Moritz Stiefel - Blog Posts

If Daniel Nicholas Durant were a Taylor Swift Era, he would definitely be in his 1989 Era!

Aww... Little Daniel was so cute!

Cuteness overload!

Giving 1989 Era in its cutest and purest form!

He's such a personified puppy dog! My heart...

Would you say that this throwback pic of Daniel is a "Back to December" moment? Because I would!

Matthew (Switched at Birth) is definitely Red.

@dwsavideos, which Taylor Swift Era do you think would be each Deaf West Spring Awakening character's Era? Moritz, I'm feeling either Folklore or Midnights...

James Kennedy, Daniel's character from Netflix's YOU, was such an Evermore sweetheart who deserved better! 🤟🏻🤍🕊🖤🦋

Do I think that it was such a missed opportunity that Daniel & Britt didn't get to dance to Shake It Off by Taylor Swift off of 1989? Yes. But I get excited about each new DB adventure that we are graced with, so I'm not even a little mad.

I believe in D.D. and B-Shine supremacy! 🤟🏻💙💜🫶🏻💗💕💋😍🥰 Also, Leo Rossi is definitely in his Fearless Era because, of course! And then, Aiden Rogers in Chicago Med, I can see Aiden being in maybe his Speak Now Era?

Moritz Stiefel (Daniel Durant) - Deaf West Spring Awakening [An appreciation Tumblr post]

First off, one of Disney's first-ever deaf princes/heroes/protagonists, anyone? Daniel's signing is pure magic and is giving royalty vibes! Heck yeah! You go, you rock star for the deaf community! 🤟🏻

My heart always broke for Moritz when he began spiraling into contemplating and even committing suicide after his father got angry at him for doing absolutely nothing wrong and trying to tell his dad that failing is just a part of life. Poor baby...

The number "And Then There Were None" and the Deaf West rendition in particular is giving slumber party vibes, and I'm here for it.

Who else wants to see a Spring Awakening movie so that we can see the backstories of all the characters? I know I do!

As Batman once famously said, "You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain," but sweet and adorable Moritz was never a villain. Another reason Moritz deserved so much better...

Those precious hands... I CAN'T! 🥺😭🤧

Aww... Poor Moritz just couldn't catch a break.

I'm sure that Moritz must've been just plain adorable as a baby/little kid!

Moritz, being a gentleman and baby girl simultaneously while sweetly putting Ilse's coat on her, is so freaking cute. My heart! I wish he would've said yes to staying at Ilse's and playing pirates!

I would love to do a DWSA Moritz Stiefel headcanon Tumblr post at some point... Let me know what headcanons y'all have so that I can include some of those in there as well!

Daniel Durant's episode of Chicago Med on NBC and his performance as a whole simultaneously warmed, melted, and broke my heart, but this scene especially DESTROYED my heart!

Daniel N. Durant and Alex Boniello collaborated to create an absolutely iconic version of Moritz Stiefel in the Deaf West production of Spring Awakening (I think John Gallagher Jr., the OG Moritz, would be proud of them)!!!

Daniel and Alex's brotherly best friend bond is so amazing to see. Who else wants to see them work together again someday? I know I do! I know that Britt and April would definitely be in the audience watching and supporting them and being the most amazing partners/spouses/sister-in-laws EVER!!!

I love how Daniel talks about how Alex has become like a brother to him during the process of doing the show together! It's so cute!

I imagine that Britt and April are probably really proud of Daniel and Alex right now.

Not just talented actors playing 2 sides of a similar character, but also adorable uncles and soul brothers to each other.

Wouldn't it be amazing if Daniel & Britt and Alex & April double dated? Not only would it be an adorable DWSA Moritz reunion, but it would also be a new bonding experience for the ladies in their lives!!! 🤟🏻💜💙🤍🕊🖤💗💕💋🫶🏻🎶

Shoutout to whoever it was that casted both Daniel and Alex as 2 different sides of the same character of Moritz in DWSA!!!

They said that Alex's role as the Voice of Moritz is serving as Moritz's inner rock star, but I would argue that Daniel and Alex are both rock stars!!!

The show in it of itself was an amazing opportunity for both deaf and hearing actors to work together and for both deaf and hearing audiences to get to experience things equally together, which I love about accessible projects like the movie CODA, and, as someone who has autism, I personally think there should be more of those kinds of projects that are accessible to everybody, and I mean, EVERYBODY, regardless who they are or what accommodations they have for certain things.

Dude, the foreshadowing with Daniel reaching for the gun in Alex's hands was so powerful and it just started to shatter my heart into literally a thousand pieces at least and made me feel even worse for Moritz. 🥺😭🤧 Poor baby lost hope on going on with life...

Long story short, if y'all told me that Daniel and Alex were brothers who were separated at birth, I would have absolutely no problem believing you!

Except for Fanny Gabor, who was like a second mother to him, pretty much every adult in Moritz Stiefel's life treated him so horribly, and it just makes me feel so bad for him. This poor, adorable, sweet, pure little puppy boy whom I just want to give a hug the size of the entire universe did absolutely nothing wrong. He was just trying his best, but the teachers at his school, even his own parents, refused to give the benefit of the effing doubt for at least putting in some effort. Fanny Gabor was the only one who actually saw potential in him, as did Melchior. Moritz's father abused his son after supposedly finding out that he "failed" when he was just asking him a question...

I think that Moritz's father was an alcoholic who just saw the worst in his son without even showing him as much love as Fanny Gabor did. Moritz would've had a much happier life if his bestie Melchi's mother had adopted Moritz and helped him escape the situation. Moritz had an awful home life, and I feel really sad for him.

Part 2 (of this appreciation post for the talented and adorable Daniel Durant):

11. To say that Daniel's character Aiden on Chicago Med was undeservedly lied to about the Risperidone would probably be quite a big understatement. I appreciate how Dr. Charles tried to help Aiden and his sister Sandy get by well through the schizophrenia diagnosis journey, but maybe he could've also just put a little bit more effort into actually helping them.

12. Daniel being a cutie pie will never not make my heart happy!!! 🤟🏻💜💙🫶🏻💗💕💋😍🥰

13. Aww... The way Britt kissed him on the cheek during their dinner pre-tango date was just so freaking cute! 😍🥰

14. While we're on the subject, their last live of 2022 was just so wonderful! One of my personal highlights from it was hearing Daniel use his cute speaking voice, of course!

15. Cat daddy Daniel is so cute! Meawww... I love Daniel & Britt's relationship so much!

16. I've said this before, and I'll say it again: Daniel and Alex were GOD tier Moritz!!! I miss their Moritz so much!!! 🤍🕊🖤🥺😭🤧🦋

17. Dude, Moritz and Ilse are just bestie goals! I would totally play pirates with them, no questions asked! Their comradery is just adorable! Taylor Swift definitely must've written "seven" off her 2020 album "folklore" for this cute friendship!

18. In case y'all didn't know, Daniel also stopped by the set of Netflix's thriller show YOU in the sixth episode of Season 2, titled "Farewell, My Bunny." He played James, the late first husband of Victoria Pedretti's Love Quinn. RIP, James. We saw only brief glimpses of you in the only episode you've appeared in, but we miss you nonetheless. Also, the sad scene where he tells Love that he's sick and he might die... OMG... 🥺😭🤧 Plus, James was just dream husband material, and he was just way too good for Love...

19. Colleen Foy was a perfect TV sister for Daniel on his episode of Chicago Med. Love how they incorporated ASL into the episode! 🤟🏻🫶🏻💗💙

20. I wish that he and Jenna Ortega had scenes together in their same season of Netflix's YOU. I think that James and Ellie would've become really good friends.

Part 3 is coming soon...

Appreciation post for the talented sweetheart and cutie that is Mr. Daniel Nicholas Durant (born December 24th, 1989)!!! Part 1:

1. Aww... Seeing him cry or tear up makes me really sad, but also, how incredibly sweet of both of his moms to send in a video message to tell him how proud they are of him and how much they love him. "Who Wouldn't Want More Moms?" Title of his autobiography/memoir that would SO be on my reading list. It still makes me sad and a little bit angry that his birth mother left this poor thing behind when he was just a baby, but unfortunately, it's a true story for quite a lot of people, which I personally can't (and don't even want to) imagine. I'm glad he's in such a good place now, though. I love how proud he is, not just that he's deaf, but also that he was adopted as a really young (and I can imagine quite cute) little guy. I would love to, at some point, have kids of my own, but I would want to adopt them/become a foster mom, and it wouldn't matter to me what they would look like or what their background was because I would love them all equally and unconditionally. If I ever adopted a deaf child, I would totally incorporate deaf culture and sign language into the family because I just love love, no matter what kind it is.

2. He signs so beautifully and eloquently, so it reminds me of royalty. Who else would love to see him play a Disney prince?

3. How precious was little Daniel at the age that he was back when he was so carefree just having the time of his life just chilling in his mom's car and jamming to NPR Talk Radio (lol). It's so funny and cute! Kelly Clarkson Show, please have him back at some point!

4. Happy, giggly, bubbly, cute Daniel is one of my favorite versions of Daniel, along with rock star Daniel and sharp dressed Daniel.

5. He just looks so comfy and cozy in that bed/sofa thing in the picture above.

6. I love these boys' friendship so much! Adorable on and offstage brothers, and they both brought Deaf West Spring Awakening's Moritz Stiefel to life SO BEAUTIFULLY!!! I'm still very sad that production has closed, and I really wish that they could bring it back!!! 🤍🕊🖤🥺🤧🦋

7. And here's gamer Daniel! Whoo hoo! Sorry to sound like a video game cheerleader, but he looks so intensely cute playing video games, and I love that for him.

8. Daniel with Mama Bear Marlee is so effing cute!!! I love their friendship and rapport so much!!! Anytime they play mother and son or a relationship resembling that, it just makes my heart so happy and warm.

9. A cute couple that dances together stays together! I will never not be grateful for them and all the magic they brought to DWTS in Season 31, and I love Daniel & Britt so much!!!

10. Above all, Daniel is such a multi-talented actor and human being. Any character that I see him play makes me prouder and prouder of him each and every day!!! (I just want to say that Daniel is still doing great!)

Part 2 incoming...

XOXO, Sarah

Deaf West Spring Awakening Moritz Stiefel has to be one of the cutest musical theatre characters of all time. This poor boy deserved better than to be treated like he was a failure. Frau Gabor did something right in treating him with such love and appreciation and in offering to help him receive better treatment from his parents.

Can we just take a moment to talk about how adorable and precious this little bean is? We must protect him at ALL costs!!!

Favorite on-screen and off-screen parent-child dynamic between 2 talented and beautiful actors (Daniel Durant and Marlee Matlin)!!! My personal DWSA headcanon is that Fanny Gabor has such a close relationship with Moritz Stiefel because she was also abused by one of her parents as a child, but she didn't let that affect her in the same way that Moritz was affected gravely by the abuse his father dealt him when he found out that he "failed". I also think it's possible that she appointed herself as Moritz's distant yet loving guardian when he was just born and knew that someday the boy and her own son Melchior would become friends. That's why I think Fanny is so sweet to Moritz because she's been in his life for a little longer than Moritz implied to remember.

Deaf West Spring Awakening Moritz Stiefel appreciation post because the poor thing deserved better. 🦋🖤🕊🤍🥺🤧🤟🏻