Chris Messina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chris Messina
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![]() Messina in 2014
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Born | |
Occupation |
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Years active | 1995–present |
Spouse(s) | |
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.
Contents
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 |
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1995 | When Dating Turns Dangerous | Zach | Educational film |
1998 | Rounders | Higgins | |
The Siege | Corporal | ||
You've Got Mail | Fox Salesperson | ||
2000 | Turn It Up | Baz | |
2001 | Ordinary Sinner | Silvio | |
2005 | Road | Larry | |
Bittersweet Place | Seymour | ||
The 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 | ||
An Invisible Sign | Ben Smith | ||
2011 | Like Crazy | Mike Appletree | |
The Trouble with Bliss | NJ | ||
2012 | Celeste and Jesse Forever | Paul | |
28 Hotel Rooms | Man | Also executive producer | |
The 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 | The 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 | |
The 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 |
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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 | The Newsroom | Reese Lansing | 12 episodes |
2012–2017 | The 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 |
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1997 | The American Clock | Sidney Margolies/ Charley/Ralph/ Walter |
October 19, 1997 – unknown |
Signature Theatre Company at The Peter Norton Space |
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1999 | The Group | Director | August 9–20, 1999 | All Seasons Theatre Group at The Ensemble Studio Theatre |
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1999 | Refuge | Nat | November 18 – December 12, 1999 | Playwright's Horizon Studio Theater | |
2000 | The Hologram Theory | Joe Buck | March 27 – April 9, 2000 | McGinn/Cazale Theater | |
2000 | The 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 |
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2001–02 | Good Thing | Bobby | December 16, 2001 – January 6, 2002 | The New Group at The Theater at St. Clements Church |
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2002 | This Thing of Darkness | Abbey/Reef | May 30 – June 16, 2002 | Atlantic Theater Company at Linda Gross Theater |
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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 |
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2004 | Motel Blues: Management | Mike | March 25 – April 11, 2004 | Apartment 929 at Greenwich Street Theatre |
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2004 | The Seagull | Treplev | May 24–29, 2004 | White Heron Theater company at Second Stage Theatre |
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2004 | The Cherry Orchard | Trofimov | August 11–22, 2004 | Williamstown Theatre Festival at Adams Memorial Theater |
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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 |
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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
In Spanish: Chris Messina para niños