Penn Badgley, born on November 1, 1986, in Baltimore, Maryland, is an American actor and musician who has captured audiences with his compelling performances on both television and film.
Best known for his roles as Dan Humphrey in the hit teen drama Gossip Girl and Joe Goldberg in the psychological thriller You, Badgley has established himself as a versatile talent in the entertainment industry.
Raised between Richmond, Virginia, and Seattle, Washington, by his parents Lynne Murphy Badgley and Duff Badgley, Penn discovered his passion for acting at a young age through involvement with the Seattle Children’s Theatre.
Beyond acting, Badgley is a dedicated husband to Domino Kirke, whom he married in 2017, and a father to their son, James, born in 2020.
Siblings
Penn has one half-sibling, a sister named Jen.
However, in interviews and public statements, Penn has not spoken extensively about siblings, focusing instead on his immediate family and career.
Career
Bagley’s career began in his pre-teen years with voiceover work for children’s radio stations and video games like Mario Golf 64 and Mario Tennis 64.
His first on-screen role came in 1998 with a guest appearance on Will & Grace, followed by roles in shows such as Daddio and The Brothers García.
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His breakout came in 2000 when he portrayed Phillip Chancellor IV on the soap opera The Young and the Restless, earning a nomination for a Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Daytime Series in 2001.
Badgley’s rise to fame accelerated with his starring role as Dan Humphrey in Gossip Girl (2007–2012), a cultural phenomenon that aired on The CW.
His portrayal of the complex, outsider-turned-insider character earned him widespread recognition and six Teen Choice Award nominations, cementing his status as a teen idol.
During this period, he also ventured into film, appearing in comedies like John Tucker Must Die (2006) and Easy A (2010), the latter earning him another Teen Choice Award nomination, as well as horror films like The Stepfather (2009).
In 2011, Badgley showcased his dramatic chops in the critically acclaimed financial thriller Margin Call, where he was part of an ensemble cast that won the Robert Altman Award at the Independent Spirit Awards.
He further demonstrated his range by portraying Jeff Buckley in the 2012 biopic Greetings from Tim Buckley, a role that required him to take guitar and vocal lessons to authentically capture the late musician’s essence.
More recently, his role as the chillingly charismatic Joe Goldberg in Netflix’s You (2018–present) has redefined his career, earning him nominations for MTV Movie + TV Awards and Saturn Awards, and solidifying his ability to portray complex, morally ambiguous characters.
Beyond acting, Badgley’s musical pursuits with MOTHXR, including the release of their debut album Centerfold in 2016, highlight his creative versatility.
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