American singer and actor Andy Hallett was born on August 4, 1975 in Osterville, Massachusetts. He attended Assumption College in Worcester, Massachusetts, where he began singing despite his shyness; it was only until soul singer Patti LaBelle invited him up the stage to sing “Lady Marmalade” when he returned doing so. He moved to Los Angeles shortly afterwards, where he initially worked as a runner for an agency, and later as a personal assistant. During the time, he was still moonlighting as a singer, appearing in numerous venues in Los Angeles.
It was in a Universal City Blues revue when he was discovered. In that particular show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator Josh Whedon saw him and conceptualized the character of The Host, a demon who reads people’s minds as they sing in his karaoke bar. He approached Hallett and encouraged him to try out for the role. In 2000, he finally joined the cast of Angel, playing his first ever regular role on television, although he was not credited as such until later in the second season. (His television debut, however, was a small role in Buffy the Vampire Slayer in 1999.)
Originally a recurring supporting character, the Host—later known as Lorne—heads the karaoke bar Caritas, which is open to both demons and humans. There, he reads people’s auras when they sing, and eventually gives them advice. He joins Angel’s (David Boreanaz) group during the third season, when his bar is destroyed; he is quickly accepted, but he has a hard time dealing with the violent nature of the group’s work. He has also recorded several songs for the show’s soundtrack.
Hallett’s other credits include the television miniseries The Enforcers; the 2002 comedy Chances, where he appears with Angel co-star James Marsters; and the 2005 animated film Geppetto’s Secret.