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Santino Fontana
Santino Fontana in 2025
Born	Santino Anthony Fontana California, U.S.[1]
Alma mater	University of Minnesota (BFA)
Occupations	Actor singer
Years active	2007–present
Spouse	Jessica Hershberg ​ (m. 2015)​
Children	2[2]

Santino Fontana is an American actor and singer. He began his career in 2006 playing Hamlet at the Guthrie Theater. He has received aTony Award, twoDrama Desk Awards, anOuter Critics Circle Award,Lucille Lortel Award,Obie Award, andClarence Derwent Award. In 2019, Fontana won theTony,Drama Desk, andOuter Critics Circle Awards for his lead performance as Michael Dorsey in the stage adaptation ofTootsie.^[3] In addition to his stage and TV work, Fontana voicedPrince Hans inDisney's 2013 animated filmFrozen.

Fontana was born in California.^[1] He grew up inRichland, WA and graduated fromRichland High School in 2000.^[4] He is a graduate of theUniversity of Minnesota/Guthrie TheaterBFA Actor Training Program.^[1]

Highly regarded for his stage work, which includes 10Broadway credits, Fontana has performed in a vast number of roles during his career. He has won aTony Award, twoDrama Desk Awards, anOuter Critics Circle Award, and was nominated for aDrama League Award.

Fontana made hisBroadway debut in the 2007 revival ofSunday in the Park with George. Three years later, he was awarded the 2010Drama Desk Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his work inBrighton Beach Memoirs.The Washington Post wrote, "Fontana is a find as Stanley, immensely likable and thoroughly convincing in the character's struggle between his selfish impulses and his fiscal obligations to the family."^[5]

In 2011, Fontana portrayed Algernon Moncrieff in the revival ofThe Importance of Being Earnest. Fontana received rave reviews, with Entertainment Weekly writing, "Kudos especially to the ever-versatile Fontana-best known on Broadway as the angry older brother inBilly Elliot- as the "ostentatiously eligible" Algernon, who gets the bulk ofWilde's ridiculously clever bons mots. Fontana does have a spot-on British accent and an immense likability- more important in my book."^[6]

Fontana received his firstTony nomination with his portrayal of Prince Topher in the 2013 production ofRodgers + Hammerstein'sCinderella oppositeLaura Osnes.Roma Torre onNY1 praised his performance, stating, "Santino Fontana is not your typical Prince Charming, but this wonderfully versatile actor is loaded with so many unique charms, he is instantly winning." Fontana followed up this performance with theTony-nominatedAct One oppositeTony Shalhoub in 2014.Shalhoub and Fontana were dynamic in their performance together, withUSA Today writing, "Fontana has brought a vigorous, probing humanity to a number of characters, and he gives Moss the right mix of earnest intelligence and restless ambition."^[7]

Fontana starred as Michael Dorsey / Dorothy Michaels in thestage musical adaptation of the filmTootsie, which premiered in Chicago at theCadillac Palace Theatre from September 11 to October 14, 2018. The musical opened onBroadway on April 23, 2019, and closed on January 5, 2020. Direction was byScott Ellis with music and lyrics byDavid Yazbek and book by Robert Horn. Fontana won theTony Award for Best Actor in a Musical,Drama Desk Award and anOuter Critics Circle Award for his work. TheNew York Times' Jesse Green wrote that "Mr. Fontana sings beautifully, in a novel tenor-falsetto blend, and nails every joke," that "The persistence of Michael even in Dorothy drag, and later vice versa, is charmingly handled [by Mr. Fontana], helping us get past both Michael's obtuseness and Dorothy's unlikeliness," and that "[Mr. Fontana's] comic timing is impeccable."^[8]

Other notable credits includeHello Dolly! (2018 revival) oppositeBernadette Peters,A View from the Bridge (2010), andBilly Elliot the Musical (2008).

In 2006, Fontana starred asHamlet inThe Guthrie Theatre's performance of the Shakespearean classic before moving to New York City to star as Matt in theOff-Broadway revival ofThe Fantasticks. He was one of the youngest Hamlets in American theatre history.

In 2011 he starred inRoundabout Theatre Company'sOff-Broadway production ofSons of the Prophet to high acclaim. Fontana won aLucille Lortel,Obie, andOuter Critics Circle Award and was nominated for aDrama Desk andDrama League Award. Scott Brown ofVulture commended his performance, stating, "Santino Fontana...firmly establishes himself as an indispensable stage star. The role he plays here, Joseph Douayhii- a young man dealing with an older man's pain, spiritually, physically psychologically, and perhaps psychosomatically- couldn't be more different than his buoyant, impish Algernon Moncrieff, yet both parts display Fontana's impressive gifts: his flawless timing, his jeweler's eye for the emotional cruxes of every exchange, his comfort with discomfort. He's always a step ahead of us, emotionally, as a great performer should be...Sons of the Prophet belongs to Fontana."^[9]

Fontana has performed in many productions atNew York City Center'sEncores! His first performance withEncores! was his portrayal of Niko inZorba. In 2016 he starred as Eliot Rosewater inGod Bless You, Mr. Rosewater. Pop Culturalist wrote of his performance, "The undeniable star of this show is Santino Fontana. Fontana is a reliably wonderful actor, but his performance as the good-hearted troubled Eliot Rosewater is masterful– quite simply, this is the best I've ever seen him."^[10] That same year he starred asJohn Adams inEncores! production of1776.BroadwayWorld praised his performance, stating, "Santino Fontana's smart and empathetic performance is always winning."^[11]

Fontana is known for voicingPrince Hans inFrozen in 2013. He appeared inSisters (2015) oppositeTina Fey andAmy Poehler and starred inLost & Found in Cleveland (2023), currently in post-production. His independent film work includes the romantic comedyOff The Menu (2018), the psychological thrillerImpossible Monsters (2019),Brenda & Billy and The Pothos Plant (2023),Stalking The Boogeyman (2023), and the comedyPapercop in 2018, for which he won the Best Actor Award at the Williamsburg International Independent Film Festival.^[12]

Fontana has appeared in many television productions to high acclaim. Fontana joined the cast ofThe CW romantic musical comedy-dramaCrazy Ex-Girlfriend in 2015. On November 11, 2016, it was announced that Fontana was leaving the TV series after his one-year contract withThe CW.The New Yorker stated that "Greg, played by the Broadway star Santino Fontana, is particularly appealing,"^[13] with theAV Club adding "Fontana has solid timing (and great eyebrow waggling capabilities)" and "Santino Fontana, in particular, does excellent work.”^[14]

In 2016, Fontana starred oppositeJennifer Lopez inNBC'sShades of Blue. He played David Saperstein, a detective who is part of Wozniak's (Lopez) crew.The San Francisco Chronicle wrote, “In addition to Lopez, the best performances are turned in by Santino Fontana."^[15]

Fontana has had starring roles inThe Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2022) andMozart in the Jungle (2014-2018), where he portrayedWolfgang Amadeus Mozart. He has also appeared inFosse/Verdon,The Good Wife,Nurse Jackie,BrainDead, andRoyal Pains.

Fontana performs routinely with orchestras and symphonies across the United States. He has appeared with theNew York Philharmonic,National Symphony Orchestra, at the American Songbook Series atLincoln Center, andBirdland Jazz Club, among many others. Fontana has made four appearances at the prestigiousCarnegie Hall inNew York City. When Fontana performed with the American Songbook Series atLincoln Center,BroadwayWorld wrote, "Fortunately, thanks to artists like Fontana, America's rich musical past can be kept alive and well in the hearts of the young and old alike, and provide a source of inspiration for future generations to enjoy.”^[16]

In 2015, Fontana became the first guest artist to perform three times in the space of one year with theTabernacle Choir onTemple Square, where he met the cast ofSesame Street.^[17]

In addition to Fontana's extensive work as an actor, he is also heard on many notable audiobook recordings includingStephen King'sThe Institute, where he won anAudie Award for his performance.^[18] He is also heard onCaroline Kepnes’You series, andThe Hunger Games prequelBallad of Songbirds And Snakes, among many others.

Fontana began dating actress Jessica Hershberg in mid-2011. The couple met backstage at theBirdland jazz club, where both were performing.^[19] They became engaged in September 2014 and married in September 2015.^[20][19] They have two daughters, born in 2019 and 2022.^[21][22]

• Santino Fontana at theInternet Broadway Database
• Santino Fontana at theInternet Off-Broadway Database (archived)
• Santino Fontana atIMDb
• Santino Fontana biography for The Neil Simon Plays
• Off Off Broadway Online interview, 2006
• A new prince takes the 'Hamlet' throne MNDaily.com, 2006
• "Who Knew? Hamlet graduated from CLA" on page 9, Reach magazine, College of Liberal Arts, University of Minnesota
• Santino Fontana's thread on Friends of Billy Elliot

• 1982 births
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• Male actors from Stockton, California
• People from Richland, Washington
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