Daniel N. Durant (born December 24, 1989) is an American stage and screen actor. Deaf since birth, his breakthrough starring role was as Moritz Stiefel in the 2015 Broadway revival of Spring Awakening. Durant had a major supporting role in the Academy Award-winning film CODA (2021). He and the cast won the Special Jury Award for Ensemble Cast in the U.S. Dramatic Competition at its world premiere at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, along with the award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture at the 28th Screen Actors Guild Awards. On television, he is known for his recurring role in the ABC Family series Switched at Birth (2013–2017).
Early life Durant was born deaf in Detroit, Michigan to deaf parents who struggled with addiction; he was adopted as a toddler by his paternal aunt Lori Durant and later her wife Mary Engels. He grew up in Duluth, Minnesota. He attended the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf in Faribault and graduated in 2008. He studied at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in Rochester, New York, receiving an associate degree in applied computer technology in 2011. He subsequently attended Gallaudet University, earning a degree in 2014.
He joined the Deaf West Theatre in 2012 for its production of Cyrano de Bergerac.
Career On September 8, 2022, Durant was announced as a contestant on season 31 of Dancing with the Stars. He was partnered with Britt Stewart. They reached the semifinals and finished in fifth place. Durant performed the National Anthem in ASL at Super Bowl LVIII.
Durant was cast in the October 2024 "ASL-infused" revival of American Idiot, presented by Centre Theatre Group and Deaf West Theater, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of Green Day's original album release.
Personal life Durant entered a romantic relationship with his Dancing with the Stars partner Britt Stewart in November 2022, shortly after his stint on the competition series ended. In order to communicate with him, Stewart made the decision to learn ASL. They got engaged on Christmas Eve 2023 during a hike in Lake Arrowhead, California. Durant and Stewart were married on August 23, 2025, in Santa Margarita, California. A number of their friends from the entertainment industry attended the ceremony, including Durant's CODA co-stars Troy Kotsur and Marlee Matlin.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes 2020 Silent Notes Bruce 2021 CODA Leo Rossi 2026 Being Heumann Steve McCleeland TBA Flash Before the Bang Post-production
Television Year Title Role Notes2012The Archives at Gallaudet UniversityGallaudet StudentTV Short2013–2017Switched at BirthMatthew17 episodes2019YouJames KennedyEpisode: "Farewell, My Bunny"2022Good Morning America Himself Guest2022Dancing with the Stars Himself Contestant (Season 31)2023Florida ManMax2023Chicago MedAiden RogersEpisode: "Look Closely and You Might Hear the Truth"
Theater Year Title RoleVenueProduction company Notes2012CyranoEnsembleThe Fountain TheaterDeaf West TheatreLos Angeles production2012Police: Deaf: Near: FarStingerOakland UniversityTerpTheatreMichigan production2013Flowers for AlgernonCharlieWild Fire TheatreDeaf West TheatreLos Angeles production2014Spring AwakeningMoritz SteifelRosenthal TheaterLos Angeles production2015Wallis Annenberg Center2015–16Brooks Atkinson TheatreBroadway revival2017Jonas and the BodyJonasTeater ManuTeater ManuNorway production2019The Black DrumBulldogYoung Centre for the Performing ArtsDeaf Culture CentreToronto productionClin d’Oeil FestivalFrance production2024American IdiotJohnnyMark Taper ForumDeaf West TheatreLos Angeles production2026Elephant ShoesCyTwo River TheaterDeaf West TheatreWorld Premiere New Jersey production
Awards and nominations YearAwardCategoryWorkResult2015Ovation AwardsBest Acting Ensemble for a MusicalSpring AwakeningBroadwayWorld LA AwardsBest Featured Actor in a Musical2016Theatre World AwardsOutstanding Broadway Debut PerformanceBroadway.com Audience Choice AwardsFavorite Onstage Pair (with Alex Boniello) Fred and Adele Astaire AwardsOutstanding Ensemble in a Broadway Show2021Sundance Film FestivalU.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Ensemble CastCODA2022Screen Actors Guild AwardsOutstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
References
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