Reed Birney | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1954-09-11)September 11, 1954 (age 71) Alexandria,Virginia, U.S. |
| Education | Boston University |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1976–present |
| Spouse | |
| Children | Gus Birney and Ephraim Birney |
Reed Birney (born September 11, 1954) is anAmerican actor. Birney is known for his performances on stage and screen often acting on and offBroadway. Birney gained acclaim in 2016 for his role inThe Humans winning theTony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play. He was also nominated previously in the same category for his performance inCasa Valentina in 2014.
He starred in the filmsMass (2021), andThe Menu (2022). He is also known for his recurring roles inGossip Girl (2007–2009),House of Cards (2013–2017),The Blacklist (2014–2015), andHome Before Dark (2021–2022). He has also acted inThe Americans,The Handmaid's Tale, andSuccession.
Birney attended theBoston University College of Fine Arts for two years. After moving to New York City, he attended classes sponsored by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.[1]
Birney appeared off-Broadway atPlaywrights Horizons in 1976 inGemini by Albert Innaurato. He has appeared in many plays off-Broadway since, includingBug (2004) andCircle Mirror Transformation (2009).[2]
He has performed on Broadway inCasa Valentina (2014) andThe Humans.[3] He appeared in theAnnie Baker adaptation ofUncle Vanya at the Soho Rep in 2012. Charles Isherwood in his review forThe New York Times wrote: "The indispensable Reed Birney is as vitally moving a Vanya as I’ve yet to see..."[4] He was nominated for the Drama Desk Award, Outstanding Actor in a Play, forUncle Vanya.[5]
He won the 2016Tony Award, Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play, forThe Humans;[6] the 2014Drama Desk Award, Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play, forCasa Valentina; and the 2010Obie Award, Performance, forCircle Mirror Transformation.[7] He received a Special Drama Desk Award in 2011, honoring his career.[8][9]
He appeared off-Broadway in the play by Tracy Letts,Man from Nebraska, which opened in January 2017 in previews at theSecond Stage Theatre.[10] From May to October 2017, he starred as O'Brien in the Broadway production of1984 at theHudson Theatre.
His television performances include Matthew Lester inKane & Abel, Mr. Prescott onGossip Girl, Donald Blythe on theNetflix seriesHouse of Cards,[8][11] Tom Connolly inThe Blacklist and Dr. Adamson onTitans. He also appeared inHulu'sadaptation ofMargaret Atwood'sThe Handmaid's Tale as Lieutenant Stans.
His movie roles included Louie inFour Friends (1981), the Merchant Prince inA Perfect Murder (1998), Governor Willis inMorning Glory (2010), J. Whitman inThe 40-Year-Old Version, Pa inThe Hunt (both 2020), Peter Bloom inStrawberry Mansion, and Richard inMass (both 2021).
Birney is an adjunct assistant professor atColumbia University.[8]
He is married to actressConstance Shulman, who appears inOrange is the New Black, and they have two children together.[12] Their daughterGus Birney is also an actor, as is their son, Ephraim. Birney's nephew is filmmakerAlbert Birney.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Not a Pretty Picture | Fred | Feature film debut |
| 1981 | Four Friends | Louie | |
| 1985 | Crimewave | Vic Ajax | |
| 1998 | A Perfect Murder | Merchant Prince #1 | |
| 2003 | Uptown Girls | Executive | |
| 2007 | The Ten | Jim Stansel | |
| 2008 | Changeling | Mayor Cryer | |
| 2010 | Twelve Thirty | Martin | |
| 2010 | Morning Glory | Governor Willis | |
| 2012 | Girl Most Likely | Dr. Chalmers | |
| 2013 | Molly's Theory of Relativity | Asher | |
| 2013 | Adult World | Todd | |
| 2014 | In Your Eyes | Dr. Maynard | |
| 2015 | Jackrabbit | Paul Bateson | |
| 2015 | Mad Women | Richard | |
| 2019 | The Lost Weekend | Henry | Short film[13] |
| 2020 | The Forty-Year-Old Version | J. Whitman | |
| 2020 | Lost Girls | Peter Hackett | |
| 2020 | The Hunt | Pop | |
| 2021 | Strawberry Mansion | Peter Bloom | |
| 2021 | Mass | Richard | |
| 2022 | Baby Ruby | Dr. Rosenbaum | |
| 2022 | The Menu | Richard Liebbrandt | |
| 2024 | If You See Something | Ward | |
| 2025 | Blue Film[14] | Hank | |
| TBA | The Steel Harp | Post-production | |
| TBA | Outrage[15] | Jake Gadling | Post-production |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Eight Is Enough | Steven | Episode: "Mary, He's Married" |
| 1981 | Nurse | Episode: "Margin for Error" | |
| 1983 | 3-2-1 Contact | Wenfield | Episode: "Flight: Flying Animals" |
| 1985 | Kane & Abel | Matthew Lester | 2 episodes |
| 1987 | Beverly Hills Buntz | Larry Fielding | Episode: "Sid and Randy" |
| 1990 | Tales from the Crypt | Paul | Episode: "Mute Witness to Murder" |
| 1992–2010 | Law & Order | Various | 3 episodes |
| 1994 | Another World | Walter Trask | 3 episodes |
| 1994 | American Masters | Actor | Episode: "Tennessee Williams: Orpheus of the American Stage" |
| 1998 | From the Earth to the Moon | John Houbolt | Episode: "Spider" |
| 2000 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Harry Waters | Episode: "Chat Room" |
| 2002 | The Education of Max Bickford | Todd | Episode: "Money Changes Everything" |
| 2002 | Ed | Mr. Walzer | Episode: "Human Nature" |
| 2002–2005 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | A.D.A. Stillman / Fred Martz | 2 episodes |
| 2003 | Queens Supreme | Episode: "The Eyes Have It" | |
| 2006 | Kidnapped | Mancini | Episode: "Number One with a Bullet" |
| 2007–2009 | Gossip Girl | Mr. Prescott | 4 episodes |
| 2008 | Wainy Days | Charlie Rose | Episode: "Jonah and the Manilow" |
| 2009 | Kings | Minister Forsythe | 5 episodes |
| 2010 | My Generation | Michael Foster | 2 episodes |
| 2012 | The Good Wife | Lee Tripke | Episode: "Battle of the Proxies" |
| 2013–2017 | House of Cards | Donald Blythe | 17 episodes |
| 2014 | Blue Bloods | Burden Maxwell | Episode: "Manhattan Queens" |
| 2014 | Girls | Peter | Episode: "I Saw You" |
| 2014–2015 | The Blacklist | Tom Connolly | 9 episodes |
| 2015 | American Odyssey | Senator Darnell | 3 episodes |
| 2017 | Madam Secretary | Roland Hobbs | Episode: "Gift Horse" |
| 2017 | The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks | Dr.George Gey | Television film |
| 2018 | Chicago Med | Greg | Episode: "Best Laid Plans" |
| 2018 | The Americans | Patrick McCleesh | 2 episodes |
| 2018 | Titans | Dr. Adamson | 5 episodes |
| 2019 | A Million Little Things | Eugene Bloon | Episode: "The Day Before..." |
| 2019 | High Maintenance | Leonard | Episode: "Cruise" |
| 2019 | Bull | Judge Humphrey | Episode: "Imminent Danger" |
| 2020–2021 | Home Before Dark | Sylvester Lisko | 18 episodes |
| 2021 | The Handmaid's Tale | Lieutenant Stans | Episode: "The Crossing" |
| 2021 | Evil | Father Thunderland | Episode: "I Is for IRS" |
| 2021 | Succession | Vice President Dave Boyer | Episode: "What It Takes" |
| 2023 | Poker Face | Gabriel/Ben | Episode "Time of the Monkey" |
| 2023 | Star Trek: Strange New Worlds | Luq | Episode: "Among the Lotus Eaters" |
| 2024 | American Horror Story: Delicate | Dexter Harding Sr. | 4 episodes |
| Year | Title | Role | Playwright | Venue | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Gemini | Randy Hastings | Albert Innaurato | Little Theatre, Broadway | [16] |
| 2013 | Picnic | Howard Bevans | William Inge | American Airlines Theatre, Broadway | [17] |
| 2014 | Casa Valentina | Charlotte | Harvey Fierstein | Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, Broadway | [18] |
| 2016 | The Humans | Erik Blake | Stephen Karam | Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, Broadway | [19] |
| 2017 | 1984 | O'Brien | Robert Icke | Hudson Theatre, Broadway | [20] |
| Year | Association | Category | Project | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Drama Desk Award | Special Drama Desk Award | Won | [21] | |
| 2014 | Tony Award | Best Featured Actor in a Play | Casa Valentina | Nominated | [22] |
| Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play | Won | [23] | ||
| Drama League Award | Distinguished Performance Award | Nominated | [24] | ||
| 2016 | Tony Award | Best Featured Actor in a Play | The Humans | Won | [25] |
| Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Ensemble | Won | [26] | ||
| Outer Critics Circle Award | Outstanding Actor in a Play | Nominated | |||
| Drama League Award | Distinguished Performance Award | Nominated | |||
| Long Island International Film Expo | Best Supporting Actor in a Short Film | Mired | Won | [27] | |
| 2021 | Gotham Award | Outstanding Supporting Performance | Mass | Nominated | [28] |
| Independent Spirit Award | Robert Altman Award | Nominated | [29] | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
