Connor Murray
| Connor Murray | |
|---|---|
 Murray at the 2022 Hamptons International Film Festival | |
| Born | Connor Murray 2002/11/08 |
| 🏳️ Nationality | American (United States of America) |
| 🏫 Education | Iona College |
| 💼 Occupation | Actor ‧ Performer ‧ Producer |
| 📆 Years active | 2018–present |
| Height | 5' 11" |
| 🌐 Website | https://www.connoramurray.com |
| https://facebook.com/connormurrayactor | |
| https://www.instagram.com/cmanmurr/ | |
| https://linkedin.com/in/connormurrayactor | |
Connor Anthony Murray (born November 8, 2002) is an American performer and athlete. He is best known for his heavy involvement and influence within the entertainment industry, and has also gained notoriety as a D1A rugby player for the Iona University Gaels and the Vice President for Internal Affairs of that school's Student Government Association.
Early life[edit]
Murray was raised in New York's Capital District and lived there until he was a teenager, when he and his family moved to New England. It was during these early years in Upstate New York that Murray was introduced to performing arts. In 2015, he sang the U.S. National Anthem to open an Albany Devils hockey game at the MVP Arena, and from 2013 to 2016, he took piano lessons from renowned Julliard-trained artist Lois Busch.
Career[edit]
At thirteen years old, he moved to Andover, Massachusetts, a suburb in the northeast part of the state, between the mill cities of Lowell and Lawrence. There, he was placed in the town's public school system, first attending Wood Hill Middle School and then Andover High School. Murray first discovered his passion for acting while living in Andover, and his first ever acting performance was in a production of Grease at Wood Hill. Throughout his time at the high school, he participated in many popular theatrical productions, eventually rising to a prominent role in Songs for a New World as a senior under director Susan Choquette and musical director Austin Davy. He also played Olin Britt in Andover High School's production of The Music Man, which was nominated for numerous Marquis Awards in 2019, taking home the trophy for Best Acting Ensemble. He's since studied under a multitude of Broadway stars, such as John Cariani, Iris Menas, and Ginna Claire Mason.
Simultaneously, Murray began exploring other mediums of entertainment, including film, and upon venturing into that community in 2018, his popularity skyrocketed, officially marking the beginning of his professional career. In fact, during the four years he was in high school, he was cast in over a dozen films and web series, many of which later screened and occasionally won awards at high-level film festivals. The Squirrel Catcher, for example, was nominated at the 2019 Florence Film Awards for both Best Comedy and Best Original Story, and, in 2022, The Candy Tin, which Murray starred in as Young William, won a Remi Award. Influence was featured on Omeleto, an extremely popular YouTube channel which showcases the most well-made short films in the world. Most recently, after graduating from AHS, Murray acted opposite Adam Pally in Who Invited Charlie?, a satirical comedy produced by David Frankel, the director behind blockbuster hit The Devil Wears Prada, as well as appearing in Call Me by Your Name director Luca Guadagnino's Challengers, a sports-based romantic drama from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer that stars Zendaya, Josh O'Connor, and Mike Faist. Murray also has limited experience in music videos and commercials; respectively, in Teresa Marie and Cristian Cartier's official music video for the song "Celebration" and Hasbro's product campaigns for the Nerf Ultra 4 and Nerf Elite 2.0 in 2020.
Murray's other extracurriculars often involved musicianship. His high school experience was mainly governed by his participation in Andover Vocal Music (AVM), the school's show choir and choral program. As a member of From Start to Finish (the mixed gender show choir), Back to Bassics, (the men's show choir), and the (Honors) Concert Choir, he was given the unique opportunity to attend important events and competitions all over New England and the United States at large, sometimes performing for celebrities the likes of Jay Leno and Maria Canals-Barrera. Andover Vocal Music is also known for its philanthropic outreach, notably appearing in a number of fundraiser galas and even putting on shows for victims of the Merrimack Valley gas explosions in 2018. During Murray's time with AVM, he held several leadership positions within the organization, including Vocal Captain and Vice President. Outside the program, he takes voice lessons from and occasionally performs with longtime vocal coach Sandra Bedrosian, who is quoted as saying that he is "a true professional with an incredibly genuine personality and attention to detail". During the COVID-19 pandemic, Murray began posting videos of his virtual performances to social media, and many recordings can still be found on his IMDb profile. He was inducted into the Tri-M Music Honor Society in 2019.
He participated in a number of athletic activities between 2017 and 2021, including tennis, cross country, and soccer, but none of those endeavors lasted long. However, in his sophomore year, he joined the Andover Rugby Union, coached by Alex Shea Will and Chris Ranwell, which he apparently remained a member of until his graduation from high school. He has also earned a black belt in Taekwondo and received training in stage combat and various handheld weapons.
In 2021, Murray graduated from Andover High School and began higher education at Iona University, a private Catholic institution based in Westchester County, New York. Albeit Iona's relatively small size of between three and four thousand students, the college makes regular headlines for its high-ranking business school and D1 athletics, particularly the men's basketball team coached by Hall of Famer Rick Pitino. The men's rugby team, which Murray currently plays for, is also very successful and popular, despite not being recognized as an official NCAA sport. In the spring rugby 7s season of 2022, the Goff Rugby Report ranked Iona College #9 among all premier collegiate rugby teams in the country and the team placed 4th in that year's Collegiate Rugby Championship in New Orleans, unfortunately suffering devastating losses to both Lindenwood and Dartmouth. The Iona Gaels are currently coached by Paul Burke, Ben Foden, and Bruce McLane, and have previously been coached by Andrew Britt and New York Ironworkers scrumhalf Connor Buckley.
Murray's involvement in the Iona University community extends far beyond his contribution as a D1 athlete. In April of his freshman year, he was elected by the student body to serve as the Vice President for Internal Affairs of the Student Government Association, which "represents the voice of the student body throughout the College". He had already been working as a senator on the SGA's legislative body since the fall semester and, upon closing out the 2021-22 academic calendar, won a GAEL Award for his service throughout the year. In addition to that, he has been in shows with both the Iona University Players (the student-run theatre group) and the Iona University Theatre Ensemble (the semi-professional theatre group sponsored by the college), participates in the Iona University Music Ministry, and works a part-time job as a campus tour guide. He is double majoring in Criminal Justice and Political Science and minoring in Theatre.
Personal life[edit]
Murray is trained in the circus arts, including unicycle, by former Ringling brother Sean Fagan.
In November, 2021, Murray confirmed on social media that he had been rushed to the hospital and diagnosed with early-stage kidney failure following several weeks of major illness. Further details about this incident are not known but Murray remained optimistic, thanking followers for their support and saying, "I can't wait to get back to living life to the fullest". He has made numerous public appearances in the months since.
Filmography[edit]
Film[edit]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Cameron | Cameron | Short film |
| 2018 | Addicted | Kai Rogers | Short film |
| 2019 | Arbor Day | Roger Rutherford | |
| 2019 | Just Friends | Stone-Skimmer | Short film |
| 2020 | The Squirrel Catcher | Jim | Short film |
| 2020 | Descend | Dean Williams | Short film |
| 2021 | The Haven Project | Student | Short film |
| 2021 | Final Curtain: Tech Week | Michael Forrest | Also producer |
| 2021 | Influence | Student | Short film |
| 2021 | After The Fall | Captain Troy "Boxey" Adams | |
| 2021 | Magnolia Flowers | Connor | |
| 2022 | Labor Day | Roger Rutherford | Also producer |
| 2022 | The Candy Tin | Young William | Short film |
| 2022 | Last Call | Barry | Short film |
| Shift | Dean | Unreleased; short film; cameo | |
| 2023 | Who Invited Charlie? | Finished | |
| 2023 | Challengers | Post-production |
Web Series[edit]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | The Naturals | Teen Manhunt Player | Episode: "An Heiress" |
Commercials[edit]
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Hasbro's Nerf Ultra 4 Product Campaign | |
| 2020 | Hasbro's Nerf Elite 2.0 Product Campaign |
Music Videos[edit]
| Year | Title | Artist | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | "Celebration" | Teresa Marie ft. Cristian Cartier | Dancer | |
| 2020 | "A Liar's Funeral" | Slipknot | Abused boy | Fanmade |
Theatre[edit]
Actor[edit]
| Year | Title | Role | Venue | Company | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Grease | Greaser | Wood Hill Middle School | ||
| 2018 | The Music Man | Olin Britt | J. Everett Collins Center for the Performing Arts | Andover High School Drama Guild | Also vocal captain |
| 2019 | Legally Blonde | Elle's Dad, Judge, H&H Shop Employee, Harvard Law Student | J. Everett Collins Center for the Performing Arts | Andover High School Drama Guild w/ CAST | Also vocal captain |
| 2020 | Doctoring Justice | Lawyer | Andover High School | Andover High School Drama Guild w/ CAST | |
| 2021 | Almost, Maine | East, Dave | J. Everett Collins Center for the Performing Arts | Andover High School Drama Guild w/ CAST | Television play |
| 2021 | Songs for a New World | Lead | Andover High School | Andover High School Drama Guild w/ CAST | |
| 2021 | The Addams Family | Lucas Beineke | Christopher J. Murphy Auditorium | Iona College Players | |
| 2022 | Veronica's Room | The Young Man | Doorley Auditorium | Iona College Theatre Ensemble |
Crew[edit]
| Year | Title | Role | Venue | Company | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | The Weir | Assistant to the Director (Thomas Donnarumma) | Doorley Auditorium | Iona College Theatre Ensemble | |
| 2022 | Bye Bye Birdie | Christopher J. Murphy Auditorium | Iona College Players |
Awards and nominations[edit]
| Year | Award/Festival | Category | Nominated Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | The Marquis Awards | Best Acting Ensemble | The Music Man | Won |
| 2019 | The Marquis Awards | Best Overall Performance | The Music Man | Nominated |
| 2019 | The Marquis Awards | Best Choral Ensemble | The Music Man | Nominated |
| 2019 | The Marquis Awards | Best Hair and Makeup | The Music Man | Nominated |
| 2019
(July) |
The Florence Film Awards | Best Comedy | The Squirrel Catcher | Nominated (WON: Honorable Mention) |
| 2019
(July) |
The Florence Film Awards | Best Original Story | The Squirrel Catcher | Nominated (WON: Honorable Mention) |
| 2019 | Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival | Entrance | Influence | Accepted and Screened |
| 2019 | San Jose International Short Film Festival | Entrance | Influence | Accepted and Screened |
| 2020 | BraveMaker Film Festival | Entrance | Influence | Accepted and Screened |
| 2020 | Silicon Valley Asian Pacific Film Festival | Entrance | Influence | Accepted and Screened |
| 2020 | New England Film Festival | Entrance | Influence | Accepted and Screened |
| 2020 | Kalakari Film Festival | Entrance | Descend | Invitation |
| 2020 | All American High School Film Festival | Entrance | The Haven Project | Accepted and Screened |
| 2020 | Hunter Mountain Film Festival | Entrance | The Haven Project | Accepted and Screened |
| 2020 | The Stone Flower Youth Film Festival | Best Short Film | The Haven Project | Nominated |
| 2020 | Accolade Global Film Festival | Award of Merit Special Mention | The Haven Project | Won |
| 2020 | Andover Drama Guild Annual Banquet and Awards Ceremony | The Rocketman Award | Won | |
| 2020 | Andover Vocal Music Annual Banquet and Awards Ceremony | The Star on the Rise Award | Won | |
| 2020 | Andover High School 2020 Virtual Underclassmen Awards | Film/Video Production | Won | |
| 2020 | Andover High School 2020 Virtual Underclassmen Awards | Musical Theatre | Won | |
| 2020 | Around International Film Festival // Berlin Official Awards | Entrance | Just Friends | Accepted and Screened |
| 2020 | Block Island Film Festival | Entrance | Just Friends | Accepted and Screened |
| 2020 | Massachusetts Independent Film Festival | Entrance | Just Friends | Accepted and Screened |
| 2020 | Andover High School Class of 2021 Senior Superlatives | Most Likely to Win America's Got Talent | Nominated | |
| 2021 | New York Women In Film & Television Online Short Film Festival | Entrance | The Naturals | Accepted and Screened |
| 2021 | Montreal Independent Film Festival | Entrance | The Naturals | Accepted and Screened |
| 2021 | Philadelphia Independent Film Festival | Entrance | The Naturals | Accepted and Screened |
| 2022 | Boston International Film Festival | Entrance | The Candy Tin | Accepted and Screened |
| 2022 | WorldFest Houston | Silver Remi Award for a Historical Short | The Candy Tin | Won |
| 2022 | Made Here Film Festival | Entrance | The Candy Tin | Accepted and Screened |
| 2022 | GAEL Awards | Rising Star - Student Government Association | Won | |
| 2022 | Bare Bones International Film and Music Festival | Best Family Drama | The Candy Tin | Nominated (WON: Runner Up) |
| 2022 | Iona Players Senior Sendoff | The Nonna Silkie Award | Won | |
| 2022 | Iona University Student Government Association - Changing of the Guard | The Squatter's Rights Award | Won | |
| 2022 | Transparent Film Festival | Entrance | The Candy Tin | Accepted and Screened |
| 2022 | LAVA Film Festival | Entrance | The Candy Tin | Accepted and Screened |
| 2022 | Autumn Shorts Film Festival | Entrance | The Candy Tin | Accepted and Screened |
| 2022 | Monadnock International Film Festival | Entrance | The Candy Tin | Accepted and Screened |
| 2022 | Popcorn Roulette Film Festival | Entrance | The Candy Tin | Accepted and Screened |
| 2022 | Lonely Seal International Film Festival | Best Short Film | The Candy Tin | Nominated (WON: Honorable Mention) |
| 2022 | SENE Film Festival | Best New England Narrative Film | The Candy Tin | Won |
| 2022 | Hamptons International Film Festival | Best Narrative Feature | Who Invited Charlie? | Nominated |
| 2022 | Reading Film Festival | Entrance | The Candy Tin | Accepted and Screened |
| 2022 | Austin Film Festival | Entrance | Who Invited Charlie? | Accepted and Screened |
| 2023 | Durango Film Festival | Entrance | The Candy Tin | Pending |
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