Criss Angel is an American magician, illusionist, and musician with a net worth of $50 million. He starred in and created the 2005–2010 A&E network series “Criss Angel Mindfreak” and the Spike TV series “Criss Angel BeLIEve” (2013). Angel teamed with Cirque du Soleil to produce the stage production “Criss Angel Believe” (2008-2016) at the Luxor casino, which sold over $5 million in advance tickets.
From May 2016 until October 2018, he starred in “Mindfreak LIVE!” at Luxor. In December 2018, he launched a residency, “Criss Angel MINDFREAK,” at the Criss Angel Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino.
Criss has appeared on numerous television programs, including “CSI: New York,” “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson,” “WWE RAW,” “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” “The Megan Mullally Show,” and “Larry King Life.” In addition to being the author of the 2007 book “Mindfreak: Secret Revelations,” he recorded four studio albums as the lead vocalist for the band Angeldust. Angel was selected Magician of the Century by the International Magicians Society in 2010.
Early Years
Criss Angel was born Christopher Nicholas Sarantakos on Long Island, New York, on December 19, 1967, in Hempstead. He was raised in Elmont and East Meadow by his mother Dimitra, father John (a restaurant and doughnut store owner), and brothers Costa and J.D. Criss, age 7, who became fascinated with magic after his aunt Stella showed him a card trick.
Five years later, he performed his first magic show. As a teenager, he began performing at local restaurants and created his first major illusion by making his mother float in the Sarantakos family den. Criss opted to pursue a career in magic and began touring with other performers after graduating from East Meadow High School, against his parent’s wishes that he attend college.
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Personal Life
Criss wed JoAnn Winkhart in 2002; the couple divorced in 2006. From November 2008 to February 2009, Angel dated Holly Madison, Hugh Hefner’s ex-girlfriend and star of the E! network’s “The Girls Next Door.” In 2012, he began dating singer Shaunyl Benson, and in 2014 and 2019 they welcomed sons Johnny and Xristos, respectively.
Before the age of 2, Johnny was diagnosed with leukemia, and although the cancer went into remission, it resurfaced in late 2019. In 2016, Criss renamed his nonprofit organization from Believe Anything Is Possible to the Johnny Crisstopher Children’s Charitable Foundation; its purpose is to “raise awareness of childhood cancer and offer funds for research, treatment, and ultimately a cure.”
Angel received the Chris Greicius Celebrity Award from the Make-A-Wish Foundation in 2007 and was named the most supporting celebrity in 2010.
Magical Profession
Criss made his television debut in an ABC special titled “Secrets” in 1994, and the following year, writer/director Clive Barker cast him in “Lord of Illusions.” Later, he appeared in the TV movies “The Science of Magic” (1997) and “The Science of Magic II” (2003) and starred in the show “Criss Angel Mindfreak,” which ran from 2001 to 2003 in New York City’s World Underground Theater over 600 times. Angel had his special on ABC Family, “Criss Angel Mindfreak: Postmodern illusionist,” in 2002.
He also appeared on the SciFi Channel’s “Supernatural” (2003) and TBS’s “Made in Japan” (2002). (2003). “Criss Angel Mindfreak” was adapted into an A&E television series in 2005. According to Angel’s official website, “Mindfreak,” which ran for 85 episodes, “is the most successful magic show in television history, resulting in more hours of magic during primetime than any other magic show ever.”
In 2007, Criss appeared as a judge on the NBC competition series “Phenomenon” alongside Uri Geller and performed during Britney Spears’ performance at the MTV Video Music Awards. Angel appeared in a commercial for Orville Redenbacher’s Pop Up Bowl in 2011, and he starred in the Spike TV series “Criss Angel BeLIEve” in 2013.
In 2014, he debuted the touring performances “Mindfreak LIVE! “, “The Supernaturalists” (including nine magicians), and “Criss Angel RAW – The Mindfreak Unplugged” in 2018. In May 2019, Celebrity Radio ranked “Criss Angel MINDFREAK” as “Las Vegas’s Number One Show.” Criss canceled some “Criss Angel MINDFREAK” shows and postponed his “Criss Angel RAW” tour dates in 2020 due to the Coronavirus epidemic.
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Other Activities
In 1989, Angel was the leader of the heavy metal band Angel, and the music video for their song “Don’t You Want My Love” featured magic tricks. Angeldust released the studio albums “Musical Conjurings From the World of Illusion,” “System 1,” “System 2,” and “System 3” after forming in 1995 with Klay Scott.
Criss collaborated with IdeaVillage in 2010 to produce the Criss Angel Magic Collection, which contained 250 tricks, a children’s magic kit, and instructions for numerous Mindfreak Magic Tricks. Angel has been the most-viewed internet magician since the late 2000s; as of 2013, his videos had been viewed over 200 million times. “Rip Bodies Apart,” a clip from the premiere of “BeLIEve,” had 12 million views in its first month.
Honors and Accomplishments
Between 2001 and 2008, the International Magician Society named Angel Magician of the Year five times, and in 2009, they named him Magician of the Decade. In 2011, he got the Living Legend award from the World Magic Legacy Awards, and in 2001 and 2004, he was selected the Merlin Magician of the Year.
Criss was the youngest individual ever inducted into the International Magician Society’s Magic Hall of Fame. In 2018, he became the youngest magician to earn the International Brotherhood of Magicians’ Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 2017, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Angel has set world records by remaining submerged for twenty-four hours, completing the “Metamorphosis” deception in less than one second, and escaping a straight-jacket in two and a half minutes. In May 2010, during a performance of “Criss Angel: Mindfreak” at Luxor, he broke the Guinness world record for “The most persons to disappear in an illusion” by making 100 audience members vanish.
How Did Criss Angel Gain Such Popularity?
Criss is a phenomenal magician. At age 12, he developed an interest in magic. As a result of setting a world record by spending 24 hours underwater, he gained popularity. The International Magicians Society awarded him ‘Magician of the Year multiple times.
Criss was the inaugural recipient of the “Merlin Magician of the Year” award in 2004. Additionally, he was included in the Guinness Book of World Records for making 100 individuals vanish during an illusion.
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FAQs
How much is Criss Angel’s net worth?
Criss Angel’s net worth is approximately $70 million.
What age does Criss Angel have?
Criss Angel is 54 years old at present (19 December 1967).
What is Criss Angel’s Salary?
Criss Angel’s annual salary is approximately $6 million.
What is Criss Angel’s Height?
Criss Angel’s height is 1.83m (6′ 0″).