Cheyenne Jackson is an American actor and singer who is primarily known for his stage work. He has starred in a number of Broadway productions, played one of the key characters in the thriller Flight Lost and has released several singles, including "She's Pretty, She Lies", "Look at Me" and "i'M Blue skyes".
Biography
Cheyenne David Jackson, better known as Cheyenne Jackson, was born on July 12, 1975 in Spokane, located in the northwestern United States. He became the third of four children of David and Sherry Jackson. His father named him after the popular American TV series "Cheyenne" in the 1950s.
Great Northern Depot Chapel and Riverfront Park in Spokane Credit: Mark Wagner / Wikimedia Commons
The boy spent his childhood in the small rural town of Oldtown, located in Idaho near the border with Washington. Here he and his siblings studied singing from his mother, who loved to perform songs by Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan and Elvis Presley. And when Cheyenne became a teenager, the family returned to Spokane.
The matured Shaynn Jackson worked as an advertising agent and at the same time began to take part in small theatrical productions. The performance on stage finally convinced the young man of his intention to become an actor.
Theatrical career
Cheyenne Jackson's theatrical career began with performances on the stages of provincial theaters, where he participated in such productions as West Side Story, The Most Happy Fella, Carousel, Damn Yankees and others.
After the events of September 11, 2001, Jackson rethought his career. He made the decision to move to New York to pursue his dream of becoming a famous actor and performing on Broadway.
In 2002, he acted as a stunt double for both male roles in A Very Modern Millie, which was staged at the Marquis Broadway Theater.
Jackson got his first leading role on Broadway in 2005. He was invited to perform in the production of "All Shock Up", which was dedicated to the memory of the American singer and actor Elvis Presley. For this work, the aspiring actor received the Theater World Award. In addition, he was twice a recipient of the American Drama-Desk Theater Award and a Drama-League Award nominee.
Cheyenne Jackson at the 2010 Drama-League Awards Photo: Drama League from USA / Wikimedia Commons
In 2019, Cheyenne Jackson got the lead role in the musical Into the Woods … which was presented at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.
Film career
Actor Cheyenne Jackson's film debut began with a role in the horror short film Curiosity (2005). Then came the film with his participation "Lost Flight" (2006). In the film, dedicated to the events of September 11, 2001, Jackson played a public relations specialist who was among the passengers of a plane hijacked by terrorists.
He also appeared in films such as "A Convenient Time for Photography" (2010), "Hysteria" (2010), "Smile" (2011), "Come on, Goodbye!" (2012), Love Is Strange (2014), Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks (2014), Hurricane Bianca 2: From Russia with Hate (2018) and others.
In addition to working in films, the actor also took part in television projects. In 2008, he landed his first role as Sebastian Kingler on Family Practice. Later he played Dustin Goolsby in the serial film with elements of the musical, drama and comedy "Choir" (2010 - 2011), Danny Baker in the comedy series "Studio 30", Peter Burlow in the television series "The Vicious Circle" (2013) and other roles.
Musical career
Early in his musical career, Cheyenne Jackson acted as backing vocalist for Vanessa Williams and Heather Hidley. Later he met the American singer, pianist and musician Michael Feinstein. Their collaboration led to Jackson's debut studio album, "The Power of Two", which was released in 2009.
Cheyenne Jackson and Rosie Perez Photo: Drama League from USA / Wikimedia Commons
In 2012, he released his first single "Drive" and also shot a music video for the track. On June 3, 2016 he released his album "Renaissance", which was an expanded version of his solo concert Music Of The Mad Men Era.
Family and personal life
Cheyenne Jackson is a gay man. In 2000, he began a relationship with the physicist Monte Lapka. After a long romance, on September 3, 2011, the couple registered their relationship in New York. In July 2013, they announced their separation and upcoming divorce.
In October 2013, Jackson posted Instagram photos from which it became clear that he was in a relationship with actor Jason Landau. In February 2014, their engagement was announced. And on September 13, 2014, Jackson and Landau tied the knot. The wedding ceremony took place in Encino, Los Angeles, California. On October 7, 2016, the couple became the parents of twins - son Evan and daughter Willow.
Cheyenne Jackson at the San Francisco Gay Pride Photo: topol6 / Wikimedia Commons
It is also known that Cheyenne Jackson suffered from alcoholism. But he managed to overcome the harmful addiction and since 2013 he has been leading a healthy lifestyle. Jackson is an active LGBT rights activist and serves as the international ambassador for amfAR, the American Foundation for AIDS Research. He was named National Ambassador and Representative of the Hetrick-Martin Institute, which supports LGBT youth.
