For 21 years, Chris D’Angelo kept auditioning. And auditioning. And auditioning.
The Haverford native first tried to land a spot on Jeopardy! in 2005, and for two decades, the dream stayed just out of reach. Then, finally, it wasn’t.
D’Angelo recently earned his place behind the famous buzzers on the iconic quiz show, a moment he described as both overwhelming and incredibly exciting, according to Alicia Vitarelli of 6abc.
But the story doesn’t end there.
His years-long obsession with trivia and relentless pursuit of Jeopardy! fame caught the attention of someone who knew him better than anyone: his sister, screenwriter Jen D’Angelo.
She loosely based parts of her screenplay for the Emmy-winning Hulu film Quiz Lady, starring Sandra Oh and Awkwafina, on Chris’ real-life journey.
Chris is a good sport about it, though he’s quick to note he doesn’t have much else in common with Awkwafina’s character beyond a shared love of game shows.
For those who grew up with him, none of this comes as a surprise. Chris and Jen both attended Episcopal Academy, and by all accounts, trivia was practically a family sport.
“Chris knows everything,” Jen joked. “We were like a very trivia-forward family.”
Chris credits two things with preparing him for the Jeopardy! stage.
“I’m a former history teacher, which means that I know a little bit about a lot of stuff, and I do crossword puzzles regularly,” he said.
Twenty-one years of auditions are finally paying off. Click through to 6abc to read the full story of D’Angelo’s remarkable journey to Jeopardy!
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