Since Schitt’s Creek burst onto our screens in 2015, Dan Levy has become what can only be called iconic. Levy not only created and wrote the show, he also starred as the hilarious and ever-quotable David (via IMDb). And Levy’s rise to superstardom doesn’t seem to be slowing down, either. After its sixth and final season, Schitt’s Creek swept up nine Emmy Awards, breaking the record for most wins for a comedy show in one season (via Harper’s Bazaar). Levy was also a highlight in the Kristen Stewart Netflix Christmas movie Happiest Season – as Variety said, he “stole the show.”
It’s easy to see how Levy has managed to take the world by storm. His comedic timing and delivery on Schitt’s Creek is close to perfection, as is his ever-fascinating sweater collection! Plus, his charisma is off the charts, so we can’t blame you for wanting to find out more! Here is the untold truth of Dan Levy.
Dan Levy worked hard to forge his own path in the industry
Dan Levy comes from what could easily be described as comedic royalty. His father — and Schitt’s Creek co-creator and co-star — Eugene Levy is a comedic legend, having starred in films like Best in Show, Waiting for Guffman, and American Pie (via IMDb). Nevertheless, Dan Levy had to work pretty hard to make a name for himself.
In an interview with the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, Levy explained how he’d initially avoided working with his famous dad. “For a long time I avoided any kind of association with him because I feel like this industry is incredibly unforgiving when it comes to just the blanket labeling of nepotism,” he said. Instead, Levy worked hard to forge his own path.
Levy ended up getting a hosting job on MTV’s The Hills. As he explained to Variety, this job helped him establish himself outside of his family. “It was amazing for me, just in terms of the freedoms it afforded me,” he recalled, “and the confidence I was given. Not just as a host, but as someone who was trying to make a name for myself outside of my dad.”
Writing Schitt's Creek taught Dan Levy about his own approach to relationships
Even though Dan Levy created and wrote most of Schitt’s Creek himself, he actually ended up learning a few things from his characters — particularly when it comes to romance. Levy told Out, “Everyone has an arsenal of bad relationship stories, but one of the things I’ve since long overcome was a feeling of not being worthy.” Apparently, he used this personal journey while writing his character, David, in the show. As he put it to Variety, “There’s a level of catharsis in writing.”
Unlike his character in Schitt’s Creek, Levy said that he hadn’t had quite as many bad relationships. “But I do think the takeaway from writing it, acting it and then editing it was watching it back, is, ‘Yeah — in a way, I wrote that for myself,'” he continued. As Levy explained, David made him realize that “you can, hopefully, find someone that is really into you and not a version of yourself that you think someone would be more interested in.”
Dan Levy's Schitt's Creek schedule was completely insane
Dan Levy is nothing if not a workaholic. In 2020, he spoke to Bustle about his frankly insane work schedule during Schitt’s Creek. Apparently, the actor was driven to set at 5 a.m. each morning where he would prepare for the day’s filming, rehearsing and rewriting scenes. Then, he was involved in wardrobe fittings — after all, Levy was always super involved in the clothes on the show! Next up, Levy would act or direct before heading back to the writers’ room. Finally, he’d get back home at 8 p.m., wolf down some dinner, then keep on writing. Apparently, the star sometimes only got two hours of sleep!
For Levy, this hectic, non-stop schedule meant that there wasn’t really time for much else. “When you’re doing something that you love it’s like, ‘I have a full plate,'” he revealed. But for Levy, it was all worth it. “Even though [Schitt’s Creek was] super intense and even though at times I need a neck brace, it was never not inspiring, and it was never not thrilling and exciting and totally satisfying.”
Dan Levy was very, very emotional when Schitt's Creek ended
It’s pretty clear that Schitt’s Creek was a real labor of love for Dan Levy. In 2019, he announced on Twitter his decision to end the show after its sixth season. But even though Levy wrapped things up on his own terms, when the end finally came, it was pretty emotional. In a touching Instagram post from the last day of filming, Levy can be seen weeping in the arms of his co-star, Annie Murphy. He wrote, “Tears are a good thing. It means you care.”
As Levy told the Associated Press at the time of the final season’s release, “I thought I would be better off than I am to be honest.” He confessed, “I thought, you know, I wrote the season, I cried then, I shot the season, I cried then, I edited the season, I cried then.” By the time the final season was completed, Levy had expected he would be “kind of numb to it.” But, when the final few episodes of Schitt’s Creek aired, Levy “completely lost it.” It’s clear that Levy did care — a lot!
As a child, Dan Levy developed severe anxiety
Even though Dan Levy is super confident now, when he was young, he wasn’t quite as sure of himself. As he told Bustle, his anxiety became so bad, he started to avoid social gatherings. Eventually, his anxiety even manifested itself in a physical eye inflammation called iritis. “I think that came from a deep-rooted fear of knowing that I was gay and not being able to be free,” Levy explained.
Eventually, Levy reached high school, where his anxiety and confusion reached a peak. “It led to a very confusing time,” he continued. “You are now being introduced to things like self-awareness and anxiety. At the same time, you’re becoming more and more savvy when it comes to hiding it.”
Even though Levy eventually came out as gay, his anxiety has remained an issue for him. As he told Out, “I have anxiety at the best of times.” He also summed himself up as “a proud ball of anxiety in front of a computer, that is the reality.”
Dan Levy came out to his parents when he was 18
Dan Levy was pretty anxious to come out to his parents — but in the end, the experience wasn’t as terrible as it might have been. In fact, as he revealed on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, his mother asked Levy to come out while they were having lunch. “She almost knew. My mom and I have a very close relationship in that sense and it almost felt like she knew that I was ready,” he recalled. His dad chimed in, “We knew for the longest time. We were waiting and then mom couldn’t wait any longer.” What a sweet story.
After coming out, according to GQ, Levy actually found it harder than ever to fit in. Apparently, he started to second-guess his look and his behavior and didn’t feel comfortable in his own skin. As Levy put it to Bustle, “I was not in any place to be of great value in a relationship.” Luckily, Levy eventually came out of his shell and fully embraced himself and his sexuality.
Dan Levy helped to raise thousands of dollars for a native studies program in Canada
It turns out, Dan Levy is a passionate activist. In 2020, he spent 13 weeks taking an Indigenous Studies course online through the Canadian University of Alberta. On Twitter, Levy claimed that the course had been “transformational.” As he said in a video attached to the tweet, “The faculty of Native Studies at the University of Alberta is the only faculty of Native Studies in North America.” He went on to say that after taking the course about Indigenous peoples in Canada, he decided to ask for fans to make donations to the faculty. “I’m going to match you dollar for dollar up to $25,000,” he promised.
And that’s not the only cause Levy has supported. In 2019, Levy was able to encourage his fans to raise $20,000 for an LGBTQ+ youth charity for his birthday. As Bea Edwards, who helped to organize this campaign told HuffPost, “Dan has said, ‘Kindness always wins.’… This is people living that value in action.” It’s clear that Levy is passionate about multiple issues — and will always go above and beyond to use his platform for good.
Dan Levy is a massive Etsy fan
If you’re at all into funky, quirky crafts or one-of-a-kind artwork that doesn’t cost a fortune, you’ve probably spent more than a few hours scrolling through Etsy. It turns out, Dan Levy also has a soft spot for the platform. In 2019, the actor joined the judging panel of Etsy’s Design Awards, “The Etsies.” As Levy told Elle Decor, working with Etsy was a dream come true. “I’m definitely coming at this as a fan,” Levy gushed, explaining that he himself was an avid Etsy shopper. “When it came to putting our show, Schitt’s Creek, together, we purchased a lot of costume and set deck from Etsy, so I’ve had professional experience with the company.”
Levy continued to recall how Etsy’s array of weird and wonderful items was perfect for a show like Schitt’s Creek. “It took a lot of digging and deep diving to find each piece, but as an Etsy shopper I think that’s a big part of the fun,” he continued. He even admitted to spending hours on the platform. Sounds like Levy is a true Etsy fanatic.
Dan Levy's dog Redmond is his best friend
As the saying goes, “Dogs are a man’s best friend.” In Dan Levy’s case, this really is true. In his iconic interview “73 Questions With Dan Levy” for Vogue, Levy gushed about his special pup, Redmond. “This is my dog and best friend,” he said while stroking the adorable Redmond. When asked how the dog would describe himself, he quipped, “Better than all of us.” And Redmond’s best qualities? “He’s very calm and level-headed,” Dan shared, “qualities that I strive for every day of my life.” Sounds like Levy has a very special bond with his dog.
By the looks of things on social media, Levy really, really loves his dog. He frequently posts adorable images on Instagram of the dog cuddling him, staring at him, or just hanging out with him. And in 2019, CBC Comedy even posted an entire video about how Redmond was always on set for Schitt’s Creek. Apparently, there was a little completion between Redmond and another cast member’s dog that ended in an Instagram poll — which, unsurprisingly, Redmond won by leaps and bounds!
Dan Levy is obsessed with this item of clothing
It’s safe to say that Dan Levy is somewhat known for his style — particularly his incredible sweaters as David in Schitt’s Creek! As the actor confessed in his “73 Questions With Dan Levy” interview with Vogue, he’s seriously obsessed with his Rick Owens leather jacket, which he wore in the very first episode of Schitt’s Creek. “It was actually mine from my own closet,” he explained. He recalled buying the jacket with his first paycheck. “I went to the store in New York, I swiped my credit card, my hand was shaking, and I’ve worn it every day since and I’m so glad that it made it into the show,” he revealed.
It’s clear that Levy is a little obsessed with this jacket, though it’s unclear whether or not Levy really does wear this jacket every day — but he does seem to wear it a lot!
Dan Levy is a superfan of this Hulu show
Just like the rest of us, Dan Levy isn’t adverse to binge watching the occasional TV show. As the star explained to W in 2020, he spent much of his COVID-19 lockdown devouring episodes of Hulu’s political satire The Great. As Levy explained, he was already a big fan of the writer, Tony McNamara, who also wrote The Favorite. “I loved his ability to write about the frivolity and the ridiculousness of power, and satirizing it in such a fun and funny and ridiculous way,” he shared. “For me it was a level of escape.”
Levy went on to rave about how the show managed to mock “power-hungry politics” while also delivering outstanding performances and stunning cinematography. “It was just such a beautiful series to watch,” he gushed.
Apparently, Levy loved the show so much, he even dressed up as the main character for his photo shoot for the interview. “I’m dressing up like Nicholas Hoult in full period costume, with a wig,” he added. “I don’t have the delicate features of Nicholas Hoult, so I can’t say that I’m going to look as good in the clothes.”
Dan Levy's dream of hosting SNL came true in 2021
In 2021, Dan Levy hit yet another career milestone: he was chosen to host an episode of the famous comedy sketch show Saturday Night Live. In his opening monologue, Levy gushed about the opportunity, “I have somehow found myself here on this iconic stage… and trust me when I say this, it has only been good here at SNL.” He then proceeded to take the viewers on a tour of the show’s safety precautions, showing a series of safety officers with pool noodles for social distancing, some socially distanced cast members in inflatable bubbles, and then, much to the audience’s delight, his dad Eugene Levy in a glass isolation box surrounded by guards in full hazmat suits.
Levy also appeared in a few skits. In one, he played a singing and dancing bartender whose TV broke during the Super Bowl. In another, Levy played a young man in an “It Gets Better” campaign video about the not-so-glamorous parts of gay life. After hosting, he wrote a humble thank you on Twitter: “So many people worked so hard to make this dream a reality,” he shared.
Dan Levy's appearance in Coastal Elites took serious preparation
In 2020, Dan Levy appeared in HBO’s Coastal Elites, a film made up of five direct-to-camera monologues filmed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Levy played Mark, a young gay actor who found himself constantly hiding his identity for his job. Levy explained to TV Guide that the role felt very close to home.
From a practical point of view, as Levy explained to Collider, this project was new territory. “I had never tackled anything quite like this,” he confessed, referring to the five and a half page monologue. As he went on to explain, the project was “something that I instantly said yes to” because of the stellar cast and the “incredible challenge.”
At first, Levy was daunted by the prospect of memorizing the mammoth speech. So, he took a pragmatic approach. “I sat down and I thought, ‘Okay, how many days do I have? When do I want to actually be totally versed in this monologue by? Then, let’s count back from that date.” He ended up breaking the speech up into chunks and learning a section each day. Pretty smart if you ask us!
Dan Levy has his own line of eyewear
While you probably know that Dan Levy loves his fashion, you may not realize that the actor actually has his very own eyewear line; D.L. Eyewear is quite the passion project for Levy. As he explained in a video, “DL Eyewear was an idea that happened as a result of people asking where I always got my glasses from, and I felt a little strange telling a 13-year-old kid to go and spend $600 on a pair of designer eyewear.” So, Levy decided to create a brand that was more affordable, while still showcasing his iconic style.
As Levy told Vogue, the company was originally started in 2013, but was put on hold during Schitt’s Creek. However, he did use his own eyewear designs on the show, and soon, fans had found the company and started buying glasses from the old collection. “These were frames that, yes, I love, but we hadn’t put out a new collection since 2014,” he explained. So, he released 23 new frames in 2020, and clearly he was onto something — his new collection sold out in less than 24 hours!
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