From Shy Kid to Scene-Stealer: Michael Urie Reflects on His Career and "Shrinking"

Though known for his vibrant characters, acting wasn’t always Urie’s first calling when it came to show business. “If you ask my parents, they’d say I was always performing, but I was very shy,” he recalls. “For a long time, I wanted to be a movie director because I idolized Tim Burton,” Urie explains. “But Michael Keaton showed me that an actor could transform completely—going from Beetlejuice to Batman.” Years later, Urie had a full-circle moment working with Keaton in the indie film Goodrich. “It was thrilling. He’s such a special actor, but I didn’t tell him any of this,” Urie says, laughing.

Urie’s path to Broadway began with a life-changing performance he saw as a teen. “I wasn’t very musical. I knew I wasn’t going to be in Phantom of the Opera,” he admits. “But when I saw Roger Bart as Bud Frump in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, it clicked. I thought, ‘I could do that.’”

That inspiration eventually led Urie to his Broadway debut as Bud Frump in the 2011 revival of the same musical, working alongside Nick Jonas and Beau Bridges. Since then, he’s appeared in six Broadway productions total, most recently Spamalot and Once Upon a Mattress alongside Tony Award winner Sutton Foster.

Urie shot to fame as Marc St. James on ABC’s Ugly Betty from 2006-2010. Reflecting on the experience, he credits his co-stars with teaching him professionalism and how to lead on a set. “I was 25 and didn’t know what being on set was like. Vanessa Williams was such a pro, and America Ferrera, though younger than me, was a natural leader,” he shares.

He formed a strong bond with co-star Becky Newton, who was also fairly new to the TV world. “We were both learning the ropes of television and she really taught me the importance of knowing what you don't know. It’s so valuable,” he explained. “There's a great power in knowing what you don't know and asking, and a lot of times we're afraid to ask. This is such a prideful country. We're so afraid to ask but that's actually really powerful.”

In Shrinking, Urie plays Brian, a charming lawyer and best friend to Jimmy as they and their chosen family navigate the ups and downs of life, loss, relationships and mental health. “No two characters are the same on Shrinking. There's a special chemistry when you put two of these characters together that's really exciting and new and different." he says. The show’s writers challenge viewers to keep up without overloading on backstory, a choice Urie admires.

Looking ahead, Urie hopes season three delves deeper into Brian’s dynamic with the colorful gallery of characters, particularly with the abrasive yet vulnerable veteran Sean, played by Luke Tennie. “I have made it a point not to try to guess what they're going to write, because I'm always wrong, and it's always way better than I think what they're going to come up with.”

“I don’t want to speculate or pitch, but there’s [potential for] some really funny and poignant stuff between those two guys.”

Catch Michael Urie in seasons one and two of Shrinking, streaming now on Apple TV+.

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