Sean Hankinson

Sean Hankinson
Born
Tucson, Arizona, US[1]
Alma materChapman University (BFA)[2]
Occupations
Years active2005–present

Sean Hankinson is an American film and theater actor. He is best known for his role as Ethan Blaire in Days of Our Lives, Ken in Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse, and Ben in Adult Swim Yule Log.[3]

Early life

Hankinson was born and raised in Tucson, Arizona,[1] living briefly in Albuquerque, New Mexico, before moving to Los Angeles, California. He attended Tucson High Magnet School, a performing arts public school. Hankinson said he had wanted to be an actor since age 6 and began working professionally at age 14.[4]

During college, Hankinson portrayed Alan Strang in the Chapman University production of Equus, for which he won an OC Weekly Theater Award for Best College Performance.[5] His performance was described as "brave" and "near-perfect" by OC Weekly, which further stated that his "sheer acting skill drew the viewer into the character beneath the skin."[5] In a review, The Los Angeles Times described Hankinson's portrayal of Strang as "mercurial" and "both intricate and thorough."[6]

Acting career

After receiving his Bachelor of Fine Arts, Hankison moved to New York City, and began acting in a variety of films and television shows, including a starring role as the character Ben on the long-running web series Prom Queen produced by Michael Eisner for Vuguru and The CW. He also performed in the soap opera Days of Our Lives as Ethan Blaine in 2008.[1][3]

Throughout the 2010s, he also worked as a voice actor, including voicing the character Ken in the official Mattel comedy web series Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse from 2012 to 2015.[3][7] The series experienced renewed popularity on Netflix in 2023 following the release of Greta Gerwig's Barbie that year.[8] Hankinson described the role as a "dream job" and one of his favorites.[4]

During 2016, Hankinson apprenticed at an Off-Broadway theater, and later in 2017 starred in the Off-Broadway touring production of Matt Murphy's Sex Tips for Straight Women from a Gay Man, based on the cult classic best-selling book by Dan Anderson and Maggie Berman of the same name.[1][9] The production received mixed reviews,[10][11] though Hankinson received praise for his improvisational skills.[12]

He later relocated to Atlanta in 2019,[1] and landed guest roles in shows like Dynasty and Naomi, as well as a starring role in the 2022 surreal meta-horror comedy Adult Swim Yule Log. He portrays blacklisted Hollywood screenwriter Dalton Trumbo in the 2024 biographical historical drama Reagan about U.S. president Ronald Reagan.[13]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2005 3 Girls and the Golden Cocoon Kyle
2006 The Road Ahead Joe
2007 Cougar Club CC Member
2007 Fun on Earth Cafeteria heckler Short Film
2007 Curtain Call Mike Short Film
2009 Drama Kings Brody Bondalillo
2011 Bad Actress Forensics Coordinator
2013 RockBarnes: The Emperor in You Simon Foster #1 Fan
2015 4th Man Out Derek
2016 Stu Bartender Short Film
2019 Camp Wedding Gore
2019 Enjoy the Day Brandon Short Film
2020 The Glorias TV Producer
2021 21st & Colonial Ben Short Film
2022 Gigi & Nate Dr. Patidar
2022 Stalked Within Supervisor
2022 Adult Swim Yule Log Ben
2023 The Slumber Party Dr. Patrick Brookman
2024 Megalopolis TV Newscaster
2024 Reagan Dalton Trumbo

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2006 Team Extreme Staggering Kid TV movie
2006 Untold Stories of the E.R. Brett Maxwell Episode: "Too Close to Home"
2007–12 Prom Queen Ben Web Series; 51 episodes
2008 Days of Our Lives Ethan Blaine 3 episodes
2008 Mystery ER Brandon Episode: "Rash Decision/Inflamed"
2008 Lost Tapes Evan Metcalf-Chambers Episode: "Megaconda"
2011 Foodies Porter 3 episodes
2011 90210 Polo Shirt Guy Episode: "Let the Games Begin"
2011 Digimon Fusion Battles Kenny
2012 Dates from Hell Boris Episode: "A Kiss Before Dying"
2012–15 Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse Ken Web Series; 74 episodes (voice)
2015 This Is My Roommate Needy Guy Episode: "The Right One"
2016 The SeanTal Show Sean Miniseries; 5 episodes
2016 Turn: Washington's Spies Courier 2 Episode: "Trial and Execution"
2017 Bull Juror #1 Episode: "The Devil, The Detail"
2020 Dwight in Shining Armor Herald Episode: "Just Desserts"
2021 Dynasty Darryl Episode: "The British Are Coming"
2021 Games People Play Reporter 1 2 episodes
2022 Naomi Steve O'Brien Episode: "Unidentified Flying Object"
2022 Atlanta Man in Glasses Episode: "Three Slaps"
2022 Woke Frank Episode: "Sole Train"
2022 The First Lady Reporter Episode: "Voices Carry"
2022 The Ms. Pat Show Johnny James Episode: "Trigger Warning"
2022 The Watcher Teacher Episode: "Götterdämmerung"
2022 Step Up: High Water Reporter #2 Episode: "Never Scared"
2023 Sistas Westley 2 Episodes
2024 Will Trent Brent Swann Episode: "It's Easier to Handcuff a Human Being"

Video games

Year Title Role Notes
2013 Barbie Dreamhouse Party Ken Voice role

Stage

Year Title Role Notes
1999 Equus Alan Strang[6] Chapman University Moulton Hall Studio Theater
2017 Sex Tips for Straight Women from a Gay Man Dan[9] Off-Broadway Touring Production

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominated work Result
2000 OC Weekly Annual Theater Awards Best College Performance[5] Equus Won

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Chao, Eveline (10 July 2019). "For Struggling Actors, No More Waiting Tables. The New Side Gig: Brand Ambassador". New York Times. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  2. ^ "Alumnus eats up role on new food-obsessed web comedy". Chapman News. March 14, 2011. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c "3 Sex Tips For A Straight Woman From A Gay Man (adult content)". WPTV. 12 April 2017. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  4. ^ a b Holland, Scott (29 March 2017). "Sex Tips for Straight Women from a Gay Man". HotSpots! Magazine. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  5. ^ a b c "The 1999 Okies". OC Weekly. 10 February 2000. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  6. ^ a b McCulloh, T.H. (25 October 1999). "An Extraordinary 'Equus'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 29 March 2009.
  7. ^ White, Cindy (19 July 2023). "Before Barbie got meta, there was 'Life In The Dreamhouse'". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  8. ^ Bell, BreAnna (19 July 2023). "Netflix Top 10: 'Barbie Life in the Dreamhouse' Charts at No. 6 as 'The Witcher' Returns to No. 1". Variety. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  9. ^ a b Cristi, A.A. (28 March 2017). "SEX TIPS FOR STRAIGHT WOMEN FROM A GAY MAN Brings Off-Broadway's Longest Running Romantic Comedy to the Kravis Center". Broadway World. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  10. ^ Dabkowski, Colin (1 February 2018). "Straight women, a gay man and sex tips galore in Shea's Smith Theatre". Buffalo News. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  11. ^ Kiley, David (8 March 2018). "'Sex Tips' a trip to Chuck-E-Cheese for women". Encore Michigan. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  12. ^ Arnold, J.W. (29 March 2017). "'Sex Tips' is a Naughty Romp at The Broward Center". South Florida Gay News. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  13. ^ Farber, Stephen (29 August 2024). "'Reagan' Review: Dennis Quaid Headlines an Overly Reverential Tribute to a Controversial Politician". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 1 September 2024.