American actor and singer (born 1970)
Will Chase
|
---|
|
Born
| Frank William Chase
(
1970-09-12
)
September 12, 1970
(age 53)
|
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Education
| Oberlin College
(
BM
)
|
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Occupations
| |
---|
Years active
| 1998?present
|
---|
Spouses
| -
Lori Davis
(
m.
1998;
div.
2008)
-
Stephanie Gibson
(
m.
2009;
div.
2012)
|
---|
Partner
| Ingrid Michaelson
(2015?present)
|
---|
Children
| 2
|
---|
Website
| will-chase
.com
|
---|
Frank William Chase
(born September 12, 1970) is an American actor, director, and singer, best known for his work on
Broadway
and for his role as country superstar Luke Wheeler on
ABC
's
Nashville
.
Early life and education
[
edit
]
Chase was born in
Frankfort, Kentucky
, to Betty and Jerry Chase, and is the youngest of three sons. He graduated from
Western Hills High School
and the
Oberlin Conservatory of Music
, where he studied conducting with
Robert Spano
and percussion with Michael Rosen.
[1]
[2]
Career
[
edit
]
Chase started his acting career in Chicago, performing in regional theater productions and received three
Joseph Jefferson Award
nominations. He then played Chris in the 2nd National Tour of
Miss Saigon
. He first performed on
Broadway
in 1998 as the Squeegee Man and Mark/Roger understudy in
Rent
, and went on to star as Roger in the final Broadway company of
Rent
, which was recorded for the theatrical release entitled
Rent: Filmed Live on Broadway
.
[3]
[4]
His additional Broadway credits in the early 2000s include
Miss Saigon
(with the original star
Lea Salonga
playing Kim to close the Broadway production);
The Full Monty
(2001);
Aida
(Radames replacement, 2003?04); and
Lennon
(2005). Tony in
Billy Elliot the Musical
.
[5]
He was also in
A Little Princess the Musical
as Captain Crewe. In 2005, he played Neville Craven in the 2005
World AIDS Day
The Secret Garden
concert.
[6]
In 2006, he starred in
High Fidelity
on Broadway, and played Valentin in
Kiss of the Spider Woman
at the
Signature Theatre
in Arlington, Virginia, for which he received a nomination for the 2009
Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Lead Actor
.
[7]
He appeared in
The Pajama Game
opposite
Kate Baldwin
at
The Muny
(St. Louis) in July 2007.
[8]
He starred in
Oklahoma
in 2007 at the
Lyric Theatre
opposite
Kelli O'Hara
, and on Broadway in the short-lived musical
The Story of My Life
in 2009.
[9]
Starting in 2009, Chase played the role of Tony in
Billy Elliot the Musical
[10]
until 2011. In August 2012, he temporarily filled in for
Matthew Broderick
as Jimmy Winter in the Broadway musical,
Nice Work If You Can Get It
.
[11]
At the
2013 Tony Awards
, he was nominated for
Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical
for his role as John Jasper/Mr. Clive Paget in the Broadway revival of
The Mystery of Edwin Drood
.
[12]
Chase guest starred as Michael Swift in the
NBC
series
Smash
.
[13]
He then went on to star for 3 seasons as country superstar Luke Wheeler on the television series
Nashville
. His other television appearances include
Quantico
, HBO's
The Deuce
, the recurring role of Pat Mahoney on
Rescue Me
,
Cupid
,
Canterbury's Law
,
Law & Order
,
Third Watch
,
Conviction
, and
Queens Supreme
,
Hallmark
's
The Lost Valentine
, alongside
Jennifer Love Hewitt
and
Betty White
; the 2011 season finale of
Royal Pains
(USA);
Blue Bloods
(CBS); and the ABC drama
Pan Am
. In 2012, he appeared on the series
White Collar
, in the episode "
Neighborhood Watch
", and appeared on the series
Unforgettable
, in the episode "The Comeback".
He played the title role in the 2013 film
Butterflies of Bill Baker
, winning Best Actor at the 2013 Chain Film Festival.
[14]
Chase also voiced the wolf Angee in
A Warrior's Tail
(2016).
[15]
In 2016, Chase assumed the role of
William Shakespeare
from
Christian Borle
on Broadway in the musical
Something Rotten!
,
[16]
while simultaneously filming both HBO's
The Deuce
, and the
ABC
drama
Time After Time
, in the series regular role of Griffin Monroe.
[17]
[18]
He played abusive father Neil Hargrove in the second season of the American supernatural horror-science fiction web television series,
Stranger Things
, which premiered in late 2017, and in 2018 appeared in HBO's drama
Sharp Objects
as Bob Nash.
[19]
[20]
He starred as Fred Graham/Petruchio opposite
Kelli O'Hara
in the 2019 Broadway revival of
Kiss Me, Kate
.
[21]
In 2020 and 2021, he wrote and directed the award- winning short film
Dagger
, co-starring
Jack Davenport
, and
Trunk Show
, which featured his children, actors Daisy and Gracie Chase, winning Best Short Film at the 2021 Ridgewood Guild International Film Festival.
[22]
Also in 2021, he played Michael Friedman in
Danny Strong
’s
Pulitzer Prize
-winning series
Dopesick
.
[23]
In 2022, he played Kurt Dockweiler in the first season of
Bosch: Legacy
, before being replaced in the second season. The same year he finished production on Apple TV's
The Crowded Room
, starring alongside
Tom Holland
and
Emmy Rossum
.
[24]
In 2024, Chase will direct the musical short film
Here, Bullet
, which he co-wrote with composer Kurt Erickson, based on Erickson's prize-winning song cycle of the same name, which was adapted from the original anthology of 2005
Beatrice Hawley Award
-winning poems, "Here, Bullet", by renowned American poet
Brian Turner
.
[25]
Personal life
[
edit
]
Chase has two children with the late Lori Davis, to whom he was married from 1996 to 2008.
[26]
He was married to actress Stephanie Gibson from 2009
[27]
until their divorce in 2012.
He and
Debra Messing
dated from 2011 to 2014.
[28]
[29]
Messing wrote a tribute to Lori Davis, Chase's then-ex whom she met when Messing dated Chase, upon Davis' death in 2021.
[30]
Chase has been in a relationship with musician
Ingrid Michaelson
since 2015.
[31]
Filmography
[
edit
]
Actor
[
edit
]
Year
|
Title
|
Role
|
Notes
|
2000
|
Shaft
|
Walter's Friend
|
Film
|
2001
|
Fling
(FOX network, created by
Glenn Gordon Caron
)
|
Dan Fields
|
Episode: #1.2 "In Genes We Trust"
|
2002
|
Guiding Light
|
Store Manager
|
Episode dated August 14, 2002
|
2002
|
Third Watch
|
Reilly
|
Episode: #4.8 "Ladies' Day"
|
2003
|
Queens Supreme
|
ADA Pheiffer
|
Episode: #1.1 "One Angry Man"
|
2003
|
Law & Order
|
David
|
Episode: #13.11 "Chosen"
|
2004
|
Everyday People
|
Dad (uncredited)
|
HBO Film
|
2004
|
Law & Order
|
Mellors' Co-Owner
|
Episode: #14.18 "Evil Breeds"
|
2006
|
Conviction
|
Detective Dave Lamanski
|
Episode: #1.4 "Indebted"
|
2006
|
As the World Turns
|
Dr. Linn
|
Episode dated May 1, 2006
Episode dated May 3, 2006
|
2006
|
All My Children
|
A.D.A. Phillips
|
Episode #1.9395
|
2008
|
Law & Order
|
Derek Cahill
|
Episode: #18.4 "Bottomless"
|
2008
|
Canterbury's Law
|
Artie Flom
|
Episode: #1.3 "What Goes Around"
|
2008
|
Rent: Filmed Live on Broadway
|
Roger Davis
|
Film
|
2009
|
Four Single Fathers
|
Lance
|
Film
|
2009
|
Cupid
|
Peter
|
Episode: #1.6 "Left of the Dial"
|
2009
|
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
|
Jacob Garrety
|
Episode: #8.15 "Passion"
|
2009
|
One Life to Live
|
Dr. Jason Nance
|
Episode: #1.10564 "Sing Along with Mitch"
Episode: #1.10565 "The Greenhouse Effect"
Episode: #1.10566 "Angel of Death"
Episode: #1.10567 "Dads Gone Wild"
|
2009?2010
|
Rescue Me
|
Pat Mahoney
|
Episode: #5.5 "Sheila"
Episode: #6.4 "Breakout"
Episode: #6.6 "Sanctuary"
Episode: #6.8 "Cowboy"
|
2011
|
The Lost Valentine
|
Andrew Hawthorne
|
TV film
|
2011
|
Royal Pains
|
Benjamin Richards
|
Episode: #2.18 "Listen to the Music"
|
2011
|
Pan Am
|
John Stanton
|
Episode: #1.1 "Pilot"
|
2011
|
Blue Bloods
|
William Flood
|
Episode: #2.3 "Critical Condition"
|
2012
|
White Collar
|
Connor Bailey
|
Episode: #3.13 "Neighborhood Watch"
|
2012
|
Unforgettable
|
Reed Benedict
|
Episode: #1.18 "The Comeback"
|
2012?2013
|
Smash
|
Michael Swift
|
10 episodes;
Recurring role (season 1)
|
2013
|
Necessary Roughness
|
David Blaze
|
Episode: #2.13 "Hits and Myths"
|
2013
|
It Could Be Worse
|
Pervy
|
Episode: #1.6 "Him, I want Him"
|
2013
|
Butterflies of Bill Baker
|
Bill Baker
(Best Actor-Chain Film Festival)
|
Film
|
2013
|
The Ordained
|
Gavin
|
TV film
|
2013?2014
|
The Good Wife
|
Detective Doug Young
|
Episode: #4.18 "Death of a Client"
Episode: #5.16 "The Last Call"
|
2013?2017
|
Nashville
|
Luke Wheeler/Himself
|
57 episodes;
Recurring role (season 2)
Main role (Seasons 3?4)
Guest role (Seasons 5?6)
|
2015
|
For Real
|
Blaine
|
Film
|
2015
|
A Warrior's Tail
|
Anga (English version, voice)
|
Film
|
2017
|
Time After Time
|
Griffin Monroe
|
12 episodes;
Main role
|
2017
|
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
|
Byron Marks
|
Episode: #19.1 "Gone Fishin'"
|
2017
|
The Deuce
|
Jack
|
Episode: #1.4 "I See Money"
Episode: #1.5 "What Kind of Bad?"
|
2017
2019
|
Stranger Things
|
Neil Hargrove
|
Episode: #2.8 "Chapter Eight: The Mind Flayer"
Episode: #3.6 "Chapter Six: E Pluribus Unum"
|
2018
|
American Crime Story
|
Detective Paul Scrimshaw
|
Episode: #2.1 "The Man Who Would Be Vogue"
Episode: #2.2 "Manhunt"
Episode: #2.9 "Alone"
|
2018
|
E-Bowla
|
Big Thumper
|
Short Film
|
2018
|
Quantico
|
Frank Marlow
|
Episode: #3.6 "Heaven's Fall"
Episode: #3.9 "Fear Feargach"
|
2018
|
Sharp Objects
|
Bob Nash
|
5 episodes;
Main role (Mini-Series)
|
2018?2019
|
Madam Secretary
|
Owen Callister
|
Episode: #5.4 "Requiem"
Episode: #5.18 "Ready"
Episode: #5.19 "The Great Experience"
Episode: #5.20 "Better Angels"
|
2018?2019
|
Impulse
|
Simon
|
6 episodes;
Recurring Role
|
2019
|
The Village
|
John
|
Episode: #1.1 "Pilot"
|
2019
|
FBI (TV series)
|
Det Harry Bloom
|
Episode: #2.10 "Ties That Bind"
|
2019
|
After the Wedding
|
Frank
|
Film
|
2020
|
The Iliza Shlesinger Sketch Show
|
Grizzled Music Man
|
Episode: #1.1
|
2021
|
Dopesick
|
Michael Friedman
|
8 episodes;
Main role (Mini-series)
|
2021
|
Girls5eva
|
Stet
|
Episode: #1.8 "Separ8 Ways"
|
2021
|
Dagger
|
Tom
|
Short Film
|
2022
|
Bosch: Legacy
|
Kurt Dockweiler
|
Episode: #1.9 "Cat Got a Name?"
Episode: #1.10 "Always/All Ways"
|
2023
|
The Crowded Room
|
Marlin Reid
|
10 episodes;
Main role (Mini-series)
|
Director
[
edit
]
Year
|
Title
|
Notes
|
2020
|
Tigers and Young men
|
Music video
|
2021
|
Dagger
|
Short film
(Best Score-Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival)
|
2021
|
I'm Right Here
|
Short film
|
2021
|
Trunk Show
|
Short film
(Best Short Film-Ridgewood International Film Festival)
|
2021
|
Today
|
Segment Director
|
2022
|
Lawrence of Arabia
|
Music Video
|
2024
|
Here, Bullet
[32]
|
Short film; Pre-production
|
2024
|
Fool
[33]
|
Short film
|
2024
|
Coming Home: The Guggenheim Grotto Back In Ireland
|
Documentary
|
Theatre credits
[
edit
]
Awards and nominations
[
edit
]
Tony Awards
[
edit
]
Other awards
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
Feldman, Ed.
"Spotlight on Will Chase"
.
Talkin' Broadway
. Retrieved
July 11,
2009
.
- ^
BWW News Desk (January 8, 2009).
"The Story of My Life"
.
broadwayworld.com
.
- ^
"Rent"
. Internet Broadway Database
. Retrieved
July 11,
2009
.
- ^
Jones, Kenneth (February 3, 2009).
"
"Rent: Filmed Live on Broadway" Appears on DVD and Blu-Ray Feb. 3"
.
Playbill
.
- ^
"Will Chase"
. Internet Broadway Database
. Retrieved
July 11,
2009
.
- ^
Gans, Andrew; Jones, Kenneth (November 11, 2005).
"Chase, Pasquale, Cavenaugh and More Join All-Star Secret Garden Benefit Concert"
.
Playbill
.
- ^
"Will Chase is Valentin in Signature's 'Spider Woman' with Di"
.
BroadwayWorld.com
. January 26, 2008.
- ^
Gans, Andrew (July 23, 2007).
"Chase and Baldwin Play The Pajama Game at the Muny Beginning July 23"
.
Playbill
.
- ^
"The Story of My Life"
. Internet Broadway Database
. Retrieved
July 11,
2009
.
- ^
"Will Chase"
. Internet Broadway Database
. Retrieved
July 11,
2009
.
- ^
Hall, Margaret (July 30, 2012).
"Will Chase Will Dance Into
Nice Work If You Can Get
It During Matthew Broderick's Vacation"
.
Playbill
.
- ^
Drood
Playbill (vault). Retrieved July 24, 2019
- ^
"Will Chase Joins the Cast of SMASH on NBC"
. Broadway World. August 29, 2011.
- ^
"Butterflies of Bill Baker"
. IMDb
. Retrieved
October 27,
2015
.
- ^
"Savva. Heart of the Warrior"
. IMDb
. Retrieved
October 27,
2015
.
- ^
Hetrick, Adam.
"Christian Borle Sets 'Something Rotten!' Departure"
Playbill
, June 23, 2016
- ^
"Will Chase Joins 'The Deuce' HBO Drama Series"
. July 26, 2016.
- ^
"Nashville: Will Chase Staying on ABC?on Time After Time"
. August 19, 2016.
- ^
"
Sharp Objects
Cast and Crew"
hbo.com. Retrieved July 24, 2019
- ^
"Stranger Things Season 2: Nashville Vet Will Chase Joins Cast as [Spoiler]"
. May 3, 2017.
- ^
Clement, Olivia.
"Kelli O'Hara to Return to Broadway in
Kiss Me, Kate
"
,
Playbill
, November 6, 2017. Retrieved July 8, 2018
- ^
"Will Chase"
.
IMDb
.
- ^
Pederson, Erik (January 28, 2021).
"
'Dopesick': Jaime Ray Newman, Andrea Frankle & Will Chase To Recur On Hulu's Limited Series"
.
Deadline Hollywood
.
Archived
from the original on January 28, 2021
. Retrieved
January 28,
2021
.
- ^
Flam, Charna; Franklin, McKinley; Scorziello, Sophia (April 7, 2023).
"
'The Crowded Room': First Look at Tom Holland and Amanda Seyfried in Apple TV+ Limited Series (TV News Roundup)"
.
Variety
. Retrieved
May 9,
2023
.
- ^
"News"
.
- ^
Miller, Lynn (January 10, 2014).
"Stars of Broadway Align for Theatrical Benefit at South"
.
West Windsor & Plainsboro News
.
- ^
"Weddings. Stephanie Gibson, Will Chase"
The New York Times
, November 14, 2009
- ^
Lee, Esther; Brown, Brody.
"Debra Messing and Will Chase Split After Nearly Two-and-a-Half Years of Dating"
US Magazine
, October 27, 2014
- ^
Saad, Nadine.
"Debra Messing and Will Chase split up after sparking during 'Smash'"
Los Angeles Times
, October 27, 2014
- ^
"Debra Messing Pays Tribute to Her Ex's Late Ex-Wife Lori Davis: 'I Can't Believe You're Gone'
"
. December 28, 2021.
- ^
"Ingrid Michaelson Dating Will Chase Following Split: Photo"
.
Us Weekly
. July 7, 2015
. Retrieved
February 7,
2018
.
- ^
"News"
.
- ^
"Fool"
.
IMDb
.
External links
[
edit
]
|
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International
| |
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National
| |
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Artists
| |
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