At first, I didn't want to audition for it...I didn't think it was going to be anything that I would ever be cast (in). I thought they would cast a TV person, who looks more like a model.
Santino Fontana is an American stage actor, director and composer. He was born on March 21, 1982 in Stockton, California and has Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish ancestry. After graduating from Richland High School in Richland, Washington in 200 he attended the University of Minnesota/Guthrie Theater earning a BFA from the Actor Training Program as part in 2004. In 2005, as a member of the Essentials, Fontana co-wrote the musical comedy "Perfect Harmony" originating the role of Philip Fellowes V. In 2006 he starred as Matt in the Off-Broadway revival of "The Fantasticks". His Broadway debut was "Sunday in the Park with George in 2007. Fontana originated the role of Tony in the Broadway production of Billy Elliot from October 1, 2008 to July 4, 2009. He was awarded the 2010 Drama Desk Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his work in "Brighton Beach Memoirs". He starred as Prince Topher in "Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella on Broadway" for which he was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical.His best known role is as the voice of "Hans" from the Disney animated feature "Frozen". In 2015 he married Jessica Hershberg. He portrayed the character of Greg Serrano on "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" from 2015 to 2016 officially leaving the show four episodes into Season Two.
Fontana was interviewed by Vulture.com and went into detail about his departure:
“What happened at the end of shooting last season was that there was a lot of time where we didn’t know if the show would be coming back. A lot of time. In that interim I had some opportunities both with films and theater and writing that presented themselves, and I had no idea what was going to happen. Also keep in mind, I didn’t know my future with the show regardless, and I didn’t know if the show would be coming back. So when we did get picked up, I was in a really tricky spot because I had a bunch of things that I already committed to and I couldn’t in good conscience back out of them. I didn’t feel like it made the most sense. It was a really tough decision and it had a lot to do with my family and my base in New York. It’s a tricky thing, but I feel really blessed and lucky that I was able to have the best of both worlds. I was able to maintain my life as it was before Crazy Ex, which involved doing movies and theater and other TV guest spots and other jobs and writing. I was able to also go back and play with my Crazy Ex family in a smaller capacity and that’s all great. I don’t view it as though I’m leaving. I view it as Greg’s story taken off where it’s taken off to, and him coming back is really up to the writers and fans. I view it as show business is a messy, complicated, confusing thing. [Laughs.] It’s not as clear-cut. It’s really a testament to the power of storytelling. We’re actors who are telling a great story, and I was thrilled to be in West Covina and thrilled to tell that story, and I hope I’m able to tell Greg’s story in different ways as we move forward. It’s tricky.”
Santino was later interview by Observer.com and further clarified other reasons for leaving:
“If I wanted to be the same person for six years of my life, I’d never have been an actor”
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