Darren Criss Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Darren Criss
Criss in 2023
Born	Darren Everett Criss (1987-02-05) February 5, 1987 (age 38) San Francisco, California, U.S.
Education	University of Michigan (BFA)
Occupation	Actor singer songwriter
Years active	1997–present
Spouse(s)	Mia Swier (m. 2019)
Children	2
Musical career
Genres	Pop
Instruments	Vocals piano guitar violin drums mandolin harmonica
Years active	2005–present
Labels	Sony Columbia
Associated acts	Glee, StarKid Productions, Charlene Kaye, Computer Games

Darren Everett Criss (born February 5, 1987) is an American actor, singer, and songwriter. He became famous for starring in the musical TV show Glee from 2010 to 2015. He won major awards, including a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award, for playing the real-life person Andrew Cunanan in The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (2018).

Criss is also a star on Broadway and has appeared in movies. He is a co-founder of the musical theater group StarKid Productions. He first became known for playing Harry Potter in the popular fan-made musical A Very Potter Musical. He also wrote many of the songs for it.

In 2025, Criss won two Tony Awards for the musical Maybe Happy Ending. He won for Best Actor in a Musical and for Best Musical as a producer. This made him the first Asian American actor to win in the Best Actor category.

Early Life and School
- Learning Music and Acting
Career
Charity Work
Personal Life
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and School

Criss was born in San Francisco, California. His parents were Cerina and Charles William Criss. He has an older brother named Charles, who was in the band Freelance Whales. His mother is from the Philippines and has Chinese, Filipino, and Spanish roots. His father was from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and had English, German, and Irish roots.

Criss grew up mostly in San Francisco. For a few years, his family lived in Honolulu, Hawaii. He went to Catholic schools and graduated from St. Ignatius College Preparatory in 2005. He then went to the University of Michigan, where he studied acting and music.

Learning Music and Acting

Darren Criss at Northalsted Market Days in Chicago

Criss loved music from a young age. He started playing the violin when he was five and studied it for fifteen years. He also taught himself to play guitar, piano, drums, and other instruments. In high school, he was the leader of the school orchestra and had his own band.

He also loved acting. At age ten, he joined the American Conservatory Theater's program for young actors. He acted in many plays, like The Music Man and Fiddler on the Roof. In college, he continued to act and direct in student plays.

Career

Early Career and StarKid Productions

Criss started acting professionally when he was just ten years old. He appeared in musicals like Fanny (1997) and Babes in Arms (1999).

While in college, Criss and his friends started a theater company called StarKid Productions. He became famous for playing Harry Potter in their online musical comedies, A Very Potter Musical, A Very Potter Sequel, and A Very Potter Senior Year. He also wrote and composed many songs for StarKid. Their album for the musical Me and My Dick was the first student-produced musical to get on the Billboard charts.

Breakthrough with Glee

Criss as Blaine Anderson, performing solo (left) and with The Dalton Academy Warblers

In 2010, Criss joined the cast of the popular TV show Glee as Blaine Anderson. Blaine was the lead singer of a rival glee club, The Dalton Academy Warblers. His first performance on the show was a cover of Katy Perry's song "Teenage Dream". The song became a huge hit, selling over 214,000 copies in its first week.

Blaine's character was a friend and mentor to Kurt Hummel, another character on the show. Fans loved their chemistry, and the two characters eventually started dating. This storyline was important for many viewers. Criss later became a main cast member on the show.

Criss wrote two original songs for Glee: "Rise" and "This Time". He was nominated for an Emmy Award for writing "This Time" for the show's final episode.

Broadway and Film Roles

Criss signing autographs during the premiere of Girl Most Likely

In 2012, Criss made his Broadway debut. He took over the lead role from Daniel Radcliffe in the musical How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. The show was very successful during his time in it.

He also starred in the comedy movie Girl Most Likely (2012) with Kristen Wiig and Annette Bening. In 2013, he performed for President Barack Obama at his second inauguration.

Continued Success

Criss during Hedwig and the Angry Inch

In 2015, Criss played the lead role in the Broadway musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch. He later performed the role on a national tour.

In 2018, he starred in The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story. He played the challenging role of Andrew Cunanan. His performance was praised by critics, and he won an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award.

Criss also started a band called Computer Games with his brother, Chuck. In 2020, he acted in and produced the Netflix series Hollywood. In 2021, he released his first Christmas album, A Very Darren Crissmas. He has starred in the Broadway musical Maybe Happy Ending since 2024.

Charity Work

Criss is a strong supporter of LGBT rights. He works with The Trevor Project, an organization that helps prevent suicide among LGBTQ youth. He has won awards for his charity work.

He has also performed at many events to raise money for different causes. These include organizations that support the arts, children's health, and disaster relief.