| Derek Klena | |
| Birth Name: | Derek Anthony Klena |
| Birth Date: | 3 October 1991 |
| Birth Place: | San Dimas, California, U.S. |
| Education: | South Hills High School |
| Alma Mater: | University of California, Los Angeles |
| Occupation: | Actor, singer |
| Years Active: | 2009-present |
| Children: | 2[1] |
| Known For: | Anastasia Moulin Rouge! Jagged Little Pill |
Derek Anthony Klena (born October 3, 1991)[2] [3] is an American actor and singer. He is best known for his work on Broadway, including originating the roles of Nick Healy in Jagged Little Pill (2019–2021), Dmitry in Anastasia (2017–2018), and Michael in The Bridges of Madison County (2014). His breakthrough was in the original Off-Broadway production of Pasek & Paul's stage adaptation of Dogfight,[4] and he played Fiyero in the 10th anniversary company of Wicked on Broadway. Klena most recently portrayed Christian in the Broadway company of Moulin Rouge! replacing Aaron Tveit in the role on and off from 2022 to 2024. He has made appearances on several television series such as Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, The Code, and .
In 2020, Klena was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Nick Healy in Jagged Little Pill.[5]
Klena was born in San Dimas, California.[6] He grew up with his two younger siblings in West Covina, California, outside of Los Angeles, where he attended South Hills High School. His brother, Dillon, is also an actor.[7] He is from a Jewish family.[8]
Klena attended the University of California, Los Angeles where he initially studied theater but switched his major to psychology.[9] His freshman year he played baseball before seriously pursuing acting and auditioning. From 2009 to 2011, he took part in regional Southern California theater. He participated in American Idol
He originated the role of Eddie Birdlace in the stage adaptation of Dogfight. In 2013, he played Fiyero in the 10th anniversary company of Wicked on Broadway.[11] Subsequently, he played son Michael Johnson in the original Broadway musical The Bridges of Madison County.
In 2014, he was cast in the pre-Broadway musical adaptation of the 1982 film Diner at the Signature Theatre in Virginia. Adapted by original screenwriter Barry Levinson and with music by Sheryl Crow, the musical originally planned to open on Broadway but did not transfer.[12]
In 2016, he was cast to star as Dmitry in the original production of Anastasia, the stage musical adaptation of the animated film of the same name. Premiering in Hartford, Connecticut, in March 2016, it opened on Broadway in April 2017. After a year with the production, he left to take part in the original Cambridge, Massachusetts, production of Jagged Little Pill, a musical based on the music of Alanis Morissette.[13] The Broadway production opened in December 2019. Klena was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Nick Healy. The show went on hiatus in March 2020 and reopened in October 2021 but closed a few months later due to the Omicron surge in New York City.
In May 2022, he replaced Aaron Tveit as Christian in Moulin Rouge! on Broadway. He left the cast in January 2023 and returned in April that same year for three months.[14] In February 2023, he starred as Joe Gillis opposite Stephanie J. Block as Norma in Sunset Boulevard at the Kennedy Center.[15] On 8 January 2024, it was announced Klena would return to Moulin Rouge! on 6 February replacing Casey Cott. He left the cast on 21 July.[16]
He resides in New York City. Klena married his longtime girlfriend Elycia Scriven in 2018. In April 2022, Klena and his wife announced that they were expecting their first child.[17] [18] [19] The couple welcomed a son, Dax Arthur Klena, on September 8, 2022.[20]
Selected credits[21]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | The Tomorrow People | Dylan | Episode: "Pilot" | |
| 2014 | The Carrie Diaries | Pvt. Robert Watson | Episode: "Date Expectations" | |
| 2015 | Law & Order: SVU | Connor Howell | Episode: "Devastating Story" | |
| One Bad Choice | Drew | Episode: "Stephan Perez" | ||
| 2016–2018 | Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt | Douglas Fingablast / DJ Fingablast | 3 episodes | |
| 2016 | Blue Bloods | Cormac Phillips | Episode: "Down the Rabbit Hole" | |
| Last Week Tonight with John Oliver | Brandon Schmidt | Episode: "Doping" | ||
| Quantico | Eric Boyer | Episode: "Kubark" | ||
| 2019 | The Code | Adam Turnbull / Lt. Adam Turnbull | 5 episodes | |
| 2022–2024 | Wes | Recurring Character | ||
| 2022 | A Holiday Spectacular | John | Television Film |
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Clive Barnes Award | Clive Barnes Award for Theatre | Dogfight | ||
| 2020 | Tony Award | Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical | Jagged Little Pill | ||
| 2023 | Broadway.com Audience Choice Award | Favorite Replacement | Moulin Rouge |