Tyler Christopher Biography

Tyler Christopher (born on November 11, 1972 in Joliet, Illinois, USA) is an American actor, best known for his role as Nikolas Cassadine on the ABC daytime drama General Hospital, a character which he originated in 1996 and has played off and on ever since. Tyler Christopher was nominated for Daytime Emmys for the role in 1998, 2005, and 2006. Tyler Christopher is sometimes credited as Tyler Baker.

Biography

Tyler was born in Joliet, Illinois and grew up in Delaware, Ohio, the youngest of four children. Tyler Christopher is of Native American heritage, as his mother Jimi-Ann is Choctaw and his father Jimmy Baker is Seneca. Tyler Christopher's original goal was to be a professional athlete, but his physically small size made this difficult. Tyler Christopher attended Ohio Wesleyan University for two years, and then moved to Los Angeles. His first couple years in L.A., he worked at "hard labor" jobs, and then he decided to save his money and make a career change after talking to his actor cousin Derk Cheetwood (who plays Sonny Corinthos's bodyguard, Max Giambetti on General Hospital). Tyler's first major acting job was in his 20s, when he took the role of Prince Nikolas Cassadine. The character was a major success, and Christopher won the "Best Newcomer" award in 1997 from Soap Opera Digest magazine. Tyler Christopher played the character until 1999, and then quit the show to try other acting opportunities.

Tyler played a regular role (Ethan) in The Pretender and performed in pilots such as, "Sam's Circus", "One for the Money", but neither show was picked up. He also guest starred on several other series, and more recently has been trying another pilot, "Secrets of a Small Town."

In 2002, Tyler Christopher branched into theater. Christopher was one of a group of several friends including Ronnie Marmo and other East Coast actors from locations such as Philadelphia and New York, who routinely rented out some theater space on Theater Row on Santa Monica Boulevard to practice and work on various scenes. After a time they decided to formalize the arrangement, and co-founded a theater group known as the "68 Cent Crew Theater Company", which renovated a warehouse on Sunset Boulevard to use as a 99-seat theater. They put on five shows in their first year. Christopher recently received critics' praise for his portrayal of Max in the Martin Sherman play Bent.

In 2003 Tyler Christopher returned to General Hospital, playing Connor Bishop, a character with amnesia, that was later revealed to again be Nikolas Cassadine. Tyler Christopher received more Daytime Emmy nominations, as well as a nomination for the NAACP Image Award.

In the mid-1990s, Tyler Christopher was engaged to General Hospital co-star Vanessa Marcil. From 2002-2004 Tyler Christopher was married to Eva Longoria (now of Desperate Housewives fame), while she was working on the soap opera The Young and the Restless. From 2004-2006, he dated his General Hospital co-star and on-screen wife Natalia Livingston, and in November 2006, Tyler Christopher announced his engagement to Brienne Pedigo, a sports reporter from Indiana.

In Steven Spielberg's 2005 mini-series Into the West, he played Jacob Wheeler Jr, a man who was half white and half Lakota Indian. Tyler Christopher has also made an appearance in the music video for LeAnn Rimes' single "And It Feels Like", playing Leann's love interest. In 2006 he played the lead in the independent feature Face the Music.

In June 2007 it was announced that Christopher has signed a new three-year contract with General Hospital.

Tyler Christopher has two actor cousins, Derk Cheetwood and Drew Cheetwood, who play Max Giambetti and Milo Giambetti on General Hospital. Tyler also shares and has been rehabbing a house with Derk.

Film List for Tyler Christopher

Frogmen Operation Stormbringer as Rick (2002)
Face The Music as Dan/Danielle (2000)
Out of the Black as Cole Malby (2001)
Catfish in Black Bean Sauce as Micheal (1999)

Tyler Christopher Biography

TV List for Tyler Christopher

General Hospital, 1996-1999, 2003-present (Connor Bishop, Nikolas Cassadine)
The Pretender, 1999 (Ethan)
Into the West, 2005 (Jacob Wheeler Jr.)

Awards for Tyler Christopher

1997, Won "Best Newcomer" Soap Opera Digest
1997, Won "Outstanding Performer in a Television Series", First Americans in the Arts
1998, Won "Outstanding Performer in a Television Series", First Americans in the Arts
1998, Nominated at Daytime Emmys for Outstanding Younger Actor
1998, TV Guide's list of "12 Hottest Daytime Stars
2004, NAACP's Image Awards, Outstanding Actor (nominated)
2005, Nominated at Daytime Emmys for Outstanding Supporting Actor
2006, Nominated at Daytime Emmys for Outstanding Supporting Actor