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Chris Messina
Chris Messina 2014.jpg
Messina in 2014
Born (1974-08-11) August 11, 1974 (age 50)
Occupation
  • Actor
  • director
  • writer
  • producer
Years active 1995–present
Spouse(s)
(m. 1995; div. 2006)
Children 2

Chris Messina (born August 11, 1974) is an American actor. He is well-known for playing Danny Castellano in the TV series The Mindy Project from 2012 to 2017. For this role, he was nominated twice for the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actor in a Comedy Series.

Chris Messina has appeared in many movies. Some of his famous films include Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008), Julie & Julia (2009), Argo (2012), and Birds of Prey (2020). He also wrote, helped produce, and starred in the comedy movie Fairhaven (2012). He even directed and starred in the drama film Alex of Venice (2014).

On television, Messina has been in several popular shows. He played Ted Fairwell in the HBO series Six Feet Under (2005). He also appeared as Chris Sanchez in Damages (2011–2012) and Reese Lansing in The Newsroom (2012–2014). More recently, he was Richard Willis in Sharp Objects (2018) and Nick Haas in The Sinner (2020). In 2023, he starred as Nathan Bartlett in the comedy thriller Based on a True Story.

Early Life and How He Started

Chris Messina grew up in Northport, New York, which is on Long Island. When he was in high school, he studied theater. After high school, he went to Marymount Manhattan College, but he left after just one semester.

Becoming an Actor

Instead of staying in college, Chris studied acting with private teachers in Manhattan. He began his acting career performing in plays that were not on Broadway. These are called off-Broadway plays.

He also started getting small roles on TV. He appeared in episodes of shows like Law & Order, Third Watch, and Medium. He had a role in the last season of the HBO show Six Feet Under. Some of his early movie roles include Rounders, The Siege, and You've Got Mail.

In 2007, Daily Variety magazine named him one of the "ten actors to watch." He starred in the movie Devil in 2010. In 2010, his movie Monogamy, which he starred in with Rashida Jones, won an award at the Tribeca Film Festival.

His Big Roles

Chris Messina joined the cast of the TV show Damages for its fourth and fifth seasons. He also had a regular role on HBO's The Newsroom.

One of his most famous roles was Dr. Danny Castellano in the sitcom The Mindy Project. He was a main character for the first four seasons. He later returned for a few episodes in the final season.

In 2014, Chris Messina appeared in the music video for Sam Smith's song "I'm Not the Only One." That same year, he directed an independent movie called Alex of Venice. He also acted in the crime drama Live by Night in 2016, alongside Ben Affleck. In 2018, he starred with Amy Adams in the HBO series Sharp Objects.

In 2020, Chris Messina played the villain Victor Zsasz in the movie Birds of Prey. He said he had a lot of fun playing a "twisted character" because he had played "too many nice guys" before. In 2021, he played a lawyer named Dean Ericson in the movie I Care a Lot.

Personal Life

Chris Messina was married to actress Rosemarie DeWitt for 12 years. They divorced in 2006. He is now married to Jennifer Todd, and they have two sons together.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1995 When Dating Turns Dangerous Zach Educational film
1998 Rounders Higgins
Siege, TheThe Siege Corporal
You've Got Mail Fox Salesperson
2000 Turn It Up Baz
2001 Ordinary Sinner Silvio
2005 Road Larry
Bittersweet Place Seymour
Crooked Corner, TheThe Crooked Corner Nephew
2006 Ira & Abby Ira Black
2007 Security Zelly Short film
Towelhead Barry
2008 Humboldt County Max
Made of Honor Dennis
Vicky Cristina Barcelona Doug
2009 Brief Interviews with Hideous Men Subject #19
Away We Go Tom Garnett
Julie & Julia Eric Powell
2010 Greenberg Philip Greenberg
Monogamy Theo
Devil Detective Bowden
Invisible Sign, AnAn Invisible Sign Ben Smith
2011 Like Crazy Mike Appletree
Trouble with Bliss, TheThe Trouble with Bliss NJ
2012 Celeste and Jesse Forever Paul
28 Hotel Rooms Man Also executive producer
Giant Mechanical Man, TheThe Giant Mechanical Man Tim
Fairhaven Dave Also writer and executive producer
Denise Brad Short film
Ruby Sparks Harry Weir-Fields
Argo Malinov
2013 Palo Alto Mitch
2014 Oven, TheThe Oven Narrator Short film
Showing Up Himself Documentary
Alex of Venice George Also director
Manglehorn Jacob
Cake Jason
2015 Digging for Fire Billy T
2016 Ordinary World Jake
Live by Night Dion Bartolo
The Sweet Life Kenny
2017 Blame Jeremy Woods
2019 The True Adventures of Wolfboy Denny
2020 Birds of Prey Victor Zsasz
She Dies Tomorrow Jason
Love Is Love Is Love Jack
I Care a Lot Dean Ericson
The Secrets We Keep Lewis Reid
2022 Call Jane Will
Aviary, TheThe Aviary Seth
Dreamin' Wild Matt Sullivan
2023 Air David Falk
The Boogeyman Will Harper
I.S.S. Gordon Barrett
2024 Juror #2 Eric Resnik
TBA Pressure Irving P. Krick Post-production
Lear Rex Duke of Cornwall Post-production

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1995 Law & Order Tommy Bell Episode: "Rebels"
1996 Law & Order Kevin Turner Episode: "Homesick"
2000 Third Watch Charlie Episode: "History"
2001 Big Apple Ricky Episode: "A Ministering Angel"
2003 Law & Order Don Cushman Episode: "... Box"
2005 Six Feet Under Ted Fairwell 6 episodes
2007 Medium Casey Edward Frank Episode: "The Whole Truth"
2011–2012 Damages Chris Sanchez 16 episodes
2012–2014 Newsroom, TheThe Newsroom Reese Lansing 12 episodes
2012–2017 Mindy Project, TheThe Mindy Project Dr. Daniel Castellano Main role (season 1–4)
Recurring (season 5–6): 90 episodes
2018 Sharp Objects Detective Richard Willis Main role: 8 episodes
2019 Robot Chicken Various voices Episode: "Boogie Bardstown in: No Need, I Have Coupons"
2020 The Sinner Nick Haas Main role (season 3): 5 episodes
2022 Gaslit Agent Angelo Lano Recurring role: 4 episodes
2023–present Based on a True Story Nathan Bartlett Main role

Stage

Year Title Role Run Theater and production Notes
1997 American Clock, TheThe American Clock Sidney Margolies/
Charley/Ralph/
Walter
October 19, 1997 –
unknown
Signature Theatre Company at
The Peter Norton Space
1999 Group, TheThe Group Director August 9–20, 1999 All Seasons Theatre Group at
The Ensemble Studio Theatre
1999 Refuge Nat November 18 – December 12, 1999 Playwright's Horizon Studio Theater
2000 Hologram Theory, TheThe Hologram Theory Joe Buck March 27 – April 9, 2000 McGinn/Cazale Theater
2000 Light Outside, TheThe Light Outside Frankie November 5 – December 16, 2000 The Flea Theater
2001 Tamicanfly C.J. January 17 – February 4, 2001 McGinn/Cazale Theater
2001 Blur Joey D'Amico May 17 – June 24, 2001 Manhattan Theater Club at
New York City Center Stage II
2001–02 Good Thing Bobby December 16, 2001 – January 6, 2002 The New Group at
The Theater at St. Clements Church
2002 This Thing of Darkness Abbey/Reef May 30 – June 16, 2002 Atlantic Theater Company at
Linda Gross Theater
2002 Faster Skram September 8 – October 13, 2002 Rattlestick Theater
2002–03 Far Away Todd November 11, 2002 –
January 18, 2003
New York Theatre Workshop
2003 Salome by Oscar Wilde:
The Reading
The Young Syrian
(Captain of the
Guard)
April 30 – June 12, 2003 Ethel Barrymore Theater Broadway debut
for Messina
2003 St. Scarlet Director June 13 – July 12, 2003 Ontological Theater at
St. Mark's Church
2004 Motel Blues: Management Mike March 25 – April 11, 2004 Apartment 929 at
Greenwich Street Theatre
2004 Seagull, TheThe Seagull Treplev May 24–29, 2004 White Heron Theater company at
Second Stage Theatre
2004 Cherry Orchard, TheThe Cherry Orchard Trofimov August 11–22, 2004 Williamstown Theatre Festival at
Adams Memorial Theater
2004 Late Night, Early Morning October 21–31, 2004 2004 Tribeca Theatre Festival

Awards and Nominations

Chris Messina has won and been nominated for several awards for his acting.

Year Award Category Work Result
2011 CinEuphoria Award Best Supporting Actor - International Competition Away We Go Won
2012 Awards Circuit Community Award Best Cast Ensemble Argo Nominated
Detroit Film Critics Society Award Best Ensemble Nominated
San Diego Film Critics Society Award Best Ensemble Performance Nominated
Phoenix Film Critics Society Award Best Ensemble Acting Nominated
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award Best Ensemble Nominated
2013 Central Ohio Film Critics Association Award Best Ensemble Nominated
Palm Springs International Film Festival Best Ensemble Won
Critics' Choice Movie Award Best Acting Ensemble Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Won
2014 Critics' Choice Television Award Best Actor in a Comedy Series The Mindy Project Nominated
Seattle International Film Festival New American Cinema Award Alex of Venice Nominated
2015 Critics' Choice Television Award Best Actor in a Comedy Series The Mindy Project Nominated

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Chris Messina para niños

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