Brian d'Arcy James

Early life and education

James was born in Saginaw, Michigan, the son of Mary (née Kelly), a seller of children's books, and Thomas F James (deceased), a lawyer. His maternal grandfather was Harry Kelly, a former Governor of Michigan. His uncle, Brian Kelly, was an actor featured in the series Flipper and a producer of the movie Blade Runner. He has three siblings: brother Andrew, a portfolio manager; sister Kate, an actress and writer; and sister Anne (Noonan), an actress and teacher. James is of seven eighths Irish and one eighth Welsh descent.

James graduated from Northwestern University's School of Communication.

Career

He received a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical in 2002 for his portrayal of Sidney Falco in Sweet Smell of Success, co-starring John Lithgow. He received an Obie Award for his performance in Conor McPherson's one-man play The Good Thief.

James's additional Broadway credits include Titanic (Frederick Barrett), Lincoln Center's Carousel, and Blood Brothers. His Off-Broadway credits include Andrew Lippa's The Wild Party in 2000 opposite Julia Murney and Idina Menzel, for which he received a Drama Desk Award nomination, as well as Adam Guettel's Floyd Collins and the Gershwins' Pardon My English. He appeared in Martin McDonagh's The Lieutenant of Inishmore on Broadway, replaced Norbert Leo Butz in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and starred in The Apple Tree opposite Kristin Chenoweth. In 2004, James released a Christmas album titled From Christmas Eve to Christmas Morn. On Broadway he played Bob Wallace, a character originated by Bing Crosby, in White Christmas in 2004. He played Dan Goodman in the new musical Next to Normal Off-Broadway at Second Stage Theater in 2008. He then starred opposite Daniel Breaker, Sutton Foster, and Christopher Sieber as the titular character in Shrek The Musical. The show began previews on Broadway November 8, 2008, and opened on December 14 at The Broadway Theatre after a tryout in Seattle. For this role he won the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical. He was also nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his portrayal. He departed the cast after one year in the role and was replaced by Ben Crawford.

James starred in the Broadway play Time Stands Still, which began preview performances on January 5, 2010, and officially opened on January 25 at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. The show ended its limited run on March 27, 2010. For this role he won the Broadway.com Audience Award for Favorite Featured Actor in a Play. He reprised the role of Dan Goodman in the Broadway company of Next to Normal at the Booth Theatre. He replaced J. Robert Spencer on May 17, 2010. James ended his limited engagement on July 18, 2010, and was replaced by Jason Danieley.

On July 19, 2010, James performed in front of President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at A Broadway Celebration: In Performance at the White House, which also aired on PBS October 20, 2010. He returned to Time Stands Still when the show returned to Broadway. It closed on January 30, 2011. James was part of the cast of the NBC musical series Smash. NBC officially picked up Smash as a series on May 11, 2011. The program made its series premiere on February 6, 2012. He did not return to the show as a series regular for its second and final season. James starred in Torstein Blixfjord's 2012 short film Bird In A Box.

He co-hosted the 57th Drama Desk Awards with Brooke Shields on June 3, 2012. He performed at the 29th birthday celebration of The New York Pops, titled "Journey On", celebrating the work of Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens; he performed "Wheels of a Dream" from Ragtime. James starred as Bick in the musical Giant which ran at the Public Theater from October 26 to December 16, 2012. For this role James received nominations for the Drama Desk Award for Best Actor in a Musical and for the Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance.

He played Banquo in the Lincoln Center Theater production of Macbeth, which began previews in October 2013 and officially opened at the Vivian Beaumont Theater in November 2013. He starred as the original King George III in the Off-Broadway production of the musical Hamilton, with previews starting January 20, 2015, and officially opening on February 17. Actor Jonathan Groff replaced James in the Off-Broadway run on March 3, 2015.

He starred in the Broadway musical Something Rotten!, which opened in previews at the St. James Theatre on March 23, 2015, and officially on April 22, for which he received his third Tony nomination. James played Matt Carroll in the 2015 film Spotlight. In March 2016, James was cast in the CBS pilot Superior Donuts, but his role was recast after the show went through some retooling. He reprised his role as King George III in the Broadway production of Hamilton for a limited engagement that began on April 13, 2017, and continued through July 16, 2017.

In 2017, James played Andy Baker in the Netflix drama series 13 Reasons Why, a role he later reprised in the second season of the show in 2018. Also in 2018, James played pilot Joseph A. Walker in Damien Chazelle's film First Man. In May 2018, it was announced that he would star in the upcoming Fox series Proven Innocent. The following month, however, it was announced that Kelsey Grammer had been cast to replace James in the role of Gore Bellows (previously Cole Bellows).

James starred in the Broadway play The Ferryman at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre as Quinn Carney beginning on February 19, 2019, replacing Paddy Considine, who originated the role. In December 2020, it was announced he would appear in the Disney+ miniseries Hawkeye.

In May 2022, it was announced that James would star as the Baker in a Broadway revival of Into the Woods at the St. James Theatre. He remained with the show through September 4, 2022. James returned to the production on October 25, 2022. He played his final performance on January 1, 2023, when Sebastian Arcelus returned to the show for its final week of performances. For his performance, James received his third Tony Award nomination for Best Actor in a Musical, his fourth nomination overall.

James originated the role of Joe Clay in the premiere production of Days of Wine and Roses at the Off-Broadway Linda Gross Theater in summer 2023. In September of the same year, it was announced that the production would transfer to Studio 54 on Broadway, with James reprising his role. He was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical and was also a recipient of the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical for his performance.

James will play Chris Christopherson in a revival of Eugene O'Neill's play Anna Christie alongside Michelle Williams and Tom Sturridge at St. Ann's Warehouse from November 25, 2025 to February 1, 2026.

Personal life

James is married to Jennifer Prescott; the two met when they both performed at Lincoln Center. They have one daughter.

Theatre credits

Discography

Cast albums

• Days of Wine and Roses [Original Cast Recording]
• Into the Woods [Original 2022 Broadway Revival Cast]
• Something Rotten! [Original Broadway Cast]
• Giant [Original Cast]
• Shrek the Musical [Original Broadway Cast]
• White Christmas [Original Cast]
• Sweet Smell of Success [Original Broadway Cast]
• The Wild Party [Original Off-Broadway Cast]
• Titanic [Original Broadway Cast]
• Dream True [World Premiere Cast]
• Brownstone [Studio Cast]
• The Stephen Schwartz Album [Studio Cast]
• Myths and Hymns [Off-Broadway Original Cast]
• Violet [Off-Broadway Original Cast]
• Far From the Madding Crowd [Studio Cast]
• The Civil War [Studio Cast]
• The Stephen Sondheim Album [Studio Cast]
• Floyd Collins [Original Cast]
• Carousel [Revival Cast]
• James and the Giant Peach [Studio Cast]
• The Other Josh Cohen [Studio Cast]
• A Little More Alive [Demo Complication]

Solo recordings

• From Christmas Eve to Christmas Morn (debut solo album)
• Michigan Christmas (single)

Featured recordings

• The Maury Yeston Compilation (featured artist)
• Jonathan Franzen's How to Be Alone (featured artist)
• Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens New York (featured artist)

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Awards and nominations

References

References

1. "Three True Stories from Titanic's Brian d'Arcy James".
2. Brian d'Arcy James. (November 11, 2014). "Today I'm thinking of my grandfather Harry F. Kelly.".
3. Harris, Richard. (Fall 2015). "The Life of Brian". [[Northwestern University]].
4. Shirley, Don. (January 21, 2003). "Soloing, but not in song".
5. (February 11, 2008). "Photos: 'Next to Normal'".
6. Next to Normal. (April 22, 2010). "Breaking casting news! Brian d'Arcy James who originated the role of Dan off-Bway will be joining the Bway production of N2N on 5/17".
7. (March 20, 2008). "James, Gregory II and Tartaglia Set for Broadway's ''Shrek''".
8. Gans, Andrew. (May 11, 2009). "''Billy Elliot'', ''Carnage'', ''Ruined'' and ''Avenger'' Are Outer Critics Circle Award Winners".
9. Gans, Andrew. (May 18, 2009). "''Ruined'' and ''Billy Elliot'' Win Top Honors at Drama Desk Awards".
10. (May 5, 2009). "Nominations for 2009 Tony Awards Announced; ''Billy Elliot'' Earns 15 Nominations".
11. Gans, Andrew. (August 14, 2009). "Crawford Will Be ''Shrek'' This Fall on Broadway; Tix on Sale Through May 2010".
12. Jones, Kenneth. (August 10, 2009). "James Joins Linney and Silverstone in Broadway's ''Time Stands Still''".
13. (March 27, 2010). "TIME STANDS STILL Closes March 27 at MTC".
14. "Broadway.com Audience Choice Awards - 2010".
15. (June 18, 2010). "It's ''Time'' for Brian d'Arcy James to Thank Fans for His 2010 Audience Award".
16. Gans, Andrew. (April 22, 2010). "Brian d'Arcy James Will Rejoin ''Normal'' Cast in May".
17. (June 3, 2010). "Married Couple Mazzie & Danieley Take Over in NEXT TO NORMAL 7/19".
18. (July 14, 2010). "Nathan Lane, Idina Menzel, Brian d'Arcy James and More to Perform ''Broadway Celebration'' at White House".
19. [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/09/AR2010120902411.html] ''The Washington Post'', 2010{{Dead link. (April 2021)
20. Peter, Thomas. (March 9, 2011). "Brian d'Arcy James Joins Cast of 'Smash' Musical Pilot".
21. (May 11, 2011). "Breaking News: NBC Picks Up Broadway-themed SMASH!".
22. Jones, Kenneth. (February 6, 2012). "A Show Just for Us: 'Smash,' Starry New Drama Series About the Making of a Musical, Debuts on NBC".
23. Goldberg, Lesley. (May 22, 2012). "'Smash' Shakeup: Four Stars Axed From Second Season".
24. (May 22, 2012). "UPDATED: Brian d'Arcy James, Will Chase, Jaime Cepero and Raza Jaffrey Not Returning as Regulars on SMASH".
25. "Current Work".
26. Gans, Andrew. (May 17, 2012). "Brooke Shields and Brian D'Arcy James Will Host Drama Desk Awards".
27. "29TH BIRTHDAY GALA".
28. (September 10, 2012). "Brian d'Arcy James, Kate Baldwin, Bobby Steggert, Michele Pawk to Lead Public Theater's GIANT- Full Cast Announced!".
29. Hetrick, Adam. (November 19, 2012). "''Giant'', Starring Kate Baldwin, Brian D'Arcy James and P.J. Griffith, Gets Extension at Public Theater".
30. Gans, Andrew. (April 29, 2013). "Nominations Announced for 58th Annual Drama Desk Awards; ''Giant'' and ''Hands on a Hardbody'' Lead the Pack".
31. (April 23, 2013). "2013 Drama League Nominations Announced -- KINKY BOOTS, PIPPIN & More Lead with 3!".
32. (September 3, 2013). "Brian d'Arcy James, Malcolm Gets and More to Join Ethan Hawke in LCT's MACBETH; Cast Announced!".
33. Hetrick, Adam. (February 25, 2015). "Spring Awakening Star Is New King of Broadway-Bound ''Hamilton''".
34. Hetrick, Adam. (March 23, 2015). "''Something Rotten!'' Puts a Shakespearean Twist On Broadway Musical Comedy, Starting Tonight".
35. Robinson, Will. (March 1, 2016). "'Spotlight' star Brian d'Arcy James cast in CBS' 'Superior Donuts'".
36. Andreeva, Nellie. (May 25, 2016). "'Superior Donuts': CBS Orders New Pilot For Jermaine Fowler Comedy".
37. (March 9, 2017). "Official: Long May He Reign! Brian d'Arcy James Will Rejoin HAMILTON in April".
38. (July 12, 2017). "Euan Morton to be Crowned King George III in HAMILTON on Broadway".
39. Andreeva, Nellie. (June 16, 2016). "'Spotlight's Brian d'Arcy James Cast In Netflix Series '13 Reasons Why', Joins TNT Pilot 'Civil'".
40. D'Alessandro, Anthony. (September 29, 2017). "Brian d'Arcy James Steps Into Damien Chazelle's Moon Mission Pic 'First Man'".
41. Otterson, Joe. (May 10, 2018). "Fox Orders 'Proven Innocent,' 'The Cool Kids' to Series".
42. (June 1, 2018). "Kelsey Grammer Joins New Fox Drama Series 'Proven Innocent' In Recasting".
43. Gans, Andrew. (January 8, 2019). "Broadway's ''The Ferryman'' Will Welcome New Company, Including Brian d'Arcy James, Emily Bergl, Shuler Hensley, More".
44. Boone, John. (December 10, 2020). "Marvel Debuts New Trailers for 'Loki' and 'Falcon and Winter Soldier,' Announces 'Fantastic Four' Movie {{!}} Entertainment Tonight".
45. Gans, Andrew. (May 26, 2022). "Encores! Into the Woods Sets Broadway Transfer With Patina Miller, Brian D'Arcy James, Phillipa Soo, Joshua Henry, Sara Bareilles, More". Playbill.
46. Hall, Margaret. (12 August 2022). "Stephanie J. Block, Sebastian Arcelus, Krysta Rodriguez, Montego Glover, More to Join Broadway's Into the Woods".
47. Harms, Talaura. (22 September 2022). "Brian D'Arcy James and Andy Karl Will Return to Broadway's Into the Woods".
48. Rabinowitz, Chloe. (December 15, 2022). "Sebastian Arcelus to Return INTO THE WOODS; Diane Phelan to Take Over as Cinderella". Broadway World.
49. Culwell-Block, Logan. (May 2, 2023). "2023 Tony Awards: Some Like It Hot Leads Nominations; See the Full List". Playbill.
50. (2024-06-10). "Stereophonic Leads 2024 Drama Desk Awards with 7 Wins Including Outstanding Play - Playbill.com".
51. Wild, Stephi. "Kelli O'Hara and Brian d'Arcy James Will Lead DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES on Broadway Next Year".
52. ""Anna Christie"". stannswarehouse.org.
53. Healy, Patrick. [http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/09/04/weinstein-lands-a-big-name-executive-producer-for-finding-neverland/?ref=theater&_r=0 "Weinstein Lands a Big-Name Executive Producer for ‘Finding Neverland’ "] ''The New York Times'' (artsbeat.blogs), 4 September 2013
54. "A LITTLE MORE ALIVE Album Featuring Brian D'Arcy James, Hunter Parrish & More is Now Available on Apple Music".