Anthony Rapp

Anthony Rapp was born in Chicago, Illinois. He began performing in community theater as a child, won singing awards in junior high, attended Joliet West High School and Interlochen Arts Camp, and briefly studied film at New York University before pursuing acting full time. He is the brother of playwright and filmmaker Adam Rapp.

Rapp made his screen debut in Adventures in Babysitting and went on to appear in films including Dazed and Confused, School Ties, Six Degrees of Separation (stage and film), A Beautiful Mind, Road Trip, and The Beach Boys: An American Family.

He is best known for originating the role of Mark Cohen in Jonathan Larson’s Rent off-Broadway and on Broadway, later reprising the role in the 2005 film adaptation, subsequent Broadway return engagements, and a national tour.

In addition to his acting career, Rapp released a solo album, Look Around, and authored the memoir Without You: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and the Musical Rent, which he later adapted into a one-man stage show performed internationally. He was involved in the early development of Next to Normal, performing in its initial workshop and later serving as assistant director during its Off-Broadway run.

Rapp appeared on Broadway in If/Then alongside Idina Menzel and reprised his role on the national tour. On television, he starred as Lt. Commander Paul Stamets on Star Trek: Discovery, the first openly gay character in the Star Trek television franchise.