John Howard Gallagher Jr. (born June 17, 1984) is an American actor and musician best known for originating the role of Moritz Stiefel in the 2006 rock musical '' Spring Awakening'', which earned him a

Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical This is a list of the winners and nominations of Tony Award for the Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical. The award has been given since 1947, but the nominees who did not win have only been publicly announced since 1956. Winner and ...

. He also played Johnny in

Green Day Green Day is an American rock band formed in the East Bay of California in 1987 by lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, together with bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt. For most of the band's career, they have been a powe ...

's Broadway musical, '' American Idiot'', Lee in the 2011 Broadway production of ''

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

,'' and Edmund in the 2016 Broadway revival of '' Long Day's Journey Into Night''. He portrayed Jim Harper in

Aaron Sorkin Aaron Benjamin Sorkin (born June 9, 1961) is an American playwright, screenwriter and film director. Born in New York City, he developed a passion for writing at an early age. Sorkin has earned an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, five Primetime E ...

's drama series '' The Newsroom'', starred in the

HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...

mini-series ''

Olive Kitteridge ''Olive Kitteridge'' is a 2008 novel by American author Elizabeth Strout. The novel provides a portrait of the title character and a number of recurring characters in the coastal town of Crosby, Maine. It takes the form of 13 short stories that ...

'', and played Emmett DeWitt in ''

10 Cloverfield Lane ''10 Cloverfield Lane'' is a 2016 American science fiction psychological thriller film directed by Dan Trachtenberg in his directorial debut, produced by J. J. Abrams and Lindsey Weber and written by Josh Campbell, Matthew Stuecken, and Damien ...

''.

Early life

Gallagher was born in

Wilmington, Delaware Wilmington ( Lenape: ''Paxahakink /'' ''Pakehakink)'' is the largest city in the U.S. state of Delaware. The city was built on the site of Fort Christina, the first Swedish settlement in North America. It lies at the confluence of the Christina ...

, and was raised there with his two older sisters. His parents, John and June Gallagher, are folk musicians. He attended

Brandywine High School Brandywine High School is a public secondary school located near Talleys Corner in unincorporated area, unincorporated New Castle County, Delaware, with a Wilmington, Delaware, Wilmington postal address. Although the school is not within the Wilmi ...

. He eventually went on to play in numerous bands, including Not Now Murray, What Now, Annie's Autograph, and Old Springs Pike. Gallagher played

Tom Sawyer Thomas Sawyer () is the titular character of the Mark Twain novel ''The Adventures of Tom Sawyer'' (1876). He appears in three other novels by Twain: ''Adventures of Huckleberry Finn'' (1884), ''Tom Sawyer Abroad'' (1894), and ''Tom Sawyer, Dete ...

as a child actor at the

Delaware Children's Theatre The Delaware Children's Theatre (DCT) is a community theatre in Wilmington, Delaware, United States. The theatre company occupies the historic New Century Club building. Theatre company Originally named the Children's Repertory Theatre of Wilmin ...

. Before and throughout his '' Spring Awakening'' run, he was in the folk-rock group Old Springs Pike. On January 23, 2008, his fellow band members announced his departure. The next day, Gallagher made an official announcement confirming his departure on his MySpace page. Old Springs Pike later officially changed their name to the Spring Standards.

Stage career

2000–2005: Early career

Gallagher has appeared in three plays by playwright David Lindsay-Abaire. He originated the role of Jeff in Abaire's hit play ''

Kimberly Akimbo ''Kimberly Akimbo'' is a play written in 2000 by David Lindsay-Abaire. Its title character is a lonely teenage girl suffering from a disease similar to progeria, that causes her to age four and a half times as fast as normal, thus trapping her in ...

'', appeared in the ill-fated United Kingdom production of ''

Fuddy Meers ''Fuddy Meers'' is an American play by David Lindsay-Abaire. It tells the story of an amnesiac, Claire, who awakens each morning as a blank slate on which her husband and teenage son must imprint the facts of her life. One morning Claire is abduc ...

'', and he received critical acclaim for his role in '' Rabbit Hole'', which marked his Broadway debut. He also appeared in the

Manhattan Theatre Club Manhattan Theatre Club (MTC) is a theatre company located in New York City, affiliated with the League of Resident Theatres. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Lynne Meadow and Executive Producer Barry Grove, Manhattan Theatre Club has gr ...

Production of the David Marshall Grant play ''Current Events''.

2006–2011: Broadway and ''Spring Awakening''

Gallagher originated the role of Moritz Stiefel in '' Spring Awakening'' on Broadway after performing the role

Off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...

and in workshops at

Lincoln Center Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (also simply known as Lincoln Center) is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It has thirty indoor and outdoor facilities and is host to 5 millio ...

. The rock musical, with music by Duncan Sheik and a book and lyrics by Steven Sater premiered

at the Atlantic Theatre Company on May 19, 2006, and ran through August 5, 2006.Pincus-Roth, Zachar
"'Spring Awakening' Advance Approaches $2 Million"
playbill.com, December 12, 2006 '' Spring Awakening'' opened on Broadway at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre on December 10, 2006. Gallagher won the 2007

Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical This is a list of the winners and nominations of Tony Award for the Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical. The award has been given since 1947, but the nominees who did not win have only been publicly announced since 1956. Winner and ...

for his performance. On December 16, 2007, he left '' Spring Awakening'' and was succeeded two days later by

Blake Bashoff Blake Warren Bashoff (born May 30, 1981) is an American television and motion picture actor, known for his role as Moritz Stiefel in '' Spring Awakening''. He has also appeared in a number of guest roles on television series, including the ABC ...

. Gallagher starred in productions of the dramas, ''

Port Authority In Canada and the United States, a port authority (less commonly a port district) is a governmental or quasi-governmental public authority for a special-purpose district usually formed by a legislative body (or bodies) to operate ports and other t ...

'', by Conor McPherson and ''Farragut North'' by

Beau Willimon Pack Beauregard Willimon (born October 26, 1977) is an American playwright and screenwriter. He helped develop the American version of the series ''House of Cards'' and served as showrunner for the first four seasons. In 2018, Willimon created th ...

. Both plays were productions of the

Atlantic Theater Company Atlantic Theater Company is an Off-Broadway non-profit theater, whose mission is to produce great plays "simply and truthfully utilizing an artistic ensemble." The company was founded in 1985 by David Mamet, William H. Macy, and 30 of their actin ...

, the same theater that premiered '' Spring Awakening''. Gallagher starred in '' American Idiot'', a musical based on the

album of the same name, along with fellow Spring Awakening alumni Brian Charles Johnson and Gerard Canonico. ''American Idiot'' premiered in

Berkeley, California Berkeley ( ) is a city on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay in northern Alameda County, California, United States. It is named after the 18th-century Irish bishop and philosopher George Berkeley. It borders the cities of Oakland and Emer ...

at the Berkeley Repertory Theater on September 4, 2009. The show's run ended on November 15, 2009. It began previews on Broadway at the

St. James Theatre The St. James Theatre, originally Erlanger's Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 246 West 44th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1927, it was designed by Warren and Wetmore in a neo-Georgian style a ...

March 24, 2010 and officially opened on April 20, 2010. It was later nominated for three 2010

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cer ...

s, of which it won two. Gallagher played Johnny, or "

Jesus of Suburbia "Jesus of Suburbia" is a song by American rock band Green Day. It was released as the fifth and final single from the group's seventh studio album, '' American Idiot'', and the second song on the album. With the song running for 9 minutes and 8 ...

". Gallagher departed '' American Idiot'' on February 27, 2011, and was succeeded by Van Hughes The show's run ended on April 24, 2011. After leaving '' American Idiot'', Gallagher was featured in the Broadway production of The Royal Court Theatre's ''

''. The production was directed by Ian Rickson, and opened on April 21, 2011, at the Music Box Theatre (239 West 45th Street). He played the role of Lee until leaving the production on July 17, 2011.

2016–present: Return to stage acting

He starred as Edmund Tyrone in

Roundabout Theatre Company The Roundabout Theatre Company is a leading non-profit theatre company based in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, affiliated with the League of Resident Theatres. History The company was founded in 1965 by Gene Feist, Michael Fried and Elizabet ...

's revival of

Eugene O'Neill Eugene Gladstone O'Neill (October 16, 1888 – November 27, 1953) was an American playwright and Nobel laureate in literature. His poetically titled plays were among the first to introduce into the U.S. the drama techniques of realism, earlier ...

's '' Long Day's Journey into Night'', alongside Jessica Lange and Gabriel Byrne. The show was directed by Jonathan Kent and opened on April 19, 2016, at the

American Airlines Theatre The American Airlines Theatre, originally the Selwyn Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 227 West 42nd Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Built in 1918, it was designed by George Keister and developed by brothe ...

. In 2022, he starred in the world premiere production of ''Swept Away'' at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre. Based on the music of '' The Avett Brothers'', the musical reunited Gallagher with ''Spring Awakening'' director Michael Mayer. Of note, Gallagher named the Avett Brothers his favorite band in a 2007 ''New York'' magazine article.

Film and television work

Gallagher has appeared in several television programs, including '' The West Wing'', '' Law & Order: SVU'', ''

NYPD Blue ''NYPD Blue'' is an American police procedural television series set in New York City, exploring the struggles of the fictional 15th Precinct detective squad in Manhattan. Each episode typically intertwines several plots involving an ensemble c ...

'', '' Ed'', '' Love Monkey'', and

Hallmark Hall of Fame ''Hallmark Hall of Fame'', originally called ''Hallmark Television Playhouse'', is an anthology program on American television, sponsored by Hallmark Cards, a Kansas City-based greeting card company. The longest-running prime-time series in t ...

's film ''

The Flamingo Rising ''The Flamingo Rising'' is a 2001 dramatic film in the Hallmark Hall of Fame released on CBS in February 2001, and based on the novel ''The Flamingo Rising'' written by Larry Baker in 1997. The movie stars Christopher Larkin, William Hurt, El ...

''. He played Jim Harper in

's '' The Newsroom'' which aired on

. He also appeared in HBO's mini-series ''

'', based on the

Pulitzer Pulitzer may refer to: *Joseph Pulitzer, a 20th century media magnate *Pulitzer Prize, an annual U.S. journalism, literary, and music award *Pulitzer (surname) * Pulitzer, Inc., a U.S. newspaper chain *Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, a non-pro ...

-winning novel of the same name, in the role of Christopher Kitteridge. Gallagher's film credits include ''

Pieces of April ''Pieces of April'' is a 2003 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Peter Hedges. Marking Hedges' directorial debut, the film stars Katie Holmes, Derek Luke, Sean Hayes, Alison Pill, Oliver Platt and Patricia Clarkson. The film f ...

'', Woody Allen's '' Whatever Works'', '' Jonah Hex'', ''

The Heart Machine ''The Heart Machine'' is a 2014 romantic thriller film written and directed by Zachary Wigon based on his own 2012 short film ''Someone Else's Heart''. The film is about a man (played by John Gallagher Jr.) who attempts to track down the woman (p ...

'', Kenneth Lonergan's ''

Margaret Margaret is a female first name, derived via French () and Latin () from grc, μαργαρίτης () meaning "pearl". The Greek is borrowed from Persian. Margaret has been an English name since the 11th century, and remained popular througho ...

'', and a lead role in ''

Short Term 12 ''Short Term 12'' is a 2013 American Independent film, independent drama film written and directed by Destin Daniel Cretton. It is adapted from Cretton's short film of the same name, produced in 2009. The film stars Brie Larson as Grace Howard, a ...

'' opposite Brie Larson. Short Term 12's director,

Destin Daniel Cretton Destin Daniel Cretton is an American filmmaker. He is best known for his films ''Short Term 12'' (2013), ''The Glass Castle'' (2017), ''Just Mercy'' (2019) and the Marvel Studios film ''Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings'' (2021). He has ...

described Gallagher as having an innate quality, that the actor "feels like a big brother anyone would want to have." In 2016, he starred in the thriller film ''

''. As of June 2015, he filmed '' The Belko Experiment'', a horror thriller film directed by Greg McLean and written by James Gunn. In 2016, Gallagher starred as the antagonist in horror-thriller film '' Hush''. In 2018 he starred in ''

The Miseducation of Cameron Post ''The Miseducation of Cameron Post'' is a coming-of-age teen novel by Emily M. Danforth published in 2012. The novel's protagonist is Cameron Post, a 12-year-old Montana girl who is discovering her own homosexuality. After her parents die in a ca ...

'', and in 2020 he played Liam Dempsey Jr. in season 3 of '' Westworld''.

Music

Gallagher has been writing music since his early adolescent years, playing guitar, bass, drums and harmonica.Lindsey Sullivan
"Johnny Gallagher on Debut Solo Album 'Six Day Hurricane,' Dropping the 'Jr.' & Jamming With Jeff Daniels"
''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

'', January 19, 2016. Retrieved on December 25, 2016. He frequently performs in live spaces such as

Rockwood Music Hall Rockwood Music Hall is a music venue at 196 Allen Street on the Lower East Side of Manhattan in New York City. Owner Ken Rockwood, aka "The Professor", opened the establishment in 2005 as a small bar and music venue. Today, the venue features ...

in New York. On January 15, 2016, Gallagher released his debut album "Six Day Hurricane" via Rockwood Music Hall Recordings, under the name Johnny Gallagher.Andrea Towers
"John Gallagher, Jr. announces album Six Day Hurricane, releases first single"
''

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...

'', November 23, 2015. Retrieved on December 25, 2016. The album was recorded in Brooklyn in 2012, over the course of six days during Hurricane Sandy.Pamela Thomas
"Interview: Johnny Gallagher on the release of his debut LP Six Day Hurricane"
''The Reel Spin'', January 15, 2016. Retrieved on December 25, 2016. Regarding the decision to release his music after a three-year delay, Gallagher said: "I knew I had to do it now, or I was going to go another year or see another birthday without putting my music out, and I can't live with that." The album, produced by close friend and collaborator Thad DeBrock, includes nine songs originally selected for a previous live performance, including singles "Two Fists Full," "Dangerous Strangers," and "Sarasota Someone."

Filmography

Theater

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* * * *
Review
of John Gallagher Jr's performance in ''American Idiot'' on Broadway, April 21, 2010 {{DEFAULTSORT:Gallagher, John Jr. 1984 births Living people Male actors from Wilmington, Delaware 21st-century American male actors American male film actors American male stage actors American male musical theatre actors American male television actors Musicians from Wilmington, Delaware Tony Award winners Singers from Delaware