Darren Criss

Intro

Darren Criss is an American actor, singer and songwriter known for Blaine Anderson in Glee, Andrew Cunanan in The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story and Oliver in Maybe Happy Ending. His career combines television performance with musical theatre, songwriting and producing. Glee brought his musical abilities to a large screen audience, while the later crime drama demonstrated a very different dramatic register. His Broadway work includes both replacement engagements in established roles and participation in the development and original cast of a new musical.

Career snapshot

Criss grew up in San Francisco, studied violin from childhood and earned a theatre degree at the University of Michigan. With college friends, he helped build StarKid, the theatre company associated with the online success of A Very Potter Musical. Writing and performing were connected parts of that early work. In his 2015 Broadway Direct interview, he described admiring artists who created shows with their peers. That interest provides context for his movement between interpreting existing material and contributing music or production support to projects of his own.

The entry point

He joined Glee in 2010 as Blaine Anderson and remained associated with the series through its 2015 conclusion. The character's performances with the Dalton Academy Warblers made singing an essential part of the role. Criss also wrote This Time for the finale, receiving a 2015 Emmy nomination for original music and lyrics. That nomination is distinct from his later acting award. In 2018, he won the Emmy for lead actor in a limited series or movie for playing Andrew Cunanan in The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story.

Screen identity and style

His Broadway debut was a January 2012 replacement engagement as J. Pierrepont Finch in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. The Broadway League records the run from January 3 through January 22. He returned as Hedwig from April 29 through July 19, 2015. Discussing that role before opening, Criss emphasized the character's connection with the audience and the mixture of humor and sadness beneath the theatrical costume. He treated the move from television to Hedwig as another storytelling assignment, informed by a longstanding affection for the musical.

Collaborations and patterns

Later stage work broadened the settings again. Criss played Bobby opposite Laurence Fishburne and Sam Rockwell in the 2022 Broadway revival of American Buffalo. In 2024, he played Seymour in the Off-Broadway Little Shop of Horrors alongside Evan Rachel Wood as Audrey. Looking back with Broadway Direct, he described working with admired performers as an important motivation. He also recalled Glee as intensive practical experience in performing music for a camera. Those comments connect his screen and theatre work through craft and collaboration rather than treating them as unrelated careers.

Era reflection

Maybe Happy Ending cast Criss as Oliver, a retired Helperbot whose quiet life changes when his neighbor Claire enters it. Helen J Shen originated Claire opposite him, with Michael Arden directing. The musical opened on Broadway on November 12, 2024. Criss won the 2025 Tony for leading actor in a musical and shared its Best Musical award as a co-producer. His Broadway performance record includes an initial engagement ending in August 2025 and a return from November 2025 through May 17, 2026. These are dated engagements, not a claim that he is currently performing the role.

Legacy and rediscovery

Three photographs preserve different aspects of his public work. Gage Skidmore's July 2011 Comic-Con portrait shows Criss speaking on a panel. Rach's June 2011 Manchester concert photograph shows him performing as Blaine on the Glee tour. Tony Shek's September 2012 Toronto photograph records the premiere of Imogene, later titled Girl Most Likely. The concert image is a performance record; the other two show public appearances. Each comes from a separate exposure with its own creator and license, and none is presented as a scene from American Crime Story or a Broadway production.

Selected screen roles

• Glee: Blaine Anderson — 2010–2015
• How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying: J. Pierrepont Finch — January 2012
• Hedwig and the Angry Inch: Hedwig — 2015 Broadway engagement
• The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story: Andrew Cunanan — 2018
• American Buffalo: Bobby — 2022
• Maybe Happy Ending: Oliver — 2024–2026, with a break

A career in pictures

Three distinct photographs of a panel, concert performance and film premiere.

San Diego Comic-Con (2011)

Public appearance

Gage Skidmore photograph dated July 24, 2011.

Glee tour, Manchester (2011)

Blaine Anderson

Rach photograph dated June 23, 2011.

Toronto premiere (2012)

Public appearance

Tony Shek photograph at the Imogene premiere dated September 7, 2012.

Rewatch notes

• Played Blaine Anderson in Glee.
• Won a 2018 acting Emmy for American Crime Story.
• Won the 2025 leading-actor musical Tony for Maybe Happy Ending.