Christian Borle

As Broadway composer Tom Levitt on the showbiz drama "Smash," long-time stage actor Christian Borle finally achieved mainstream success. Not to say that he was unsuccessful in the theater: Borle received the 2005 Broadway.com Audience Award for his portrayal of multiple characters in the original run of "Spamelot" and earned a Tony nomination for originating the role of Emmett in "Legally Blonde: The Musical." Like many actors, he knew that he was going to be a performer from a young age, and participated in theater as much as possible, beginning in elementary school. Borle's encouraging parents helped him graduate from Carnegie Mellon University before moving to New York in 1995 to pursue his dream. He debuted on Broadway in 1999 as an understudy for Willard in "Footloose," and quickly found more understudy opportunities in shows including "Thoroughly Modern Millie" and "Amour." As a member of the original "Spamelot" cast, Borle caught the attention of audiences and critics with his energetic and hilarious performance, leading to his well-known turn as the romantic lead in "Legally Blonde." Amidst these high-profile theater roles, Borle found a handful of opportunities to act on screen, with a small part on an episode of "Law & Order" and a supporting role in the panned romantic comedy "The Bounty Hunter." Shortly before debuting in "Smash" and spending most of his screen time opposite Debra Messing, Borle starred in a Broadway revival of "Angels in America."