Things You Didn’t Know About ‘Supernatural’ Star Misha Collins
Published on January 2, 2017. Updated September 30, 2019Misha Collins has been in the entertainment industry since the late ’90s, but he has found super stardom thanks to his long-running role as Castiel on the hit series Supernatural. There is no doubt the show revolves around Sam and Dean Winchester, played by Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles, but Misha Collins has been an asset to the show, and has wasted no time in become a beloved character with millions of loyal fans. Get to know the talented actor better with these 9 things that are not widely known about him:
9. The White House
When Misha was young and before he seriously pursued acting, his career was headed in a much different direction. For four months he interned at the White House during the Clinton Administration in the Office of Presidential Personnel. Of his time there Collins said, “It was a great experience for me because I was going into politics and it got me to realize that I didn’t want to go into politics. So I’m very grateful for the experience. It was interesting. I thought I was going to be mingling with the best and the brightest minds in the world under one roof. And it seemed like most of the people working in the White House were people who had volunteered on the campaign–this was the Clinton White House–or their parents had donated a lot of money to the campaign. I’m going to offend somebody here, but it didn’t seem like a terribly bright or interesting group of people to be around. And I guess that’s what you want, you want people that are just going to toe the party line and be supportive of what the guy at the top is saying. But it wasn’t what I wanted. So I was glad to get out of there.”
8. A Poet
As well as once having aspirations of being a politician, and achieving success as an actor, Misha Collins is also an accomplished poet. His published poems include “Baby Pants” and “Old Bones,” and have been seen in “The Columbia Poetry Review,” “The California Quarterly,” and other literary journals.
Photo By: Emiley Schweich/Everett Collection7. Early Life
Dimitri Tippens Krushnic, aka Misha Collins, was born on August 20, 1974 in Boston, Massachusetts, to Richard Krushnic and Rebecca Tippens. He attended Greenfield Center School, Northfield Mount Hermon School and then the University of Chicago where he studied social theory. Collins also took an interest in carpentry and became quite skilled in woodworking and revealed that he built the house he and his family live in, as well as most of the furniture in it.
Source: Tumblr6. Charitable
It seems that Collins’ acting career really takes a backseat to many of his other talents and ventures, as he takes on much more than many other celebrities, including some impressive charity work. The actor is the co-founder and board president of Random Acts of Kindness which works to fund and inspire acts of kindness all around the world. He once also spent three summers over three consecutive years helping to build an orphanage in Haiti, and also founded the Greatest International Scavenger Hunt in the World Has Ever Seen which, ended up breaking five world records including the world record for the most pledges to perform an act of kindness.
A photo posted by Misha Collins (@misha) on
5. Stage Name
What many fans wonder is just how Dimitri Tippens Krushnic becomes Misha Collins? Well, as it turns out, “Misha” was the name of his mother’s Russian ex-boyfriend and it became a nickname that stuck with him from a very young age. Meanwhile Collins is his great grandmother’s maiden name, and he explained he thought Misha Collins “flowed” a lot better than Misha Dimitri Tippens Krushnic when it came to acting.
David Gray / © THE CW / courtesy everett collection4. Buddhism
Collins says he was raised in an irreligious family, but as he grew older found his own beliefs and interests in religion, specifically Buddhism. He has spent many months in seclusion in monasteries in Yosemite and Tibet and is known to still practice Buddhist meditation which includes going on a 10 day retreat once a year.
Source: People3. Personal Life
Misha Collins first met Victoria Vantoch when they shared an English class together and he was the only boy in the class. The pair stuck together ever since and were married on October 6, 2001 and expanded their family nine years later when they welcomed a son, West Anaximander Collins, in September 2010. They then welcomed their daughter, Maison Marie Collins, in September 2012. In 2011 the pair renewed their wedding vows, but did so with an interesting twist: they held the ceremony at a supermarket and dressed in drag complete with Misha holding a bouquet of vegetables.
Source: Fanpop2. Even More Personal
One of the most interesting, although very personal, aspects of Misha’s relationship with his wife is the book she wrote. In 2007 Vicki Vantoch published “The Threesome Handbook: A Practical Guide to Sleeping With Three,” and although Misha’s name is never mentioned she talks about “her husband” and at the end thanks “M” her “sweet coadventurer in love and life. Even though this book wasn’t his cup of tea, he was supportive from the beginning and was always there when I need him.” Of her relationship with Misha and evidently someone else, Vanoch wrote, One night, my husband and i were at my best friend’s apartment. After a few cosmopolitans and a game of truth or dare, we all ended up in bed together. The sex was so sensational that we started meeting for weekends trysts. One afternoon, i caught myself in a garden collecting wild butterflies for her. What the f–k? I realized i had fallen in love with my best friend. As it tourned out: my husband had too. Suddenly it was a lot to juggle. He and I were still in love with each other. I loved them both, they loved each other, and they both loved me. The scenario was exhilarating and terrifying all at once.”
Source: Monet1. Net Worth
Misha Collins got his start in acting with his first on-screen role in 1998 in the series Legacy. From there he appeared in a few more TV series and also appeared as Tony in the cult classic 1999 film Girl, Interrupted. Collins continued to land roles in both film and television, but it wasn’t until getting cast in Supernatural that his career really took off. Now, Collins has 35 acting credits to his name and an estimated net worth of $2 million.
Photo by Rob Latour/REX/Shutterstock