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).
Jay-Z's Roc Nation is teaming up with The Reform Alliance to host a job fair at Madison Square Garden later this week. The event is aimed at helping disadvantaged people in NYC, including single parents and the formerly incarcerated, get jobs in the city. Participating companies include Zara, Amazon, Live Nation, VICE, and a slew of others. Dania Diaz, Managing Director, Roc Nation, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss what attendees can expect.
Cases of covid-19 are climbing in the Upper Midwest, Southwest, and parts of the Northeast. The seven-day national average is sitting at roughly 82,000 new cases which is an 11 percent jump from the week before. Dr. Amesh Adalja, Infectious Disease, Specialist, Sr. Scholar at Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss this recent uptick ahead of the holiday season.
Jill is joined by Baker Machado to talk all things infrastructure: where will the money go and who’s in charge? Plus, Sesame Street has its first Asian-American muppet. And a trailer for the trailer for Spiderman. Huh?
New York has always been home to some of the world’s tallest towers, but in the last 10 years the city has seen an influx of super skinny buildings towering over Central Park, built exclusively for the ultra-rich. With demand for luxury high-rise vistas being higher than ever, building developers are using every zoning opportunity they can to push height limits – and there’s one loophole that’s helping make that happen.
Ignacio Meyer, Executive Vice President of Music and Non-Scripted Entertainment at Univision, joins Cheddar News to preview the 22nd Annual Latin Grammy Awards.
Even prior to the pandemic, the United States had already been seeing a shortage of qualified teachers staffing its schools, but COVID-19 stress added to the burdens educators faced leading to burnout and early retirements. Steve M. Matthews, superintendent of the Novi Community School District in Michigan, joined Cheddar to discuss the lack of available teachers to keep kids educated. "I think the pandemic just exacerbated some of the issues and kind of pushed the momentum forward for a teacher shortage," he said.
According to ValuePenguin survey, 45% of insured Americans are considering health insurance changes during open enrollment. Derrick Kinney, Host of the 'Good Money' podcast, joins Cheddar to break down everything you need to know about open enrollment, and how inflation is having an impact on health insurance.
Ahsaki LaFrance-Chachere, Founder of Ah-Shí Beauty, joins Cheddar to discuss what inspired her to launch this beauty brand, how the brand is staying true to her tribe's culture and traditions, and what makes it stand out in the crowded beauty space.
