2003–2007: Early career and Broadway debut Tveit began his professional career in 2003 when he joined the national tour of
Rent as Steve and the understudy for Roger/Mark. He was in his second year of studying at
Ithaca College at the time; nine years later, in 2012, Tveit completed his college degree, when he was given college credit for his theatre roles. Following
Rent, he returned to school briefly but left to play Link Larkin in the first national tour of
Hairspray. He made his Broadway debut in this role in 2006. In the following two years, he performed in regional productions including as Matt in
Barrington Stage Company's
Calvin Berger in July 2007 and as
D'Artagnan in a
musical adaptation of
The Three Musketeers which played at the
North Shore Music Theatre from August to September 2007, before returning to the Broadway production of
Hairspray. Other credits include an early workshop of
The Black Suits. Tveit made his film debut in
Ghost Town (2008), as a young anesthesiologist.
2008–2011: Rise to prominence In 2007, Tveit originated the role of Gabe in the
Off-Broadway production of the musical
Next to Normal. The production ran from January 16 through March 16, 2008, at the
Second Stage Theater. Tveit received a nomination for the
Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Featured Actor for this role. In the interim time before the out-of-town production of
Next to Normal, Tveit played Dean in the musical theatre adaptation of the film
Saved!, which ran for a limited engagement at
Playwrights Horizons in June 2008. Also in June 2008, Tveit took over the role of
Fiyero in
Wicked on Broadway. He left the show in November to reprise his role in the
Arena Stage production of
Next to Normal, for which he won the 2009
Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Non-Resident Production. Tveit returned to
Wicked as Fiyero in January 2009. However, he left once again on March 8, 2009, after only a couple of months, to join the Broadway production of
Next to Normal, which began previews in March 2009 and officially opened on April 15. His performance as Gabe earned him the
Clarence Derwent Award from the
Actors' Equity Association. Tveit was included on AfterElton.com's 2009 list of the "37 Hottest Guys in Theater". Tveit left
Next to Normal on June 6, 2009, to prepare for
Catch Me If You Can, where he played
Frank Abagnale Jr. The musical was performed at the
5th Avenue Theatre in
Seattle from July 28 through August 16, 2009. Tveit returned to
Next to Normal from September 7 through January 3, 2010. In August, he also starred in the Hollywood Bowl's production of
Rent directed by
Neil Patrick Harris, as Roger Davis. He took part in the
MCC Theater Miscast Gala in 2009 and 2010. Tveit played Frank Abagnale Jr in the
Broadway production of
Catch Me If You Can, opening on April 10, 2011, and closing on September 4, 2011. For this role he was nominated for the
Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical, the
Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance, and the Fred Astaire Award for Best Male Dancer on Broadway. During the Broadway production of
Next to Normal, Tveit also had a recurring role in the
CW series
Gossip Girl as
Tripp van der Bilt, the cousin of
Nate Archibald. During this period, Tveit appeared in an episode of the television series
Ugly Betty titled "
All the World's a Stage" as Zachary Boule,
Betty Suarez's boyfriend. He appeared in
Rob Epstein's
Howl, a biopic about the
Allen Ginsberg poem and the controversy and trial that ensued after its publication. Tveit played
Peter Orlovsky, Ginsberg's longtime partner, opposite
James Franco. He was also a guest star on
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit twice.
2012–2017: Focus on screen acting In 2012, Tveit played
Enjolras, leader of the student revolutionary group in the
film adaptation of
Les Misérables. As the 'designated Broadway actor' in a celebrity ensemble cast, this was one of Tveit's most high-profile roles up to that point. On February 24, 2013, he performed with the cast of
Les Misérables at the
85th Academy Awards ceremony. In July 2012, Tveit took part in a private reading for a new musical based on the animated film,
Anastasia. He read for the character Dimitri, a con man who brings Anastasia to a wealthy Empress searching for her missing granddaughter, in return for a reward. The following year, he starred in the
USA Network series
Graceland where he played undercover
FBI Special Agent Mike Warren. The show premiered on June 6, 2013, and ran for thirty-eight episodes before being canceled after the completion of its third season in October 2015. Between filming seasons of
Graceland, Tveit starred and made his London stage debut in the
Menier Chocolate Factory's production of
Stephen Sondheim's
Assassins as
John Wilkes Booth. The production ran from November 21, 2014, to March 7, 2015. However, he had to leave the production on February 8, due to his working schedule, he was replaced by
Michael Xavier. During this time he also began performing solo concerts and recorded his own album
The Radio in My Head as well as the concept album for a new Broadway show
An American Victory: A New Musical in January 2014 with
Ashley Brown,
Hugh Panaro,
Ruthie Henshall,
Alexander Gemignani, and many other Broadway stars. The cast recording was released more than two years later in April 2016. Additionally, he appeared in the film
Big Sky which was released on August 14, 2015 and performed at the first
Elsie Fest in New York that September. Following the end of
Graceland, Tveit was cast in a variety of other television and film productions. In 2016, Tveit appeared as Danny Zuko in a live version of
Grease that aired on
Fox on January 31. He is featured on the soundtrack for
Grease Live. He returned to the
MCC Theater Miscast Gala in April 2016. Tveit then starred in the baseball themed movie
Undrafted which was released on July 15. His next film
Better Off Single was released in theaters and on demand on October 7. In October 2015, it was announced that Tveit would star in CBS's summer series
BrainDead, which premiered on June 13, 2016. Following the cancellation of
BrainDead after one season on October 17, 2016, Tveit had time to perform more concerts in 2017 and more screen roles including a reprisal of his role from
The Good Wife on an episode of
The Good Fight and a starring role in the independent film
Created Equal which held screenings in early 2018. Tveit returned to
Barrington Stage Company for their production of
Company in the role of Bobby, running from August 10 to September 10, 2017. He next had a role in the
Patricia Clarkson-starring crime thriller
Out of Blue, which premiered at the
2018 Toronto International Film Festival.
2018–present: Return to Broadway and Tony Award and
Danny Burstein at the
Tony Awards in 2019 In November 2017, Tveit participated in a developmental lab for the
stage adaptation of the 2001 movie
Moulin Rouge!, cast in the role as Christian, the character originally created by
Ewan McGregor. In April 2018, it was announced that Tveit would be reprising his role in the premiere engagement of
Moulin Rouge! at Boston's Emerson Colonial Theatre. The musical's premiere was scheduled for June 27; however, delays pushed the start of performances to July 10, 2018. Between the Boston and Broadway productions of
Moulin Rouge!, Tveit had a recurring role as the aspiring politician Matt Dobbins on the 2019 CBS show
The Code. Tveit starred as Christian in the Broadway production of
Moulin Rouge! at the
Al Hirschfeld Theatre; previews began on June 28, 2019, and the production had its opening night on July 25. Tveit has been universally praised for his portrayal;
New York Times theater critic
Ben Brantley said that Christian was "a role [Tveit] was born to play" during the Boston run of the show and later said that his 'passionate and uncompromising' performance was his "best Broadway work to date". The production was put on hold, beginning on March 12, 2020, due to the
COVID-19 pandemic, and on March 23, Tveit became the first Broadway star to announce a positive
COVID-19 test result. He was one of at least four cast members who contracted the virus. He was nominated for the
Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical, one of the musical's fourteen nominations at the
74th Tony Awards. Although not the only eligible actor in the category, he made history as the sole nominee for his category. He won the award, having received an affirmative vote by 60% or more of Tony voters. Tveit resumed his role as Christian when
Moulin Rouge! reopened on September 24, 2021. With other original cast members, he departed the production on May 8, 2022. During Broadway's closure in 2020, Tveit filmed the movie
One Royal Holiday, part of
Hallmark Channel's
Countdown to Christmas movie slate. Tveit starred opposite theater actresses
Laura Osnes and
Krystal Joy Brown. Released in April 2021, Tveit was a cast member of
Hit Job, a scripted comedy podcast produced by
Lorne Michaels'
Broadway Video for
Audible. That year he also appeared in two episodes of the horror anthology series
American Horror Stories. In 2021, he played Danny Bailey in the
Apple TV+ musical comedy parody series
Schmigadoon!; in the show's second season he plays Topher, a young hippie seeking his purpose in life. Tveit returned to
Moulin Rouge! as Christian for 12 weeks beginning on January 17, 2023. On February 9, 2024, Tveit replaced
Nicholas Christopher in the Broadway revival of
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street in
the title role. His run ended on May 5, following a 12-week limited engagement. From June 11–29, Tveit performed in a concert residency at the
Café Carlyle, his debut at that venue. That same month, it was announced that he had been cast in the
MGM+ series
Earth Abides, which premiered in December. He then returned to
Moulin Rouge! as Christian in a 12-week engagement starting on July 23, 2024. In March 2025, Tveit performed "Weak" with
JoJo during a New York City concert. Tveit co-starred in the Broadway revival of
Chess as Freddie Trumper; previews began October 15, 2025 and opening night occurred on November 16. == Personal life ==