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Mike Faist Biography

Mike Faist is an American actor who attained a breakthrough when he portrayed Connor Murphy in the Broadway musical, Dear Evan Hansen from 2015 to 2018. He stars as Art Donaldson in the romantic sports film Challengers which premiered on April 26, 2024.

Photo of Mike Faist
Faist’s photo

Mike Faist Height

Faist stands at a rough height of 6 feet and 0 inches.

Mike Faist Age

Faist is 32 years old. He was born Michael David Faist on January 5, 1992, in Gahanna, Ohio, U.S.A. Faist annually celebrates his birthday on January 5th.

Personal Life

Mike Faist Family and Relatives

Faist was adopted by Julia and Kurt Faist, who own a real estate business. When he was 17, he met his birth mother and her family, who primarily work as pilots. He has two half-brothers, his eldest half-brother taught him how to fly. Since then, he attained his pilot license.

Mike Faist Partner/ Is He Dating?

Faist manages to keep his marital and relationship status private. Nonetheless, we will update this information when details regarding it are available to the public.

Is Mike Faist Gay(Homosexual)?

Rumors of him being gay stem from him playing gay characters in films like Brokeback Mountain where he portrayed Jack Twist. Information regarding whether or not O’Connor is gay is unknown as he manages to keep his marital and relationship status private.

Mike Faist Education

Faist received his high school diploma from Gahanna Lincoln High School in 2009 before he joined the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. He dropped out of theatre school after studying there for two semesters. While in high school, he acted in multiple productions including Danny Zuko in Grease and Simon in Jesus Christ Superstar.

Professional Life

Mike Faist Net Worth

Faist has garnered a net worth ranging from $1 million to $6 million during his successful career as an actor.

Mike Faist Career

Faist discovered his dream of pursuing a career in the performing arts when he was a child. Enticed after watching Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire dance in old MGM films, particularly Kelly’s Singin’ in the Rain, he convinced his parents to enroll him in dance classes when he was 5 years old. He then started to audition for community theater and children’s theater.

Faist secured the role of one of the Lollipop Guild in a Columbus Children’s Theatre production of The Wizard of Oz. Next, he joined the cast of Oliver! and Alice in Wonderland. He fell in love with acting while attending the Academy of Performing Arts (TAPA) company in Columbus, Ohio, and Gahanna Lincoln High School. 

2009 to present;

After graduating high school, Faist relocated to New York in pursuit of a stage career. He then joined theatre school but dropped out after two semesters. Faist auditioned for Off-Broadway plays simultaneously selling tickets in Times Square. He secured his initial professional acting job in the play, White Christmas. During this time, he collected food stamps which earned him $150 per week, and lived in the back of a McDonald’s parking lot.

Faist has won a Grammy and a Daytime Emmy Award and nominations for a Tony and a British Academy Film Award for his acting performances. In 2011, he started his acting career with a role in Disney’s  Newsies and its Broadway production from 2012 to 2013. Next, he starred in multiple independent films, TV series, and in Off-Broadway productions.

His breakthrough came when he portrayed Connor Murphy in the Broadway musical, Dear Evan Hansen from 2015 to 2018. For his performance, he won Tony Best Featured Actor in a Musical Award nomination, a Grammy Best Musical Theater Album Award, and a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Musical Performance in a Daytime Program Award.

In 2021, he appeared in Panic and landed his first big film role as Riff in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story. For his performance as Riff, he won praise and a BAFTA for Best Actor in a Supporting Role Award nomination. In 2023, he portrayed Jack Twist in a West End theatre production of Brokeback Mountain.

Aside from acting, Faist writes short stories, commenting that it’s significant for an actor to write to understand scripts. He helped found the Ohio Artists Gathering, a playwright’s festival. The first festival was held in Columbus, Ohio in 2018.

Mike Faist Zandaya/Josh O’Connor

In February 2022, it was revealed that Faist would join the cast of Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers alongside Zendaya and Josh O’Connor as Art Donaldson. O’Connor and Faist star as former best friends turned rivals in tennis and love. Faist and Zendaya star as husband and wife as well as coach and player.

Mike Faist Instagram and Twitter

Faist has no confirmed/verified Instagram or Twitter account. However, he has a couple of fan pages.

Movies and TV Shows

Mike Faist Brokeback Mountain

In 2023, he portrayed Jack Twist in a West End theatre production of Brokeback Mountain. He portrayed Jack Twist, a young and impulsive ranch hand. The play follows the complicated sexual and romantic relationship he has with Ennis Del Mar from 1963 to 1983.

Mike Faist Challengers

Faist stars as Art Donaldson in the romantic sports film Challengers which premiered on April 26, 2024. Art is the husband of Tashi(Zendaya) and former best friend of Patrick Zweig(Josh O’Connor). In addition, he is a professional tennis champion who enlists the help of his wife, Tashi, for a comeback. Tashi is a tennis prodigy forced into retirement due to an injury. Art and Patrick compete for Tashi’s affection as they work toward reaching the top of their tennis careers. Faist stars alongside

  • Zendaya
  • Josh O’Connor
  • Darnell Appling
  • AJ Lister
  • Nada Despotovich
  • Naheem Garcia
  • Hailey Gates
  • Jake Jensen

Mike Faist Other Films and TV Shows

During his career, Faist has starred in a couple of movies and TV shows;

  • The Unspeakable Act
  • Yellow
  • Touched with Fire
  • Eye Candy
  • The Grief of Others
  • Our Time
  • I Can I Will I Did
  • Active Adults
  • Wildling
  • The Atlantic City Story
  • Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
  • Deception
  • Panic
  • Pinball: The Man Who Saved the Game
  • The Bikeriders