Childhood & Early Life
Tyler Christopher was born Tyler Baker, in Joliet, Illinois, on November 11, 1972, to Jimi-Ann and Jimi Baker. He had three older siblings: two sisters and a brother. The family moved to Ohio after he was born, and Tyler spent the early years of his life in Delaware, Ohio.
Although he was interested in extracurricular activities as a child, acting was not one of his early interests. During most of his school life, he played sports and wanted to make a career in the same field. Over time, his interests shifted. Soon, he found himself getting more inclined toward acting. He participated in several plays in his high-school years.
After graduating high school, he attended ‘Ohio Wesleyan University’ and gained his bachelor’s degree. Following this, he moved to Los Angeles, to pursue his passion. Back then, he had no contacts in the industry. In his early struggling years, he waited tables and did odd jobs to make ends meet.
In 1993, Tyler auditioned for a small role in the daytime soap opera ‘General Hospital’ but could not get the role. He appeared in several other auditions but was unsuccessful in bagging any major role. Following this failure, he returned to Ohio.
However, he could not stay away from Hollywood for too long and moved back again in 1995. His luck was strong this time around, and he auditioned for a role in ‘General Hospital’ yet again. Soon, he bagged the role of ‘Nikolas Cassadine.’
Continue Reading Below
Career
Back in 1993, Tyler had auditioned for the role of ‘Stone Cates’ in ’General Hospital,’ which was a small role. In 1996, he auditioned for the role of ‘Nikolas Cassadine,’ a slightly bigger part, and the producers offered him a three-year deal. He officially started shooting in July 1996, and in the same month, he made his first appearance on the show.
By May 1999, Tyler had become a well-known name in the soap-opera circuit and was being deluged with offers to star in TV series and soap operas. He decided not to renew his contract with the show and moved on to other work.
In 1999, he appeared as ‘Michael’ in the comedy drama ‘Catfish in Black Bean Sauce.’ The film received mixed reviews from both critics and audiences. The following year, he appeared as ‘Dan’ in a small film titled ‘Face the Music.’
In 2000, he appeared in guest roles in several series such as ‘The Pretender,’ ‘Charmed,’ ‘Angel,’ and ‘Family Law,’ In 2001, the producers of the show ‘The Pretender’ made a TV film based on the series and Tyler was cast as ‘Ethan’ in the film. This was a reprisal of his role from the series.
In 2001, he continued to appear in smaller roles in series such as ‘Felicity’ and ‘Days of Our Lives.’ He also appeared in two small-budget films, ‘Out of the Black’ and ‘Sam’s Circus.’ All the while, he continued to look for roles that would establish him in the industry, but he failed to grab such roles.
In 2002, he made many small appearances in series such as ‘The Division,’ ‘JAG,’ ‘Boomtown,’ ‘CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,’ and ‘The Twilight Zone.’
In 2003, fans of ‘General Hospital’ rejoiced when it was announced that Tyler would again be associated with the show. This time around, the association continued for a longer time, and Tyler also played ‘Nikolas’s doppelganger, ‘Connor Bishop,’ for a brief period in 2004.
In 2005, Tyler appeared in the Steven Spielberg-produced miniseries ‘Into the West.’ Meanwhile, he gained immense popularity for his portrayal of ‘Nikolas’ in ‘General Hospital.’ In 2006, he played one of the main roles in the pilot of the series ‘Secrets of a Small Town,’ but it was not aired.
In 2009, he played the role of ‘Vlad’ in a small-budget independent film named ‘Raven.’ He got very little work apart from ‘General Hospital,’ owing to his strong and tight commitments with the series.
Continue Reading Below
In 2011, it was revealed that Tyler would be quitting ‘General Hospital’ to star in a mystery drama named ‘The Lying Game.’ Soon, his character in ‘General Hospital’ was written off.
The series ‘The Lying Game’ premiered in August 2011 and featured Tyler as ‘Dan Whitehorse,’ a police officer. The series aired for two consecutive seasons but was canceled due to a drastic fall in its ratings in its second season.
However, while the second season of ‘The Lying Game’ was being telecast, Tyler made a surprising re-entry in ‘General Hospital.’ In June 2013, an announcement stated that Tyler would be back in the opera, reprising the role of ‘Nikolas.’
In May 2016, it was reported that Tyler would be absent from the series for an undisclosed period of time and that another actor would play his part instead. Meanwhile, Nick Stabile took over the role. Finally, in September 2016, ‘Soap Opera Digest’ reported that Tyler had had a disagreement with the producers of the show and that he would not return to the show.
In August 2017, Tyler announced that he would be part of another long-term soap opera, ‘Days of Our Lives.’ In December 2017, Tyler made his first appearance in the soap, as ‘Stefan DiMera.’ Back in 2001, he had also played a guest role in the same soap.
