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).
Rapper and singer T-Pain is teaming up with Google this holiday season to encourage shoppers to support Black-owned businesses on Black Friday. Stephanie Horton, the director of marketing for Google Shopping, joined Cheddar to provide some details about T-Pain's new song, featuring Normani, in a new shoppable interactive film for the promotion. She also explained how Google worked with local artists in various states to create shoppable murals, where products seen in the artwork are discoverable online by simply pointing your camera at it.
Jill and Carlo cover the developing story out of suburban Milwaukee, where a speeding SUV careened through a Christmas parade. Looters get more brazen in San Francisco, the missing Chinese tennis star resurfaces, and more.
Alternative asset, sports cards-focused platform Alt recently raised $75 million in a Series B round. Alt's platform lets users research, trade, and securely store sports cards and other high-value assets. Right now, the company has more than $70 million worth of cards in its vault. The company is also hoping to get into other assets, including NFTs. Alt CEO Leore Avidar joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Michael Tubbs, former Mayor of Stockton, California and author of 'The Deeper the Roots,' joined Cheddar Movers to talk all about his new memoir, and his ongoing fight to make meaningful change in his community.
Streaming platform Roku announced plans to develop more than 50 original shows in a bid to become a destination for free content amid growing competition in the space. Shelly Kramer, co-founder and lead analyst at Futurum Research, spoke to Cheddar about the new offering "The transition here from hardware to adding a software component by way of original content, I think is smart," she said. "And it's all about the Benjamins." Kramer also noted that she doesn't necessarily think Roku is entering the content game too late.
Ameeth Sankaran, CEO of the emmy-winning media company Religion of Sports, joined Cheddar to talk about the "Man in the Arena: Tom Brady" docuseries that premiered on ESPN+ earlier this week. Sankaran noted Brady and former NFL star Michael Strahan as co-founders and discussed the origin of the company and its goal to tell stories about sports figures beyond their roles on the court or field.
The behind-the-scenes story of HBO's history is chronicled in the new book 'Tinderbox: HBO's Ruthless Pursuit of New Frontiers.' The book tells the true story of how HBO came to dominate the television industry as we know it. The man behind the book has interviewed over 700 key sources to uncover a bottomless trove of secrets, surprises, and never before heard stories. James Andrew Miller joins Cheddar News to share more.
In an all-new podcast, one sports journalist takes listeners through never-before-heard tapes of a teenage Kobe Bryant as he explores his thoughts, his dreams, his goals at the start of his path to becoming an NBA icon. Journalist at the Philadelphia Inquirer and host of the podcast, "I Am Kobe" from Diversion Podcasts Mike Sielski, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
As the world of trading in cryptocurrency gets more popular experts say competition in the space could get bigger within the next year. CEO of Onramp Invest Tyrone Ross, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
