Matthew Morrison
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| Matthew Morrison | |
|---|---|
 Morrison at the Glee premiere party, Santa Monica, California, May 2009 |
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| Born | Matthew James Morrison October 30, 1978 Fort Ord, California,[1] United States |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1999–present |
Matthew James Morrison (born October 30, 1978) is an American musical theater and television actor. He is best known for starring in multiple Broadway and Off-Broadway productions, including Link Larkin in Hairspray on Broadway, and most notably for his Golden Globe nominated role as Will Schuester on the Fox hit television show Glee. He has also received a Satellite Award for his portrayal.
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[edit] Early life
Morrison was born in Fort Ord, California. After attending theater camp as a child, he decided that he wanted to become an actor. He was educated at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and the Orange County High School of the Arts, while at the Los Alamitos High School campus.[1]
[edit] Career
Morrison's career began when he made his musical theater debut on Broadway in the musical version of Footloose, followed by a revival of the Rocky Horror Show. However, his big break came when he landed the role of Link Larkin in the Broadway production of John Waters' Hairspray. After performing in the role for some time, he started working in television, guest starring on shows such as Ghost Whisperer, Hack and Sex and the City. He also had small roles in films such as Marci X, Primary Colors, and Simply Funk. He followed up by performing the role of Sir Harry in the ABC-TV production of Once Upon a Mattress, starring Tracey Ullman and Carol Burnett.
In 2005 Morrison changed gears, playing the role of Fabrizio Nacarelli in Adam Guettel's The Light in the Piazza. He was nominated for a Tony Award for his performance. He left the show September 1, 2005.
Morrison joined the cast of the CBS soap opera As the World Turns as Adam Munson on October 24, 2006,[2] but left abruptly soon after due to a "scheduling conflict", last airing on the soap on November 27.
Morrison appeared in a benefit performance celebrating Andrew Lippa, and the 25th Anniversary of the performing troupe 'The Kids Next Door' at the Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa, California in December 2006. The performance benefited The California Conservatory of the Arts, a non-profit arts education organization focusing on pre-professional training for young students, grades six through twelve, in Orange County, California.
He earned a Drama Desk Nomination for his role in the Off Broadway show 10 Million Miles which ran at the Atlantic Theater Company in 2007. That same year he appeared in two films: Dan in Real Life, followed by Music and Lyrics as Cora Corman's manager.
He recently finished starring in the Lincoln Center production of South Pacific as Lt. Cable.
Currently, Morrison plays "Will Schuester" in the FOX television series Glee pilot which had its television preview on May 19, 2009. He resumed his role in the show as the series premiered on September 9, 2009. He plays a high school Spanish teacher who takes on the task of restoring the school's glee club to its former glory.
[edit] Awards and nominations
2 Wins and 7 Nominations
[edit] Tony Awards
- Nomination - 2005 Best Featured Actor in a Musical (The Light in the Piazza)
[edit] Drama Desk Awards
- Nomination - 2005 Outstanding Actor in a Musical (The Light in the Piazza)
- Nomination - 2008 Outstanding Actor in a Musical (10 Million Miles)
[edit] Outer Critics Circle Awards
- Nomination - 2003 Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Hairspray)
- Nomination - 2005 Best Featured Actor in a Musical (The Light in the Piazza)
[edit] Grammy Awards
- Winner - 2003 Best Musical Show Album (Hairspray)
[edit] Golden Globe Awards
- Nomination - 2009 Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical (Glee)
[edit] Satellite Awards
- Winner - 2009 Best Actor in a Series, Comedy or Musical (Glee)
[edit] Screen Actors Guild Awards
- Nomination - 2009 Best Performance by an Ensemble in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical (Glee)
[edit] Discography
[edit] Singles
| Year | Single | Peak positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | AUS | CAN | |||
| 2009 | "Gold Digger" | - | 59 | - | Glee: The Music, Volume 1 |
| "Alone" | 51 | 94 | 58 | ||
| "Bust a Move" | 93 | - | 78 | ||
| "Thong Song" | - | - | - | ||
| "Don't Stand So Close to Me / Young Girl" | 64 | - | 67 | Glee: The Music, Volume 2 | |
| "Endless Love" | 78 | - | 87 | ||
[edit] References
- ^ a b Dirmann, Tina (December 2009). "Matthew Morrison Revealed". Orange Coast (Newport Beach, California: Orange Coast Kommunications): 86. ISSN 027909483.
- ^ Adam Returning Home After 4 Year Absence
