Sean Hayes Reunites with Will and Grace Co-Star Debra Messing On NBC’s Smash

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – August 13, 2012 – Emmy Award-winning actor Sean Hayes (NBC’s “Will & Grace”) will guest star in a multi-episode arc on NBC’s “Smash” as Terrence Falls, a comedic television and film star who is making his Broadway debut in the musical “Liaisons,” based on the novel “Les Liaisons Dangereuses.” Due to a series of comic circumstances, he becomes a major thorn in the side for Ivy Lynn (Megan Hilty) and other characters.

This fall, Hayes also will make a guest appearance in a multi-episode arc on NBC’s “Up All Night” as Ava’s (Maya Rudolph) former accompanist.

Hayes, who received critical acclaim for his roles in theater, television and film, quickly gained fame as the sarcastic and hilarious, Jack McFarland, on NBC’s “Will & Grace.” In addition to working successfully and simultaneously in theater, film and television, Hayes has also added producing to his repertoire, including NBC’s sophomore drama series “Grimm.”

He became a household name in 1998, when he landed the coveted role of Jack on “Will & Grace.” His portrayal garnered him an Emmy Award (along with six nominations), four Screen Actors Guild Awards, and received seven Golden Globe nominations. Hayes’ other notable television projects include well received guest roles on “Scrubs,” “30 Rock” and “Parks and Recreation,” as well as “Martin & Lewis” a television film that starred Sean as Jerry Lewis for which he earned a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination.

In 2011, Hayes received a Tony nomination for Best Actor in a Musical after making his Broadway debut, in the wildly successful “Promises, Promises” alongside Kristin Chenoweth. That same year, he won an Emmy Award for hosting the Tony Awards. Previously, Hayes was seen on stage in New York in the New York City Center production of “Damn Yankees” with Jane Krakowski and Cheyenne Jackson.

This past spring, Hayes starred as Larry in the Farrelly brothers’ popular comedy reboot, “The Three Stooges.” He will soon be seen in the action comedy, “Hit and Run” alongside Dax Shepard, Kristen Bell, Kristin Chenoweth and Bradley Cooper. He will also lend his voice to the “Monsters Inc.” prequel, “Monsters University” in 2013. Previous film credits include “The Bucket List” opposite Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, “Billy’s Hollywood Screen Kiss,” “Pieces of April,” the voice of Mr. Fish in “The Cat in the Hat,” “Win a Date with Tad Hamilton,” “Igor,” “Soul Men” and the voice of Mr. Tinkles in the box-office hit “Cats and Dogs.”

In 2003, Hayes and producing partner Todd Milliner formed Hazy Mills Productions. Their first production, “Situation: Comedy”, a documentary television show in search of the next great sitcom, premiered on Bravo in the summer of 2005 and garnered wide critical praise. Hazy Mills is currently producing the SAG Award-winning comedy “Hot in Cleveland” for TV Land starring Betty White, Wendie Malick, Jane Leeves and Valerie Bertinelli. The company is also producing NBC’s “Grimm,” a dark yet fantastical cop drama which takes place in a world where Grimm’s Fairy Tale-inspired characters exist. Most recently, they produced the sitcom, “The Soul Man,” starring Cedric the Entertainer which premiered on TV Land this past summer.

“Smash” is a musical drama that celebrates the beauty and heartbreak of the Broadway theater as it follows a cross-section of dreamers and schemers who all have one common desire – to be a Broadway star. The series stars Emmy Award winner Debra Messing (“Will & Grace”), Oscar winner Anjelica Huston (“Prizzi’s Honor”), Jack Davenport (“Pirates of the Caribbean” films), Tony Award winner Christian Borle (“Peter and the Starcatcher”), Katharine McPhee (“American Idol”), Megan Hilty (“9 to 5: The Musical”), Tony Award nominee Jeremy Jordan (“Newsies”), Andy Mientus (“Spring Awakening”), Leslie Odom Jr. (“Leap of Faith”) and Krysta Rodriguez (“Spring Awakening”).

From Universal Television in association with DreamWorks Television, “Smash” stemmed from an idea of executive producer and multiple Emmy and Oscar winner Steven Spielberg (“ER,” “Schindler’s List”). The series’ executive producers also include Joshua Safran (“Gossip Girl”), Craig Zadan and Neil Meron (Oscar-winning “Chicago,” “Hairspray”), Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey (“United States of Tara,” “The Borgias”), Tony and Grammy Award winners Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman (“Hairspray,” “Catch Me If You Can”) and Theresa Rebeck (“Mauritius,” “NYPD Blue”).