Anthony Rapp
Anthony Rapp | |
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![]() Rapp in 2017 | |
Born | Anthony Deane Rapp October 26, 1971 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
Occupation(s) | Actor, singer |
Years active | 1981–present |
Anthony Deane Rapp[1] (born October 26, 1971)[2] is an American actor and singer best known for originating the role of Mark Cohen in the Broadway production of Rent in 1996 and for reprising the role in the film version and the Broadway Tour of Rent in 2009. He also performed the role of Charlie Brown in the 1999 Broadway revival of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown and originated the role of Lucas in the musical If/Then in 2014. His screen roles include Lieutenant Commander Paul Stamets on the television series Star Trek: Discovery.
Early life
Rapp was born in Chicago, Illinois, and raised in nearby Joliet, Illinois,[2] the son of Mary Lee (née Baird) and Douglas Rapp.[3] After his parents' divorce in 1974,[2] he was raised by his mother, a trained nurse.[4] His older brother is playwright, novelist, and filmmaker Adam Rapp. He also has an older sister.[5] His mother died of cancer at age 55 in 1997.[6]
Rapp participated in community theater as a child[5] and won numerous awards for his singing in junior high school.[7] Rapp attended high school at Joliet West High School and theatre camp at Interlochen Arts Camp in Michigan.[citation needed] He moved to New York in 1989 to attend New York University as a film student, but dropped out after a semester.[5]
Career
Rapp first performed on Broadway in 1981 in the musical The Little Prince and the Aviator, a musical based on Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's novel The Little Prince. The show closed during previews. His screen debut was as a member of the starring ensemble in the 1987 film Adventures in Babysitting, directed by Chris Columbus, who would later direct him in the film version of Rent. He has appeared in several movies and Broadway shows. His notable roles includes such films as Dazed and Confused, A Beautiful Mind, School Ties, Road Trip, Six Degrees of Separation (stage and film versions), An American Family, Danny Roane: First Time Director and You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.[8]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2f/Anthony_Rapp_2009.jpg/220px-Anthony_Rapp_2009.jpg)
Rapp went on to play the character of Mark Cohen in the off-Broadway and original Broadway casts of Jonathan Larson's musical Rent. For his audition, Rapp sang R.E.M.'s "Losing My Religion", and received his callback in September 1994.[7] After offering him the role, Jonathan Larson wrote new songs for the production with Rapp's voice in mind.[9] He reprised that role in the film adaptation, which was released on November 23, 2005. He returned to Rent on July 30, 2007, for a six-week run, along with original cast member Adam Pascal.[10] The two continued in their return to Rent through October 7, 2007.[11] Rapp and Pascal, along with fellow original cast member Gwen Stewart, reprised their roles of Mark and Roger in a national tour of Rent beginning January 6, 2009.[12][13]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7d/Anthony_Rapp_06-07-09.jpg/220px-Anthony_Rapp_06-07-09.jpg)
In 2000, Rapp released a solo CD, entitled Look Around. In 2006, he published a memoir about Rent and his relationship with his mother, Without You: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and the Musical Rent.[7] The manuscript took him six years to finish because of how personal it was.[14] Rapp developed a one-man stage show with music based on the memoir beginning in 2007, later performing it at such locations as the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.[14] A recording of the show was released on December 11, 2012 by PS Classics.[15]
In 2005, Rapp played the doctor in the world premiere of Feeling Electric (later to become the Broadway musical Next to Normal at the New York Musical Theatre Festival.[5][16] During Next to Normal's Off-Broadway run (2008), he worked as assistant director to Michael Greif, who had directed him in Rent,[17] and later wrote the introduction to the published script.[18]
Rapp played the role of Lucas in If/Then, which starred fellow Rent alum Idina Menzel. If/Then played the National Theatre in Washington, D.C., and began previews on Broadway on March 5, 2014, and opened on Broadway at the Richard Rodgers Theater on March 30, 2014. In July, Rapp had to miss performances due to a knee injury and surgery.[19] It closed on March 22, 2015. Rapp reprised the role in select performances of the 2015-2016 National Tour,[20] along with Menzel and the rest of the main Broadway cast.
Rapp also appeared in the television episode Psych: The Musical, which premiered on USA Network on December 15, 2013. In 2016, Rapp was cast in Star Trek: Discovery as Lt. Paul Stamets, the first openly gay character in the Star Trek television series.[21] This was Rapp's first television regular role; while he had watched some Star Trek as a child, he watched "curated lists" of episodes from the multiple series to prepare for the role.[22]
Personal life
In 2012, the periodical Metro Weekly referred to Rapp as "one of the first openly gay men on Broadway".[23][24] He first came out to his mother at the age of 18, and by her death in 1997 she had grown comfortable with it.[2] During a 1997 interview with Oasis Magazine, the actor explained his sexual identity as "queer" rather than "gay": "I don't want to get into labels, but I've never labeled myself except to say I'm queer. The thing that's been most important to me to be out about is that I have been in loving relationships with men...I haven't said 'I am gay.' Because the truth is that I've also been in love with women, although the truth is I do think I'm primarily homosexual".[25] He has also identified as "bisexual"[2] and "four-and-a-half" on the Kinsey Scale.[20] He has cited working with Larry Kramer as a young man (in Kramer's play The Destiny of Me) for his commitment to activism and "liv[ing] an open life".[26][27]
Rapp is a "die hard" Chicago Cubs fan and co-hosts the podcast The Clubhouse about baseball.[28] On August 29, 2016, he threw the first pitch and sung the National Anthem at the Cubs game.[29] He enjoys playing poker and video games.[18]
Accusations against Kevin Spacey
In October 2017, Rapp alleged in an interview with BuzzFeed that actor Kevin Spacey made an unwanted sexual advance toward him in 1986, when Rapp was 14, and Spacey was 26. Rapp was invited to a party at Spacey's home and, at the end of the evening, Spacey physically carried Rapp to bed and attempted to initiate sex.[30] Rapp added that he'd once met with a lawyer to discuss possible legal action, but was told there was no case worth pursuing.[31][32] In a 2001 interview with The Advocate, he had discussed the assault, but Spacey's name was redacted from publication to avoid legal disputes and public outing.[33] Rapp was inspired to come forward in 2017 after the effects of the Harvey Weinstein sexual abuse allegations with the support of his family, boyfriend, representatives, and a lawyer.[26] In response, Spacey posted on Twitter that he did not remember the encounter, which had allegedly occurred 31 years before, but nevertheless said that he was "beyond horrified to hear his story" and offered Rapp the "sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior".[34] At least 14 other accusers came forward after Rapp in 2017,[35] ultimately costing Spacey his starring role on House of Cards and involvement in other projects.[36] Rapp faced harassment and criticism for the accusation,[37] most notably from comedian Dave Chappelle in his Netflix stand-up special The Bird Revelation.[38]
Acting roles
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1990 | Sky High | Wes Hansen | TV movie |
1994 | Assault at West Point: The Court-Martial of Johnson Whittaker | Cadet Frederick G. Hodgson | TV movie |
1996 | The Lazarus Man | Verity | Episode: "Panorama" |
1997 | Spin City | Himself | Episode: "An Affair to Remember" |
1997 | The X-Files | Jeff Glaser | Episode: "Detour" |
2000 | The Beach Boys: An American Family | Van Dyke Parks | TV movie |
2004 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Matt Spevak | Episode: "Bound" |
2006–07 | Kidnapped | Larry Kellogg | 4 episodes |
2012 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Nathan Forrester | Episode: "Lessons Learned" |
2013 | Psych | Zachary Wallace Zander aka Z | Episode: "Psych: The Musical" |
2014 | It Could Be Worse | Casting Director | Episode: "Uncharted Territory" |
2015 | Stop the Bleeding | Buster | 2 episodes |
The Knick | Dr. Thurman Drexler | 2 episodes | |
2017 | The Good Fight | Glenn | 2 episodes |
2017–present | Star Trek: Discovery | Lieutenant Paul Stamets | Regular cast/Lieutenant Paul Stamets (Mirror) 1st season |
Theatre
Year | Production | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Unknown | Youth is Broken | Unknown | off-Broadway |
1981 | Evita | Unknown | Regional |
1982 | The Little Prince and the Aviator | The Little Prince | Broadway; never opened |
1986 | Precious Sons | Freddy | Broadway; Mar. 20 - May 10, 1986 |
1990 | Six Degrees of Separation | Ben/Woody (u/s)/Doug (u/s) | Broadway; Nov. 8, 1990 - Jan. 5, 1992 |
1992 | The Destiny of Me | Alexander Weeks | off-Broadway |
1993 | Sophistry | Jack Kahn | off-Broadway |
1994 | Trafficking in Broken Hearts | Bobby | off-Broadway |
1995 | Raised in Captivity | Dylan Taylor Sinclair/Roger | off-Broadway |
Rent | Mark Cohen | off-Broadway; 1995 | |
1996 | Broadway; 1996–97 | ||
1997 | National Tour | ||
1998 | West End | ||
Bright Lights, Big City | Unknown | off-Broadway | |
1999 | You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown | Charlie Brown | Broadway; Feb. 4 - Jun. 13, 1999 |
2001 | Nocturne | The Son[39] | Berkely Repertory Theatre; written by brother Adam Rapp |
2002 | Henry V | King Henry V | Commonwealth Shakespeare Company |
2003 | Hedwig and the Angry Inch | Hedwig Robinson | Brighton Fringe |
Private Jokes Public Places | William | off-Broadway | |
2004 | Little Shop of Horrors | Seymour Krelbourn | National tour |
2005 | The 24 Hour Plays | Trisan | Broadway; special benefit production |
2005 | Feeling Electric | Dr. Madden | New York Musical Theatre Festival; earlier version of Next to Normal |
2006 | Rent | Mark Cohen | Broadway; 10th anniversary reunion concert |
2007 | Broadway; Jul. 30 - Oct. 7, 2007 | ||
Spalding Gray: Stories Left to Tell | Performer | off-Broadway | |
2008 | Without You | Himself | International tour; 2008 - 2011 |
Some Americans Abroad | Henry McNeil | off-Broadway | |
2009 | Rent | Mark Cohen | National tour |
2012 | Pop! | Unknown | City Theatre |
Without You | Anthony Rapp | West End | |
2014 | If/Then | Lucas | Broadway; Mar. 30, 2014 - Mar. 22, 2015 |
2015 | National tour; Oct. 13, 2015 - Aug. 15, 2016 |
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1987 | Adventures in Babysitting | Daryl Coopersmith | |
1989 | Grave Secrets | Jamie | |
Far From Home | Pinky Sears | ||
1992 | School Ties | Richard "McGoo" Collins | |
1993 | Dazed and Confused | Tony Olson | |
Six Degrees of Separation | Ben | ||
1996 | Twister | Tony | |
The Mantis Murder | Unknown | ||
1997 | David Searching | David | |
1999 | Man of the Century | Timothy Burns | |
2000 | Road Trip | Jacob Schultz | |
2001 | Cruise Control | Mirror Man | Short |
A Beautiful Mind | Bender | ||
2002 | Paradisco | L'ami américain | Short |
2004 | Open House | Barry Farnsworth | |
2005 | Rent | Mark Cohen | |
Winter passing | Dean | ||
2006 | Danny Roane: First Time Director | Self | |
2007 | Let Them Chirp Awhile | Self | |
Blackbird | Unknown | ||
2008 | Scaring the Fish | Gene | |
2009 | The Other Woman | Simon | |
2012 | Junction | Connor | |
2014 | Grind | Vincent | Short |
2015 | Not Again | Dr. Thom | Short |
2016 | Opening Night | Logan Joyce | |
Do You Take This Man | Daniel | ||
bwoy | Brad |
Discography
Year | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
1996 | Rent (original Broadway cast recording) | Solos on twenty-two tracks |
1999 | You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown (new Broadway cast recording) | Solos on nine tracks |
2000 | Look Around | Solo album |
2012 | Without You (original cast recording) | Solo album |
2014 | If/Then (original Broadway cast recording) | Solos on six tracks |
Concerts
Start Date | End Date | Title | # of shows | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
January 10, 2011 | New York Town Hall | 1 | With Adam Pascal | |
April 12, 2012 | Highline Ballroom | 1 | With Adam Pascal | |
November 23, 2012 | November 24, 2012 | 54 Below | 2 | |
October 20, 2014 | Emelin Theatre | 1 | ||
March 30, 2015 | B.B. King Blues Club and Grill | 1 | With Adam Pascal, Mandy Gonzalez, Lindsay Mendez, Marcus Paul James, and Telly Leung |
Autobiography
Release | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
2006 | Without You: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and the Musical Rent | Published by Simon & Schuster |
Awards and nominations
Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1986 | Outer Critics Circle Award | Outstanding Actor in a Musical | Precious Sons | Won |
Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Actor in a Musical | Nominated | ||
1996 | Obie Award | Special Citations | Rent | Won |
2001 | ACC Award | Best Ensemble Cast | A Beautiful Mind | Nominated |
Screen Actors Guild Award | Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture | Nominated | ||
2005 | Stinkers Bad Movie Award | Worst Song Performance | Rent | Nominated |
2006 | Broadcast Film Critics Association Award | Best Song Performance | Nominated | |
Best Acting Ensemble | Nominated | |||
OFTA Film Award | Best Adapted Music | Nominated | ||
2014 | Broadway.com Audience Award | Favorite Featured Actor in a Musical | If/Then | Won |
2017 | The Advocate's Person of the Year | N/A | N/A | Finalist[40] |
References
- ^ Anthony Rapp [@albinokid] (29 November 2009). "Someone was messing with my wiki page, I discovered. My middle name is Deane. With an e. RT @Hails224 Is your middle name Dean or Mortimer?" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ a b c d e "Life in the Rapp family". The Advocate. October 14, 1997. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved April 24, 2016.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ Buckley, Michael (2006-02-20). "Stage to Screens: Chatting with Playwright and Screenwriter Adam Rapp". Playbill. Archived from the original on November 29, 2016. Retrieved 2012-03-06.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ Wiegand, David (February 21, 2006). "From musical to memoir, actor Anthony Rapp comes up with dramatic making-of 'Rent' story and moving personal one". San Francisco Chronicle.
- ^ a b c d Patrick Hinds (June 15, 2014). "Episode 13: Anthony Rapp" (Podcast). Theater People. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
- ^ Gavron Stevens, Darlene (May 25, 1997). "Aids Education Activist Mary Lee Rapp". Chicago Tribune.
- ^ a b c Rapp, Anthony (2006). Without You: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and the Musical Rent. New York: Simon & Schuster. p. 309. ISBN 0-7432-6976-4.
- ^ Anthony Rapp's official website Archived March 5, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Rapp, Anthony (2006). Without You: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and the Musical Rent. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-0743269773.
- ^ Brian Scott Lipton (August 21, 2007). "Pascal and Rapp Extend Rent Engagement Until October 7". TheaterMania. Retrieved 2008-06-11.
- ^ Kenneth Jones; Robert Simonson (August 21, 2007). "Pascal and Rapp, Bohemian Heroes for a New Generation of Rent-Heads, Extend to Oct. 7". Playbill. Archived from the original on 2008-02-22. Retrieved 2008-06-11.
{{cite news}}
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suggested) (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Kenneth Jones (February 28, 2008). "Playbill News: Pascal and Rapp Will Tour in Rent in 2009". Playbill. Archived from the original on 2008-06-23. Retrieved 2008-06-11.
{{cite news}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
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suggested) (help) - ^ Rent tour schedule Archived August 6, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b Wallenberg, Christopher (June 16, 2012). "Anthony Rapp revisits his own past onstage in 'Without You'". The Boston Globe. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
- ^ Hetrick, Adam (December 11, 2012). "Exclusive Listen: Anthony Rapp's Without You Released On Disc Dec. 11". Playbill. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
- ^ Jones, Kenneth (September 14, 2005). "Rapp & Spanger Help Spark Premiere of Feeling Electric Sept. 14-24 in NYMF". Playbill. Archived from the original on January 15, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
- ^ Gioia, Michael (March 4, 2014). "From Then, Till Now: Idina Menzel, Anthony Rapp and Michael greif Reunite in New Musical If/Then". Playbill. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
- ^ a b H, Claire (June 13, 2018). "Anthony Rapp discusses 'Rent,' writing and 'Next to Normal'". Stage Door Dish. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
- ^ Hetrick, Adam (July 9, 2014). "Knee Injury Sidelines Anthony Rapp from Broadway's If/Then". Playbill. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
- ^ a b Leuck, Shane (March 3, 2016). "5Q: If/Then". Lavender. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
- ^ Hibberd, James (November 29, 2016). "Star Trek: Discovery casts 3 actors, adds gay character". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
- ^ "Exclusive Interview: Discovery's Anthony Rapp". September 21, 2017. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
- ^ Rule, Doug (April 12, 2012). "Rapp Star". Metro Weekly. Retrieved June 26, 2014.
- ^ Hensley, Dennis (January 8, 2002). "From Rent to Russell". Retrieved June 26, 2014.
- ^ "Anthony Rapp: Rent-able role model". Oasis Magazine (Interview). Interviewed by Jeff Walsh. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved June 26, 2014.
{{cite interview}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ a b Reynolds, Daniel (March 30, 2018). "Anthony Rapp Reveals How He Found the Courage to Talk About Kevin Spacey". The Advocate. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
- ^ "Anthony Rapp Is Honored To Make Star Trek Television History". CBS. February 2, 2018. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
- ^ "The Clubhouse Website". The Clubhouse. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
- ^ "Chicago Cubs tweet". Twitter. August 29, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
- ^ Kiefer, Halle (October 29, 2017). "Actor Anthony Rapp Says Kevin Spacey Tried to Seduce Him When He Was 14". Vulture. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
- ^ "'Star Trek' Star Claims Kevin Spacey Made a Pass at Him at Age 14". The Hollywood Reporter. Los Angeles. October 29, 2017. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
- ^ Feldman, Kate (October 29, 2017). "Anthony Rapp accuses Kevin Spacey of trying to seduce him when he was 14". New York Daily News. New York. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
- ^ Reynolds, Daniel (October 31, 2017). "Why Did The Advocate Redact Kevin Spacey's Name in 2001?". The Advocate. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
- ^ Kanetkar, Riddhima (October 29, 2017). "Kevin Spacey: Sexual Advances On Teenaged Anthony Rapp Was 'Inappropriate Drunken Behavior'". International Business Times. New York. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
- ^ Puente, Maria (November 7, 2017). "Kevin Spacey scandal: A complete list of the 15 accusers". USA Today. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
- ^ Bishop, Bryan (November 3, 2017). "Netflix fires Kevin Spacey from House of Cards". The Verge. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
- ^ Reynolds, Daniel (Decemebr 2, 2017). "Anthony Rapp Breaks Silience on Kevin Spacey to Call Out Harassers". The Advocate. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
{{cite web}}
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(help) - ^ Wong, Curtis M (January 3, 2018). "Dave Chappelle's Jokes About Kevin Spacey Have Some Viewers Up In Arms". The Huffington Post. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
- ^ "Anthony Rapp opens his brother's play". The Advocate. October 20, 2001. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
- ^ By Advocate.com Editors (2017-07-20). "Person of the Year: Transgender Americans". Advocate.com. Retrieved 2017-12-25.
{{cite web}}
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External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- 1971 births
- 20th-century American male actors
- 20th-century American singers
- 21st-century American male actors
- 21st-century American singers
- 21st-century American writers
- Actors from Joliet, Illinois
- American male child actors
- American male film actors
- American male musical theatre actors
- American male singers
- American male stage actors
- American male television actors
- American male writers
- American memoirists
- LGBT male actors
- LGBT memoirists
- LGBT musicians from the United States
- LGBT people from Illinois
- LGBT singers
- LGBT writers from the United States
- Living people
- Male actors from Illinois
- Musicians from Joliet, Illinois
- Queer actors
- Queer men
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- Singers from Illinois
- Writers from Joliet, Illinois