Mike Faist facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mike Faist
Faist in 2024
Born	Michael David Faist (1992-01-05) January 5, 1992 (age 33) Gahanna, Ohio, U.S.
Alma mater	American Musical and Dramatic Academy
Occupation	Actor
Years active	2011–present

Michael David Faist (born January 5, 1992) is an American actor. He has won a Grammy Award and a Daytime Emmy Award. He has also been nominated for a Tony Award and a British Academy Film Award.

Mike Faist studied at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. He started his acting career in 2011 in Disney's Newsies. He was part of the show on Broadway from 2012 to 2013. He also appeared in independent films and TV shows. He starred in Off-Broadway plays before his big role in the Broadway musical Dear Evan Hansen (2015–2018). For this role, he was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. He also won a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album with the cast.

In 2021, Faist starred in the TV series Panic. He also had his first major film role as Riff in Steven Spielberg's West Side Story. For this, he was nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. Since then, he played a character named Jack Twist in a West End theatre play called Brokeback Mountain in 2023. He also starred in the romantic sports film Challengers in 2024.

Early Life and Education

Michael David Faist was born on January 5, 1992, in Gahanna, Ohio. He was adopted by his parents, Julia and Kurt Faist. His family owns a business that deals with real estate. When he was a child, Faist knew he wanted to be an actor. He loved dancing after seeing Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire in old movies. He especially liked Gene Kelly in Singin' in the Rain. Faist said that Kelly could "tell a story through movement."

At age 5, he asked his parents to enroll him in dance classes. He started trying out for roles in community and children's theater. In a play called The Wizard of Oz, he played one of the Lollipop Guild. He later joined the casts of Oliver! and Alice in Wonderland.

Faist truly loved acting while attending The Academy of Performing Arts (TAPA) in Columbus, Ohio. At Gahanna Lincoln High School, he acted in several plays. These included Danny Zuko in Grease and Simon in Jesus Christ Superstar. When he was 17, Faist met his birth mother and her family. Most of them are pilots. His older half-brother taught him how to fly. Faist has since earned his pilot's license.

In 2009, he finished high school a year early. He moved to New York to become a stage actor. He joined the American Musical and Dramatic Academy but left after two semesters. While trying out for Off-Broadway plays, he started selling tickets in Times Square. For his first professional acting job in the play White Christmas, he earned $150 per week. He even lived in the back of a McDonald's parking lot for a time.

Career Highlights

Early Acting Work (2011–2014)

Faist started his acting career in 2011. He played Morris Delancey in the first regional show of Newsies at the Paper Mill Playhouse. Morris was a bully and worked for the publisher Joseph Pulitzer. When the musical moved to Broadway, Faist also learned the main role of Jack Kelly. Jack was a newsboy who led his friends in a strike. Faist sometimes had to play both roles quickly during the show's opening. He said it was important to be ready physically and mentally. Newsies was very popular and was nominated for Best Musical in 2012. That same year, he made his first movie appearance in The Unspeakable Act.

In 2014, Faist starred as Rhys Thurston in the play Appropriate Off-Broadway. Critics praised his performance. In 2015, he appeared in the short film Yellow. He also played a patient in Touched with Fire and Gordie Joiner in The Grief of Others. He was also in a TV pilot for Eye Candy. He co-starred with Peter Dinklage in an Off-Broadway play called A Month in the Country.

Theatre Success (2015–2020)

In August 2015, Mike Faist began playing Connor Murphy in the musical Dear Evan Hansen. He played this role from the early workshops to its Broadway opening in 2016. The musical was a huge hit. Faist was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical. He and the cast also won a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. They won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Musical Performance in a Daytime Program for singing "You Will Be Found" on The Today Show.

Faist explained that he read stories from real people to understand his character, Connor. He hoped that people watching the show would feel loved and accepted. In 2018, Faist, along with Ben Levi Ross and Mallory Bechtel, read the audiobook version of Dear Evan Hansen: The Novel. This book was based on the musical.

In the next two years, Faist appeared in smaller independent films. These included Our Time, I Can I Will I Did, and Active Adults. He also appeared in a TV show called Law & Order Special Victims Unit in 2017. In October 2017, he taught acting classes and workshops. He also taught a similar class in Montreal in November.

In 2018, he was in an episode of Deception. He also starred as Spence in the play Days of Rage. Spence was a young man facing difficult choices. Faist also appeared in the horror-fantasy film Wildling. In 2020, he played Arthur in the drama The Atlantic City Story.

Big Screen Roles (2021–Present)

In 2021, Faist co-starred as Dodge Mason in the Amazon TV show Panic. Critics noted his unique look and acting style. Even though the show got good reviews, it was canceled after one season. Faist was nominated for Best Actor in an Action Series for his role.

Later in 2021, he had his first major movie role in Steven Spielberg's West Side Story. He played Riff, who was Tony's best friend and the leader of the Jets gang. The movie was very successful, and many critics thought it was even better than the 1961 film. Faist's acting received a lot of praise. A critic from The Washington Post called his performance "magnetic."

To prepare for his role as Riff, Faist looked at a photography book called Brooklyn Gang from 1959. He said the photos showed people who couldn't see past the present day. For his performance, Faist was nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role at the 75th British Academy Film Awards.

In May 2023, Faist made his West End debut in the play Brokeback Mountain. He played Jack Twist alongside Lucas Hedges. Critics praised Faist's acting. Faist also played photographer Danny Lyon in Jeff Nichols' movie The Bikeriders. He acted with Austin Butler, Jodie Comer, and Tom Hardy. Faist practiced photography and spent time with Lyon to prepare for the role. The film was well-received by critics.

In 2024, Faist starred with Zendaya and Josh O'Connor in the romantic drama Challengers. He played Art, a famous tennis player. He gained 30 pounds and practiced tennis for the role. The film received positive reviews. It was announced that Faist would return to the stage in a play called Anna Christie in November 2025. He was also set to star with Colin Farrell in a film called Sgt. Rock, but that project was put on hold.

Work as a Writer

Mike Faist writes short stories. He believes it's important for actors to write to better understand scripts. He helped start a festival for playwrights called the Ohio Artists Gathering. He described it as a festival that brings artists from New York and Los Angeles to work with local actors, writers, and directors. The first festival was held in Columbus, Ohio in 2018. His director from The Bikeriders, Jeff Nichols, mentioned that Faist was writing a screenplay and might want to become a filmmaker.

Filmography

Films

Television

Theatre

Soundtrack

Cast Album

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Mike Faist para niños