Actor Misha Collins was born as Misha Dmitri Tippens Krushnic in Massachusetts. He has held several odd jobs during his lifetime, like being an intern in the White House and at National Public Radio in the US. He worked for Bill Clinton “when the position was still respectable” as stated in an interview on KTLA. Collins is also a published poet, as two of his works – “Baby Pants” and “Old Bones” – can be found in the 2008 edition of the Columbia Poetry Review #21.
In 1998, Misha Collins began to take steps towards professional acting. He appeared on one episode of Legacy, as well as receiving a role in Liberty Heights. He then played Eric Bragg on Charmed, being featured on the episode “They’re Everywhere.” In 1999, he landed a part in the controversial psychological film Girl, Interrupted. He got the role of Tony, acting alongside Winona Ryder and Angelina Jolie.
Collins was next seen on an episode of NYPD Blue before he was cast in the series Seven Days as Sergei Chubais. He gained much popularity in 2002, when he appeared on Par 6 and later several episodes of 24 as Alexis Drazen. Collins filmed two movies in 2003, and these were Moving Alan and Finding Home. He had a small role in The Crux, and later worked on the 2005 television production titled 20 Things to Do Before You’re 30. Also that year, he landed a part on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and played Bret on three episodes of ER. He became even more recognized when he got the role of Paul Bernardo in the 2006 film Karla, and followed this up with an appearance on Monk. He was also seen on Navy NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service, as well as on Close to Home. After his portrayal of Joey Wheeler in Reinventing the Wheelers, he was seen on Without a Trace, The Grift, and 2008’s Over Her Dead Body. Collins eventually rose to even more fame when he accepted the part of Castiel on the CW series Supernatural.
Misha Dmitri Tippens Krushnic
- He is a published poet. Two of his poems; "Baby Pants" and "Old Bones", can be found in the 2008 edition of the Columbia Poetry Review #21.
- Once worked at National Public Radio in the U.S.
- Misha's name comes from the time his mother whilst at college visited Russia and had a fling with a man named Mischa.
- Before becoming an actor Misha worked for six months as a White House intern for the Clinton administration. He was placed in The Office of Presidential Personnel. Mischa also spent six months working on a show called 'Weekly Edition' for National Public Radio (NPR).
1. "Supernatural" .... Castiel (6 episodes, 2008)
- Heaven and Hell (2008) TV episode .... Castiel
- I Know What You Did Last Summer (2008) TV episode .... Castiel
- It's the Great Pumpkin, Sam Winchester (2008) TV episode .... Castiel
- In the Beginning (2008) TV episode .... Castiel
- Are You There, God? It's Me... Dean Winchester (2008) TV episode .... Castiel
- Lazarus Rising (2008) TV episode .... Castiel
2. Over Her Dead Body (2008) .... Brian
3. The Grift (2008) .... Buster Howell
4. "Without a Trace" .... Chester Lake (1 episode, 2007)
... aka W.A.T (USA: short title)
- Run (2007) TV episode .... Chester Lake
5. "CSI: NY" .... Morton Brite (1 episode, 2007)
- Can You Hear Me Now? (2007) TV episode .... Morton Brite
6. Reinventing the Wheelers (2007) (TV) .... Joey Wheeler
7. "Close to Home" .... Todd Monroe (1 episode, 2006)
- There's Something About Martha (2006) TV episode .... Todd Monroe
8. "Navy NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service" .... Justin Ferris (1 episode, 2006)
... aka NCIS (USA: short title)
... aka NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service (USA: new title)
- Singled Out (2006) TV episode .... Justin Ferris
9. "Monk" .... Michael Karapov (1 episode, 2006)
- Mr. Monk and the Captain's Marriage (2006) TV episode .... Michael Karapov
10. Karla (2006) .... Paul Bernardo
... aka Karla (Canada: English title) (USA: working title)
11. "ER" .... Bret (3 episodes, 2005-2006)
- If Not Now (2006) TV episode .... Bret
- Here and There (2005) TV episode .... Bret
- Alone in a Crowd (2005) TV episode .... Bret
12. "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" .... Vlad (1 episode, 2005)
... aka CSI: Las Vegas (South Africa: English title: informal alternative title) (USA: syndication title)
... aka C.S.I. (USA: short title)
... aka CSI: Weekends (USA: promotional title)
... aka Experts, Les (Canada: French title)
- Nesting Dolls (2005) TV episode .... Vlad
13. 20 Things to Do Before You're 30 (2005) (TV)
14. The Crux (2004) .... Man Hanging from the Rope
15. Finding Home (2003) .... Dave
16. Moving Alan (2003) .... Tony Derrick
17. "24" .... Alexis Drazen / ... (7 episodes, 2002)
- 10:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m. (2002) TV episode .... Alexis Drazen
- 9:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. (2002) TV episode .... Alexis Drazen
- 4:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. (2002) TV episode .... Alexis Drazen
- 3:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. (2002) TV episode .... Alexis Drazen
- 2:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. (2002) TV episode .... Alexis Drazen
- 1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m. (2002) TV episode .... Alexis Drazen
- 12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m.(2002) TV episode .... The Assassin (uncredited)
18. Par 6 (2002) .... Al Hegelman
19. "Seven Days" .... Sergei Chubais (1 episode, 2001)
... aka Seven Days: The Series
- Born in the USSR (2001) TV episode .... Sergei Chubais
20. "NYPD Blue" .... Blake DeWitt (1 episode, 2000)
- Welcome to New York (2000) TV episode .... Blake DeWitt
21. Girl, Interrupted (1999) .... Tony
... aka Durchgeknallt (Germany)
... aka Durchgeknallt - Girl, interrupted (Germany: TV title)
22. "Charmed" .... Eric Bragg (1 episode, 1999)
- They're Everywhere (1999) TV episode .... Eric Bragg
23. Liberty Heights (1999) (uncredited) .... Guy
24. "Legacy" .... Andrew (1 episode, 1998)
- The Big Fix (1998) TV episode .... Andrew
Producer:
1. Loot (2008) (associate producer)
Mischa: (On playing Paul Barnado in "Karla") Up until the first violent scene I was unsure of whether I was going to be able to put it off. And when we started shooting some of the more violent scenes, I was really surprised to see lurking somewhere in the depths of my psyche were these seeds of violence that I had never given any fertilizer or water to, that had never sprouted in any way in my ordinary life, and yet there was something I could tap into there. And that really took me aback. Really was frightening.
Mischa: The philosophical underpinnings of my approach to acting are that there are universal human qualities, and that every character is actually available within each one of us, that if we tap down into that universal humanness, we can find whatever character it is that we need to play already there within ourselves, and it's just a matter of peeling apart the onion that is you and finding that character within you, because of this universal human quality.
Mischa: A lot of times I think the cast members, the lead characters in a show really set the tone for the show. On some shows, the stars of the show will just be whining and complaining and spending the whole time texting their boyfriends on their Blackberries, and there's just no attention given to the work. Jared and Jensen are very serious about the work, and at the same time they are light and upbeat and sarcastic. They've got good senses of humor, and that actually really helps.
Mischa: (on Supernatural) I think the show works because it's not just about two guys chasing down evil monsters, it's about two very different brothers who are fighting forces of darkness in order to resolve their own personal histories and to exorcise their own inner demons. In other words, the show is compelling because the brothers are personally compelled.
Mischa: I played a Serb on 24 for several episodes and the producers of the show came in to talk to me, like 5 episodes in. Denzel Washington had just won an Oscar and they said, 'isn't it great that minorities are finally getting recognition at the Oscars? It's great for people like you and for Denzel Washington.' I said, 'I'm sorry but I don't think I qualify. I'm a white guy from Massachusetts.