 2016, he starred in the revival of Falsettos, which earned him his second Tony nomination. In 2018, he was in the play The Boys in the Band.

Rannells in 2015

From 2019 to 2021, Rannells starred in and produced the TV show Black Monday. He has also continued his voice acting career. He has main roles in the animated shows Big Mouth and Invincible.

In 2023, he reunited with his Book of Mormon co-star Josh Gad for the Broadway show Gutenberg! The Musical!.

Rannells is also an author. He has written two books about his life: Too Much Is Not Enough (2019) and Uncle of the Year (2023). He also directed an episode of the TV series Modern Love, which was based on an essay from his first book.

Personal Life

Rannells is gay. He has said he knew this since he was in high school. He told his family when he was 18, and they were very supportive.

Since 2019, he has been in a relationship with actor Tuc Watkins. They met while working together on the Broadway play The Boys in the Band. They have also worked together on other projects.

Acting Credits

Film

Television

Anime

Theatre

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Andrew Rannells para niños

• LGBT culture in New York City
• List of LGBT people from New York City