Billy Magnussen

Early life

Magnussen was born in Woodhaven, Queens, New York City, the son of Daina, an aerobics instructor, and Greg Magnussen, a professional bodybuilder and kickboxer. He has two younger brothers. He is of Norwegian and Lithuanian descent. He grew up in Queens around Woodhaven Boulevard until the age of 10, when he moved with his family to Cumming, Georgia. Magnussen graduated from South Forsyth High School in 2003, and later from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

Acting career

Stage

Magnussen made his Broadway stage debut in 2007's The Ritz, starring Rosie Perez. In 2012, he was cast alongside David Hyde Pierce and Sigourney Weaver in Christopher Durang's Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, premiering at the McCarter Theatre in Princeton, New Jersey, prior to its move to Lincoln Center in New York City. It then moved to the John Golden Theatre, where it was nominated for six Tony Awards. Magnussen was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his role as Spike. In 2014, he starred on off-Broadway with Anna Gunn in a critically acclaimed production of Sex with Strangers directed by David Schwimmer at the Second Stage Theater.

Film

Magnussen appeared in the films Blood Night: The Legend of Mary Hatchet and Happy Tears, which stars Demi Moore and Parker Posey. He starred as Claude in the film Twelve, which was released July 30, 2010. He played Neil Thomas, a World War II hero, in the 2011 film The Lost Valentine, based on the book of the same name by James Michael Pratt, which aired on CBS on January 30, 2011. That same year, he also played Thor in Whit Stillman's Damsels in Distress. In 2012, he starred in the independent feature Surviving Family.

Magnussen starred in his breakout role as Rapunzel's Prince in Rob Marshall's 2014 film Into the Woods. In 2016, Magnussen appeared in The Great Gilly Hopkins, opposite Kathy Bates, as Ellis, the social worker in charge of Gilly Hopkins, played by Canadian actress Sophie Nélisse. The role was originally written for a female in the novel and stage play. In 2019, Magnussen played the newly created role of Prince Anders in Disney's live action adaptation of Aladdin, directed by Guy Ritchie. He returned to Disney in 2025, playing Pleakley in Lilo & Stitch.

In the 25th James Bond film No Time to Die (from Eon Productions), Magnussen plays CIA officer Logan Ash, who tries to convince a retired Bond to assist with a mission.

In 2025, he played the lead role in Violent Ends.

Television

Magnussen played Kato Kaelin on the first season of American Crime Story, about the murder trial of O. J. Simpson. He is known for his role on the CBS soap opera As the World Turns, where he took over the role of Casey Hughes on January 29, 2008. He guest-starred on The CW's series The Beautiful Life: TBL in 2009. He guest-starred on Boardwalk Empire as Roger McAlister, Gillian Darmody's (Gretchen Mol) ill-fated lover, and was the stand-in for Jimmy Darmody's (Michael Pitt) corpse.

He also guest-starred on Law & Order: Criminal Intent, in the 10th-season episode "Icarus", and on Law & Order, in the 19th-season episode, "Sweetie". Magnussen appeared in four episodes of The Divide, guest-starred on NCIS: Los Angeles in episode 3 of season 2, titled "Borderline", and in episode 6 of the first season of The Leftovers. In 2017, Magnussen guest-starred as Russ Snyder on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.

Magnussen also played a high school teacher Joshua "Nick" Sullivan who engages in a relationship with one of his students in Tell Me a Story during the first season, which came out in 2018.

Music career

Magnussen once was the bass player and a contributing songwriter for the New York City-based rock band The Dash. He plays guitar in the New York City-based band Reserved for Rondee.

Filmography

Film

Television

Stage

Accolades

References

References

1. Blank, Matthew. "PLAYBILL.COM'S CUE & A: Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike Tony Nominee Billy Magnussen". Playbill.
2. Dyball \first=Rennie. (August 6, 2010). "Five Things to Know About Twelve's Billy Magnussen".
3. "Photos! Roll in the Hay with Anna Gunn & Billy Magnussen on Opening Night of Sex with Strangers".
4. "Billy Magnussen and mother Daina Photo (2013-06-09)".
5. (February 29, 2016). "Billy Magnussen Biography". A&E Television Networks.
6. (November 29, 2007). "Billy Magnussen Joins 'As the World Turns'".
7. Isherwood, Charles. (July 30, 2014). "Reading Between the Sheets: Anna Gunn and Billy Magnussen Star in 'Sex With Strangers'". The New York Times.
8. Propes, Richard. ""Surviving Family" Review".
9. Fleming, Mike Jr.. (July 22, 2013). "Billy Magnussen Ventures 'Into The Woods' To Replace Jake Gyllenhaal".
10. (September 5, 2017). "Disney's Live-Action 'Aladdin' Casts Billy Magnussen as New Character (Exclusive)".
11. Grobar, Matt. (April 12, 2023). "''Lilo & Stitch'' Live-Action Disney Movie Adds Billy Magnussen".
12. Davids, Brian. (October 11, 2021). "Billy Magnussen on Key 'No Time to Die' Scenes and 'The Many Saints of Newark'".
13. (November 30, 2023). "Billy Magnussen & Alexandra Shipp To Topline Southern Revenge Thriller 'Violent Ends' – First Look". Deadline.
14. "Billy Magnussen: As The World Turns on CBS".
15. Marsi, Steve. (August 26, 2009). "Billy Magnussen to Guest Star on The Beautiful Life".
16. (October 22, 2012). "Jimmy Darmody and Roger McAllister".
17. (May 19, 2017). "Kimmy and the Trolley Problem!".
18. (May 19, 2017). "Kimmy Googles the Internet!".
19. "Billy Magnussen".
20. "Welcome to Reserved for Rondee!".
21. "Reserved For Rondee".
22. D'Alessandro, Anthony. (2017-03-16). "Billy Magnussen Joining ''Game Night'' Opposite Jason Bateman & Rachel McAdams".
23. Kit, Borys. (2017-12-13). "Tiffany Haddish, John Cho Join Ike Barinholtz in Satirical Thriller ''The Oath'' (Exclusive)".
24. Kroll, Justin. (2018-03-12). "Netflix's Dan Gilroy-Jake Gyllenhaal Film Sets Ensemble (EXCLUSIVE)".
25. Kroll, Justin. (2019-01-15). "Corey Stoll, Billy Magnussen Join ''Sopranos'' Movie Prequel (EXCLUSIVE)".
26. Bibbiani, William. (2022-02-24). "''Family Squares'' Film Review: All-Star Zoom Call Dramedy Suffers from Weak Connections".
27. Wiseman, Andreas. (2024-02-08). "Comedy ''Coup!'', Starring Peter Sarsgaard, Billy Magnussen & Sarah Gadon, Gets North America Deal".
28. Cordero, Rosy. (2022-07-22). "''Spy Kids'': Billy Magnussen Joins Netflix Reboot".
29. Grobar, Matt. (2023-05-22). "''Lift'': Netflix's Action Comedy Starring Kevin Hart Pushes Premiere Date, Gets First Look Photo".
30. Kroll, Justin. (2022-08-02). "Jake Gyllenhaal's ''Road House'' Movie A Go At Prime Video As Daniela Melchior, Billy Magnussen Among Those Joining Cast".
31. Lang, Brent. (2021-08-04). "Lil Rel Howery, Billy Magnussen and Jillian Bell to Star in Ensemble Comedy ''Reunion'' (EXCLUSIVE)".
32. Verhoeven, Beatrice. (April 21, 2023). "Chris Sanders in Final Talks to Return as Voice of Stitch in Disney's Live-Action ''Lilo & Stitch'' (Exclusive)".
33. Kroll, Justin. (2024-05-03). "Billy Magnussen, Sarah Gadon And Hamish Linklater Among Those Rounding Out Cast Of Imperative And Sony's ''A Big Bold Beautiful Journey''".
34. (June 7, 2021). "'Made for Love' Star Billy Magnussen on Finding Depth in the Role of "an Egomaniac and a Sociopath"".
35. White, Peter. (2022-12-16). "Sam Mendes & Armando Iannucci's HBO Pilot ''The Franchise'' Sets Cast Including Billy Magnussen, Jessica Hynes & Lolly Adefope".
36. (December 7, 2018). "2018 San Diego Film Critics Society's Award Nominations".
37. (December 10, 2018). "2018 San Diego Film Critics Society Award Winners".