What is Darren Criss' Net Worth?
Darren Criss is an American actor, singer-songwriter, musician, and composer with a net worth of $5 million. Best known for his role in the television series Glee, Criss has since diversified his career with appearances in numerous TV shows, films, and Broadway productions. As a musician, he has released several recordings both as a solo artist and with his band.
Early Life
Darren Everett Criss was born on February 5, 1987, in San Francisco. His father, an investor and arts patron, hails from Pittsburgh, while his mother, a native of Cebu, Philippines, has Chinese, Filipino, and Spanish heritage. This background makes Darren the first Asian American actor to win an Emmy for acting as of 2020 for American Crime Story.
The Criss family moved to Honolulu, Hawaii, in 1988, where Darren lived until the age of four before relocating back to San Francisco. He attended various Roman Catholic schools and later graduated from the University of Michigan in 2009 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts.
From a young age, Darren showed a passion for the arts. He began violin lessons at age five, and over the next 15 years added piano, guitar, mandolin, harmonica, and drums to his repertoire. During his high school career, he became the concertmaster of his school's orchestra and started his own band. By age 15, he was composing music and writing his own songs.
He also excelled in the performing arts, joining the American Conservatory Theater at age 10. In high school, he participated in multiple theater productions and continued his involvement in theater while at the University of Michigan, where he acted and directed within a student-run organization. He even studied Italian theater in Arezzo, Italy, during one summer.
Career
Darren's stage career began at age 10 with a role in Fanny, followed by performances in Do I Hear a Waltz? and Babes in Arms. During college, he appeared in productions like A Few Good Men and Pride and Prejudice.
After college, Darren co-founded StarKid Productions, a musical theater company responsible for the A Very Potter series. These productions, where Darren played Harry Potter and co-wrote the music and lyrics, gained millions of views on YouTube after being recorded and published online.
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Criss transitioned to television starting with guest roles in Eastwick and Cold Case. His breakthrough came with the role of Blaine Anderson in Glee's second season in 2010. Concurrently, he made his Broadway debut in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying in 2012 and later starred in Hedwig and the Angry Inch. His film debut came in 2012 with the comedy Girl Most Likely, alongside Kristen Wiig and Matt Dillon. In 2017, he returned to TV with critical acclaim for his role as Andrew Cunanan in American Crime Story's second season. He later joined the casts of Royalties and the Netflix series Hollywood.
Outside acting, Darren pursued a music career. His 2010 EP Human was well-received, leading to a contract with Sony Music Entertainment.
Real Estate
In 2019, Darren Criss purchased a $3.025 million home in Hollywood Hills, California. The 4,700-square-foot residence includes three bedrooms, a fortified gate, and a yard with a swimming pool and spa. Previously, he owned a Los Feliz bungalow bought for $1.2 million in 2012, which he listed for $1.697 million in 2020.
