Blake Jenner
Jenner in 2013
Born
Blake Alexander Jenner

(1992-08-27) August 27, 1992 (age 31)
Miami, Florida, U.S.
Occupations
  • Actor
  • singer
Years active2010–present
Spouses

Blake Alexander Jenner (born August 27, 1992)[1] is an American actor.[2] Jenner won the second season of Oxygen's The Glee Project and, as a result, portrayed Ryder Lynn on the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. He has since had starring and supporting roles in Everybody Wants Some!! (2016), The Edge of Seventeen (2016), American Animals (2018), and What/If (2019).

Early life

Jenner was born and raised in Miami, Florida, the son of Mitzy and Richard Vernon Jenner. His mother is of Cuban descent, from a family from Santiago de Cuba.[3][4] He is the youngest of four sons, having three elder brothers, Mike, Derrick and Richard.[5]

He grew up interested in music and film and began playing drums at age nine.[6] He attended Felix Varela High School, where he joined the school's drama society Troupe 6162 and played varsity football and wrestling. Stating that he was "in love with improv and comedy"[7] he began improvisation lessons[8] and participated in stage productions at the Roxy Performing Arts Center. In 2008, he became a member of "Impromedy", a sketch comedy improv group based in Miami.[9]

Career

Eager to pursue a career in acting, Jenner left Miami and moved to Los Angeles after graduating high school a year early, with just $2,500.[4][10] While residing in California, he took on many jobs including a waiter, clothing store associate, and parrot salesman while auditioning for acting roles.[4][11] He continually attended improv classes at The Groundlings, and eventually did a guest show with that company two years later.[12][13] By 2011, he was cast in the short films Wurlitzer and The Truth In Being Right and the horror film Cousin Sarah. He also made a guest appearance on ABC Family's sitcom Melissa & Joey as Miller Collins.[14]

In 2012, he was selected through industry channels to audition as one of 15 contestants on the second season of The Glee Project, a television reality show for which the prize was a guaranteed seven-episode arc on the following season of Glee. He was one of three finalists and ultimately won.[15] After appearing as Ryder Lynn on the fourth season of Glee, he was later nominated and won the Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Breakout Star.[16] Jenner, along with co-stars Jacob Artist, Becca Tobin, Alex Newell, and Melissa Benoist, was promoted to series regular status for the fifth season.[17]

In the summer of 2013, Jenner wrote the screenplay for Billy Boy. He and Benoist went on Kickstarter to ask fans to help fund the project's production; as of December 11, 2013, the project has reached its $100,000 goal. Jenner was subsequently cast in the horror film Within.[18] In late 2015, Jenner was cast in a recurring role as Adam Foster on Supergirl, playing opposite his then-wife Melissa Benoist, who stars as the series' title character. His first appearance aired on January 25, 2016.[19]

In 2016, Jenner starred as Jake Bradford in Richard Linklater's comedy film Everybody Wants Some!!, which was released on March 30, and played Hailee Steinfeld's character's brother in the coming-of-age drama The Edge of Seventeen.[20] He was in the cast of Shawn Christensen's drama film The Vanishing of Sidney Hall,[21] which premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival and was released in 2018. He was in the cast of Bart Layton's crime drama film American Animals.[22] It premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival and was released in June 2018, by The Orchard and MoviePass Ventures. Jenner played Christian de Neuvillette in the Goodspeed Musical production's Cyrano at the Norma Terris Theatre in August and September 2018.[23][24]

Jenner played Sean in What/If, Netflix's 2019 anthology neo-noir thriller series.[25] In August 2019, it was announced that Jenner would star in Richard Linklater's film adaptation of Merrily We Roll Along, which would be shot over the course of twenty years. Jenner had been set to star alongside Beanie Feldstein and Ben Platt.[26] On January 10, 2023, it was announced that Jenner would be replaced in Merrily We Roll Along by Paul Mescal.[27]

Personal life

Jenner became engaged to his former Glee co-star Melissa Benoist in 2013[28] and the pair reportedly married in 2015.[29] However, that same year, Benoist commented that they had been married "longer than anybody knows," with some sources claiming that the couple actually wed in 2013.[30][31] Benoist filed for divorce in late December 2016, citing irreconcilable differences,[32] and the divorce was finalized in December 2017.[33]

In 2019, Benoist shared an Instagram video chronicling her experience as a survivor of domestic violence. Benoist suffered an injury in 2015 that tore her iris and left her pupil permanently enlarged. In her video she revealed that the injury to her iris was due to a phone being thrown at her during a domestic dispute in a relationship marked by repeated abuse. Jenner and Benoist were married at the time.[34][35] Benoist also stated she had experienced extreme control, manipulation, and cycles of severe violence including being slapped, punched, shoved into a wall, dragged by her hair, and choked during the relationship.[36] In October 2020, Jenner responded via an Instagram post in which he admitted to causing the eye injury and confirmed the infliction of abuse throughout the relationship. He also alleged that the abuse during their relationship had been mutual and that she had physically assaulted him during the relationship, resulting in injury.[37][38] Benoist had previously stated in her original Instagram video that she began fighting back in defense against Jenner's attacks during their relationship.[39][40]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2010 Fresh 2 Death Connor Short film
2011 Wurlitzer Alexander Moore Short film; also producer
Cousin Sarah Brett Marks
2012 The Truth In Being Right Jeffrey Short film
2014 Love at First Site Sydney Reynolds Short film
2016 Everybody Wants Some!! Jake Bradford
The Edge of Seventeen Darian Franklin
Within Tommy
2017 The Vanishing of Sidney Hall Brett Newport
Billy Boy Billy Forsetti Also writer and producer
2018 American Animals Chas Allen
2022 Paradise City Ryan Swan[41]
2023 The Proposal Spot Pete Sandres Television film

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2011 Melissa & Joey Miller Collins Episode: "A House Divided"
2012 The Glee Project Himself Season 2
2012–15 Glee Ryder Lynn Recurring role (season 4); main role (season 5); guest star (season 6)
2013 Master Chef Himself Episode: "Top 14 Compete"
2016 Supergirl Adam Foster 2 episodes
2019 What/If Sean Main role

Video games

Year Title Role Notes
2018 NBA 2K19 – My Career Mode Howie Carter Voice and motion pictures[42][43]
2019 NBA 2K20 - My Career Mode Assistant GM Voice and motion pictures[42][43]

Stage

Regional

Year Title Role Venue Refs
2018 Cyrano Christian de Neuvillette Goodspeed Musical production [44]

Off-Broadway

Year Title Role Venue Refs
2019 Cyrano Christian de Neuvillette The New Group production [45]

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Work Result
2013 Teen Choice Awards Choice TV: Breakout Star Glee Won
2017 San Diego Film Festival Rising Star Won

Discography

Main articles: Glee albums discography, Glee songs discography, and List of songs in Glee

Notes

  1. ^ Sources disagree as to the year Jenner and Benoist were married. See §Personal life

References

  1. ^ "Blake Jenner". TVGuide.com. Archived from the original on May 29, 2016.
  2. ^ Tag, Nadine (October 9, 2022). "Life For Blake Jenner Has Taken A Dark Turn After His Controversial Relationship With Melissa Benoist". TheThings. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
  3. ^ "Blake Jenner Is the All-American Leading Man Hollywood Needs Right Now". Men's Journal. Archived from the original on March 17, 2017. Retrieved March 17, 2017.
  4. ^ a b c Barroso, Gina (January 10, 2013). "TV Martí Noticias — Blake Jenner: un joven cubanoamericano de Miami triunfa en Hollywood". YouTube. TV Martí Noticias (in Spanish). Retrieved November 5, 2014.
  5. ^ Sasa, Tuandike (March 13, 2020). "Blake Jenner story: Acting journey, family, wife and movies". Legit.ng - Nigeria news. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  6. ^ Marr, Madeleine (August 10, 2012). "Local singer/actor Blake Jenner wins The Glee Project!". Miami.com.
  7. ^ Gajewski, Ryan (August 27, 2013). "Glee Project's Blake Jenner Wanted To Be A Stand-Up Comic". Wetpaint.
  8. ^ Slezak, Michael (August 17, 2012). "Glee Project Champ Blake Jenner". TVLine.
  9. ^ Morales, Claudia (October 3, 2012). "Blake Jenner: A Varela alumnus' journey to 'Glee'". The Viper Vibe. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013.
  10. ^ Harrington, Amy and Nancy (August 21, 2012). "Five Things You Don't Know About Blake Jenner". Yahoo!. Archived from the original on September 22, 2013.
  11. ^ Douglass, Beth (August 16, 2012). "Glee Project 2 Winner Blake Jenner on His Hopes for Glee Season 4". Wetpaint.
  12. ^ Groundlings [@groundlings] (August 24, 2012). "Blake Jenner learned the importance of comedic timing from improv classes with The Groundlings" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  13. ^ Groundlings (2012). "Performers: Blake Jenner". The Groundlings. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved September 21, 2013.
  14. ^ "Who Is Glee's Blake Jenner?". Wetpaint. November 9, 2012. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved January 10, 2016.
  15. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (August 15, 2012). "Winner Blake Jenner: 'I'd Love to Be a Finn-Type Character". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 16, 2012. The 19-year-old...
  16. ^ Derschowitz, Jessica (August 11, 2013). "Teen Choice Awards 2013: List of winners". CBS News.
  17. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (June 29, 2013). "'Glee' Promotes Five to Series Regulars (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter.
  18. ^ Walkuski, Eric (March 25, 2014). "Crawlspace cast grows with Glee star Blake Jenner". JoBlo.com. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  19. ^ Ausiello, Michael (November 18, 2015). "Supergirl Stages Glee Reunion, Casts Blake Jenner as Kara's [Spoiler]". TVLine. Archived from the original on November 20, 2015. Retrieved January 10, 2016.
  20. ^ Lincoln, Ross A. (October 6, 2015). "Blake Jenner Joins Hailee Steinfeld In STX Coming-Of-Age Drama". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
  21. ^ Kroll, Justin (April 25, 2016). "Blake Jenner, Margaret Qualley and Tim Blake Nelson Join 'Sidney Hall' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
  22. ^ Mitchell, Robert (February 9, 2017). "Blake Jenner, Four Others Join Evan Peters in Indie Heist Film 'American Animals'". Variety. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  23. ^ "Blake Jenner Joins Musical Adaptation of Cyrano at Goodspeed". Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  24. ^ "Goodspeed Adds 8 Performances Of CYRANO Due to Popular Demand". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
  25. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (August 31, 2018). "What/If: Blake Jenner To Star In Netflix Social Thriller Series". Deadline. Retrieved September 8, 2018.
  26. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (August 30, 2019). "Richard Linklater To Shoot Stephen Sondheim Musical 'Merrily We Roll Along' Over 20 Years For Blumhouse". Deadline. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  27. ^ "Paul Mescal Replaces Blake Jenner in Merrily We Roll Along Film".
  28. ^ Chen, Joyce (July 12, 2013). "Blake Jenner, Melissa Benoist Engaged: Glee Costars Set to Tie the Knot". US Weekly. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
  29. ^ "Glee's Melissa Benoist and Blake Jenner Are Married!". E! Online. July 13, 2015. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  30. ^ Ostrow, Joanne (August 6, 2015). "Melissa Benoist, a Colorado native, takes flight as TV's 'Supergirl'". Denver Post. Colorado. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
  31. ^ Toomey, Alyssa (July 13, 2015). "Glee's Melissa Benoist and Blake Jenner Are Married! | E! News". Eonline.com. Retrieved January 1, 2017.
  32. ^ Mizoguchi, Karen (December 29, 2016). "Supergirl's Melissa Benoist Files for Divorce from Blake Jenner: Report". People. Retrieved January 3, 2017.
  33. ^ Dugan, Christina (December 21, 2017). "Supergirl's Melissa Benoist and Blake Jenner Finalize Divorce". People. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
  34. ^ "'Supergirl' Star Melissa Benoist Opens Up in Emotional Video: "I Am a Survivor of Domestic Violence"". The Hollywood Reporter. November 27, 2019.
  35. ^ Thorne, Will (November 27, 2019). "'Supergirl' Star Opens Up About Being 'a Survivor of Domestic Violence' in Instagram Video".
  36. ^ Ramos, Dino-Ray (November 28, 2019). "Melissa Benoist Shares Her Story Of Domestic Violence In Emotional Instagram Video". Deadline. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
  37. ^ Ramos, Dino-Ray (October 8, 2020). "Blake Jenner Responds To Melissa Benoist's Abuse Accusations: "I Take Full Responsibility"". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  38. ^ Trepany, Charles (October 8, 2020). "Melissa Benoist's ex-husband Blake Jenner apologizes for domestic violence, says he was abused, too". USA Today. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  39. ^ Goldstein, Joelle. "Supergirl's Melissa Benoist Reveals She Is a Domestic Violence Survivor in Emotional Video". PEOPLE.com. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
  40. ^ Morin, Alyssa (2019). "Melissa Benoist Shares Her Domestic Violence Survival Story in Deeply Personal Video". E! Online.
  41. ^ McArdle, Tommy (October 11, 2022). "Watch Bruce Willis and John Travolta Face Off in Hawaii in 'Paradise City' Trailer". People.com. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  42. ^ a b NBA 2K (August 21, 2018). "NBA 2K19: The Way Back". YouTube. Retrieved September 8, 2018.((cite web)): CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  43. ^ a b "'NBA 2K19' features 'Avengers' star and 'Sixth Sense' kid for story mode where you battle in G League". CBS Sports. Retrieved September 8, 2018.
  44. ^ CYRANO Starring Peter Dinklage Finds Full Cast; Blake Jenner and More. (June 27, 2018)
  45. ^ "Full Cast Announced for Peter Dinklage Led CYRANO; Grace McLean, Jasmine Cephas Jones, and More". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved August 14, 2019.

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