BIO
Billy Magnussen is a versatile American actor known for his work on stage, television, and film. Born on April 20, 1985, in Queens, New York, Magnussen grew up in Cumming, Georgia, where he attended South Forsyth High School. He then went on to study at the North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in acting.
Magnussen made his Broadway debut in 2007 in the Tony Award-winning play "The Ritz," directed by Joe Mantello. He then went on to play the role of Spike in the Broadway revival of "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike" in 2013, for which he received a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Play. Magnussen also appeared in the Broadway production of "The Front Page" in 2016, alongside Nathan Lane and John Slattery.
In addition to his work on stage, Magnussen has also made a name for himself on television. He played the role of Casey Hughes on the CBS soap opera "As the World Turns" from 2008 to 2010. He then went on to star in the short-lived ABC series "Happy Town" in 2010 and the HBO series "The Leftovers" from 2014 to 2017. Magnussen also had a recurring role on the USA Network series "Suits" in 2018.
Magnussen's film career began in 2012 when he played the role of Neil Thomas in the film "Twelve," directed by Joel Schumacher. He then went on to play Rapunzel's Prince in the 2014 film adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's musical "Into the Woods," directed by Rob Marshall. Magnussen also appeared in the films "The Big Short" in 2015, "Bridge of Spies" in 2015, and "The Oath" in 2018.
In 2019, Magnussen starred in the Netflix comedy film "Velvet Buzzsaw," directed by Dan Gilroy. He also appeared in the live-action adaptation of "Aladdin," directed by Guy Ritchie, playing the role of Prince Anders. Magnussen's most recent film role was in the 2020 film "The Many Saints of Newark," a prequel to the acclaimed HBO series "The Sopranos."
Magnussen is also a talented musician, playing guitar and singing in the band Reserved for Rondee. The band has released two albums, "The Backroads and the Bright Lights" in 2011 and "Electric Lady" in 2013. His most recent work includes the 2020 film "The Many Saints of Newark."