Anthony Deane Rapp American stage and film actor, singer Date of Birth: 26.10.1971 Country: USA

Biography of Anthony Dean Rapp

Anthony Dean Rapp is an American theater and film actor, as well as a singer, who gained fame for his role as Mark Cohen in the Broadway musical "Rent" by Jonathan Larson. In 2005, he reprised his role in the film adaptation of the musical and played it again during the national Broadway tour in 2009. In 1999, Rapp also played the role of Charlie Brown in the revival of the Broadway production of "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" by Clark Gesner.

Rapp was born on October 26, 1971, in Chicago, Illinois. After his parents' divorce, two-year-old Anthony, his older brother Adam, who was five at the time, and their sister Anne, were raised by their mother Mary Lee Baird, a registered nurse. Anthony graduated from Joliet West High School in Joliet, Illinois, near Chicago, and attended the prestigious Interlochen Arts Camp in Michigan for two years, where he won singing competitions and received awards. His brother Adam became a renowned playwright, writer, and filmmaker.

After high school, Anthony studied at New York University. His acting career began at the age of six in regional theater, and at nine years old, he landed his first professional job. In 1981, he made his Broadway debut in the musical "The Little Prince and the Aviator," based on Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's book "The Little Prince." However, the musical was closed during preview before its official opening.

In 1987, sixteen-year-old Anthony made his big-screen debut in the comedy film "Adventures in Babysitting," directed by Chris Columbus, who later directed the film adaptation of "Rent." Rapp continued to act in films and perform in intellectual Broadway shows. Some of his notable works include the drama "School Ties" (1992), the cult comedy "Dazed and Confused" (1993), the adventure comedy "Road Trip" (2000), and the biographical drama "A Beautiful Mind" (2001). He also appeared in theatrical productions and adaptations of plays such as "Six Degrees of Separation" (1993) and "Danny Roane: First Time Director" (2006).

Rapp became famous for his role as Mark Cohen in the acclaimed musical "Rent." Interestingly, he was cast in the musical after singing "Losing My Religion" by R.E.M at the audition. In September 1994, he learned that he had been chosen for the role. He later portrayed the same character in the film adaptation, which was released on November 23, 2005. After the musical, Rapp gave numerous interviews in the press and on television, discussing the show and its development. In late July 2007, he returned to "Rent," which ran for a total of 12 years and had 5123 performances.

In 2000, Rapp released his solo album "Look Around." Following his brother's example, Anthony tried his hand at writing. His debut book, "Without You: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and the Musical Rent," was published in early 2006. It is a collection of memories about the beginning of his career and the sad experience of losing his mother to cancer in 1997, while he was experiencing the happiest time of his acting life. Based on the book, Rapp wrote a one-man play, which premiered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The New York premiere of the play took place on September 29, 2009.

At the age of 18, Anthony came out to his mother as bisexual, and as a successful actor, he uses his popularity to advocate for the rights of sexual minorities in the entertainment industry.