Chris Messina

**Chris Messina**, born on August 11, 1974, is an acclaimed American actor, director, writer, and producer. His breakthrough came when he starred as Danny Castellano in the popular series *The Mindy Project* (2012–2017), which brought him two nominations for the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actor in a Comedy Series. Aside from his TV success, Messina has graced the silver screen in numerous films such as *Vicky Cristina Barcelona* (2008), *Julie & Julia* (2009), and *Devil* (2010), to name a few. He also showed his versatility by writing, executive producing, and starring in the comedy film *Fairhaven* (2012). Messina had an impressive career on television which includes roles on the HBO drama series *Six Feet Under* (2005), Audience Network legal thriller series *Damages* (2011–2012), HBO political drama series *The Newsroom* (2012–2014), and many others. Messina was raised in Northport, New York, where his passion for theatre sparked. Despite attending Marymount Manhattan College, he dropped out after one semester to pursue acting. Starting off as an off-Broadway actor, his performances led him to stardom on the big screen. Some notable moments of his career include starring in an HBO pilot *Anatomy of Hope*, directed by J. J. Abrams, and his appearance in an independent music video for Sam Smith's 'I'm Not the Only One.'