Tyler Christopher

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This article is about the actor. For the athlete see Tyler Christopher (athletics).
Tyler Christopher

Born Tyler Christopher Baker
November 11, 1972 (1972-11-11) (age 35)
Joliet, Illinois, U.S.
Other name(s) Tyler Baker
Spouse(s) Eva Longoria (2002 - 2004; divorced)

Tyler Christopher (born Tyler Christopher Baker on November 11, 1972 in Joliet, Illinois, U.S.) 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. He was nominated for Daytime Emmys for the role in 1998, 2005, and 2006. He is sometimes credited as Tyler Baker. He also played Connor Bishop on the show from september 2004 to January 2005.

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[edit] Early life

Christopher was born in Joliet, Illinois and grew up in Delaware, Ohio,[1] the youngest of four children.[2] He is of Native American heritage, as his mother Jimi-Ann is Choctaw and his father Jimmy Baker is Seneca.[3] His original goal was to be a professional athlete, but his physically small size made this difficult. He attended Ohio Wesleyan University for two years and then moved to Los Angeles.

[edit] Acting career

His first few years in Los Angeles, Christopher 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 currently plays Sonny Corinthos's bodyguard, Max Giambetti on General Hospital. Christopher's first major acting job was in his 20s, when he took the role of Prince Nikolas Cassadine on GH. The character was a major success, and Christopher won the "Best Newcomer" award in 1997 from Soap Opera Digest magazine. He played the character until 1999, and then quit the show to try other acting opportunities. The role of Nikolas Cassadine then went to Stephen Martines.

Christopher played a regular role as 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.[citation needed]

In 2002, he 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. In 2007, Christopher portrayed Max in the Martin Sherman play Bent.[4] In 2003, he returned to General Hospital and played dual roles, Nikolas and Connor Bishop.[5] He received more Daytime Emmy nominations, as well as a nomination for the NAACP Image Award. In June 2007, it was announced that Tyler has signed a new three-year contract with General Hospital.[6]


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. He has also made an appearance in the music video for LeAnn Rimes' single "And It Feels Like", playing Rimes' love interest. In 2006, he played the lead in the independent feature Face the Music.

[edit] Personal life

In the mid-1990s, Christopher was engaged to General Hospital co-star Vanessa Marcil. From 2002 to 2004 he was married to Eva Longoria, while she was working on the The Young and the Restless. From 2004 to 2006, he dated his General Hospital co-star and deceased on-screen fiance Natalia Livingston, and in November 2006, Christopher announced his engagement to Brienne Pedigo, a sports reporter from Indiana.[7]

He has two actor cousins, Derk Cheetwood and Drew Cheetwood, who play Max Giambetti and Milo Giambetti on General Hospital. Christopher also shared and was rehabbing a house with Derk, until Derk got married.

[edit] Awards

  • 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[8]
  • 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

[edit] Selected works

[edit] Filmography

  • 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 Michael (1999)

[edit] Television

[edit] References

  1. ^ Soap Opera Digest & Weekly Home Page
  2. ^ About the Actors | Tyler Christopher | General Hospital @ soapcentral.com
  3. ^ Tyler Christopher: Native Son
  4. ^ "Who, Where and Wow!", Soap Opera Weekly, 2007-02-27, p. 15. 
  5. ^ One Day With, aired June 16, 2007 on SOAPnet
  6. ^ General Hospital - Comings & Goings - General Hospital Comings & Goings - Soaps.com
  7. ^ "Any Questions?", Soap Opera Weekly, 2007-02-13, p. 13. 
  8. ^ TV Guide, June 1998

[edit] External links

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