Cristin Milioti Is Our New Favorite Indie Film Starlet
This new age of Coronavirus could probably be considered one of the most challenging times ever to make your debut as a summer indie film-starlet - that is, unless, of course, you possess the buzz and career longevity of Cristin Milioti. In Hulu’s Palm Springs, an edgier Groundhog Day for the twenty-first century, Milioti shines opposite goofy love interest Andy Samberg in her portrayal of cynical, self-medicating Sarah. Although Sarah is definitely her most major role in film to date, Milioti has already proven herself to be a consistent fixture in the entertainment industry over the course of the past decade, bringing a unique depth and memorability to each of the supporting characters that she’s portrayed. There is an effortless coolness to Cristin Milioti that is strikingly evident both on-screen and off, and her star is certainly to burn even brighter in the near future. Here's the 5 surprising things to know about Milioti, now.
1. She Dropped Out of NYU
Initially going down the route of a typical theater-lover from New Jersey, Cristin enrolled at NYU Tisch in 2003. She stayed for only her freshman year before deciding ultimately that acting school, by way of its exclusionary thinking, was not the right choice for her. “I felt pigeon-holed,” she told Rolling Stone in June, describing the ways in which her professors would make her feel inadequate, whether through their type-casting or disbelief in her capabilities as a singer. “What they were teaching me, whether they meant to or not, was essentially: You aren’t enough.” Joining alongside the ranks of other famous NYU drop-outs like Angelina Jolie, Idina Menzel, and Lady Gaga, Cristin was brave to ignore to the hyper-critical, pessimistic voices of her superiors, and alternatively carve out her own path as an actress through merely auditioning on her own, without formal training.
2. She's Captured the Attention of Martin Scorsese, Hit TV Show Runners, and Broadway Legends
Even if you don’t know her by name yet, you probably already recognize Cristin’s face from the multitude of diverse characters she’s portrayed over the years. In 2013, she played Jordan Belfort’s starter wife in Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street, one of the year’s biggest blockbusters, a character that ultimately helped garner Cristin her first-ever leading role portraying ‘Girl’ in Once, the Tony-winning Broadway musical that played until 2015. It was while on-stage that the show runners of How I Met Your Mother caught sight of her talents, and decided to cast her as the much anticipated titular ‘mother’ character. Other popular performances by Cristin include appearances on TV shows such as 30 Rock, Fargo, and Black Mirror - the last of which even earned an MTV TV award nomination in 2018 for ‘Most Frightened Performance.’ Even when the roles themselves are small, Cristin brought an individuality and depth to each of their performances that make her stand out amongst her many titan co-stars in the industry.
3. She Also Has a Grammy
Unlike what her professors may have once told her, Cristin did always possess the talent to be a breakout Broadway success. In 2013, Once earned the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, where Cristin was a principal soloist, along with cast-member Steve Kazee.
4. She Keeps a Low Profile on Social Media
Cristin isn’t one to post frequent selfies or long captions detailing everything that she’s constantly up to with her fans, instead instilling a kind of down-to-earth professionalism to her image. She can be found only on Instagram @cristinmilioti where she typically uploads light-hearted content for her followers, as well as also promoting future projects.
5. Her Next Step is Music
Acting isn’t the only artistic passion that she pursues - singing has always played an integral part of Cristin Milioti’s life - whether it be through musical theater, her performance of ‘La Vie en Rose’ in How I Met Your Mother, or the production of her own original songs. She was featured on the Boots album #DARKDAZE in 2018 alongside hip-hop super-group Run the Jewels, and is even recording her own album, produced by Boots, that should be released in the near future. For now, catch her in Palm Springs, which just premiered on Hulu July 10!
