Skylar Astin
Astin in 2017
Born
Skylar Astin Lipstein

(1987-09-23) September 23, 1987 (age 36)
New York City, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active2006–present
Spouse
​
​
(m. 2016; div. 2019)​

Skylar Astin[1] (born Skylar Astin Lipstein; September 23, 1987)[2][3] is an American actor. He became known for portraying Jesse Swanson in the musical films Pitch Perfect (2012) and Pitch Perfect 2 (2015). He originated the role of Georg in the Broadway musical Spring Awakening, and has since appeared in films such as Hamlet 2 (2008), Taking Woodstock (2009), Cavemen (2013), and 21 & Over (2013). He played the role of Greg Serrano on the last season of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, a role originally played by Santino Fontana, and Max in the musical dramedy Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist (2020). He plays the title role in the 2022 CBS drama So Help Me Todd.

Early life

Astin was born in New York City, the son of Meryl and Barry Lipstein, a garment industry executive.[4][5] He is Jewish and has a sister, Brielle, and two brothers, Milan and Jace.[6][7] Growing up in New City, New York, he graduated from Clarkstown High School North and attended Stagedoor Manor performing arts summer camp. He was also a student at the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, but he took a leave of absence when cast in Spring Awakening.[8][9] Lipstein says that when he was 15, his agent suggested he use his middle name, Astin, instead of his surname as his stage last name to be "less specific to one thing" and that he is not embarrassed or ashamed of his decision.[1]

Career

Astin's first professional role was a minor role in the original Off-Broadway and Broadway cast of Spring Awakening as Georg, a male student with a crush on his piano teacher. He had short solos in multiple songs, but the character is noted for his belting in the song "Touch Me".[10][11][12] During his run as Georg, Astin filmed the role Rand Posin in the film Hamlet 2.[13][14] He sang "Raped in the Face" on the soundtrack with Phoebe Strole, a Spring Awakening castmate, and his co-star in the film, and the film's star, Steve Coogan. Screenings of the film at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival led to Astin signing on with United Talent Agency.[15]

Astin joined the cast of the 2009 Adam Carolla sitcom Ace in the Hole on CBS. However, the show was not picked up by the network.[16][17]

In 2010, Astin took on the role of Mark Cohen in a production of Rent, directed by Neil Patrick Harris, at the Hollywood Bowl. The cast included Aaron Tveit and Vanessa Hudgens.[18] Also in 2010, he joined the cast of the Jere Burns sitcom Strange Brew on Fox, which like Ace in the Hole was not picked up.

Astin guest-starred as Ben in the July 2011 episode of Love Bites titled "Boys to Men" and, as Matt Kornstein, in the May 2012 episode of Girls entitled "Hannah's Diary". He also played a patient on House in season 8, episode 21 in May 2012.

In 2012, Astin found his breakthrough starring in the comedy film Pitch Perfect (2012), as Jesse Swanson, and reprised the role in the 2015 sequel Pitch Perfect 2. Astin also starred in the comedy film 21 and Over (2013) as Casey.

Astin performs Put on a Happy Face for Dick Van Dyke in 2023.

Astin also starred in the TBS sitcom Ground Floor as Brody Moyer, a young ambitious money manager who falls for a girl on the ground floor. He also led an NBA comedy pilot on ABC.[19]

In 2019, Astin played the Baker in the Hollywood Bowl production of Into the Woods.[20]

He starred in the musical dramedy Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist as Zoey's best friend Max. In March 2022, it was announced that he would have a recurring role in the eighteenth season of the ABC medical drama Grey's Anatomy as Todd Eames.[21]

On 21 December 2023, Astin performed Put On a Happy Face from the 1960 play Bye Bye Birdie on the primetime CBS special Dick Van Dyke: 98 Years of Magic.[22]

Personal life

In 2006, Astin began dating Lauren Pritchard.[23] He then began dating Pitch Perfect co-star Anna Camp in 2013.[24][25] The couple were reported to be engaged in January 2016.[26] They married on September 10, 2016.[27] On April 19, 2019, the couple announced that they were filing for divorce.[28] In late August 2019, the divorce was finalized.[29]

In January 2023, Astin's home in Los Angeles was broken into by burglars who ransacked the place. Astin was away from home when the robbery occurred.[30]

Discography

Singles

Year Title Album
2021 "Without You"[31] TBA
"When You're Not There"[32]
2022 "Chills"
"Something in the Air"
(with burnboy)
"I Wanna Dance with You"
"Helium"
"Save My Words"
"Enemy"
2023 "Gravity"
(with Valerie Broussard)
"EASY"

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2008 Hamlet 2 Rand Posin
2009 Taking Woodstock John P. Roberts
2012 Love Written in Blood Henderson
Pitch Perfect Jesse Swanson
Wreck-It Ralph Roy (voice)
2013 21 & Over Casey Altman
2014 Cavemen Dean Parker
The Oven Owen Miller Short film
2015 Pitch Perfect 2 Jesse Swanson
2016 Monkey Up Monty (voice)
Flock of Dudes David
2017 Speech & Debate Walter Healy
2018 Hot Air Gareth Whitely
2020 Ghosts of War Eugene
Secret Society of Second-Born Royals Professor James Morrow [33]

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2011 Love Bites Ben Episode: "Boys to Men"
2012 Girls Matt Kornstein Episode: "Hannah's Diary"
House Derrick Episode: "Holding On"
2013–2015 Ground Floor Brody Moyer 20 episodes
2014 Glee Jean Baptiste Episode: "City of Angels"
2015 Halt and Catch Fire Jessie Evans 3 episodes
Comedy Bang! Bang! Himself Episode: "Skylar Astin Wears Blue Jeans and Weathered Brown Desert Boots"
2016–2017 Graves Isaiah Miller Main role
2017 Lip Sync Battle Himself Episode: "Skylar Astin vs. Metta World Peace"
2018–2019 Trolls: The Beat Goes On! Branch (voice) Main role
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Greg Serrano Main role (season 4)
2019 Vampirina Frankenstein (voice) Episode: "Franken-Wedding"
2020–2021 Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist Max Richman Main role
2020–2022 Trolls: TrollsTopia Branch (voice)
2020 Match Game Himself Episode: "Joel McHale, Jane Krakowski, Jermaine Fowler, Caroline Rhea, Skylar Astin, Retta"
2021 Zoey's Extraordinary Christmas Max Richman Television film
2022 Grey's Anatomy Todd Eames Recurring role (season 18)
2022–present So Help Me Todd Todd Main role

Web

Year Title Role Notes
2011 The Online Gamer Mikey 3 episodes

Stage

Year Title Role Notes
2006–2008 Spring Awakening Georg Zirschnitz Broadway
2010 Rent Mark Cohen Hollywood Bowl
2016 West Side Story Tony Carnegie Hall
2016 God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater Norman Mushari New York City Center Encores! Off-Center
2017 What We're Up Against Weber WP Theater McGinn/Cazale Theater
2018 How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying J. Pierrepont Finch Kennedy Center
2019 Into the Woods The Baker Hollywood Bowl
2022 Little Shop of Horrors Seymour Krelborn Off-Broadway

References

  1. ^ a b "Skylar Astin interview". Movieline.com. September 29, 2012. Retrieved May 17, 2015.
  2. ^ Astin mentions his birthday on Twitter
  3. ^ Astin is stated as being 25, in October 2012 at People
  4. ^ Jackson, Brian Keith. "Broadways new teen heroes: Our own cast bios of the 'Spring Awakening' kids", New York 40 (9): 152–3.
  5. ^ "Skylar Astin and Barry Lipstein | the Journal News | lohud.com | lohud.com". Archived from the original on December 13, 2014. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
  6. ^ Elkin, Michael (July 17, 2008). "Summer Awakening for Skylar?". The Jewish Exponent. Archived from the original on June 1, 2012. Retrieved August 18, 2013.
  7. ^ [1] was it supposed to be this? [2] Archived October 4, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ Lapowsky, Issie (April 24, 2007). "Putting NYU on hold for Broadway". Washington Square News. pp. nyunews.com. Archived from the original on January 30, 2013. Retrieved May 16, 2009.
  9. ^ Kalafatus, Greg (June 27, 2007). "New Spring Awakening Billboard Blooms Outside the O'Neill Theatre". playbill.com. Playbill. Archived from the original on September 10, 2012. Retrieved May 16, 2009.
  10. ^ Lemire, Christy (August 28, 2008). "Steve Coogan and 'Hamlet 2' have their funny moments, but that's all they are -- moments". goerie.com. Erie Times News. Retrieved May 16, 2009.
  11. ^ Rooney, David (June 16, 2006). "Spring Awakening.(Off B'way)(Theater review)". accessmylibrary.com. Daily Variety. Retrieved May 16, 2009.
  12. ^ "Past , Present and Future Spring Awakening stars say hello and goodbye". broadway.com. July 19, 2008. Archived from the original on January 15, 2009. Retrieved May 16, 2009.
  13. ^ Sanford, James (August 27, 2008). "'Hamlet 2': Hey, kids! Let's put on an offensive show!". mlive.com. Kalamazoo Gazette. Archived from the original on November 22, 2008. Retrieved May 16, 2009.
  14. ^ Ebert, Roger (August 22, 2008). "All Shakespeare needed was a gay men's chorus". newsbank.com. Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved May 16, 2009.
  15. ^ Goldstein, Gregg; and Simmons, Leslie (February 7, 2008). "Seems Sundance did have deals", The Hollywood Reporter 403: 3–4.
  16. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (March 30, 2009). "Big Three cast leads on comedy", The Hollywood Reporter 409: 4.
  17. ^ Krannich, Michael (April 27, 2009). "Ace in the Hole: Pamela Adlon mit Hauptrolle ( Ace in the Hole: Pamela Adlon, with lead role)". serienjunkies.de (in German). Series Junkies. Retrieved May 16, 2009.(Google translation)
  18. ^ Brady, Tveit, Astin And Thoms Join RENT At Hollywood Bowl, broadwayworld.com; accessed May 17, 2015.
  19. ^ "'Pitch Perfect's' Skylar Astin to Star in ABC's NBA Comedy". The Hollywood Reporter. February 17, 2015. Retrieved May 17, 2015.
  20. ^ "Sutton Foster and Skylar Astin to Lead Hollywood Bowl Into the Woods". TheaterMania. May 31, 2019. Retrieved December 23, 2022.
  21. ^ Aurthur, Kate (March 3, 2022). "'Pitch Perfect' Star Skylar Astin Joins 'Grey's Anatomy' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved March 6, 2022.
  22. ^ "CBS presents 'Dick Van Dyke 98 Years of Magic". cbsnews.com. December 20, 2023. Archived from the original on December 26, 2023. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  23. ^ "Backstage at "Spring Awakening" with Jonathan Groff". Archived from the original on December 21, 2021 – via www.youtube.com.
  24. ^ Co-Stars Anna Camp and Skylar Astin Are in Perfect Harmony, ABCNews.go.com; accessed May 17, 2015.
  25. ^ Celebrity, Huffington (September 5, 2013). "Skylar Astin and Anna Camp are the cutest". Huffington Post.
  26. ^ Lara, Maria Mercedes (January 2, 2016). "Pitch Perfect Costars Anna Camp and Skylar Astin Are Engaged – See Her Stunning Ring". People. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
  27. ^ Nahas, Alli (September 11, 2016). "Pitch Perfect stars Anna Camp, Skylar Astin wed". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
  28. ^ Crabtree, Erin (April 20, 2019). "Anna Camp Files for Divorce From Husband Skylar Astin After Announcing Split". Us Weekly. Retrieved August 6, 2019.
  29. ^ Fernandez, Alexia (August 29, 2019). "Pitch Perfect Stars Anna Camp and Skylar Astin Finalize Their Divorce". People. Retrieved September 7, 2019.
  30. ^ 'PITCH PERFECT' STAR SKYLAR ASTIN Trip Away Goes Awry. HOME HIT BY THIEVES, TMZ January 29, 2023
  31. ^ "Without You - single". Apple Music. June 23, 2021. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
  32. ^ "When You're Not There - single". Apple Music. August 19, 2021. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
  33. ^ "Meet the Characters of Secret Society of Second-Born Royals". d23.com. September 22, 2020.

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