Skylar Astin Biography

Skylar Astin Lipstein (born September 23, 1987), known professionally as Skylar Astin, is an American actor and singer. He is best known for playing Jesse Swanson in the musical films Pitch Perfect (2012) and Pitch Perfect 2 (2015). He was also in the original cast of the award-winning Broadway musical Spring Awakening and has appeared in films such as Hamlet 2 (2008), Taking Woodstock (2009), Cavemen (2013), and 21 & Over (2013).

Early life

Astin was born in New York City, the son of Meryl and Barry Lipstein, a garment industry executive. He grew up in Rockland County, New York. He has a sister, Brielle, and two brothers, Milan and Jace. Astin is Jewish. Having graduated from Clarkstown High School North, he attended Stagedoor Manor performing arts summer camp. He was also a student at the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, but he took a leave of absence when cast in Spring Awakening. When he was 15, his agent selected his middle name, Astin, as his stage name.

Career

Astin's first professional role was a minor role in the original Off-Broadway and Broadway casts Spring Awakening as Georg, a male student with a crush on his piano teacher. He had short solos in multiple songs, but the character is most remembered for his belting in the song Touch Me. During his run as Georg, Astin filmed the role Rand Posin in the movie Hamlet 2. He sang "Raped in the Face" on the soundtrack with Phoebe Strole, a Spring Awakening cast mate, and his co-star in the film, and the film's star, Steve Coogan. Screenings of the film at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival led to Astin signing on with United Talent Agency.

Astin joined the cast of the 2009 Adam Carolla sitcom Ace in the Hole on CBS. However, the show was not picked up by the network.

In 2010, Astin took on the role of Mark Cohen in a production of Rent, directed by Neil Patrick Harris, at the Hollywood Bowl. The cast included Aaron Tveit and Vanessa Hudgens. Also in 2010, he joined the cast of the Jere Burns sitcom Strange Brew on Fox, which like Ace in the Hole was not picked up.

Astin guest-starred as Ben in the July 2011 episode of Love Bites titled "Boys to Men" and, as Matt Kornstein, in the May 2012 episode of Girls entitled "Hannah's Diary". He also played a patient on House, Season 8, Episode 21, May 2012.

In 2012, Astin found his breakthrough starring in the comedy film Pitch Perfect (2012), as Jesse Swanson, and reprised the role in the 2015 sequel Pitch Perfect 2. Astin also started in the comedy film 21 and Over (2013) as Casey.

Astin also starred in the TBS sitcom Ground Floor as Brody Moyer, a young ambitious money manager who falls for a girl on the ground floor. He will also lead an upcoming NBA comedy on ABC.

Personal life

Astin began dating Pitch Perfect co-star Anna Camp in 2013. The couple were reported to be engaged in January 2016. They married on September 10, 2016. Camp appeared in an episode of Astin's series, Ground Floor, as his character's ex-girlfriend.

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2008	Hamlet 2	Rand Posin
2009	Taking Woodstock	John P. Roberts
2012	Love Written in Blood	Henderson
2012	Pitch Perfect	Jesse Swanson	Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actor Comedy Nominated - Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Liplock (shared with Anna Kendrick)
2012	Wreck-It Ralph	Roy	Voice; BTVA Feature Film Voice Acting Award for Best Vocal Ensemble in a Feature Film BTVA People's Choice Voice Acting Award for Best Vocal Ensemble in a Feature Film
2013	21 & Over	Casey
2014	Cavemen	Dean
2014	The Oven	Owen Miller	Short film
2015	Pitch Perfect 2	Jesse Swanson	Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actor Comedy
2016	Monkey Up	Monty	Voice; Completed
2016	Flock of Dudes	David	Completed
2016	Speech & Debate	Walter Healy	Post-production
2017	Pitch Perfect 3	Jesse Swanson	In development

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2009	Ace in the Hole	Tod Morella	Unsold pilot
2010	Strange Brew	Kyle	Unsold pilot
2011	Love Bites	Ben	Episode: "Boys to Men"
2012	Girls	Matt Kornstein	Episode: "Hannah's Diary"
2012	House	Derrick	Episode: "Holding On"
2013-2015	Ground Floor	Brody Moyer	Lead Role; 20 episodes
2014	Glee	Jean Baptiste	Episode: "City of Angels"
2015	Comedy Bang! Bang!	Himself	Episode: "Skylar Astin Wears Blue Jeans and Weathered Brown Desert Boots"
2016	Graves	Isaiah Miller	Series Regular; Filming

Web

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2011	The Online Gamer	Mikey	3 episodes

Theater

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2006-2008	Spring Awakening	Georg	Broadway
2010	Rent	Mark Cohen	Hollywood Bowl
2016	West Side Story	Tony	Carnegie Hall
2016	God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater	Norman Mushari	New York City Center Encores! Off-Center