Five Things You Didnt Know About Billy Magnussen

Billy Magnussen is currently making great strides in his acting career. The 29-year-old New York native has been acting for nearly a decade, and has shown that he is as versatile and talented as anyone. After making his Broadway debut in 2007, Magnussen earned his breakout role in 2008 when he took over the role of a leading character on the CBS soap opera, As the World Turns. In 2014, Magnussen appeared in a starring role in the film adaptation of Into the Woods, a musical which was inspired by the Grimm Brothers’ tales of “Little Red Riding Hood”, “Cinderella”, “Jack and the Beanstalk”, and “Rapunzel.” Now, with several starring roles, and a Tony nomination to his name, Billy Magnussen is on his way to becoming one of Hollywood’s most talked about stars. Here are five things you didn’t know about Billy Magnussen.

5. Billy Magnussen believes that his big break came when he was just 18 years-old.

While most actors have to struggle for years before they earn their big break, Billy Magnussen believes that his came when he was just 18-years-old. During an interview he stated: “my big break was probably getting to work with [University of North Carolina School of the Arts professors] Robert Francesconi and Robert Beseda. They believed in me, this 18-year-old stoner. They gave this kid a chance to do something with his life and shit, I have to thank them. That was my big break. It’s one thing believing in yourself, it’s another thing having other people believe in you, and that is the greatest gift, honestly.”

4. Billy Magnussen began acting after a wrestling accident.

Originally, Magnussen had no interest in acting. He was a wrestler during high school; however, his career was cut short due to injury. After tearing a hamstring, Magnussen says “they put me in drama class because I couldn’t take gym class. And I found out it was awesome! I went to college for it and I was like, this is brilliant.”

3. Billy Magnussen has had a very successful career on-stage.

Although Billy Magnussen is best known for his role on the CBS soap opera, As the World Turns, he has also had a very successful career on stage. In 2007, Magnussen made his Broadway debut alongside Rosie Perez in The Ritz. In 2012, he appeared on Broadway again as Spike in the comedic play, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. Magnussen’s character, Spike, is the lover of fellow title character, Masha. He is an aspiring actor who is characterized by his good looks. However, by the end of the play it is revealed that Spike has been cheating on Masha with her personal assisant. Magnussen’s performance, which earned him a Tony nomination, received positive reviews with one critic stating: “Mr. Magnussen bounds around the stage gymnastically as the self-satisfied Spike, crisply capturing the Teflon egoism of the young and the gorgeous.” The play also received positive reviews, with Ben Brantley of the New York Times stating: “”Even if you’ve never read a word of Chekhov, you’re likely to find plenty to make you laugh: Mr. Hyde Pierce’s skillfully low-key comic discomfort; Ms. Nielsen’s segues from manic eruption into glazed smiling stupor; Ms. Weaver’s game sendup of every self-loving, self-doubting movie queen there ever was.” During an interview, Magnussen described what it was like to audition for the role, and stated: “I auditioned for it like eighty times and they kept calling me back. I read the character and he was chaos. You don’t know what he’s gonna do next. He’s filled with heart and love, no ill intentions, everyone can make love. He doesn’t think anything amazing of himself; he walks through the world admiring it.”

2. Meryl Streep helped Billy Magnussen land his role in Into the Woods.

In 2013, it was announced that Billy Magnussen would replace Jake Gyllenhall as Rapunzel’s prince in the film Into the Woods. However, in 2014, new reports began surfacing that the legendary actress, Meryl Streep, who also starred in the film, was actually responsible for Magnussen landing the role. According to Magnussen, after seeing his performance in Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Streep recommended him to the directors of Into the Woods. The film opened on Christmas day 2014, and so far has grossed more than $97,000,000 worldwide. Into the Woods has also received mostly positive reviews from critics, and Stephen Holden of the New York Times stated: “Into the Woods, the splendid Disney screen adaptation of the Stephen Sondheim-James Lapine musical, infuses new vitality into the tired marketing concept of entertainment for ‘children of all ages.”

1. Billy Magnussen is a musician.

Aside from acting, Billy Magnussen is also a talented musician. Magnussen is a former member of the rock band The Dash, where he was a songwriter and bass player. He currently plays for the New York City based band, Reserved for Rondee, which began in November 2010. In 2012, the band released their debut EP, Black in Velvet, after creating a fundraising campaign through Kickstarter.

(Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Buffalo David Bitton)