Tony Shalhoub | |
|---|---|
 Shalhoub in 2018 | |
| Born | Anthony Marc Shalhoub[1] (1953-10-09)October 9, 1953 (age 72) Green Bay, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Education | |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1980–present |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Lynne Adams (sister-in-law) |
| Awards | Full list |
| Signature | |
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Anthony Marc Shalhoub (/ʃəlˈhuːb/shəl-HOOB;Arabic:أنتوني مارك شلهوب; born October 9, 1953) is an American actor. He is known for a variety of roles ranging from comedic to dramatic on stage and screen. He has received several accolades including fiveEmmy Awards, aGolden Globe Award, sixScreen Actors Guild Awards and aTony Award as well as a nomination for aGrammy Award.
His breakout role was as Antonio Scarpacci on theNBC sitcomWings from 1991 to 1997. He later starred asAdrian Monk in theUSA Network seriesMonk (2002–2009), winning threePrimetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series as well as the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Comedy Series. For his supporting role as Abe Weissman, a professor turned activist and critic in theAmazon period comedy-dramaThe Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2017–2023), he won thePrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.
Shalhoub has starred in films such asQuick Change (1990),Barton Fink (1991),Big Night (1996),Men in Black (1997),Gattaca (1997),Paulie (1998),The Siege (1998),Galaxy Quest (1999),Spy Kids,Thirteen Ghosts, andThe Man Who Wasn't There (all 2001). He hasvoiced roles for theCars franchise (2006–present),Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014),Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (2016) andRumble (2021).
On stage, he made his Broadway debut in a revival ofThe Odd Couple (1985). He went on to win theTony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Tewfiq Zakaria inThe Band's Visit (2018). He was Tony-nominated for his performances in theHerb Gardner playConversations with My Father (1992), theClifford Odets playGolden Boy (2013), and theJames Lapine playAct One (2014).
The ninth of ten children, Shalhoub was born and raised in aLebanese Christian household[2] inGreen Bay, Wisconsin.[3][4] The family lived on Doty Street, and Shalhoub's mother kept the large family harmonious despite the chaos. Shalhoub described his mother as "funny and nutty" and said she would not allow Shalhoub and his siblings to express anger. Shalhoub attributed his therapy as an adult to that emotional restriction but has stated that it enabled him to play calm and relaxed roles in his career.[5]
His father, Joseph,[6] was fromZahle, Lebanon while it was still part of theOttoman Empire and immigrated to the United States as a child after his own parents, Milhem and Mariam, died duringWorld War I.[1] After immigrating to America, Joseph became a meat peddler who drove a refrigerated truck.[7]
Joseph married Shalhoub's mother, Helen Seroogy,[8] aLebanese American. The two met when Joseph was taken in to be raised by her family, when both were young. The Seroogy family operated a candy store that remains a family business.[1][a] One of Shalhoub's maternal great-great-grandfathers, Abdul Naimy, although Lebanese, was reportedly killed by being crucified in 1895 during theHamidian massacres committed against ChristianArmenians in the Ottoman Empire.[1]
Shalhoub was introduced to acting by an older sister, who put his name forward to be an extra in a high-school production ofThe King and I.[3] After graduating fromGreen Bay East High School, he spent a short time at theUniversity of Wisconsin–Green Bay before participating in theNational Student Exchange to theUniversity of Southern Maine where he later transferred and earned a bachelor's degree.[9] He later went on to earn a master's degree from theYale School of Drama in 1980.[3][10]
Shortly after graduating from Yale, Shalhoub moved toCambridge, Massachusetts, where he spent four seasons with theAmerican Repertory Theater before heading to New York City, where he found work waiting tables. He made his Broadway debut in the 1985 Rita Moreno/Sally Struthers production ofThe Odd Couple and was nominated for a 1992Tony Award for his featured role inConversations with My Father.[11] Shalhoub met his wife, actressBrooke Adams, when they co-starred on Broadway inThe Heidi Chronicles.[12] In 1998, Shalhoub starred in The Classic Stage Company's production ofWaiting for Godot alongsideJohn Turturro andChristopher Lloyd.
After playing several small television and film roles Shalhoub landed the role of cab driver Antonio Scarpacci in theNBCsitcomWings which he played from 1991 to 1997. Shalhoub was pleasantly surprised to land the role after having a guest appearance as a waiter in the second season. He became a regular in the third season. The character's name was kept, but the character's occupation changed to a cab driver.[4] He affected an Italian accent for the role. Shalhoub played the role from 1991 until the series ended in 1997.
Shalhoub also made guest appearances on other shows. In 1995, he played the lead role of physicist Dr. Chester Ray Banton inThe X-Files second-season episode "Soft Light", the first episode written byVince Gilligan. The following year, he had a role in the hit NBC sitcomFrasier in the episode "The Focus Group" as anArab newsstand owner named Manu Habbib. His first two voiceover credits were as Emir in one episode of the Disney animated seriesGargoyles (1995), and Aradesh in the originalFallout (1997) in his only non-Cars related video game credit. Film roles following hisWings breakout included an excitable producer consulted byJohn Turturro's character inBarton Fink (1991) and a fast-talking lawyer inThe Man Who Wasn't There (2001) (both directed by theCoen brothers). Other early roles included a linguistically unidentified cabby inQuick Change (1991), a concierge inHoneymoon in Vegas (1992), a drunken sailor inAddams Family Values (1993), a Cuban-American businessman inPrimary Colors (1998), sleazy alien pawn shop owner Jack Jeebs in theMen in Black films (1997–2002), an attorney inA Civil Action (1998), a widowed father inThirteen Ghosts (2001), a cameo role in the filmGattaca (1997), a Russian immigrant in the filmPaulie (1998), and a has-been television star who falls in love with an actual space alien, in theStar Trek: TOS satire filmGalaxy Quest (1999).
In his first major film role, Shalhoub co-starred in the filmBig Night (1996), as one in a pair of Italian immigrant brothers who own a struggling ethnic restaurant.[13] He demonstrated his dramatic range in the 1998 big-budget thrillerThe Siege, where he co-starred alongsideDenzel Washington,Annette Bening, andBruce Willis. His character,FBI Special Agent Frank Haddad, also a Lebanese American, suffered discrimination after terrorist attacks in New York City.[14] He returned to series television in 1999, this time in a lead role onStark Raving Mad, oppositeNeil Patrick Harris. The show failed to attract an audience and NBC canceled the series in 2000.[15]
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After a three-year absence from the small screen, Shalhoub starred in another TV series,Monk. Airing on theUSA Network, the series featured Shalhoub asAdrian Monk, a detective withobsessive-compulsive disorder. He was nominated for anEmmy Award[16] for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in eight consecutive years from 2003 to 2010, winning in 2003, 2005, and 2006. He also took the Golden Globe award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy in 2003.[citation needed] In May 2020,NBC'sPeacock streaming service posted a series of videos onYouTube during theCOVID-19 pandemic, entitled the "At-Home Variety Show". Among them was aMonk short entitled "Mr. Monk Shelters in Place", featuring Shalhoub and his co-starsTraylor Howard,Ted Levine, andJason Gray-Stanford, showing how their characters were coping with the pandemic.[17]
Shalhoub returned in December 2006 to the Off-BroadwaySecond Stage Theatre, oppositePatricia Heaton for a run ofThe Scene byTheresa Rebeck.[18] In addition to his acting work, Shalhoub, along with the Network of Arab-American Professionals and Zoom-in-Focus Productions, established The Arab-American Filmmaker Award Competition in 2005.Arab-American filmmakers submitted screenplays, and the chosen winner was flown to Hollywood to have their screenplay produced.[19]
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Shalhoub played Alexander "Alex" Minion in the first threeSpy Kids films (2001–2003).[20] He appeared withMatthew Broderick andAlec Baldwin in the 2004 Hollywood satireThe Last Shot as a gruff small-time mobster with a love for movies. In 2006, he appeared in Danny Leiner's dramaThe Great New Wonderful as a psychologist in post-9/11 New York City. In 2007, he appeared in the horror film1408 and on-stageoff-Broadway as Charlie inThe Scene. He received a 2008 Grammy nomination in the category "Best Spoken Word Album for Children" for his narration ofThe Cricket in Times Square.[21] He provided the voice ofLuigi, a 1959Fiat 500 who runs a tire shop, in the 2006Disney/Pixar filmCars and its 2011 and 2017 sequels,Cars 2 andCars 3, respectively, as well as 3 episodes of the short-formCars seriesTales from Radiator Springs (2013–2014) and the first episode ofCars on the Road (2022), and several video games in the franchise (2006–2011).
In 2010, he went to Broadway to act as Saunders in a revival version ofLend Me a Tenor in New York at theMusic Box Theatre.[22] He was nominated for a 2013Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play for Lincoln Center Theater's production ofGolden Boy at the Belasco Theatre.[23] He was nominated for a 2014Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play for Lincoln Center Theater's production ofAct One at theVivian Beaumont Theatre.[24] Shalhoub and his wife appeared inSamuel Beckett'sHappy Days in June and July 2015 in New York City.[25][26] Shalhoub played Victor Kershaw in the 2013 true crime filmPain & Gain.[27] He voicedSplinter in the 2014 filmTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and reprised the role inTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (2016).[28]
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He starred in the musicalstage adaptation of the filmThe Band's Visit, in the Off-Broadway Atlantic Theatre Company production. The musical, with music and lyrics byDavid Yazbek and book byItamar Moses, ran from November 11, 2016, through December 23, 2016. He reprised his role when the show moved to Broadway where it opened at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on November 9, 2017.[29] For his performance, he won the 2018Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical. He also appeared as Walter Franz in the 2017 Broadway revival ofThe Price.[30]
Shalhoub stars as Jewish-American math professor Abe Weissman, father of protagonist Midge Maisel (Rachel Brosnahan), in theEmmy-winning,Amazon-produced television comedy seriesThe Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.[31] For his performance he won thePrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series and theScreen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series both in 2019. Thelma Adams ofTheWrap praised Abe's character development and Shalhoub's performance on the series, writing, "Midge's father — always intelligent, rarely self-aware — has a remarkable epiphany where he finally understands what Midge has accomplished, and how late he is to the party."[32] Cristina Escobar ofRoger Ebert.com declared, "[Shalhoub] came close to stealing the show".[33]
He played the character of Fred in the 2021 animated film,Rumble, and reprised his role as Adrian Monk inMr. Monk's Last Case: A Monk Movie in 2023.
Shalhoub married actressBrooke Adams in 1992. They have worked together in several films, in one episode ofWings, and onBrainDead. Adams has appeared credited as a "Special Guest Star" in five episodes ofMonk—"Mr. Monk and the Airplane", "Mr. Monk's 100th Case", "Mr. Monk and the Kid", "Mr. Monk Visits a Farm", and "Mr. Monk and the Badge,"[34] as well as inMr. Monk's Last Case.[35]
Shalhoub and Adams appeared on Broadway together in the 2010 revival ofLend Me a Tenor.[36] At the time of their wedding, Adams had an adopted daughter, whom Shalhoub adopted. In 1994, they adopted another daughter.[37]
Shalhoub is an investor in theMichelin-starred Italian restaurantRezdôra.[38]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Heartburn | Airplane Passenger | Some scenes cut |
| 1989 | Longtime Companion | Paul's Doctor | |
| 1990 | Quick Change | Taxicab Driver | |
| 1991 | Barton Fink | Ben Geisler | |
| 1992 | Honeymoon in Vegas | Buddy Walker | |
| 1993 | Addams Family Values | Jorge | |
| Searching for Bobby Fischer | Chess Club Member | ||
| 1994 | I.Q. | Bob Rosetti | |
| 1996 | Big Night | Primo | |
| 1997 | A Life Less Ordinary | Al | |
| Gattaca | German | ||
| Men in Black | Jack Jeebs | ||
| 1998 | A Civil Action | Kevin Conway | |
| The Siege | Agent Frank Haddad | ||
| The Impostors | Voltri, First Mate | ||
| Paulie | Misha Belenkoff | ||
| Primary Colors | Eddie Reyes | ||
| 1999 | Galaxy Quest | Fred Kwan | |
| The Tic Code | Phil | ||
| 2001 | Thirteen Ghosts | Arthur Kriticos | |
| The Man Who Wasn't There | Freddy Riedenschneider | ||
| Spy Kids | Mr. Alexander "Alex" Minion | ||
| 2002 | Life or Something Like It | Prophet Jack | |
| Made-Up | Max Hires | Also director | |
| Impostor | Nelson Gittes | ||
| Men in Black II | Jack Jeebs | ||
| Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams | Mr. Alexander "Alex" Minion | ||
| 2003 | Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over | ||
| Party Animals | Celebrity Father | ||
| T for Terrorist | Man in White Suit | ||
| Something More | Mr. Avery | ||
| 2004 | The Last Shot | Tommy Sanz | |
| Against the Ropes | Sam LaRocca | ||
| 2005 | The Naked Brothers Band: The Movie | Himself | |
| The Great New Wonderful | Dr. Trabulous | ||
| 2006 | Cars | Luigi (voice) | [39] |
| 2007 | Careless | Mr. Roth | |
| AmericanEast | Sam | ||
| 1408 | Sam Farrell | ||
| 2008 | L.A. Actors | Bum | |
| 2009 | Feed the Fish | Sheriff Anderson | |
| 2010 | How Do You Know | Psychiatrist | |
| 2011 | Cars 2 | Luigi (voice) | [39] |
| 2013 | Movie 43 | George | Deleted sketch |
| Pain & Gain | Victor Kershaw | ||
| 2014 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | Master Splinter (voice) | [39] |
| 2016 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows | ||
| Custody | Jason Schulman | ||
| The Assignment | Dr. Ralph Galen | ||
| 2017 | Breakable You | Adam Weller | [40] |
| Final Portrait | Diego Giacometti | [41] | |
| Cars 3 | Luigi (voice) | [39] | |
| They Shall Not Perish | Karnig Parnian | ||
| 2018 | Rosy | Dr. Godin | |
| 2021 | Rumble | Fred (voice) | [39] |
| 2022 | Linoleum | Dr. Alvin | [42] |
| 2023 | Flamin' Hot | Roger Enrico | [43] |
| 2025 | Play Dirty | Lozini | [44] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | The Equalizer | Terrorist | Episode: "Breakpoint" |
| 1987 | Spenser: For Hire | Dr. Hambrecht | Episode: "The Road Back" |
| 1988 | Alone in the Neon Jungle | Nahid | Television film |
| 1989 | Money, Power, Murder | Seth Parker | |
| Day One | Enrico Fermi | ||
| 1991 | Monsters | Mancini | Episode: "Leavings" |
| 1991–1997 | Wings | Antonio Scarpacci | 144 episodes |
| 1992 | Dinosaurs | Jerry (voice) | Episode: "Fran Live" |
| 1993 | Gypsy | Uncle Jocko | Television film |
| 1995 | Gargoyles | The Emir (voice) | Episode: "Grief"[39] |
| The X-Files | Dr. Chester Ray Banton | Episode: "Soft Light" | |
| 1996 | Radiant City | Narrator | Television film |
| Frasier | Manu Habib | Episode: "The Focus Group" | |
| Almost Perfect | Alex Thorpe | Episode: "Auto Neurotic" | |
| 1997 | Men in Black: The Series | Jack Jeebs (voice) | 2 episodes |
| 1999 | That Championship Season | George Sitkowski | Television film |
| Ally McBeal | Albert Shepley | Episode: "Those Lips, That Hand" | |
| 1999–2000 | Stark Raving Mad | Ian Stark | 22 episodes |
| 2000 | MADtv | Taxi Cab Driver/Himself | 2 episodes |
| 2001 | The Heart Department | Dr. Joseph Nassar | Television film |
| 2002–2009 | Monk | Adrian Monk | Lead role (125 episodes) |
| 2011 | Too Big to Fail | John Mack | Television film |
| Five | Mitch Taylor | ||
| 2012 | Hemingway & Gellhorn | Koltsov | |
| 2013 | We Are Men | Frank Russo | 7 episodes |
| 2013–2014 | Cars Toons: Tales from Radiator Springs | Luigi (voice) | 3 episodes |
| 2015 | Nurse Jackie | Dr. Bernard Prince | 8 episodes |
| 2016 | The Blacklist | Alistair Pitt | Episode: "Alistair Pitt (No. 103)" |
| BrainDead | Red Wheatus | Main role (13 episodes) | |
| 2017–2023 | The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel | Abe Weissman | 43 episodes |
| 2017 | Mickey and the Roadster Racers | Luigi (voice) | Episode: "Roaming Around Rome" |
| 2019–2020 | Elena of Avalor | Zopilote (voice) | 6 episodes |
| 2020 | Peacock Presents: The At-Home Variety Show Featuring Seth MacFarlane | Adrian Monk | Episode: "Monk in Quarantine" |
| 2020–2022 | Central Park | Marvin (voice) | 7 episodes |
| 2022 | Cars on the Road | Luigi (voice) | Episode: "Dino Park"[39] |
| 2023 | The Company You Keep | Frankie Musso | 2 episodes |
| Mr. Monk's Last Case: A Monk Movie | Adrian Monk | Television film[45] | |
| 2025 | Breaking Bread | Himself | CNN documentary series[46] |
| 2027 | Cars: Lightning Racers | Luigi (voice) | Upcoming series[47] |
| Year | Title | Voice role |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Fallout: A Post-Nuclear Role-Playing Game | Aradesh[39] |
| 2006 | Cars | Luigi |
| 2007 | Cars Mater-National Championship | |
| 2009 | Cars Race-O-Rama | |
| 2011 | Cars 2 |
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2003–09 | Monk | 125 episodes |
| 2005 | Mush | Short film |
| 2009 | Pet Peeves | |
| Feed the Fish |
Shalhoub, who is of Lebanese Christian background, plays Abe Weissman, "TV's most lovable, beleaguered father" according to Vanity Fair.
