Matthew Morrison
Matthew Morrison is an American actor and singer, widely recognized for his performances in the Broadway production of *Hairspray* and the television series *Glee*. Born on October 30, 1978, in Fort Ord, California, Morrison developed a passion for the arts during his childhood, influenced by his busy parents who worked in the medical field. He pursued his artistic interests at the Orange County High School of the Arts and later enrolled in the drama program at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.
Morrison's career took off with roles in Broadway productions, including *Footloose* and *The Light in the Piazza*, earning him critical acclaim and a Tony Award nomination. His portrayal of Will Schuester on *Glee* brought him international fame, earning him multiple award nominations, including Golden Globe and Emmy nods. Beyond television, he has appeared in various films and live theater productions, continuing to engage audiences with his singing and dancing talents. In his personal life, he married Renee Puente in 2014 and has two children. Morrison has also released two albums, showcasing his musical versatility.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Matthew Morrison
Actor
- Born: October 30, 1978
- Place of Birth: Fort Ord, California
Contribution: Matthew Morrison is an American actor and singer best known for his roles in the Broadway production of Hairspray and the television series Glee.
Background
Matthew James Morrison was born on October 30, 1978, in Fort Ord, California, to Tom and Mary Morrison. He credits his interest in the arts to his loneliness as a child. His parents both worked in the medical field and were very busy during Morrison’s childhood. His mother worked as a nurse, and his father was a nurse midwife.
Morrison remembered coming home as a child and staging elaborate dramas with his toy knights to pass the time and to satisfy his wild imagination. He cited those hours as the seeds of his interest in theater. As soon as he was old enough, he enrolled in the Orange County High School of the Arts and participated in as many extracurricular activities as he could fit into his schedule.
Growing up, Morrison proved himself as much an athlete as an actor, playing soccer through the first half of high school. Forced to pick between his two passions, Morrison chose to continue performing. After graduation, he decided to enroll in the drama program at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.
Career
Morrison’s breakthrough role came while he was still studying at New York University. He landed a role in the hit Broadway adaptation of Footloose (1998), working as an understudy for the role of Chuck Cranston. While it was not particularly glamorous, it earned him the connections to land a role in the 2000 revival of The Rocky Horror Show as a Phantom.
He then worked his way through the ranks from a minor role to an understudy for the lead to the lead in the first Broadway production of the musical Hairspray in 2002. Hairspray put Morrison on the map as a talented stage performer, and he was critically acclaimed for his performance. The show earned a Grammy Award.
His next major performance came in 2005, when he was cast as the male love interest Fabrizio Naccarelli in the Broadway production The Light in the Piazza. The role was particularly difficult for Morrison, as most of the lines for Fabrizio were in fluent Italian or in broken English. The actor gave a commendable performance, however, and the new play was positively reviewed. At this point, Morrison, who was nominated for a Tony Award, had cemented his place as a talented Broadway performer.
Morrison then appeared in several other plays, including A Naked Girl on the Appian Way (2005) and the hit revival of South Pacific (2008). His performance in the 2007 Off-Broadway production of 10 Million Miles earned him a Drama Desk Award nomination in 2008. During this period, he also appeared in more than a dozen episodes of the soap opera As the World Turns and in the film Dan in Real Life (2007). Though Morrison had achieved success on stage, a jump to television would bring him to the attention of the rest of the world.
While performing in South Pacific in early 2009, Morrison left the play to join the cast of Glee, a dramatic comedy centered on a high school glee club and the social outcasts who make up the club. Morrison took on the role of Will Schuester, a new teacher who takes the helm of the glee club. Despite the questionable decisions he makes in his personal life, Schuester becomes a role model for the teenagers involved with the club. Glee became a huge success, winning several awards, including four Golden Globes and six Primetime Emmys. Morrison was nominated twice for a Golden Globe Award for best actor and once for an Emmy Award for outstanding lead actor in a comedy series.
While Morrison did not take much film work during his tenure on Glee, he did land a small role in the film 8 (2012), which reenacts the federal trial about California’s infamous Proposition 8. In addition, he was involved with the short Touring (2011) and played a father-to-be in the film What to Expect When You’re Expecting (2012).
In 2015, the same year in which the series finale of Glee aired, Morrison began starring as J. M. Barrie in a Broadway production of the musical Finding Neverland. After leaving the production in early 2016, he took on one of the lead roles in the film After the Reality (2016), had a recurring role in the television series The Good Wife (2016), played a part in the historical drama Tulip Fever (2017), and portrayed Dr. Paul Stadler in a handful of episodes of the long-running medical drama Grey's Anatomy (2017–18). In 2019, he was cast in the newest season of the FX anthology series American Horror Story, titled American Horror Story: 1984, as Trevor Kirchner. Morrison subsquently starred in NBC's live television production of The Grinch Musical in 2020 before playing Leo Monroe in the television movie Paris Christmas Waltz (2023). From September 11–15, 2024, he played Jesus in the musical Reefer Madness.
Impact
Morrison is an award-nominated actor who was best known for his work on the stage before breaking into the mainstream with his role on the Fox series Glee. While he has found success onstage and on the small screen, the actor shines most brightly when he is singing and dancing.
Personal Life
Morrison was previously engaged to Chrishell Stause of All My Children fame. He married Renee Puente in 2014. Their first child, a son, was born in 2017, and a daughter followed in 2021. In addition to his acting career, Morrison has recorded two albums of music.
Bibliography
Ahearn, Victoria. “Glee Star Matthew Morrison Says He Had His Own Mr. Schue in High School.” Winnipeg Free Press. Winnipeg Free Press, 8 June 2011. Web. 19 Aug. 2013.
Gilchrist, Todd. “Matthew Morrison Opens Up about His Sexuality, Glee and Going Back to Where It All Began.” Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 6 June 2013. Web. 6 Aug. 2013.
Leahey, Andrew. “Matthew Morrison.” AllRovi. Rovi, 2013. Web. 16 Aug. 2013.
"Matthew Morrison." IMDb, 2024, www.imdb.com/name/nm1285162. Accessed 18 Sept. 2024.
Morrison, Matthew. “I Want To Do It All.” Interview. Parade. Parade Publications, 29 Nov. 2009. Web. 6 Aug. 2013.
Morrison, Matthew. “Indepth Interview: Matthew Morrison Talks New CD/PBS Special, Where It All Began, Plus Glee, Broadway Memories, Upcoming Gigs and More.” Interview by Pat Cerasaro. BroadwayWorld. Wisdom Digital Media, 1 June 2013. Web. 6 Aug. 2013.
Takeda, Allison. “Matthew Morrison Engaged: See Fiancee Renee Puente’s Ring.” Us Weekly. Us Weekly, 28 June 2013. Web. 16 Aug. 2013.