Trivia

Oscar-winning composer Alan Menken, who wrote the scores for La Petite Sirène (1989), La Belle et la Bête (1991), Aladdin (1992) and many more, once handed a hundred dollar tip to Darren Criss doing an acappella medley of his songs at a coffee shop.

Before the show Glee (2009), he sang his own rendition of some Disney songs at a Maggiano's restaurant every Thursday.

Appears in the music video for Katy Perry's single, "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)", alongside Rebecca Black, Corey Feldman, Kenny G, Debbie Gibson, Kevin McHale, Isaac Hanson, Taylor Hanson and Zac Hanson.

Darren's mother is from Cebu in the Philippines, and has Filipino, Chinese, and Spanish ancestry. Darren's father is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and has English, and some German and Northern Irish, ancestry. Darren's patrilineal line can be traced back to Johanne Jorge Nicholas Crist, who was born, c. 1690, in Germany.

Graduated from the University of Michigan in 2009, a month after the premier of A Very Potter Musical (2009).

Lived in Arezzo, Italy for 6 months.

Wrote every single song for Team Starkid's A Very Potter Sequel (2010) and their fourth Production Starship.

Part of StarKid Productions. Played Harry Potter in A Very Potter Musical (2009) and had a principal role in a mini series they did while in University called "Little White Lie".

His signature pink glasses were a replacement for a pair of red sunglasses he lost.

Became engaged to his long term girlfriend Mia Swier in January 2018.

Lives in Los Angeles with fellow Team StarKid member, Joey Richter.

Made his professional stage debut at age 10 in the 42nd Street Moon production of Harold Rome's Fanny 1997.

Darren's brother, Chuck Criss (Chuck Criss), is a member of the Freelance Whales.

New York, NY: Playing J. Pierpont Finch in "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" on Broadway. (January 2012)

In the TV show Glee (2009) he plays Blaine Anderson an out-of-the-closet jock who falls in love with a new student Kurt Hummel portrayed by Chris Colfer. In real life Darren is straight.

No relation to KISS drummer Peter Criss, despite a popular misconception.

Los Angeles, CA: Filming "Glee" (September 2011)

Became a father for the second time on June 3 2024, a boy called Brother László Criss. Mother is his wife Mia Swier.