This article is about the actor and singer. It is not to be confused with
Cordon Bleu.
(
; born February 21, 1989),
[2] known professionally as
Corbin Bleu, is an American actor, model, dancer, film producer and singer-songwriter. He performed in the
High School Musical film series (2006–2008). Songs from the films also charted worldwide, with the song "
I Don't Dance" peaking inside the Top 10 of the
Billboard Hot 100. During this time, he also starred in the
Disney Channel Original Movie Jump In! (2007). His first lead role was in the film
Catch That Kid (2004). He has since appeared in the
Discovery Kids drama series
Flight 29 Down (2005–2007), as well as the film
To Write Love on Her Arms (2015). He competed in the
17th season of
Dancing with the Stars, partnered with professional dancer
Karina Smirnoff.
[3]
He has also pursued a music career, and released his debut album
Another Side on May 1, 2007, which included the single "
Push It to the Limit." The album debuted at number thirty-six on the U.S.
Billboard 200, selling 18,000 copies in its first week.
[4] Bleu released his second album,
Speed of Light, on March 10, 2009.
[5] He returned to television, starring in the short-lived
Ashton Kutcher-produced
CW series,
The Beautiful Life: TBL (2009), and the movie
Free Style (2009).
In 2010, Bleu played Usnavi in the Broadway company of
In the Heights.
[6] In 2012, he returned to Broadway in the revival of
Godspell.
[7] In 2013, he was cast as
Jeffrey King in the short-lived online revival of the
daytime soap One Life to Live. In 2016, Bleu played Ted Hanover in the Broadway company of
Holiday Inn, The New Irving Berlin Musical.
[8][9] He subsequently signed a recording contract with The Ghostlight Records to distribute his
Holiday Inn soundtrack music, released in 2017.
[10]
He has contributed to many charities, including
Starlight Children's Foundation, and
Make-A-Wish Foundation, and served Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas Eve lunch at a Los Angeles homeless shelter in 2005 and 2008.
Early life and education[edit]
Bleu was born in
Brooklyn,
New York, the son of Martha (née Callari) and
David Reivers (born 1958), an actor.
[11][12][13] His mother is
Italian American and his father is
Jamaican American.
[14][15] He has three sisters: Jag, Phoenix, and Hunter. As a child, Bleu studied dance for several years, focusing on ballet and
jazz.
[16]
Bleu appeared in television commercials starting at the age of two, for products such as
Life cereal,
Bounty,
Hasbro, and
Nabisco.
[17][18] He began taking jazz and ballet classes, usually being the only boy in the class. By the age of four he was a model with the
Ford Modeling Agency in New York.
[19] He appeared in print ads for stores such as
Macy's,
[20] Gap,
Target, and
Toys R Us, and appeared in fashion spreads in
Child,
Parents, and
American Baby magazines, as well as having his image on toys and game packaging.
[21] At age six Corbin appeared in his first professional theater production off Broadway, at
The Town Hall.
[22] This three-concert series, created, written, and hosted by Scott Siegel, took place over one weekend and included a tribute to
David Merrick.
[23] Corbin Bleu played an abandoned homeless mute in the play
Tiny Tim is Dead.
[24]
Bleu graduated from
Los Angeles County High School for the Arts.
[25][26] He trained in dancing at the Debbie Allen Dance Academy. He attended the
Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in New York as a theater major, following in his mother's footsteps.
[27] Bleu presents an appealing combination of star quality and adolescent normality.
[28] He graduated from high school in 2007 and was admitted to
Stanford University, but declined to matriculate because of scheduling commitments.
[29] As of 2007 he continued to live at home with his parents and three younger sisters.
[30]
Acting career[edit]
1996–2005: Early career[edit]
Bleu moved with his family from New York to
Los Angeles in 1996. He worked steadily in episodic television and feature film roles, including a recurring role on the short-lived
ABC police drama
High Incident and a guest star appearance on
ER. He also appeared in some films
Beach Movie (1998),
[A] the sci-fi thriller
Soldier (1998). His feature films from this period include the
Tim Allen comedy
Galaxy Quest (1999), and the comedy
Mystery Men (1999), which starred
Ben Stiller, and the drama
Family Tree (1999).
[31] Bleu also had roles in
Malcolm & Eddie, as Matthew, and
Cover Me: Based on the True Life of an FBI Family (2000), as Nick Elderby.
[32] He also had small role in television series like
The Amanda Show. Additionally, Bleu was developing his dance skills and in 2001 began intensive training at the Debbie Allen Dance Academy in the Los Angeles area. There he undertook a full gamut of dance instruction, including ballet, jazz, tap, modern, hip-hop, African, break dance, salsa, flamenco, and ballroom. Allen, the famous choreographer who starred in the TV series Fame, told
Dance Spirit magazine, "I think [Bleu] really has a career. Success is one thing, but a career is a much longer, broader journey".
[33]
Bleu attended the
Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, a magnet school like the
Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, which was portrayed in the movie and television series Fame, and which Bleu's mother had attended.
[34] During his freshman year, he won his first sizable film role in the teen action caper
Catch That Kid (2004) about a girl and her friends who decide to rob a bank after learning that money is needed to aid her dying father, alongside
Kristen Stewart and
Max Thieriot.
[35] Although it was a box office flop, having only grossed $10 million, it served as an important step for Bleu, who was still building his acting career at the time.
[36] During high school, he performed in such student productions as
Footloose and
Grease, winning the honor of Theatre Student of the Year.
[37]
In the summer of 2004 Bleu landed a starring role in the television series
Flight 29 Down, alongside Allen Alvarado,
Hallee Hirsh,
Lauren Storm,
Jeremy James Kissner,
Johnny Pacar and
Kristy Wu,
[38] which aired for three seasons on the
Discovery Kids network. The program, a juvenile version of the
ABC series Lost, concerned a group of teenagers stranded on a tropical island after their plane crashes. Bleu played as
Nathan McHugh, a Boy Scout whose leadership skills do not quite measure up to his self-confidence.
[39]
2006–2008: High School Musical and breakthrough[edit]
Although popular with its young audience, the success of
Flight 29 Down pales in comparison to Bleu's next television project the
Disney Channel original films High School Musical (2006). The youngest of the six lead actors who were catapulted to fame by the film, Bleu portrayed the basketball player
Chad Danforth, who tries to persuade his teammate
Troy Bolton (
Zac Efron) to give up his interest in theater and focus on winning the basketball championship. High School Musical premiered on January 20, 2006; with an audience of 7.7 million television viewers, it was the
Disney Channel's most successful TV movie up to that point. The film, which also starred
Ashley Tisdale,
Lucas Grabeel,
Vanessa Hudgens, and
Monique Coleman in pivotal roles, became a major success and helped Bleu gain recognition among teenage audiences. The film’s soundtrack was certified quadruple platinum by the
Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
[40]
He joined co-stars on the 51-date
High School Musical: The Concert (2006–2007) tour to promote the film,
[41] work on the second film in the High School Musical series began, and Bleu was confirmed to be returning for the sequel.
High School Musical 2 (2007) was released on August 17, 2007. The premiere was seen by a total of over 17.2 million viewers in the U.S., which is almost 10 million more than its predecessor, making it the highest-rated Disney Channel Movie of all time.
[42] Disney Channel aired a weekly program called
Road to High School Musical 2, beginning on June 8, 2007, and leading up to the premiere of
High School Musical 2 in August. The show offered viewers a behind-the-scenes look into the production of the movie. The world premiere of the opening number "
What Time Is It" was on
Radio Disney May 25, 2007,
[43] and similarly The song "
I Don't Dance" premiered on August 14, 2007.
[44] The film was generally well received by critics, gaining a score of 77/100 at
Metacritic,
[45] while it received a generally mixed response of 50% on
Rotten Tomatoes.
[46] The film broke opening weekend records and grossed over $250 million worldwide.
[47] The soundtrack for the film, featuring numerous contributions from Bleu, went on to sell over three million copies in the United States alone.
[48] The song "
I Don't Dance" (2007), a duet with
Lucas Grabeel, became him first top forty hit on the
Billboard Hot 100, and was certified gold by the
Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
[49] It was named as the official theme song for the
2007 Little League World Series.
[50] During this time, Bleu began song on soundtracks for the Disney Channel, and released a cover of "
Two Worlds" (2007) to promote
Tarzan.
[51]
In 2007, Bleu starred in his next film, another Disney Channel original entitled
Jump In! (2007), which aired on January 12, 2007. Directed by
Paul Hoen, the television movie revolved around a young boy named Izzy Daniels who trains regularly in order to try to follow in his fathers footsteps and win the Golden Glove, an amateur boxing tournament. While Bleu played the lead role of Daniels,
Keke Palmer portrayed the role of Mary, his friend who has a crush on Daniels. Again, Disney scored a crossover hit with the
Jump In! soundtrack album, was released in January 2007, on which Bleu sings the track, "
Push It to the Limit" (2006).
[52] Reaching the screens on the
Disney Channel that January,
Jump In! was a major hit amongst young viewers and quickly became the highest rated premiere the network has ever since, breaking the previous record set by
The Cheetah Girls 2 in 2006. Similar to High School Musical, its soundtrack was also a commercial hit, having achieved gold status from the
Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) three months after its release.
[13]
He guest starred as Johnny Collins in the premiere two episode of Disney's
Hannah Montana (2006–2008).
[53] He also had a small role as Spencer on
Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide, appearing in the episodes entitled
Guide to: The School Play and
Guide to: Revenge & School Records.
[54] and
Mother Goose Parade as Grand Marshal in 2006 and 2007.
[55] While with Disney Channel, Bleu also participated in the first ever
Disney Channel Games and co-captained the blue team along with
Jake T. Austin,
Maiara Walsh,
Cole Sprouse and
Kiely Williams. A year before, he returned to repeat his captaincy of the blue team with
Brenda Song,
Vanessa Hudgens,
Monique Coleman and
Jason Earles.
[56] In August 2007, Bleu starred in
Flight 29 Down: The Hotel Tango, an teen drama film version of the
television series of the same name.
[57] Also in 2007, he is voice in
The Secret of the Magic Gourd (2007), He appeared on
The Tyra Banks Show in 2008.
[58]
Bleu went on to reprise his role of Chad Danforth in
High School Musical 3: Senior Year (2008), the first film in the
High School Musical franchise to receive a theatrical release. It opened at number one at the North American box office in October 2008, earning $42 million in its first weekend, which broke the record previously held by
Mamma Mia! for the biggest opening by a musical.
[59] The film finished with $252 million worldwide, which exceeded Disney's expectations.
[60] The song "The Boys Are Back" (2008), a duet with
Zac Efron, became him second top forty hit on the
Billboard Hot 100, and was certified gold by the
Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and
Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA).
[61][62] The phenomenon of High School Musical has changed Bleu's life, delivering him to the heights of media celebrity while still in his teens. For his role as Chad Danforth, the team captain of the school’s basketball team, he was nominated for an
NAACP Image Award and a
Young Artist Award and
Teen Choice Awards in 2007 and 2009 respectively.
[63] Bleu's 2008 commercial for
Activision's
Guitar Hero on Tour: Decades was deemed too sexy to dance.
[64][65][66]
2009–2014: Free Style and One Life to Live[edit]
The following year, Bleu played the lead role in the film called
Free Style (2009).
[67] Opened in theatres in October 2009, the coming of age movie revolved around Cale Bryant, an eighteen-year-old man who tries to find himself by winning the Amateur National Motocross Championships.
Free Style performed poorly in the box office, having only grossed $720,000 from a $10 million budget.
[68] Over the next few years, Bleu's television roles included the drama series
The CW Television Network's show
The Beautiful Life: TBL.[69] The series was subsequently cancelled on 25 September 2009 after televising 2 episodes.
[70] In December 2009, the technology company
HP became the show's sponsor and began airing the show's five episodes on
YouTube.
[71][72] Also in 2009, he is voice in
Beyond All Boundaries, and appeared on
Entertainment Tonight and
The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet. Also in 2009, he voice Coltrane in the premiere two episode of Disney's
Phineas and Ferb.
[73] Bleu was considered as host for
The X Factor USA.
[74]
Corbin Bleu made his
Broadway stage debut in 2010 as the lead character, bodega-owner Usnavi, in the critically acclaimed musical
In the Heights.
[75] and guest starred in one episode of
The Good Wife as DJ Javier Berlin in October 2010.
[76] in 2010, Corbin starred in the short comedy film
I Owe My Life to Corbin Bleu, alongside
Andrew Caldwell,
Drake Bell,
Sarah Hyland,
Ryan Pinkston,
Sterling Knight,
Matt Prokop,
Matt Shively and
Josh Sussman.
[77] In 2011, he performed the voice Lou in
The Little Engine That Could (2011),
[78] From August 5–7, Bleu performed in the musical
Hairspray as Seaweed at the
Hollywood Bowl, alongside
Nick Jonas,
Harvey Fierstein,
Marissa Jaret Winokur,
Drew Carey and
Darlene Love.
[79] and he performed the voice Flip in
Tonka Chuck and Friends: Big Air Dare.
In 2012, Bleu also had a role in and co-produced the indie horror anthology
Scary or Die (2012), a collection of five short horror films.
[80] In 2012, he join the cast of
Godspell as Jesus beginning April 17 at the Circle in the Square Theatre.
[81] He guest starred in one episode of
Blue Bloods as Officer Blake in 2012.
[82] In 2012, he performed the voice Drew in
Twinkle Toes, Bleu starred in the drama film
To Write Love on Her Arms (originally titled
Renee[B]) in 2012, with
Kat Dennings,
Chad Michael Murray and
Rupert Friend. The film began production in
Orlando, Florida, in February 2011.
[83][84]
In March 2013, Bleu had a role in the horror film
The Monkey's Paw (2013).
[85] and guest starred in one episode of
Franklin & Bash as Jordan Allen French in 2013.
[86] In April 2013, Bleu was cast in the role of
Jeffrey King on the
ABC daytime soap opera
One Life to Live, alongside
Erika Slezak and
Laura Harrier.
[87] In 2013, Bleu starred in the film
Sugar (2013), alongside
Shenae Grimes and
Marshall Allman. about a runaway girl living on the streets of Venice, Los Angeles. The film began production in
Venice, Los Angeles, in November 30, 2010.
[88][89] Also in 2013, Bleu appeared in the horror films
Nurse 3D (2013), alongside
Paz de la Huerta and
Katrina Bowden.
[90] The film began production in
Toronto, in September 6, 2011 and wrapped on October 21, 2011.
[91][92][93] In 2014 he also appeared as a guest star in
Psych, the
USA Network television series in
Season 8. He guest starred in one episode of
Drop Dead Diva as Michael in 2014.
[94]
2015–present: Further success[edit]
Bleu at a performance of
The Hot Chocolate Nutcracker, December 2010
Bleu’s only release in 2015 was the moderately successful
Megachurch Murder (2015), in which he played a Marcus King, with
Tamala Jones,
Shanica Knowles and
Romeo Miller.
[95] In addition, Bleu appeared in
Family Shots with The Human Race Theatre Company.
[96] Bleu did made a guest appearance in an episode of the family drama,
The Fosters in 2016 playing the role of Mercutio, a character who appears in a school musical production of
Romeo and Juliet.
[97] Bleu and fellow guest-star
Ashley Argota also co-starred in a production of
Romeo and Juliet: Love Is a Battlefield at Rockwell Table and Stage, Produced by
The Fosters co-creator Bradley Bredeweg.
[98] He also had a small role as Spencer on
Castle in 2016.
[99] Bleu was considered as host for
Fake Off.
[100]
In January 2016, he join the cast of
The Dodgers as Simon, the rational voice amid the habitually stoned chatter, and beginning January 21 at the Hudson Mainstage Theatre.
[101] In October 2016, Broadway is also where Bleu currently hangs his hat. The actor originated the leading role in
Holiday Inn, The New Irving Berlin Musical (originally titled
Holiday Inn), a musical based on the 1942
Academy Award-winning
film of the same name.
[102] Returning to his tap dancing roots was "like riding a bike".
[103] His former Disney co-stars appear to be big fans of Bleu's new endeavor
Lucas Grabeel and
Zac Efron sent '90s kids' hearts aflutter when they stopped by a performance in October 2016.
[104] The
Broadway alum and
High School Musical favorite is grabbing a camera as Broadway websites’s newest vlogger.
[105] Get ready for
Bleu Skies: Backstage at Holiday Inn with Corbin Bleu. Bleu, who plays Ted in the new Irving Berlin musical, will give us a glimpse of backstage life at
Studio 54, where he and his co-stars (including former vlogger
Bryce Pinkham,
Lora Lee Gayer,
Megan Lawrence and
Megan Sikora) celebrate an entire year’s worth of special occasions eight times a week.
Bleu Skies will launch off on August 23 and run every Tuesday for eight weeks.
[106] and he was nominated for an
Chita Rivera Awards for Dance and Choreography in 2017, for his outstanding dancer in a broadway show,
[107] and he was won for a Chita Rivera Awards for his performance.
[108]
While with
ABC, Bleu also participated in the first ever
Battle of the Network Stars,
[109] and he joined the red team along with
Joey Lawrence,
Nolan Gould,
Lisa Whelchel and
Kim Fields, the series premiered on June 29, 2017.
[110] From July 28–30, Bleu performed in the musical
Mamma Mia! as Sky at the
Hollywood Bowl, alongside
Dove Cameron,
Lea DeLaria and
Jennifer Nettles, the theatre premiered on July 28, 2017.
[111] Corbin Bleu’s career also includes
voice over work (or
voice acting) with
Breathe Bible.
[112] In December 2017, Corbin Bleu as host for the 2017 Looking Ahead Awards, presented by
The Actors Fund.
[113]
Upcoming projects[edit]
In 2016, Bleu filmed an upcoming independent movie entitled,
Ovid and the Art of Love,
[114] Filmed partially at the old St. Agnus Church in
Michigan, the project also stars
John Savage,
Tamara Feldman and
Tara Summers.
[115] Bleu also working on an upcoming passion project,
The Day I Died, about the consequences of bullying.
[116]
Dancing with the Stars[edit]
In September 2013, Bleu runners-up the
seventeenth-season of
ABC's dancing competition
Dancing with the Stars. He partnered with professional dancer
Karina Smirnoff.
[117] Bleu and Smirnoff are one of six couples still in the running to be crowned
Dancing with the Stars, seventeenth-season champions.
[118] Bleu wrote in his
People blog. "It's nice to be able to see the finish line, but it's also very motivating. We don't want to lose any moment. We really want to make sure we end strong".
[119]
Bleu dancing a
Viennese waltz to the
Game of Thrones theme music — while dressed as the
Dothraki,
Khal Drogo. Bleu revealed during rehearsals that
Game of Thrones is his very favorite show, and his passion came through in his performance. However, while the judges liked the intense, epic feeling of the dance, Len felt there was not enough technical substance in the routine 23 Score.
[120] Bleu noted the jazz dance should be "pretty sick" and has hints of
Michael Jackson in it. Bleu also revealed it will feature a little "tap section" at the end, and because Smirnoff had never tapped before, he was thrilled to be able to teach her something for once.
[121] On October 18, 2013, appeared with his professional dancer Karina Smirnoff on
The Ellen DeGeneres Show, to give a fiery performance-and take a turn in the splash tank, will then perform a
Cha-cha-cha,
Foxtrot or
Contemporary routine, vying for America's vote for the first time.
[122] The partners scored high with the judges, earning a 27/30, making them the first safe couple of the night.
[123] Keyshawn Johnson and
Sharna Burgess, however, were the first to be eliminated this week, leaving 11 couples in the ballroom.
[124] Bleu and Smirnoff also won the week's "Dance-Off Challenge" and therefore received three bonus points.
[125] Corbin and his partner made it to the finals, but became the runners-up behind
Amber Riley.
[126]
In November 2017, Bleu returned to
25th season in Week eight,
[127] to participate in a trio
Salsa with
Jordan Fisher and his professional partner
Lindsay Arnold.
[128] Bleu and Fisher they have some startling similarities in their personalities, so they were very excited to finally get to work together,
[129] After the trio delivered their Salsa to audiences, They ended with 30 Score from the judges,
[130] and
Bruno Tonioli said "it was one of the best dances in the show’s history".
[131]
Performances[edit]
Awards and achievements[edit]
Music career[edit]
2006–2008: Another Side and High School Musical[edit]
Bleu in concert in October 2007
Bleu's first professionally recorded song was titled "Circles" or "Circles in My Mind" for his then TV show,
Flight 29 Down. Bleu signed a contract with
Hollywood Records, a
Disney-owned label.
[C] His debut album
Another Side, was released in May 2007.
[1][132] The album debuted at No. 36 on the
Billboard 200 album charts, selling 18,000 in its first week.
[133] The album fuses rhythm and blues with hip-hop and other pop genres in an upbeat, wholesome commercial blend. Bleu, who admires
Prince,
Michael Jackson, and
Justin Timberlake, cowrote five songs on the album. In 2007 he toured in support of Another Side with the teen sister duo
Aly & AJ.
[134]
Blue worked with
Ne-Yo on "I Get Lonely," and with other performers such as
Matthew Gerrard and
Eric Hudson. A music video for his first single, "
Push It to the Limit", premiered on the
Disney Channel, and was used to promote the movie
Jump In! "Push It to the Limit" reached the Top 20 on the
Billboard Hot 100, and his second single, "Deal With It",
[D] was originally written and sung by
Jay Sean. He later gave it to Corbin Bleu, whose version of the song features background vocals by Jay Sean. The song earned Jay Sean a
BMI Songwriter Award.
[135] peaking at No. 15. He sings the duet "Still
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