Meet 'Rise' Actor Damon J. Gillespie with These 10 Fun Facts (Exclusive)

The new musical series Rise premieres TONIGHT (March 13) on NBC and we caught up with the show’s star Damon J. Gillespie to learn more about him!

The actor plays Robbie Thorne, a football player who is recruited to star in his high school’s production of the musical Spring Awakening.

Other than an appearance in a 2015 episode of Inside Amy Schumer, this is Damon‘s first big acting credit. Here are 10 Fun Facts about him:

• 1. I play six instruments.
• 2. I love to knit.
• 3. My first job was at an amusement park performing Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.”
• 4. I write my own raps.
• 5. First extra curricular activity was martial arts.

Click inside for the rest of the fun facts…

• 6. I’m an award-winning tap dancer.
• 7. I love to analyze musical theatre scores, especially Jason Robert Brown and Stephen Sondheim.
• 8. My favorite super hero is Spider-Man despite being incredibly horrified of spiders.
• 9. My ideal cheat meal is pizza from Lou Malnati’s in Chicago.
• 10. My favorite band of all time is STYX.

Make sure to watch Rise on NBC on Tuesday nights at 10/9c.