A Journey of Inspiration
I've been fortunate to work on some incredible movies over the years… Mississippi Burning, Ruby, In the Line of Fire, The Firm, Goodfellas, Malice, Sophie’s Choice, The Quick and the Dead. I’ve travelled to some fascinating places and worked with some truly legendary directors, including Alan Parker, John Mackenzie, Sidney Pollack, Martin Scorsese, Sidney Lumet, Wolfgang Petersen, Alan Pakula, Harold Becker and Sam Raimi. Each film project has provided vital growth for me. It’s been an honor to have collaborated with these maestros of the cinema.
A Legacy in Horror
Playing John Kramer in Saw has been an unforgettable journey. When I first took on the role, I had no idea the project would blossom into what it has become today… the highest-grossing horror film series in history. It’s been amazing to see how audiences have connected with the character and the compelling concepts within the story. I’ve learned one important thing from Saw… a dedicated filmmaker can achieve as much in the horror genre as in any other genre. It all starts on the page.
A Career in TV and Film
I’ve taken on all kinds of roles in my five decades as an actor in theater, film and TV. Every role brings unique challenges and rewards. I worked in 35 films as a stand-in and background player before I landed my first principal role. My dedication and love for the craft of acting, and the 53 part-time jobs I had in-between roles, are what sustained me through those early years. It’s been an incredible ride, filled with challenges and full of joy.
From Stage to Screen
In my early years as an actor in New York, I performed on stage with the New York Shakespeare Festival, Public Theater, Theater d’Lys, Ensemble Studio Theater, Playwrights Horizons, The Actors Studio and regional theaters from Massachusetts to Alabama. I would soon learn the difference between stage acting and acting for the camera, because television was fast-becoming an important part of my career. It’s been a privilege for me to work on classics like The Sopranos, The West Wing, 24, Seinfeld, Criminal Minds, X-Files, NYPD-Blue, Charmed, Once and Again, Alias, ER and Chicago Hope.
Roots, Training and Passions
I was born in the borough of Queens, New York, but spent most of my early years growing up in Weymouth, Massachusetts. Before diving into acting, my formal education included a degree in Journalism from Boston University and a Master’s Degree in Environmental Studies from Montclair State University. I have a deep love for nature, am an avid bird-watcher, a member of the Audubon Society, Appalachian Mt. Club, Hudson River Sloop Restoration and Natural Resources Defense Council. I’ve done a lot of hiking in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, the Hudson Highlands and the Adirondack Mts. of New York State. My love for music preceded my passion for acting and will always be my first love. When I’m not acting, I’m creating music. My varied passions, including my love for the game of baseball, keep me grounded no matter where life takes me. I split my time these days between New York, London and Los Angeles.
A Sacred Place
“There are actors all over the world who regardless of their circumstances, professional or personal, regardless of whatever difficulties they are facing, whatever problems or changes - there is one thing they can rely on - and that is that 11 o’clock on Tuesday and Friday mornings come rain, shine, snow or what have you, there is a session in the Actors Studio. And in that session work is being done. And the fact that actors can count on that, that they know that that exists, can help them get through.”
- Lee Strasberg
