Chris Sullivan: 10 Things You Didn’t Know

Today’s television programming offers an unprecedented range of superb shows that span a wide variety of genres. From sci-fi to historical fiction, there are endless options for entertaining television shows. Some of the most popular shows, however, do not depend on extravagant settings or supernatural plot lines. Instead, many of the most popular shows simply focus on what it is to be a human being in the world today. One such show is This Is Us, a show which has garnered rave reviews for the performances of its cast, including the highly talented Chris Sullivan.

On the show, Sullivan plays Toby Damon. An obese man, Toby meets Kate Pearson at a weight loss support group, and the two explore the challenges of balancing health, romance, pleasure, and the societal expectations that burden overweight individuals. Sullivan’s role is an important one; just as with minorities or women, it is important to have an honest and genuine depiction of overweight individuals in television in order to achieve acceptance and understanding.

While he has achieved considerable popularity for his outstanding work on This Is Us, Sullivan has a highly interesting background and personal life as well. Here are ten of the most interesting facts about the actor.

10. He voiced the Geico Camel

Although Sullivan now has a prominent role on one of NBC’s most popular shows, he has also done some work in commercials. Most notably, he voiced a talking camel in an ad for Geico. In the commercial, the camel walks through an office saying, “Hump Day!”

When asked about the role, he stated that the footage was completed before he gave his voice recordings, making it much easier for him.

9. He is well educated

Like many actors, Sullivan had to make a leap of faith when he left his hometown to pursue acting. However, he did not bank on his talent alone. Instead, he ensured that he had a significant amount of education and experience in the field beforehand.

Most importantly, he graduated with a BFA in Theatre Arts from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles in 2002. In addition, he studied at the ImprovOlympic to hone his skills. The considerable amount of time and effort that he has dedicated to his craft is evident through his moving performance as Toby in This Is Us.

8. He has musical talent

In addition to his acting work, Sullivan has dedicated a significant amount of time to music, even founding his own folk band. This band, named Sully and the Benevolent Folk, is a band composed of many of Sullivan’s friends. The musicians have experience in genres ranging from heavy metal to country to blues.

Sullivan has stated that music is a way to push the boundaries of his creativity. He reportedly wrote 32 songs in 32 days as a challenge, as well as learning to play the ukulele. While it certainly reveals his versatility, this type of endeavor also illuminates Sullivan’s incredible work ethic.

7. Chris Sullivan Net Worth

Having only begun his professional acting career in the late 2000s, Sullivan has recently found his popularity rising with more prominent roles in shows like This Is Us and The Knick. As such, his net worth of roughly $500,000 is respectable, but not an accurate indication of his status. With This Is Us being renewed for a third season, his personal fortune will almost certainly be rising much higher.

6. His wife is also in the entertainment industry

While the on-screen romance of Toby and Kate is irresistible, Sullivan has remained faithful and dedicated to his wife for the entirety of their six-year marriage. He married Rachel Reichard in Chicago, only days before moving to New York City to begin rehearsals for a stage performance. Luckily, the demands of Sullivan’s acting career did not put too much of a strain on their relationship. This is probably due to Reichard’s experience, as her work as a producer ensured that she fully understood what it meant to marry an actor.

5. He has considerable stage experience

Sullivan is best known for his work on television shows like This Is Us and in films like The Drop, but he also is well-versed in theatre. Most notably, this included a six-year run of acting on stage. His stage credits include playing Jim Taylor in Lombardi and Amos Hart in Chicago. Perhaps most impressive of all was his performance in Nice Work If You Can Get It, for which he was nominated for the 2012 Outer Circle Critics Choice Award for Featured Actor.

4. He is set to appear in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

As further evidence of Sullivan’s growing success, he will appear in the second installment of the incredibly successful Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. In the film, he will play a rather obscure villain known as “Taserface.” James Gunn, the writer and director of the project, stated that Taserface is very powerful although quite dim-witted. Although a minor role, breaking into the Marvel world is an impressive feat for an actor who is relatively new to the industry.

3. He was a talented athlete

While it may be difficult to imagine Sullivan doing anything other than acting with his life, he at one point considered becoming a professional tennis player. For well over a decade, the sport was his primary focus, and he excelled at it. This is unsurprising when one considers his impressive stature; he stands at 6’4. Luckily for all of his fans, he eventually decided to pursue acting.

2. He knew he wanted to act from a young age

Despite having some dreams about playing tennis professionally, Sullivan has been mostly devoted to acting throughout his life. From a young age, he knew that he wanted to perform on stage and screen. In fact, his first audition was at the young age of 14. He has stated that his mother dropped him off and told him she would return in an hour. Luckily, he landed the part and has never looked back.

1. His first performance was a failure

Many people would likely assume that actors like Sullivan, whose work is featured in highly popular television shows, are so talented that they have never tasted defeat. For Sullivan, this is not the case. His first attempt at professional acting on screen did not go well, as the pilot that he appeared in was rejected.

This role was as a Russian mobster in a programme called Pleading Guilty, which never aired. He was supposed to star across from Jason Isaacs. Interestingly, the pilot featured so much violence that he actually received a stuntman stipend as well. Despite this early setback, Sullivan’s self-belief and work ethic have resulted in a remarkable and ever-improving career.

Conclusion

Chris Sullivan is an actor who is only now finding the fame and fortune that he deserves. With roles in upcoming shows and movies, fans can look forward to seeing a great deal of him in the coming months. In addition to his acting career, he is a versatile individual who has talents in fields like folk music and tennis. In addition, he has shown that with hard work and dedication, incredible feats can be accomplished.