Skylar Astin

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Skylar Astin
Born Skylar Astin Lipstein
(1987-09-23) September 23, 1987 (age 36)
New York City, New York, U.S.
Occupation Actor & Singer
Years active 2005–present

Skylar Astin Lipstein[1] (born September 23, 1987),[2][3] known professionally as Skylar Astin, is an American actor and singer. He is best known for playing Jesse Swanson in the musical films Pitch Perfect (2012) and Pitch Perfect 2 (2015). He was also in the original cast of the award-winning Broadway musical Spring Awakening and has appeared in films such as Hamlet 2 (2008), Taking Woodstock (2009), Cavemen (2013), and 21 & Over (2013).

Early life

Astin was born in New York City, to Meryl and Barry Lipstein. His father is a garment industry executive.[4][5] He grew up in Rockland County, New York. He has a sister, Brielle, and two brothers, Milan and Jace.[6] Astin is Jewish.[7] Having graduated from Clarkstown High School North, he 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] When he was 15, his agent selected his middle name, Astin, as his stage name.[1]

Career

Astin's first professional role was a minor role in the original Off-Broadway and Broadway casts 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 most remembered for his belting in the song Touch Me.[10][11][12] During his run as Georg, Astin filmed the role Rand Posin in the movie Hamlet 2.[13][14] He sang "Raped in the Face" on the soundtrack with Phoebe Strole, a Spring Awakening cast mate, 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, Season 8, Episode 21, 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 started in the comedy film 21 and Over (2013) as Casey.

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 will also lead an upcoming NBA comedy on ABC.[19]

Personal life

As of January 2016, Astin is engaged to his Pitch Perfect co-star Anna Camp, whom he started dating in July 2013.[20]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2008 Hamlet 2 Rand Posin
2009 Taking Woodstock John P. Roberts
2012 Love Written in Blood Henderson
2012 Pitch Perfect Jesse Swanson Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actor Comedy
Nominated – Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Liplock (shared with Anna Kendrick)
2012 Wreck-It Ralph Roy Voice;
BTVA Feature Film Voice Acting Award for Best Vocal Ensemble in a Feature Film
BTVA People's Choice Voice Acting Award for Best Vocal Ensemble in a Feature Film
2013 21 & Over Casey
2014 Cavemen Dean
2014 The Oven Owen Miller Short film
2015 Pitch Perfect 2 Jesse Swanson Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actor Comedy
2016 Monkey Up Monty Voice; Completed
2016 Flock of Dudes David Completed
2016 Speech & Debate Walter Healy Post-production

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2009 Ace in the Hole Tod Morella Unsold pilot
2010 Strange Brew Kyle Unsold pilot
2011 Love Bites Ben Episode: "Boys to Men"
2012 Girls Matt Kornstein Episode: "Hannah's Diary"
2012 House Derrick Episode: "Holding On"
2013–2015 Ground Floor Brody Moyer Lead Role; 20 episodes
2014 Glee Jean Baptiste Episode: "City of Angels"
2015 Comedy Bang! Bang! Himself Episode: "Skylar Astin Wears Blue Jeans and Weathered Brown Desert Boots"
2016 Graves[21] Isaiah Miller Series Regular; Filming

Web

Year Title Role Notes
2011 The Online Gamer Mikey 3 episodes

Theater

Year Title Role Notes
2006–2008 Spring Awakening Georg Broadway
2010 Rent Mark Cohen Hollywood Bowl
2016 West Side Story Tony Carnegie Hall

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Skylar Astin interview, Movieline.com; accessed May 17, 2015.
  2. Astin mentions his birthday, at https://mobile.twitter.com/SkylarAstin/status/249960961694371840?p=v and http://instagram.com/p/P8lzi-ApMV/
  3. Astin is stated as being 25, in October 2012, at http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20636180,00.html
  4. Jackson, Brian Keith. "Broadways new teen heroes: Our own cast bios of the 'Spring Awakening' kids", New York 40 (9): 152–3.
  5. http://archive.lohud.com/article/20130615/LIFESTYLE/306150106/Skylar-Astin-Barry-Lipstein
  6. [1] was it supposed to be this? [2] Archived October 4, 2012 at the Wayback Machine
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  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. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.(Google translation)
  18. Brady, Tveit, Astin And Thoms Join RENT At Hollywood Bowl, broadwayworld.com; accessed May 17, 2015.
  19. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. Co-Stars Anna Camp and Skylar Astin Are in Perfect Harmony, ABCNews.go.com; accessed May 17, 2015.
  21. http://deadline.com/2015/09/skylar-astin-pitch-perfect-chris-lowell-cast-epix-series-graves-1201513240/

External links