Matthew Morrison | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Morrison at the 2010Peabody Awards | |
| Born | Matthew James Morrison (1978-10-30)October 30, 1978 (age 47) Fort Ord, California, U.S. |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1997–present |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Labels | |
Musical artist | |
Matthew James Morrison[1] (born October 30, 1978) is an American actor, dancer, and singer, best known for his role asWill Schuester on theFox television showGlee (2009–2015).
He has starred in multipleBroadway andoff-Broadway productions, including appearing as Link Larkin in the original Broadway cast ofHairspray (2002), Fabrizio Nacarelli in the original Broadway cast of the musicalThe Light in the Piazza (2005, for which he received aTony Award nomination), and the starring role ofJ.M. Barrie in the original Broadway cast ofFinding Neverland (2015-2016).
He starred as theGrinch inNBC's 2020 productionDr. Seuss' The Grinch Musical Live!. He has also been a judge on tworeality dance competition shows on TV:The Greatest Dancer onBBC One, andSo You Think You Can Dance on Fox.
Morrison signed withAdam Levine's222 Records in 2012, and has released three solo albums:Matthew Morrison (2011),Where It All Began (2013), andDisney Dreamin' with Matthew Morrison (2020).
Morrison was born inFort Ord, California, the son of Mary Louise (Fraser) and Thomas Morrison.[2] Morrison was raised inChico, and hasScottish andEnglish ancestry.[3][4] He was a member of Buena Park Youth theater, located inBuena Park. He was part of theCollaborative Arts Project 21 (CAP21) and theOrange County School of the Arts, while at theLos Alamitos High School campus. While in high school, Morrison did a musical with actressJodie Sweetin. He attendedNew York University'sTisch School of the Arts for two years before dropping out and joining the Broadway adaptation ofFootloose.[5]
In 1999, while still at NYU, Morrison appeared onLate Show with David Letterman andTotal Request Live as one of five members of the fictional parodyboy band "Fresh Step", an act that was conceived by severalLate Show writers.[6] The choreographer hired for "Fresh Step" was also the choreographer for theBroadway musicalFootloose, and helped Morrison to get cast inFootloose later that year. Morrison dropped out of NYU to begin appearing in the show.[7]
In 2001, Morrison was recruited to join the boy bandLMNT, turning it from a trio into a quartet. He stayed in the band for one year, then left and was replaced by Jonas Persch; he left before the recording of the group's sole album,All Sides. In a 2010 interview, Morrison stated about the experience, "It was the worst year of my life. You know when you're a performer and you're out there on stage and you're embarrassed that you're doing something wrong. It was pretty bad."[8]
Morrison briefly appeared in a revival ofThe Rocky Horror Show in 2002. He then starred in the original cast of the musicalHairspray asLink Larkin from its opening in 2002 through January 2004.[9] In 2005, Morrison starred as Fabrizio Nacarelli in the Broadway premiere ofAdam Guettel's musicalThe Light in the Piazza;[9] he was nominated for aTony Award for his performance.[10] He left the show on August 28, 2005.[10]
Morrison started working in television, guest-starring on shows such asGhost Whisperer,[2]Numbers,[2]CSI: Miami,[2] andHack.[2] Morrison also had small roles in films includingMarci X (2003).[2] He also appeared as Sir Harry in the 2005ABC-TV production ofOnce Upon a Mattress,[2] starringTracey Ullman,Zooey Deschanel andCarol Burnett.[2]
He earned aDrama Desk Nomination for his role in theOff Broadway show10 Million Miles which ran at theAtlantic Theater Company in 2007. That same year he appeared in two films:Dan in Real Life, followed byMusic and Lyrics as Cora Corman's manager. In 2008, he played Lieutenant Cable in aLincoln Center production of the musicalSouth Pacific. He left the production at the end of 2008 and in early 2009 returned to California to shoot the first season ofGlee.[11]
Morrison playedWill Schuester in theFox Broadcasting television seriesGlee,[2] which had its television preview on May 19, 2009. Schuester is a high school Spanish (later History) teacher who takes on the task of restoring the school'sglee club to its former glory. He made his directorial debut with the third season's ninth episode.[2]
In January 2010, Morrison signed a solo record deal withMercury Records. His first studio album,Matthew Morrison, was released on May 10, 2011. Two singles were released from the album, "Summer Rain"[12] and "Still Got Tonight". The album also includes duets withElton John (a medley of "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" and "Rocket Man"),[13]Gwyneth Paltrow ("Over the Rainbow")[14] andSting ("Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot"). On June 16, 2010, Morrison joinedLeona Lewis—appearing atLondon'sO2 Arena as part of her world tour—for a one-off performance to sing "Over the Rainbow".[14]
In March 2012, Morrison was featured in a performance ofDustin Lance Black's play,8—a staged reenactment of thefederal trial that overturned California'sProp 8 ban onsame-sex marriage—as Paul Katami.[15] The production was held at theWilshire Ebell Theatre and broadcast on YouTube to raise money for theAmerican Foundation for Equal Rights.[16][17]
A Morrison concert at Connecticut'sBushnell Center was recorded and aired on PBS in June 2013.[18] In April 2013, Morrison appeared at the2013 Laurence Olivier Awards at theRoyal Opera House in London.[19]
On June 4, 2013,222 Records released Morrison's second studio album,Where It All Began,[20] an album ofshow tunes andjazz standards. One single was released from the album, a cover of "It Don't Mean a Thing".[20]
Morrison returned to Broadway asJ. M. Barrie in the Broadway debut of the musicalFinding Neverland, which opened in April 2015.[21]
On July 7, 2016, Morrison appeared alongsideMegan Hilty in a summer evening of Broadway and other songs withThe New York Pops at theForest Hills Stadium inForest Hills,Queens.[22]
Morrison was a "dance captain" onBBC One'sThe Greatest Dancer, which aired for two seasons in 2019 and 2020, alongsideCheryl,Oti Mabuse and, in the second season,Todrick Hall as well.[23] In the second half of 2019, he portrayed Trevor in theninth season of theFXhorroranthology television seriesAmerican Horror Story.[2]
In December 2020, he starred as The Grinch inNBC's production ofDr. Seuss' The Grinch Musical Live!.[24]
On April 4, 2022, he was announced as a judge for the seventeenth season ofSo You Think You Can Dance,[2] along withJoJo Siwa andStephen "tWitch" Boss.[25] However, on May 27, he was fired from the show.[26] His final episode aired on June 8,[27] and he was replaced by actressLeah Remini.[28] Amidst claims that he had sent an inappropriate text message, Morrison posted anInstagram video in June 2022, where he claimed that his messages were just friendly, and that he was dismissed for other reasons.[29]
In June 2023, it was announced that Morrison would star alongsideJen Lilley in the TV filmA Paris Christmas Waltz,[2] which aired onGreat American Family in November 2023.[30][31] Morrison starred in the independent thrillerFrom Embers.[32] He played Billy Flynn in a limited engagement ofChicago inJapan from April 18–21, 2024, at theOrix Theater inOsaka, and then April 25–May 5 at the Tokyu Theater Orb.[33]
Morrison became engaged to actressChrishell Stause on December 9, 2006.[34] Their relationship later ended.
In 2011, Morrison began dating Renee Puente.[35] On June 27, 2013,Elton John helped Morrison announce that he and Puente were engaged.[36] Morrison and Puente were married on October 18, 2014, at a private home on the island of Maui.[37]
On May 16, 2017, it was revealed on his personal Instagram account that he and Puente were expecting their first child.[38] Their son was born on October 22, 2017.[39] On March 16, 2021, Morrison used his Instagram again to announce that he and Puente were expecting their second child together following a series of miscarriages.[40] Their daughter was born on June 28, 2021.[41]
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [42] | US Indie [43] | US Kid [44] | AUS [45] | UK [46] | ||
| Matthew Morrison |
| 24 | 14 | — | 61 | 63 |
| Where It All Began |
| 95 | — | 163 | ||
| Disney Dreamin' with Matthew Morrison |
| — | 7 | — | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||||
| Title | Details | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A Classic Christmas |
| |||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Bub. [48] | US AC [49] | UK [50] | |||
| 2011 | "Summer Rain" | — | 16 | — | Matthew Morrison |
| "Still Got Tonight" | 24 | — | 182 | ||
| 2013 | "It Don't Mean a Thing" | — | Where It All Began | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||||
| Year | Production | Role | Venue | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Footloose | Ensemble; Chuck Cranston understudy | Broadway | Replacement |
| 1999 | Chuck Cranston; Ren McCormack understudy | US tour | ||
| 2000 | The Rocky Horror Show | Phantom | Broadway | |
| 2001 | Sunday in the Park with George | Franz / Dennis | Regional | |
| 2002–2004 | Hairspray | Link Larkin | Broadway | Originated role |
| 2003 | Tarzan | Tarzan | NY workshop | |
| 2004 | Hairspray | Link Larkin | US tour | Replacement |
| Tarzan | Tarzan | NY workshop | ||
| 2005 | The Light in the Piazza | Fabrizio Naccarelli | Broadway | Originated role |
| Catch Me If You Can | Frank Abagnale, Jr. | NY reading | ||
| A Naked Girl on the Appian Way | Thad Lapin | Broadway | Originated role | |
| 2007 | 10 Million Miles | Duane | Off-Broadway | |
| Chess | The Arbiter | Los Angeles | Benefit Concert | |
| 2008–2009 | South Pacific | Lt. Joseph Cable, USMC | Broadway | |
| 2010 | The Rocky Horror Show | Brad Majors | Los Angeles | 35th Anniversary |
| 2015–2016 | Finding Neverland | J.M. Barrie | Broadway | Originated role |
| 2017 | Damn Yankees | Joe Hardy | Benefit Concert | |
| 2024 | Chicago | Billy Flynn | Japan tour |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Bob Rizzo's Simply Funk with Suzanne | Himself | |
| 2001 | Bollywood Calling | Mr. Abraham / Pat's agent | |
| 2003 | Marci X | Boyz R Us | |
| 2006 | Blinders | Scott | |
| 2007 | Music and Lyrics | Ray | |
| Dan in Real Life | Policeman | ||
| I Think I Love My Wife | Salesman #2 | ||
| 2012 | What to Expect When You're Expecting | Evan Webber | |
| 2014 | Space Station 76 | Daniel | |
| 2015 | Playing It Cool | Himself | |
| Underdogs | Jake | Voice role | |
| 2016 | After the Reality | Scottie | |
| 2017 | Tulip Fever | Mattheus | |
| 2019 | Crazy Alien | Zach Andrews | |
| 2024 | From Embers | Marty Baker |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Relativity | Dr. Alexander | Episode: "Hearts and Bones" |
| 1999 | Sex and the City | Young busboy | Episode: "They Shoot Single People, Don't They?" |
| 2003 | Hack | Sam Wagner | Episode: "Blind Faith" |
| 2005 | Once Upon a Mattress | Sir Harry | Television Film |
| 2006 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Chance Slaughter | Episode: "Proud Flesh" |
| As the World Turns | Adam Munson(#4) | Regular role; 17 episodes | |
| 2007 | Ghost Whisperer | Matt Sembrook | Episode: "Bad Blood" |
| CSI: Miami | Jesse Stark | Episode: "Bloodline" | |
| 2008 | Numbers | Blaine Cleary | Episode: "Power" |
| 2009 | Taking Chance | Robert Rouse | Television film |
| 2009–2015 | Glee | Will Schuester | Main role Directed season 3, episode 9: "Extraordinary Merry Christmas" |
| 2011 | The Cleveland Show | Episode: "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Roberta?"; voice role | |
| 2012 | 8_(play) | Paul Katamai | TV movie |
| 2012 | Live with Kelly | Himself | Co-host |
| 2013 | Hollywood Game Night | Episode: "Don't Kill My Buzz-er" | |
| 2016 | The Good Wife | Connor Fox | Recurring role; 6 episodes |
| Younger | Sebastian | Episode: "The Good Shepherd" | |
| 2017–2018 | Grey's Anatomy | Paul Stadler | Guest role (seasons 13–14); 4 episodes |
| 2019–2020 | The Greatest Dancer | Himself | Dance captain |
| 2019 | American Horror Story: 1984 | Trevor Kirchner | Main role |
| 2020 | #KidsTogether: The Nickelodeon Town Hall | Himself | Television special |
| Dr. Seuss' The Grinch Musical! | The Grinch | ||
| 2022 | So You Think You Can Dance | Himself | Judge, season 17 |
| 2023 | Paris Christmas Waltz | Leo Monroe | Television movie |
| Year | Award ceremony | Category | Project | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Outer Critics Circle Award | Best Featured Actor in a Musical | Hairspray | Nominated |
| 2005 | The Light in the Piazza | Nominated | ||
| Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Actor in a Musical | Nominated | ||
| Broadway.com Audience Award | Favorite Featured Actor in a Musical | Nominated | ||
| Tony Award | Best Featured Actor in a Musical | Nominated | ||
| 2008 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Actor in a Musical | 10 Million Miles | Nominated |
| 2009 | Screen Actors Guild Award | Best Performance by an Ensemble in a Television Series – Comedy(Shared with "Glee" cast) | Glee | Won |
| Satellite Awards | Best Actor in a Series, Comedy or Musical | Won | ||
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Comedy or Musical | Nominated | ||
| 2010 | Teen Choice Award | Choice Male Scene Stealer | Nominated | |
| Satellite Awards | Best Actor in a Series, Comedy or Musical | Nominated | ||
| TV Land Award | Future Classic | Won | ||
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Comedy or Musical | Nominated | ||
| Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actor in a Comedy Series | Nominated | ||
| Screen Actors Guild Award | Best Performance by an Ensemble in a Television Series – Comedy(Shared with "Glee" cast) | Nominated | ||
| 2015 | Broadway.com Audience Award | Favorite Actor in a Musical | Finding Neverland | Won |
| Favorite Onstage Pair (w/Laura Michelle Kelly) | Won | |||
| Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Actor in a Musical | Nominated | ||
| Drama League Award | Distinguished Performance | Nominated |
