Actor Kurt Krause was born in Alabama and spent his formative years growing up in Louisiana. The youngest of three, his childhood was rich with the arts. His parents, who met while acting on a show together, practically raised their children on the stage. As a young boy, he spent many nights backstage. During one show, he even fell asleep on a mattress behind that set after it was used for a window stunt each night. In addition to working on community theater shows, Kurt studied the theatrical arts in grade school. After graduating high school, he continued his education at Louisiana State University, where he won awards for his stage portrayal of a homosexual soldier. While there, he further honed his craft by performing in the local stand-up comedy scene and studying physical theater. After college, Kurt began pursuing a career in film. He is known for his roles in American Horror Story (2011), True Detective (2014), and Painted Horses (2017). He acted alongside Kevin Costner in the award-winning film Hidden Figures (2016), and featured in a recurring role on Season 3 of ABC's critically acclaimed drama American Crime (2015).