Chris Messina

Photo of Chris Messina

Biography

As a young actor working in New York City, Chris Messina grew accustomed to playing a variety of characters, and showed a particular penchant for playing dangerous, untrustworthy sorts, despite a long run of good guy roles once he arrived in Hollywood. Messina first came to national attention as Ted Fairwell, the upstanding Republican boyfriend of Lauren Ambrose's Claire on HBO's "Six Feet Under" (2001-05), and would reprise the type in a …
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Job Title

Actor, Producer

Born

August 11, 1974

Career Milestones

2012

Cast in political thriller "Argo," directed by Ben Affleck

2012

Cast as gynecologist Danny Castellano opposite Mindy Kaling on "The Mindy Project" (Fox)

2012

Appeared as a network suit on HBO drama series "The Newsroom"

2012

Re-teamed with Rashida Jones in "Celeste & Jesse Forever"

2011

Guest starred on FX crime drama "Damages"

2010

Co-starred with Rashida Jones in romantic drama "Monogamy"

2010

Co-starred with Ben Stiller and Greta Gerwig in "Greenberg"

2009

Played the husband of food blogger Julie Powell (Amy Adams) in Nora Ephron's "Julie & Julia"

2008

Joined ensemble cast of Woody Allen's "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"

2006

Co-starred with writer Jennifer Westfeldt in the romantic comedy "Ira & Abby"

2005

Cast as Claire's (Lauren Ambrose) love interest on HBO drama "Six Feet Under"

1998

Made feature acting debut with minor roles in "Rounders," "The Siege," and "You've Got Mail"

1995

Made TV debut on NBC's "Law & Order"; returned to play various characters in 1996 and 2003

Began his career as an off-Broadway actor

Awards

2012

Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture in Argo