Exclusive: Darren Criss Shoots the Moon in First Look at NBC's PASSWORD
he MAYBE HAPPY ENDING Tony winner goes all-in on his first turn at the podium, opposite Jimmy Fallon and host Keke Palmer.
BroadwayWorld has an exclusive first look at Tony winner Darren Criss' upcoming appearance on NBC's Emmy-nominated game show PASSWORD, airing Tuesday, August 18 at 10 p.m. ET/PT.
Criss doesn't waste any time making a splash. Moments after the password is revealed, he announces that he'd like to "shoot the moon" - putting eight points on the line and leaving himself a single one-word clue to get his partner there.
"That's not fair! Come on. He just - he just got here!" protests resident player Jimmy Fallon, as host Keke Palmer sets up the stakes and the audience buzzes. Then Criss delivers his clue, and his partner needs exactly one guess.
The August 18 outing is a double-header: episode 311A, "When the Going Gets Tough," pits Fallon and Criss against a round of deliberately "hard" words, while 311B, "Bodaciously Fresh," goes full '80s. In both, the pair team with everyday contestants in a word showdown for a chance to win up to $25,000.
Criss most recently starred on Broadway as Oliver in MAYBE HAPPY ENDING, winning the 2025 Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical - becoming the first Asian actor to win in that category - for the production that also took home Best Musical. He played his final performance in the show on May 17, 2026. His additional Broadway credits include HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH, AMERICAN BUFFALO, and HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING. On screen, he is known for GLEE and his Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning turn in THE ASSASSINATION OF GIANNI VERSACE: AMERICAN CRIME STORY.
Now in its third season, PASSWORD returns with Palmer as host and Fallon as resident player, with Fallon also serving as executive producer. Palmer won a 2023 Emmy for her hosting duties, and the series earned a 2024 Emmy nomination for Outstanding Game Show. This season's celebrity guests include Anthony Anderson, Ariana Madix, Alan Cumming, Tiffany Haddish, Connie Britton, Josh Hart, Real Housewives Dorinda Medley and LuAnn de Lesseps, Ice-T, Wayne Brady, Karamo Brown, Savannah Guthrie, Constance Wu, Darren Criss, and The Miz.
PASSWORD airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on NBC and streams the next day on Peacock.
