Golden-Globe Nominated Darren Criss Gives Back After Very Big Year
*By Carlo Versano and Kate Gill*
After nabbing an Emmy in September, earning a Golden Globe nomination, and gracing the December cover of Entertainment Weekly, Darren Criss has every right to be smug.
But the actor-singer-songwriter who earned rave reviews for his turn as spree-killer Andrew Cunanan in FX's "The Assassination of Gianni Versace" knows he didn't do it alone.
"It's a lot bigger than me, which is always a nice reminder," he told Cheddar Tuesday. "It has to do with a lot of things that are so beyond my control."
"There are so many variables that I can't determine," he added acknowledging that many others ー directors, writers, editors, crew membersー contributed to his runaway success, which culminated last week with a Golden Globe nomination for Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture for TV.
Criss first captured teenage hearts as Blaine, the gay, bowtie-clad heartthrob in the high-school musical series "Glee." The actor may have transitioned into acting adulthood, but he's still in touch with the musical persona that launched his career. (He's currently on a concert tour with former costar Lea Michele.)
Criss' role as Cunanan, who murdered Italian fashion designer Gianni Versace and at least four other people in 1997, was considered among the best of the year ー praise that Criss said is partly a response to the complexity of Cunanan's life.
"It's not lost on me that \[its success\] has to do with someone who's famous for doing something very deplorable," he said. Still, he hopes the role helped viewers understand that evil is not always so cut-and-dried, and that Cunanan's life leading up to his infamous killing spree was not black and white. That "juxtaposition of dark and light" was what he loved about the role, he said.
Now Criss is partnering with Clorox on a philanthropic project that highlights the work of young people making an impact on their communities through cleaning. The [Clorox What Comes Next Project](https://www.clorox.com/our-purpose/why-clean-matters/clorox-what-comes-next-project/) supports people that "set the landscape for new beginnings," Criss said.
That could be the Florida high-school student who volunteers doing laundry for those in his community who can't afford it, or the Texas teenager who spends her free time cleaning cages at the local animal shelter.
Much like his acclaimed television role, Criss said the work these young people were doing spoke to his "artist's heart."
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/emmy-award-winning-actor-darren-criss-discusses-his-incredible-year).
Thrive Market is a health-first membership for conscious living, with a mission to make healthy and sustainable living easy and accessible. Nick Green, CEO and co-founder, chatted with Cheddar's Baker Machado about the company's approach and new ventures in 2022. "I grew up outside of Minneapolis, middle class, middle America, and really saw firsthand how hard my mom had to work to put healthy food on the table, on a budget, without a health food store nearby," he said. "Twenty-some years later we looked around and just thought it was crazy that millions of Americans are still struggling with the same thing, and we decided to change it." Recently the brand released a line of organic frozen products and will be introducing new beauty and home brands.
In what could be the biggest deal in video games history, Microsoft's purchase of Activision Blizzard underlines the company's aggressive push in gaming and beyond into its long-term vision of being top dog in the metaverse. Adam Hollander, former director of gamification at Microsoft and founder of Hungry Wolves NFT, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss. “Microsoft always plays chess, not checkers," he said, describing the price tag as an opportunity cost. "It's about integrating Activision Blizzard in with Azure and Windows and Xbox and Hololens and Minecraft and everything else that they're doing for the inevitable goal of being the major player in the next phase of the internet."
Jordan Zakarin, Media Producer at A More Perfect Union, joined Cheddar News to break down the latest from Colorado, where at least 8,700 Kroger employees walked off the job in demand of increased benefits and wages.
Food waste is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. Strella Biotechnology is trying to solve the problem by introducing new technology to a business that's been around for generations -- farming. The 24-year-old CEO created hi-tech sensors that interpret the shelf life of produce and alert farmers when fruits and vegetables are ready to be sent to supermarkets. The company says the process can help farmers make money, reduce food waste and increase the quality of produce. Strella Biotechnology's co-founder and CEO Katherine Sizov and co-founder and COO Jay Jordan joined Cheddar Climate to discuss.
Norbu Tenzing, Vice President of the American Himalayan Foundation and the son of the first Sherpa to ever summit Everest, joins Cheddar Reveals to discuss how Sherpa's put themselves in danger for clients, and the dangers of Everest's 'Death Zone.'
Gordon Janow, Director of Programs at Alpine Ascents, joins Cheddar Reveals to discuss how to get mentally and physically prepared to climb Mount Everest.
Netflix may not be staying at the top of the streaming wars, according to some wary investors, as competition heats up and it raises prices yet again. Tuna Amobi, director and senior equity analyst at CFRA Research, spoke with Cheddar about what investors should be considering should they stick with the streaming pioneer or drop the investment. "I think it's always mostly about the subscriber growth for the Q4, which is going to be an indicator of how the company has been navigating the speed bumps that we saw early in the year," said Amobi.
Daniel Loría, SVP content strategy and editorial director at Boxoffice Media, joins Cheddar News to discuss what helped 'Scream' score number one at the box office and what it means for the horror genre.
