Fil-Am up for Best Actor at Emmy Awards

LOS ANGELES — "The Assassination of Gianni Versace" star Darren Criss, who is of Filipino descent, could become the second Asian-American actor to claim an acting award at the 70th Emmy Awards on September 17, after Riz Ahmed's win last year for "The Night After," a notable back-to-back outcome if it happens.

Criss earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for starring as serial killer Andrew Cunanan in the second installment of Ryan Murphy’s “American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianna Versace” in 2018.

Criss will be up against Antonio Banderas (“Genius: Picasso”); Benedict Cumberbatch (“Patrick Melrose”); Jeff Daniels (“The Looming Tower”); John Legend (“Jesus Christ Superstar”); and Jesse Plemons (“Black Mirror: USS Callister”) for the award.

Born to a Cebuana mother and a father of English, Irish, and German descent, Criss was raised in California. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from the University of Michigan.

The 31-year-old is best known for portraying Blaine Anderson in the hit musical comedy series “Glee.” His cover of Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream” became “Glee’s” fastest-selling single that reached number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified “gold” in America. Likewise, he was nominated for an Emmy in 2015 for composing the song “This Time” for “Glee’s” finale.


Apart from being a TV actor and singer, Criss co-owns the musical theater company StarKid Productions, for which he famously portrayed Harry Potter in the musical “A Very Potter Musical.” In 2012, he made a Broadway debut when he replaced Daniel Radcliffe in the play “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.”

In 2015, Darren’s duet with Filipino Tony Award-winning singer-actress Lea Salonga of the Disney classic “A Whole New World,” which Salonga recorded for the animated movie “Aladdin,” went viral on social media.

Darren is engaged to his girlfriend of more than seven years, Mia Swier.

Apart from him, Sandra Oh has the chance to become the first performer of Asian descent to win a lead drama actress trophy at the 2018 Emmys — a victory that would coincide nicely with the landmark box-office success of "Crazy Rich Asians." The Korean-Canadian is nominated for the spy thriller "Killing Eve" after receiving five supporting actress nods for "Grey's Anatomy."

A streaming service or basic cable series has yet to win top comedy, something that FX's "Atlanta" or Amazon Prime Video's "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" could change.

Issa Rae of "Insecure" or "black-ish" star Tracee Ellis Ross could become the second African-American to win as best comedy actress, following Isabel Sanford (1981, "The Jeffersons") by 37 years — and making for a 21st-century first.

The 70th Emmy Awards will air on September 17 from Microsoft Theater, Los Angeles, California. — Reports from Associated Press/Lynn Elber

source: philstar.com

Fil-Am ‘Glee’ star Darren Criss asks fans to donate to Yolanda victims

“Glee” star Darren Criss took to Twitter (@DarrenCriss) Friday to urge fans to donate to the victims of supertyphoon Yolanda, which wrought destruction in Eastern Visayas a week ago.

He asked that they give at least $25 to the United Nations World Food Programme, which will help fund emergency meals for the survivors of the disaster.

Donors can then take a photo of their transaction, e-mail it to dcnotalone@gmail.com, and in return, Criss will send them an autographed postcard that says “You’re not alone”. All the donors’ names will also be printed on the same.

In a post on his website, he said his mother and most of his family hail from the Philippines, specifically Cebu. “…As a result I have always been proud of my Filipino heritage, as well as lucky enough to feel the tremendous support of the Filipino community throughout my life as an artist,” he wrote.

Criss, who plays the openly gay student Blaine Anderson on the musical show, thanked those who made their concern about his family back in the Philippines known, and conveyed at the same time his solidarity with the victims of the calamity.

He added that he hoped people would pass on his plea for donations, saying, “People are in need now.” He encouraged them to send their donations by Monday, November 18.

As of early afternoon Friday, Manila time, more than 150 have donated — less than an hour after his post.

Criss is quite close to Lea Salonga. In 2011, the two performed Aladdin’s “A Whole New World” on stage at the Billboard/Hollywood Reporter Film and TV Music Conference in Los Angeles. This week they were at a New York piano bar together, where they also performed a few songs.

source: interaksyon.com