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Cheyenne David Jackson (born July 12, 1975) is an American actor and singer. His credits include leading roles in Broadway theatre musicals and other stage roles, as well as film and television roles, concert singing, and music recordings.
After beginning his acting career in regional theatre in Seattle, Washington, Jackson moved to Manhattan and was an understudy in the Broadway theatre productions of Thoroughly Modern Millie (2002) and Aida (2003). He next originated the role of Matthew in the workshop production of Altar Boyz (2004) for the New York Musical Theatre Festival, and was replaced by Scott Porter for the Off-Broadway run. Jackson's first leading role on Broadway was in All Shook Up (2005), which earned him a Theatre World Award for "Outstanding Broadway Debut". Since then, on the New York stage, he has starred in The Agony & the Agony (2006), Xanadu (2007; Drama League, Drama Desk nominations), Damn Yankees (2008), Finian's Rainbow (2010; Drama Desk nomination), 8 (2011), The Heart of the Matter (2012), The Performers (2013), The Secret Garden (2016), Into the Woods (2022), Once Upon a Mattress (2024), and Oh, Mary! (2025).
He has also appeared in a number of films, including the 2006 Academy Award-nominated United 93, in which his portrayal of Mark Bingham earned him the Boston Society of Film Critics 2006 award for Best Ensemble Cast. He also had a leading role in the 2014 independent romantic comedy ensemble, Mutual Friends, and guest roles in television series such as NBC's 30 Rock and Fox's Glee. Beginning in 2015, Jackson starred in the FX horror anthology television series American Horror Story in its , , , and seasons.
In concert, Jackson has sold out Carnegie Hall twice: The Power of Two in 2010 and Music of the Mad Men Era in 2011. He also performs in cabarets. In addition to his Broadway cast albums, he has released three albums of popular music, including a joint album called The Power of Two with Michael Feinstein in 2008. In 2012, Jackson released two singles, "Drive" and "Before You", from his 2013 album I'm Blue, Skies. In 2016, Jackson released his third studio album, Renaissance, an album adapted and expanded from his solo concert Music of the Mad Men Era.
He also stars as Hades in Disney Channel's Descendants 3. In 2020, he reunited with Descendants alumni Kenny Ortega and Booboo Stewart in Netflix's Julie and the Phantoms.
In Seattle, Jackson worked as an ad executive at a magazine and did some theater work on the side, earning his Equity card. He moved to New York City after 2001 to pursue an acting career.
Jackson made his Broadway theatre debut both male leads in the Tony Award-winning musical Thoroughly Modern Millie. He later served as the standby for the character of Radames in Aida, then originated the role of Matthew in the NYMF production of Altar Boyz. In 2005, he originated his first Broadway leading role in the musical All Shook Up, a tribute to Elvis Presley. His performance as Chad earned him the Theatre World Award and nominations from the Drama League and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor. In 2006, Jackson starred off-Broadway in playwright Nicky Silver's The Agony and The Agony with Victoria Clark. In June 2007, less than a week before the scheduled opening night, Jackson assumed the lead role of Sonny on Broadway in Xanadu, replacing James Carpinello who had been injured during rehearsal. Previous workshop productions of the musical starred Jackson and Jane Krakowski. However, both Jackson and Krakowski opted out of the initial Broadway theatre run, citing schedule conflicts. His performance as Sonny earned him nominations from the Drama League and Drama Desk for Outstanding Lead Actor. Xanadu had several Tony Award nominations including "Best New Musical" for which Jackson and the cast performed on the 62nd Tony Awards show.
In 2008, Jackson joined Jane Krakowski and Sean Hayes in the New York City Center's Encores! production of Damn Yankees. He returned to Encores! in 2009, playing Woody Mahoney in a staged concert of Finian's Rainbow. Jackson also starred in the development workshop of The Book of Mormon by Trey Parker, Matt Stone, and Robert Lopez, who co-wrote the music for Avenue Q.
In October 2009, Jackson opened on Broadway reprising the role of Woody Mahoney in the revival of the 1947 musical Finian's Rainbow at the St. James Theatre, costarring with Jim Norton and Kate Baldwin. The Wall Street Journal wrote, "The way that Kate and Cheyenne Jackson sing "Old Devil Moon" is the stuff best-selling cast albums are made of." The show closed on January 17, 2010. Along with the company of Finian's Rainbow, Jackson recorded the Broadway revival cast album in early December 2009, with a release date of February 2, 2010.
In September 2011, Jackson joined Morgan Freeman, Ellen Barkin, Matt Bomer, Christine Lahti, and John Lithgow as part of the Broadway-premiere cast of Dustin Lance Black's new play 8, directed by Joe Mantello. In June 2012, Jackson starred opposite Krysten Ritter in Neil LaBute's The Heart of The Matter produced by MCC Theater at the Lucille Lortel Theatre.
In the 2012–2013 Broadway season, Jackson, Henry Winkler, Alicia Silverstone, Daniel Breaker, Jenni Barber and Ari Graynor starred in David West Read's play The Performers which started previews on October 23, 2012, at the Longacre Theatre. The play closed on November 18, 2012, after 23 previews and 7 regular performances.
In 2016, Jackson appeared in the 25th Anniversary Concert of The Secret Garden as Dr. Neville Craven at the Lincoln Center.
In 2019, Jackson made his Hollywood Bowl debut playing the roles of the Wolf/Prince Charming in the show Into the Woods opposite Sutton Foster, Sierra Boggess, Patina Miller, Skylar Astin, Chris Carmack, and Shanice Williams. He later reprised these roles while temporarily filling in for Gavin Creel in the 2022 Broadway revival at the St. James Theatre opposite Miller, Sara Bareilles, Brian D'Arcy James, Phillipa Soo, Joshua Henry, and Julia Lester.
In 2024, he portrayed Sir Harry in the New York City Center production of Once Upon A Mattress as a part of its Encores! series. In November, he starred as Georges in the Pasadena Playhouse production of La Cage aux Folles. Cheyenne Jackson and Kevin Cahoon Will Star in Pasadena Playhouse La Cage aux Folles
In October 2025, he is set to take over the role of Mary's Teacher in Oh, Mary!, opposite Krakowski as Mary Todd Lincoln.
Jackson had a lead role in the film version of Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks in 2014. He played Michael Minetti, who is hired by retiree Lily Harrison (Gena Rowlands) to give her private dance lessons at her home for six weeks. The film is based on Richard Alfieri's Broadway play of the same name and is directed by Arthur Allan Seidelman.
He has guest starred on several television series, including Lipstick Jungle, Life on Mars, and Ugly Betty, and was featured in a prominent guest role during Season 8 of Curb Your Enthusiasm. His character "Terry" was the personal trainer to Larry David and Wanda Sykes. On March 15, 2010, Jackson made his guest-starring debut on the NBC series Law & Order in an episode entitled "Innocence".
In 2008, Jackson played series lead Sebastian Kinglare for the Lifetime Television pilot Family Practice opposite Anne Archer and Beau Bridges. The series was not picked up for distribution.
In 2010, Jackson filmed a sitcom pilot for ABC-TV called It Takes a Village, co-starring Leah Remini, which was not picked up for the fall 2010 season.
In 2012, Jackson and Nathan Lane were cast as series leads in the USA Network comedy pilot Local Talent. The series was not picked up for distribution.
Additionally, Jackson guest starred on the pilot episode of NBC's revamp of The Munsters, Mockingbird Lane, written by Bryan Fuller and directed by Bryan Singer. Jackson portrayed Scout Master Steve, a competing love interest for Portia de Rossi's character Lily Munster; the show also stars Eddie Izzard and Jerry O'Connell. NBC aired the pilot as a Halloween special on October 26, 2012.
Jackson also appeared in the season of American Horror Story as one of the leads alongside Lady Gaga and Matt Bomer. Jackson returned to the show's season to play Network Executive Sidney Aaron James as well as the season to play psychiatrist Dr. Rudy Vincent Anderson and the season of the show to play warlock John Henry Moore.
Jackson made several appearances on RuPaul's Drag Race. He also appeared in the tenth episode of Season 2 of Sense8 as Blake Huntington, an award-winning actor who is cast opposite Miguel Ángel Silvestre's Lito Rodríguez in a Hollywood film. In 2019, he played the role of Hades, Mal's father in the Disney Channel Original Movie Descendants 3.
Jackson has starred in several notable webisode series including Cubby Bernstein opposite Nathan Lane, Legally Brown with Allison Janney, and The title Show from the Broadway musical Title.
Since 2020, Jackson costars as Max in the Fox comedy series Call Me Kat opposite Mayim Bialik and Kyla Pratt.
In 2022, Jackson competed in season seven of The Masked Singer as "Prince" of Team Good who resembles a frog dressed as a prince. He finished in third place.
In March 2009, Jackson made his nightclub debut at Feinstein's at Loews Regency with a sold-out one-man show titled Back to the Start. He later teamed up with Michael Feinstein to create a nightclub act titled "The Power of Two". A CD of the show was released on November 3, 2009.
The Power of Two, a concert reuniting Jackson and Feinstein, was presented at Carnegie Hall on October 29, 2010. Jackson was the guest artist performing with the New York Pops in concert, Cheyenne Jackson's Cocktail Hour: Music of the Mad Men Era, at Carnegie Hall on November 18, 2011. Joe Dziemianowicz of The New York Daily News wrote, "There, in Judy (Garland)'s spot singing Joni (Mitchell)'s song, (Cheyenne) Jackson turned the bittersweet ballad into a beautiful highlight in an evening filled with luscious moments with the New York Pops."
On December 31, 2012, Jackson reprised Music of the Mad Men Era at The Kennedy Center Concert Hall with 96 members of the National Symphony Orchestra and Nina Arianda.
In March 2012, Jackson was signed to Sony/ATV publishing as a songwriter and given a developmental artist deal through Sony/ATV's Hickory Records and Red Distribution.
On May 10, 2012, Jackson released his single "Drive", his first non-theatrical single and his first music video release. The video was directed by Austrian music video director Christian Hörlesberger and the track produced by Thomas "Tawgs" Salter. It was the first single released from I'm Blue, Skies, which was eventually released in June 2013. The album was co-written by Jackson with Sia, Stephen Aiello, and Charlotte Sometimes.
On July 10, 2012, Jackson released his second single from I'm Blue, Skies, "Before You", also produced by Salter. In August 2012, "Before You" reached a peak of No. 31 on the Hot 100 AC chart.
In 2013, he released three singles, "She's Pretty, She Lies", "Look at Me", and "I'm Blue, Skies", followed in 2015 with the single "Don't Wanna Know", all accompanied by music videos. On June 3, 2016, Jackson released Renaissance, an album on the PS Classics record label, adapted and expanded from his solo concert Music of the Mad Men Era.
Jackson is also a national ambassador and spokesperson for the Hetrick-Martin Institute, a non-profit organization devoted to serving the needs of LGBT youth.
In October 2013, Jackson announced he was dating actor Jason Landau on his official Instagram account. They announced their engagement in February 2014 and married in Encino, California, in September 2014. Jackson and Landau became the parents of twins, a girl named Willow and a boy named Ethan, in October 2016.
Jackson has discussed his struggles with alcoholism, and in 2023 said that he had relapsed after 10 years of sobriety.
Film career
In films, Jackson most notably portrayed 9/11 victim and hero Mark Bingham in United 93 which won the Boston Society of Film Critics 2006 award for Best Ensemble Cast. He has also appeared in several other films including: Curiosity (2005), Hysteria (2010), Smile (2011), the critically lauded The Green (opposite Julia Ormond and Illeana Douglas), and 2012 Sundance Film Festival selection Price Check (with Parker Posey). He portrayed Greta Gerwig's boyfriend Roger in the 2012 Fox Searchlight Pictures film Lola Versus. In 2013, he starred in the HBO biopic of Liberace, Behind the Candelabra, with Michael Douglas and Matt Damon. He also appeared in the independent films Mutual Friends (2013), Lucky Stiff (2014), and A Beautiful Now (2015). More recently, he played Hades in the Disney Channel original movie Descendants 3 (2019).
Television career
From 2009 through 2013, Jackson had a recurring role on the award-winning series 30 Rock playing Danny Baker. Jackson also portrayed Dustin Goolsby, the coach of "Vocal Adrenaline", the main rival of "New Directions", on the second season of FOX's show Glee.
Musical career
Early in his career, Jackson worked as a back-up singer for Vanessa Williams and Heather Headley.
In the media
Jackson appeared on the March 26, 2008, cover of The Advocate. In 2008, he was named "Entertainer of the Year" by Out and appeared alongside Gus Van Sant, Katy Perry, and Sam Sparro on the cover of the magazine's commemorative 100th issue in December. In April 2010, he appeared on the cover of Canadian fab magazine under the title "Cheyenne Jackson: I Love New York" with photographs by Mike Ruiz. He also appeared on the cover of Outs November 2010 issue. In July 2012, he appeared on the cover of attitude.
Charity work
Jackson is an LGBT rights advocate. He is an international ambassador for amfAR (The Foundation for AIDS Research).
Personal life
Jackson is gay. He began dating Monte Lapka, a physicist, in 2000. The two married on September 3, 2011, in New York City. The Advocate, issue 1006 (April 22, 2008). In July 2013, they announced plans to divorce. They filed for divorce in September 2013.
Discography
Studio albums
2009 The Power of Two (with Michael Feinstein)
15 2013 I'm Blue, Skies
- 2016 Renaissance
- 9
Singles
Music videos
Filmography
Film
2005 Curiosity Luke Short film 2006 United 93 Mark Bingham 2010 Photo Op Zig Short film Hysteria Scott 2011 The Green Daniel Smile Doctor Steve Short film 2012 Price Check Ernie Lola Versus Roger 2013 Mutual Friends Christoph 2014 The One I Wrote for You Ben Cantor Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks Michael Minetti Dragula Mr. Newton Love Is Strange Ted Lucky Stiff MC 2015 A Beautiful Now David Day Out of Days Phil 2016 Bear with Us Hudson Opening Night Eli Faisel 2017 Hello Again Robert (The Writer) 2018 Boris 2021 Werewolves Within Devon 2024 Borderlands Jakobs Scenes cut 2025 Queens of the Dead Jimmy
Television
2008 Lipstick Jungle Bryce Episode: "Chapter Fifteen: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Prada" Family Practice Sebastian Kinglare Television film 2009 Life on Mars Sebastian Grace Episode: "Let All the Children Boogie" Ugly Betty Timothy D'Artagnan Episode: "Sugar Daddy" 2009–2012 30 Rock Danny Baker 12 episodes 2010 Law & Order Jon Sorrentino Episode: "Innocence" It Takes a Village Scott Unsold television pilot 2010–2011 Glee Dustin Goolsby 3 episodes 2011 Curb Your Enthusiasm Terry Episode: "Car Periscope" 2012 Mockingbird Lane Steve Unsold television pilot 2013 Onion News Empire Cameron Grey Unsold television pilot Behind the Candelabra Billy Leatherwood Television film Full Circle Peter Barlow 3 episodes 2014 HR Tim Harcourt Unsold television pilot Royal Pains Sam Episode: "Oh, M.G." Nebula1 Episode: "Kitty" 2015–2016 Will Drake 9 episodes 2016 Sidney Aaron James 7 episodes American Housewife Johnny Diamond Episode: "Disconnected" 2017–2019 RuPaul's Drag Race Himself 3 episodes ("Draggily Ever After", "Evil Twins", "L.A.D.P.!") 2017 The Real O'Neals Mr. Peters Episode: "The Real Mr. Nice Guy" Sense8 Blake Huntington Episode: "If All the World's a Stage, Identity Is Nothing But a Costume" Dr. Rudy Vincent 9 episodes Modern Family Max Episode: "In Your Head" 2018 American Woman Greg Parker 7 episodes Will & Grace Michael Episode: "The Beefcake & the Cake Beef" John Henry Moore 4 episodes 2019 Descendants 3 Hades Television film The Morning Show Himself Episode: "No One's Gonna Harm You, Not While I'm Around" Watchmen Hooded Justice 3 episodes 2020 Descendants Remix Dance Party Hades Television special Equal Dale Jennings Docuseries Julie and the Phantoms Caleb Covington 5 episodes Saved by the Bell René 3 episodes 2021–2023 Call Me Kat Max Main role 2021 Himself Special guest, Episode: "Snatch Game of Love" A Clüsterfünke Christmas Frank Television film Descendants: The Royal Wedding Hades (voice) Animated television film 2022 The Masked Singer Prince Season 7 contestant; Third place 2024 Doctor Odyssey Bryan Episode: "Oh, Daddy!"
Stage credits
1995 Kiss Me, Kate Bill Calhoun / Lucentio Spokane Civic Theatre Regional 1996 Kismet Hajj 1997 Carousel Billy Bigelow 1998 Children of Eden Cain / Japheth Jane Addams Theatre 2002-2003 Thoroughly Modern Millie Dishwasher / Ensemble
u/s Jimmy Smith
u/s Trevor Graydon IIIMarquis Theatre Broadway Regional Broadway New York Musical Theatre Festival 2005 Broadway New Amsterdam Theatre American Airlines Theatre Off-Broadway Broadway Off-Broadway
Encores!Woody Broadway Eugene O'Neill Theatre Off-Broadway Broadway 2013 West Side Story Tony Davies Hall Concert Off-Broadway
Encores!25th Anniversary Concert Hollywood Bowl July 26–28 St. James Theatre Broadway Off-Broadway
Encores! Once Upon A Mattress CastLa Cage aux Folles Georges Pasadena Playhouse Los Angeles 2025 Oh, Mary! Mary’s Teacher Lyceum Theatre Broadway
Awards and honors
See also
External links
Categories: 1975 Births, 20th-century American Lgbtq People, 21st-century American Lgbtq People, 21st-century American Male Actors, 21st-century American Male Singers, 21st-century American Singers, American Gay Actors, American Gay Musicians, Aids Activists, American Lgbtq Singers, American Male Film Actors, American Male Musical Theatre Actors, American Male Stage Actors, American Male Television Actors, American Male Voice Actors, Lgbtq People From Idaho, Lgbtq Rights Activists From Washington, Living People, Male Actors From Idaho, Male Actors From Spokane, Washington, People From Bonner County, Idaho, Theatre World Award Winners
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