Cheyenne Jackson’s life is a lesson in living authentically. He’s learned the hard way that keeping secrets can be corrosive.
Born in 1975, the actor and singer grew up in the small mill town of Oldtown, Idaho. Jackson is the third of four children. Raised in a devout, born-again household, he was named after his dad’s favorite Western series, Cheyenne.
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His mom, Sherri, taught him and his siblings how to sing and would often play music around the house. Jackson has said that around the age of eight, he began to feel a tension between his real passions (music and singing), and what was expected of him, such as playing football.
As a teenager, Jackson moved to Spokane, Washington. It was there he began to explore theater work. After earning his Equity card, he moved to New York in 2001 to pursue his dreams.
Broadway success
With his model-like looks and commanding stage presence, Jackson quickly won roles in a range of theatrical productions. He made his Broadway debut as an understudy for both the male leads in the Tony Award-winning musical Thoroughly Modern Millie.
He picked up several award nominations for his first Broadway leading role, playing Chad in the Elvis tribute, All Shook Up (2005). More acclaim followed for his appearances in Xanadu, Damn Yankees, and Finian’s Rainbow.
Around the time he was making waves on Broadway, Jackson also landed his first major film role. He played the part of Mark Bingham, a gay rugby player who was on United 93, one of the flights brought down by terrorists on 9/11. Last September, Jackson posted a touching tribute to Bingham on Instagram.
On TV, Jackson became a recognizable face with a recurring role on 30 Rock. He also enjoyed appearances on Curb Your Enthusiasm, American Horror Story, and Call Me Kat (alongside his good friend, the late great Leslie Jordan), among others. There have also been several music releases along the way, including an album (I’m Blue, Skies) co-penned with Sia.
Jackson came out to his family as a teenager. His sexuality was never a big secret, but it first came up publicly during an interview with Playbill in 2004.
“I’ve been out since I was 18. And I always had girlfriends [growing up], but it always ended badly,” he said. “I think I knew I was gay ever since I was five, six, seven. Even though I’m a big guy, I’ve always been gentle and soft-spoken, and I got teased for it.”
Jackson later said that although being out probably cost him some roles, he didn’t regret being open about his sexuality.
Jackson recently took his real-life story and turned it into a musical cabaret act entitled Signs of Life.
Recovery
Professionally, Jackson is a multi-talented jobbing actor and singer. However, behind the scenes, it’s not all been plain sailing.
Jackson met his first husband, Monte Lapka, in 2002. They married in 2011 and divorced in 2013. That same year, Jackson entered an alcohol recovery program. He’s been quite open about recovery and the challenges of staying sober.
In April 2023, in a candid posting, he revealed he’d fallen off the wagon again.
“After nearly a decade of sobriety I fell off the wagon. I’ve been carrying a lot of shame. Scared to share it. But I know it can help someone so here I go. I didn’t want to disappoint anyone who has looked up to me as a sober person so I’ve been just burying it away.
“I took my eye off the ball. I stopped doing what I needed to do to keep myself on the path of my personal integrity. I could blame it on Covid. I could blame it on the state of the world. Mass shootings. A nation divided. The death of my co-star [Leslie Jordan]. But the truth is, I thought I had it all handled. I thought ‘I got this.’ But I don’t. I am a work in progress. Always.”
He said he remained a work in progress and thanked those close to him for their support.
Fatherhood
Recovery has benefitted Jackson in every aspect of his life. He met his second husband, Jason Landau, at a 12-step meeting in 2013. They married in 2014. In October 2016, they welcomed twins Ethan and Willow into their lives.
Jackson often posts about his family on his social media. It’s clear his role as father trumps anything he’s done professionally.
He’s also open about some of the pressures of his profession. In 2020, in another candid post, he revealed he’d had five hair transplants over 14 years. He said he’d been “dreading” people finding out and no longer wanted to hide the fact.
His (now deleted) posting showed a large scar on the back of his head where surgeons had removed hair follicles to transplant. He said he wanted to share the information to rid himself of the shame and anxiety he felt about being found out.
Despite his success on stage, we can’t help feeling that Jackson is still awaiting the leading screen role he deserves. It was heartening to see fellow gay actor Matt Bomer’s star shine via his lead role in Fellow Travelers last year. We can’t wait to see Jackson land something similarly attention-grabbing.
However, he remains a dependable presence on stage and screen, and an inspiring example as to the power of living one’s truth.
Related*
Cheyenne Jackson shares touching tribute to 9/11 hero Mark Bingham
Jackson played Bingham in the 2006 film “United 93.”
Cheyenne Jackson gets deeply personal with his followers
The actor posted a photo of his scars to Instagram: “What I’ve learned during this pandemic is that sh*t like this just doesn’t matter.”
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