NYU Tisch School of the Arts: A Fertile Ground for Artistic Giants
New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, since its founding on August 17, 1965, has established itself as a premier institution for training artists, scholars, and filmmakers. Located in the heart of Greenwich Village at 721 Broadway, the school provides access to the arts through its Office of Special Programs. Tisch is divided into three Institutes: Performing Arts, Emerging Media, and Film & Television. The school also offers an inter-disciplinary "collaborative arts" program, high school programs, continuing education in the arts for the general public, as well as the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, which teaches entrepreneurial strategies in the music recording industry. A dual MFA/MBA graduate program is also offered, allowing students to take coursework at both Tisch and NYU's Stern School of Business.
NYU opened a new technology hub on its Brooklyn campus called the Media and Games Network (MAGNET). Tisch School of the Arts has three institutes and 16 programs and offers the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), Bachelor of Arts (BA), Master of Fine Arts (MFA), Master of Arts (MA), Master of Professional Studies (MPS), and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees.
The school's influence extends far beyond the campus, with its alumni making significant contributions to various fields within the arts and entertainment industry. As of 2019, 22 Academy Award winners, 17 Emmy Award winners, 12 Tony Award winners, and 4 Grammy Award winners have been affiliated with Tisch alumni and faculty. This article explores the remarkable achievements of some of the most famous NYU Tisch alumni, showcasing their diverse talents and lasting impact on the world of arts.
A Galaxy of Stars: Tisch Alumni in Film and Television
Many Tisch graduates have achieved widespread recognition through their work in film and television, captivating audiences with their performances and creative vision. The Office of Special Programs at Tisch School of the Arts provides access to the arts. No two graduates have gone on to the same career. Some, such as Marcia Gay Harden, Mahershala Ali, Billy Crudup, Corey Stoll, Andre Holland, and Daniel Dae Kim have gone on to major film and stage careers. Some, such as Deb Messing, Rainn Wilson, Michael C. Hall, Danny Pino, Sterling K. Brown, Josh Radnor, Maggie Siff, Jin Ha, Angel Desai, Dina Shihabi, Genevieve Angelson, and Jeremy Shamos have entered the national consciousness through their work on television.
Angelina Jolie: Although she enrolled but did not graduate from NYU, Angelina Jolie is an American actress, filmmaker, and humanitarian. The recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a Tony Award and three Golden Globe Awards, she has been named Hollywood's highest-paid actress multiple times.
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Adam Sandler: Enrolled in New York University and studied in 1984-1988. Adam Richard Sandler is an American actor and comedian. Primarily a comedic leading actor in films, his accolades include nominations for three Grammy Awards, five Primetime Emmy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. In 2023, Sandler was awarded the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.
Elizabeth Olsen: Elizabeth Chase Olsen is an American actress. Born in Sherman Oaks, California, Olsen began acting at age four alongside her sisters Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. She had her debut film role in the thriller Martha Marcy May Marlene in 2011, for which she received praise. Olsen received a BAFTA Rising Star Award nomination and graduated from New York University two years later.
James Franco: James Edward Franco is an American actor and filmmaker. He has starred in numerous films, including Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy (2002-2007), Milk (2008), Eat Pray Love (2010), Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011), Spring Breakers (2012), and Oz the Great and Powerful (2013).
Alec Baldwin: Alexander Rae Baldwin III is an American actor. He is known for his leading and supporting roles in a variety of genres, from comedy to drama, and has received numerous accolades including three Primetime Emmy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards and eight Screen Actors Guild Awards as well as nominations for an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and Tony Award.
Pedro Pascual: José Pedro Balmaceda Pascal is a Chilean and American actor. After nearly two decades of taking small roles on stage and television, Pascal had his breakout role as Oberyn Martell in the fourth season of the HBO fantasy series Game of Thrones (2014). He gained further prominence with his portrayal of Javier Peña in the Netflix crime series Narcos (2015-2017). He went on to appear in the films The Great Wall (2016), Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017), The Equalizer 2 (2018), and Triple Frontier (2019).
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Donald Glover: Donald McKinley Glover Jr., also known by his musical name Childish Gambino, is an American actor, comedian, musician, and filmmaker. While he studied at New York University and after working in Derrick Comedy, a comedy group, Glover was hired by Tina Fey to write for the NBC sitcom 30 Rock at age 23. He gained fame for portraying college student Troy Barnes on the NBC sitcom Community from 2009 to 2014. From 2016 to 2022, he starred in the FX series Atlanta, which he created and occasionally directed. For his work on Atlanta, he won various accolades including two Primetime Emmy Awards, as well as two Golden Globe Awards.
Dakota Fanning: Hannah Dakota Fanning is an American actress. Fanning is known for her roles in blockbuster films and independent features, both as a child actor and as an adult. Her accolades include nominations for a Golden Globe Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Kristen Bell: Kristen Anne Bell is an American actress. She began her acting career starring in stage productions, while attending the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University.
Rooney Mara: Rooney Mara Phoenix is an American actress. She has received various accolades, including nominations for two Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards and a British Academy Film Award.
Bryce Dallas Howard: Bryce Dallas Howard is an American actress and director. The eldest child of filmmaker Ron Howard, she studied acting at the New York University Tisch School of the Arts. While portraying Rosalind in a 2003 production of As You Like It, Howard caught the attention of director M. Night Shyamalan, who cast her as a blind girl in the thriller film The Village (2004) and a naiad in the fantasy film Lady in the Water (2006).
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Ethan Hawke: Ethan Green Hawke is an American actor, author, and film director.
Kate Mara: Kate Rooney Mara is an American actress. She is known for her work in television, playing reporter Zoe Barnes in the Netflix political drama House of Cards (2013-2014; 2016), computer analyst Shari Rothenberg in the Fox thriller series 24 (2006), wronged mistress Hayden McClaine in the FX miniseries American Horror Story: Murder House (2011), Patty Bowes in the first season of the FX drag ball culture drama series Pose (2018), and a teacher involved with an underage student in the FX miniseries A Teacher (2020).
Philip Seymour Hoffman: Philip Seymour Hoffman was an American actor. Known for his distinctive supporting and character roles-eccentrics, underdogs, and misfits-he acted in many films and theatrical productions, including leading roles, from the early 1990s until his death in 2014. He was voted the greatest actor of the 21st century in a 2024 ranking by The Independent.
Bill Paxton: William Paxton was an American actor and filmmaker.
Meg Ryan: Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra, known professionally as Meg Ryan, is an American actress and director. Known for her leading roles as quirky, charismatic women since the late 1980s, Ryan is particularly recognized for her work in romantic comedies, a genre she dominated during the 1980s and 1990s. Dubbed "America's Sweetheart" by the media, she became one of Hollywood's most bankable stars of the latter decade.
Aubrey Plaza: Aubrey Christina Plaza is an American actress, comedian, and producer. After graduating from New York University Tisch School of the Arts, Plaza made her feature film debut in Mystery Team (2009) and gained wide recognition for her role as April Ludgate on the NBC political satire sitcom Parks and Recreation (2009-2015).
Alexis Bledel: Kimberly Alexis Bledel is an American actress and model. She is best known for her roles as Rory Gilmore on the television series Gilmore Girls (2000-2007) and Emily Malek in The Handmaid's Tale (2017-2021).
Miles Teller: Miles Teller is an American actor. He made his feature film debut with the independent drama Rabbit Hole (2010), and gained wider recognition for his roles in the coming-of-age film The Spectacular Now (2013) and the Divergent film trilogy (2014-2016).
Cole Sprouse: Cole Mitchell Sprouse is an American actor. He is known for his role as Cody Martin on the Disney Channel series The Suite Life of Zack & Cody (2005-2008), and its spin-off series The Suite Life on Deck (2008-2011), and his role as Jughead Jones on The CW television.
Marcia Gay Harden
Mahershala Ali
Billy Crudup
Corey Stoll
Andre Holland
Daniel Dae Kim
Deb Messing: Best known for her roles in television shows “Will & Grace,” “The Starter Wife,” “Smash,” and “The Mysteries of Laura.” Other television credits include “Seinfeld,” “Law & Order: SVU,” “Ned & Stacey,” “NYPD Blue” and “Project Runway.” Her best known films include Along Came Polly, The Wedding Date, A Walk in the Clouds, Jesus, Garfield, Open Season, The Mothman Prophecies, McHale’s Navy, and Hollywood Ending.
Rainn Wilson
Michael C. Hall: Best known for lead role of Dexter on Showtime television series "Dexter" for which he won a Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award- as well as David Fisher on the HBO drama series "Six Feet Under." Film credits include Paycheck, the science fiction thriller Gamer, comedy Peep World, The Trouble With Bliss, and Kill Your Darlings. Has appeared in numerous off-Broadway productions such as Macbeth, Cymbeline, and Henry V, as well as in the Broadway productions of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Cabaret, The Realistic Joneses, Chicago, and Skylight.
Danny Pino: Performed on Broadway in Outside Mullingar. His film credits include Moonrise Kingdom, A Master Builder, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Hostages, The Good Wife, and Arbitrage. Pine has also appeared in the television shows "House of Cards", "Unforgettable", "Homeland Person of Interest", and "Blue Bloods". Pino’s is best k…
Sterling K. Brown: Television credits include "ER," "Alias," "Without A Trace," "Supernatural," "Third Watch," "Army Wives," "Person of Interest," "Criminal Minds," "Castle," "Masters of Sex," "The Mentalist," "NCIS," "Nikita," "The Good Wife," and "NYPD Blue."
Josh Radnor
Maggie Siff
Jin Ha
Angel Desai
Dina Shihabi
Genevieve Angelson
Jeremy Shamos: Has appeared in hit Netflix series "Orange Is the New Black," FX series "Strain," "NCIS," and "Law & Order." Film credits include Non-stop, Jack, Jules, Esther & Me, Every Dog's Day, and Little Ones.
These individuals represent just a fraction of the talented Tisch alumni who have made their mark on the film and television industry, showcasing the school's ability to nurture and develop exceptional talent.
Stage Presence: Tisch Alumni on Broadway and Beyond
Tisch School of the Arts has a strong presence in the theater world, with many graduates achieving critical acclaim and commercial success on Broadway and other national stages. Some, such as Steve Kazee, Jordan Gelber, Julie Benko, Amber Gray have found success in the musical theater, while many of our graduates-such as Crystal Lucas-Perry, Nina Arianda, David Costabile, Frank Wood, Maggie Lacey, Marchánt Davis, Jeremy Shamos-have compelling, varied careers on our national stages and on Broadway.
Nina Arianda: Made her debut in the off-Broadway production of Venus in Fur. Following her off-Broadway acclaim, Nina procured roles in Woody Allen's Oscar-winning film Midnight in Paris, Tom McCarthy's Win Win, and Vera Farmiga's Higher Ground. Venus in Fur transferred to Broadway in 2011, resulting in her winning the 2012 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play. This recognition followed her 2011 nod for her Broadway debut performance as "Billie Dawn" in Born Yesterday. Has also starred in Broadway's Fool for Love and Manhattan Theatre Club's production of Tales from Red Vienna. Film credits include Universal's Tower Heist alongside Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy, Lucky Them, The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby, Rob the Mob, The Humbling, You Were Never Here, and Florence Foster Jenkins. Voices numerous characters for the video game Grand Theft Auto.
Crystal Lucas-Perry
David Costabile: Featured in Joe Turner's play Come and Gone. Broadway credits include Doubt and the Farnsworth Invention.
Frank Wood: Tony Award Winner, for his performance in the Broadway production of the first part ofThe Coast of Utopia. Other Broadway credits include No Man’s Land, Waiting for Godot, Arcadia (both the original and revival), Part 2 ofThe Coast of Utopia, The Pillowman, The Elephant Man, The Three Sisters, and Bus Stop. He is the voice of the MasterCard “Priceless” commercials and the character Ashitaka in the animated film Princess Mononoke. Other film credits include Dedication, Watchmen, Public Enemies, Sleepers, Everyone Says I Love You, Without Limits, Waking the Dead, Almost Famous, Big Fish, Mission: Impossible III, Eat Pray Love, The Stanford Prison Experiment, Spotlight, and upcoming films 20th Century Women and Youth in Oregon.
Maggie Lacey
Marchánt Davis: Featured role in Spike Lee’s Inside Man, appeared in August Wilson’s Seven Guitars at the Signature Theatre. Other film and television credits include I Think I love My Wife opposite Chris Rock and Numb3rs.
Jeremy Shamos: Has appeared in hit Netflix series "Orange Is the New Black," FX series "Strain," "NCIS," and "Law & Order." Film credits include Non-stop, Jack, Jules, Esther & Me, Every Dog's Day, and Little Ones.
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