Blake Jenner

Blake Jenner

Jenner in 2013
Born Blake Alexander Jenner
(1992-08-27) August 27, 1992
Miami, Florida, U.S.
Occupation
  • Actor
  • singer
Years active 2010–present
Spouse(s) Melissa Benoist (m. 2015)

Blake Alexander Jenner (born August 27, 1992)[1] is an American actor and singer. He is best known for winning the second season of the Oxygen reality competition series The Glee Project and his portrayal of Ryder Lynn in the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. In 2016, he had the lead role in the comedy film Everybody Wants Some!!.

Early life

Jenner was born and raised in Miami, Florida, the youngest of four brothers. His father is American and his mother is Cuban.[2]

Jenner grew up interested in music and film and began playing drums at age nine.[3] He attended Felix Varela High School, where he joined the school's drama society Troupe 6162 and played varsity football and wrestling. Stating that he was "in love with improv and comedy"[4] he began improvisation lessons[5] and participated in stage productions at the Roxy Performing Arts Center. In 2008, he became a member of "Impromedy", a sketch comedy improv group based in Miami.[6]

Career

Eager to pursue a career in acting, Jenner left Miami and moved to Los Angeles after graduating high school a year early, with just $2,500.[2][2][7] While residing in California, he took on many jobs including a waiter, clothing store associate, and parrot salesman while auditioning for acting roles.[2][8] He continually attended improv classes at The Groundlings, and eventually did a guest show with said company two years later.[9][10]

By 2011, he was cast in the short films Wurlitzer and The Truth In Being Right and the horror film Cousin Sarah. He also made a guest appearance on ABC Family's sitcom Melissa & Joey as Miller Collins.[11]

In 2012, he was selected through industry channels to audition as one of 14 contestants on the second season of The Glee Project, a television reality show for which the prize was a guaranteed seven-episode arc on the following season of Glee. He was one of three finalists and ultimately won.[1] After appearing as Ryder Lynn on the fourth season of Glee, he was later nominated and won the Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Breakout Star.[12] Jenner, along with co-stars Jacob Artist, Becca Tobin, Alex Newell, and Melissa Benoist, was promoted to series regular status for the fifth season.[13]

In the summer of 2013, Jenner wrote the screenplay for Billy Boy. He and Benoist went on Kickstarter to ask fans to help fund the project's production; as of December 11, 2013, the project has reached its $100,000 goal. Jenner was subsequently cast in the horror film Within.[14] In late 2015, Jenner was cast in a recurring role as Adam Foster on Supergirl, playing opposite his wife Melissa Benoist, who stars as the series' title character. His first appearance aired on January 25, 2016.[15]

Jenner next appeared as Jake Bradford in Richard Linklater's comedy film Everybody Wants Some!!, which was released on March 30, 2016. He next joined Hailee Steinfeld in the coming-of-age drama The Edge of Seventeen.[16] In April 2016, he was announced to have joined the cast of Shawn Christensen's drama film Sidney Hall.[17]

Personal life

Jenner began dating his Glee co-star Melissa Benoist in 2012, and they became engaged in July 2013.[18][19] They were married in late March 2015.[20]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2010 Fresh 2 Death Connor Short film
2011 Wurlitzer Alexander Moore Short film; also producer
2011 Cousin Sarah Brett Marks
2012 The Truth In Being Right Jeffrey Short film
2014 Love at First Site Sydney Reynolds Short film
2016 Everybody Wants Some!! Jake Bradford
2016 Billy Boy Billy Forsetti Completed; also writer and producer
2016 The Edge of Seventeen In post-production
2016 Within Tommy Completed
2017 Sidney Hall Brett Newport Filming

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2011 Melissa & Joey Miller Collins Episode: "A House Divided"
2012 The Glee Project Himself Season 2; 12 episodes
2012–15 Glee Ryder Lynn 32 episodes
2013 Master Chef Himself Episode: "Top 14 Compete"
2016 Supergirl Adam Foster 2 episodes

Accolades

Year Award Category Work Result
2013 Teen Choice Awards Choice TV Breakout Star Glee Won

Discography

Main article: Glee discography

References

  1. 1 2 Goldberg, Lesley (August 15, 2012). "Winner Blake Jenner: 'I'd Love to Be a Finn-Type Character". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Barroso, Gina (January 10, 2013). "TV Martí Noticias — Blake Jenner: un joven cubanoamericano de Miami triunfa en Hollywood". YouTube. TV Martí Noticias (in Spanish). Retrieved November 5, 2014.
  3. ↑ Marr, Madeleine (August 10, 2012). "Local singer/actor Blake Jenner wins The Glee Project!". Miami.com.
  4. ↑ Gajewski, Ryan (August 27, 2013). "Glee Project's Blake Jenner Wanted To Be A Stand-Up Comic". Wetpaint.
  5. ↑ Slezak, Michael (August 17, 2012). "Glee Project Champ Blake Jenner". TVLine.
  6. ↑ Morales, Claudia (October 3, 2012). "Blake Jenner: A Varela alumnus' journey to 'Glee'". The Viper Vibe.
  7. ↑ Harrington, Amy and Nancy (August 21, 2012). "Five Things You Don't Know About Blake Jenner". Yahoo!.
  8. ↑ Douglass, Beth (August 16, 2012). "Glee Project 2 Winner Blake Jenner on His Hopes for Glee Season 4". Wetpaint.
  9. ↑ Groundlings [groundlings] (August 24, 2012). "Blake Jenner learned the importance of comedic timing from improv classes with The Groundlings" (Tweet).
  10. ↑ Groundlings (2012). "Performers: Blake Jenner". The Groundlings.
  11. ↑ "Who Is Glee's Blake Jenner?". Wetpaint. November 9, 2012. Retrieved January 10, 2016.
  12. ↑ Derschowitz, Jessica (August 11, 2013). "Teen Choice Awards 2013: List of winners". CBS News.
  13. ↑ Goldberg, Lesley (June 29, 2013). "'Glee' Promotes Five to Series Regulars (Exclusive)". Hollywood Reporter.
  14. ↑ Walkuski, Eric (March 25, 2014). "Crawlspace cast grows with Glee star Blake Jenner". JoBlo.com. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  15. ↑ Ausiello, Michael (November 18, 2015). "Supergirl Stages Glee Reunion, Casts Blake Jenner as Kara's [Spoiler]". TVLine. Retrieved January 10, 2016.
  16. ↑ A. Lincoln, Ross (October 6, 2015). "Blake Jenner Joins Hailee Steinfeld In STX Coming-Of-Age Drama". Deadline.com. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
  17. ↑ Kroll, Justin (April 25, 2016). "Blake Jenner, Margaret Qualley and Tim Blake Nelson Join 'Sidney Hall' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
  18. ↑ Chen, Joyce (July 11, 2013). "Blake Jenner, Melissa Benoist Engaged: Glee Costars Set to Tie the Knot". Us Weekly. US Magazine. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  19. ↑ Malkin, Marc (August 20, 2013). "Glee's Melissa Benoist and Blake Jenner Reveal Wedding Plans". E! Online. Retrieved December 9, 2013.
  20. ↑ McRady, Rachel (July 13, 2015). "Melissa Benoist, Blake Jenner Are Married! Details on the Glee Costars' Secret Wedding". Us Weekly. Retrieved August 20, 2015.

External links

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