Dan Levy (Canadian actor)

Daniel Joseph Levy[1] (born August 9, 1983)[2][3] is a Canadian actor, writer, director, producer, and television personality. He is the son of comedian Eugene Levy and screenwriter Deborah Divine Levy. He is best known for starring as David Rose in the CBC sitcom Schitt's Creek (2015–2020), which he also co-created and co-starred in with his father.[4] For his work on the series, Levy received several Canadian Screen Awards and numerous Primetime Emmy Award nominations, among other accolades.[5]

Dan Levy
Levy in 2012
Born
Daniel Joseph Levy

(1983-08-09) August 9, 1983
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Occupation
  • Actor
  • writer
  • director
  • producer
  • television personality
Years active2006–present
Parents
FamilySarah Levy (sister)

Early life

Levy was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada,[1] the son of Deborah Divine and Canadian actor Eugene Levy.[6] He is the older brother of actress Sarah Levy, who plays waitress Twyla Sands in Schitt's Creek, in which Levy and his father also star. Levy attended high school at North Toronto Collegiate Institute and later pursued film production at York University and Ryerson University.[6][7] His father is Jewish and his mother is Protestant;[8] the family celebrates both Christmas and Hanukkah.[9] Levy identifies as Jewish and was bar mitzvahed.[10]

Career

2006–2012: Early work

Levy began his career as one of the original seven co-hosts on the now defunct MTV Canada flagship series MTV Live. He gained prominence as co-host of MTV Canada's The After Show with Jessi Cruickshank and its various incarnations, such as The Hills: The After Show and The City: Live After Show.[11]

Following The After Show's cancellation and Cruickshank's departure, Levy wrote, produced, and starred in his own Christmas Special for MTV, Daniel Levy's Holi-Do's & Don'ts, and co-hosted the MTV Movie Awards Red Carpet, the X-Factor pre-show, and national coverage of the Vancouver Olympic Games for CTV.[12][13] Levy left MTV Canada in 2011 after five years with the network.[14]

As an actor, he has appeared in a four-episode story arc of the Canadian TV series Degrassi: The Next Generation, which premiered as a TV movie called Degrassi Goes Hollywood. In his Degrassi arc, Levy played a film producer who hires Paige Michalchuk as the lead in a new film directed by actor Jason Mewes. He has also appeared in the 2012 thriller Cyberstalker and in the 2013 comedy-drama film Admission, the latter starring Tina Fey and Paul Rudd.[15][16]

2013–present: Schitt's Creek

In 2013, Levy formed Not a Real Company Productions (with his father Eugene Levy and principals Andrew Barnsley and Fred Levy).[16] Their first project was a television pilot with CBC, which resulted in Schitt's Creek.[17] Levy also stars in the series alongside his father, sister Sarah Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Annie Murphy, and Chris Elliott.[18] It is the Not a Real Company Productions' first television series.[19] Levy has spoken publicly about his character's portrayal of pansexuality, saying, "I think in certain parts of America, David’s sexual ambiguity was a big question mark. (But) it was issues like that that I find quite exciting.[20]

For his work on Schitt's Creek, Levy has been nominated for numerous awards, including several Canadian Screen Awards for writing and acting, winning the awards for Best Comedy Series, Best Writing in a Comedy Program or Series in 2016 and Best Comedy Series in 2019.[5][21] In 2019, the series was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series.[22] In March 2019, Levy announced that the series was renewed for a sixth and final season, and said the decision to end the series after season six on their own creative terms was a "rare privilege".[23]

In July 2017, it was announced that Levy would host The Great Canadian Baking Show with Julia Taylor Ross, which had its premiere November 1 on CBC.[24] Controversy arose when John Doyle of The Globe and Mail criticized the show's first episode in a review on October 30, 2017. Included in the review was a critique of Levy's "feyness" while performing as host and a joke hinting at nepotism at CBC.[25] While acknowledging the importance of criticism in media, Levy called the use of the word "feyness" "offensive, irresponsible, and homophobic".[26][27] The Globe's public editor, Sylvia Stead, published a statement on November 9 explaining that "Mr. Doyle was not aware that Mr. Levy was gay and he used the term to mean preciousness". She also acknowledged that, despite the dictionary not defining "fey" as a slur, "we need to understand not just the context of words, but how they evolve and are viewed by communities that may be justly sensitive to a range of meanings."[28] Levy and Chan returned as hosts for the series' second season, which premiered in September 2018.[29] In March 2019, Levy announced via Twitter that he and Chan would not be returning as hosts for the series' third season, citing "scheduling conflicts."[30]

In May 2019, he was the keynote speaker at The Infatuation's annual food festival, EEEEEATSCON.[31]

In June 2019, to mark the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, sparking the start of the modern LGBTQ rights movement, Queerty named him one of the Pride50 “trailblazing individuals who actively ensure society remains moving towards equality, acceptance and dignity for all queer people”.[32][33]

In September 2019, it was announced that Levy had signed a three-year deal with ABC Studios to produce and develop scripted content.[34]

In January 2020, he and his father Eugene Levy were guest hosts of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, filling in for Ellen while she took a day off. They did many of the ordinary host activities including interviewing fellow Schitt's Creek cast members Catherine O'Hara and Annie Murphy.[35][36]

In July 2020, Schitt's Creek was nominated for 15 Primetime Emmy Awards for its final season, including Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series, and Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series for Levy.[37]

Personal life

Levy splits his time between Toronto and Los Angeles, though he has said that London is his "favourite city," after having lived there in 2005.[38] He lives with his dog, Redmond.[39]

Levy previously avoided labelling his sexual orientation publicly,[40] though in a 2015 interview with Flare he was called "a member of the queer community."[41] In a 2020 interview with Andy Cohen, Levy confirmed he is gay and has been out since he was 18.[42]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2012 Cyberstalker Jack Dayton / Unknown Man [43]
2013 Admission James Credited as Daniel Joseph Levy [44]
2014 Stage Fright Entertainment Reporter [45]
2017 Robot Bullies Robot 1 Short film [46]
2020 Happiest Season John Post-production [47]

Television
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2006–2011 MTV Live Himself / Host Unknown episodes [48]
2006–2010 The After Show Himself / Host Unknown episodes
Also writer and producer		 [49]
2010 Daniel Levy's Holi-Do's & Don'ts Himself Television special
Also writer and producer		 [50]
2009 Degrassi Goes Hollywood Robbie Television film [51]
2015 Canada's Smartest Person Himself / Judge Episode: "#2.6" [52]
2015–2020 Schitt's Creek David Rose 80 episodes
Also co-creator, writer, director, and producer		 [53]
2017–2018 The Great Canadian Baking Show Himself / Host 16 episodes [54]
2018 Modern Family Jonah Episode: "A Sketchy Area" [55]
2019 The Kacey Musgraves Christmas Show Narrator Television film [56]
2020 Dishmantled Himself / Judge Episode: "Holy Schitt!" [57]
2020 Coastal Elites Mark Hesterman Upcoming television special [58]

Music video
Year Title Artist Role Ref.
2005 "Behind These Hazel Eyes" Kelly Clarkson Wedding Guest [59]

Awards and nominations
Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
2016 Canadian Screen Awards Best Comedy Series Schitt's Creek Won [60]
Best Writing in a Comedy Program or Series Won
Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Comedic Role Nominated
Best Cross-Platform Project, Fiction Nominated
2017 ACTRA Awards Members' Choice Series Ensemble Nominated [61]
Canadian Screen Awards Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Comedic Role Nominated [62]
Best Comedy Series Nominated [63]
2018 ACTRA Awards Members' Choice Series Ensemble Nominated [64]
Canadian Screen Awards Best Writing in a Comedy Program or Series Nominated [65]
Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Comedic Role Nominated [66]
MTV Movie & TV Awards MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance Nominated [67]
2019 ACTRA Awards Members' Choice Series Ensemble Won [68]
Canadian Screen Awards Best Comedy Series Won [21]
Best Direction in a Comedy Program or Series (with Andrew Cividino) Nominated [69]
Best Writing in a Comedy Program or Series Nominated
Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Comedic Role Nominated
MTV Movie & TV Awards MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance Won [70]
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Comedy Series Nominated [71]
GLAAD Media Awards Davidson/Valentini Award Awarded [72]
Critics' Choice Television Awards Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Nominated [73]
Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Nominated [74]
2020 Dorian Awards TV Performance of the Year – Actor Nominated [75]
Wilde Wit of the Year Nominated
Producers Guild of America Awards Danny Thomas Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television – Comedy Nominated [76]
Canadian Screen Awards Radius Award Awarded [77]
Best Comedy Series Won [78]
Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Comedic Role Nominated
Best Direction in a Comedy Series, "Life is a Cabaret" (with Andrew Cividino) Nominated
Best Writing in a Comedy Series or Program, "Housewarming" (with Rupinder Gill) Nominated
Best Writing in a Comedy Series or Program, "Meet the Parents" Nominated
Human Rights Campaign HRC Visibility Award Awarded [79]
GLAAD Media Awards Outstanding Comedy Series Won [80]
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Comedy Series Pending [81]
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Pending
Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series, "Happy Ending" (with Andrew Cividino) Pending
Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series, "Happy Ending" Pending

References
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