Morgan Spector

Morgan Spector is an American actor. Spector has appeared in the TV series Allegiance (2015), The Mist (2017), Homeland (2018), and Pearson (2019), as well as the films The Drop (2014), Christine (2016), and A Vigilante (2018). He starred in the HBO project The Plot Against America, and also appears in the network's The Gilded Age.

Morgan Spector
Spector at SXSW 2024
Born (1980-10-04) October 4, 1980 (age 43)
Santa Rosa, California, U.S.
EducationReed College (BA)
American Conservatory Theater (MFA)
OccupationActor
Years active2004–present
Spouse
(m. 2015)
Children1

Early life

Spector grew up in Guerneville, California.[1] His father was an attorney and his mother worked in public education as a teacher and then as an administrator.[1] Spector is Jewish on his father's side; his paternal grandmother was an actress in the New York Yiddish Theatre District.[1][2][3][4][5] His mother is of mostly Irish Catholic descent.[6]

Spector acted for the first time in community theater at the age of eight; and later acted in high school and college productions.[7]

After graduating from Reed College, in Portland, Oregon, he enrolled in the acting school of the American Conservatory Theater, in San Francisco. He next pursued work in regional theater, including a tour in The Lion King.[7] In 2006, he moved to New York City.[7]

Career

In 2010, Spector made his Broadway debut as Rodolpho in Gregory Mosher's revival of Arthur Miller's play A View from the Bridge. He was originally cast in a bit part, but moved into the major role when the actor scheduled for it was injured during previews.[7] In 2012 he played the role of Boris in The Russian Transport, by Erika Sheffer. It was produced Off-Broadway by The New Group.[7]

In 2014, he co-starred with Rebecca Hall in a Broadway revival of Sophie Treadwell's Machinal. They later married; they appeared together on stage in New York again in June 2017, in Clare Lizzimore's play Animal.[8] They have also appeared together on-screen in the 2016 drama Christine and the 2017 film Permission.[7]

In 2018, Spector starred alongside Olivia Wilde in the drama A Vigilante.[9] In 2019, he starred alongside Gina Torres in the legal drama Pearson on USA Network, a spin-off of Suits.[10]

In 2020, he starred in the HBO miniseries adaptation of Philip Roth's The Plot Against America, alongside Winona Ryder.[4][5][11] In 2022, he also headlined alongside Cynthia Nixon and Christine Baranski in HBO's The Gilded Age.[12][13]

Personal life

In September 2015, Spector married actress Rebecca Hall, whom he had first met the year before, during their work together in the Broadway play Machinal.[7] Their first child was born in 2018.[14]

Spector is a socialist and helped produce the documentary, The Big Scary "S" Word.[15] Together with 30 other artists, in 2024 he participated in reading the dossier of South Africa's case to the International Court of Justice, stating that Israel has committed genocide in its war in Gaza. The reading was organised by Palifest.[16]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2004Raspberry HeavenKurt Callaway
2010The Last AirbenderLead Fire Nation Soldier
2011Musical ChairsKenny
2013All Is BrightVladimir
Burning BlueWilliam Stephensen
2014Grand StreetNino
The DropAndre
2016ChristineDr. Parsons
ChuckSylvester Stallone
2017Great ChoiceWaiter
SplitDerek
Man with VanKier
PermissionReece
2018A VigilanteSadie's Husband
2021With/In: Volume 1Also director
2022NannyAdam
2023Boston StranglerJames McLaughlin
2024I Don't Understand YouMassimo

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2009–2010Law & Order: Criminal IntentPlayer #1/Tech2 episodes
2010How to Make It in AmericaScott2 episodes
2011–2013Person of InterestPeter Yogorov5 episodes
2013Do No HarmRoman SpektorEpisode: "Morning, Sunshine"
Orange Is the New BlackPatrickEpisode: "Lesbian Request Denied"
Boardwalk EmpireFrank Capone4 episodes
Zero HourGolem3 episodes
2014UnforgettableDeanEpisode: "Cashing Out"
2015AllegianceVictor Dobrynin13 episodes
2015–2016Friday Night TykesVoiceover20 episodes
2016Friday Night Tykes: Steel CountryVoiceover12 episodes
2017The MistKevin Copeland10 episodes
2018HomelandDante AllenMain role (season 7)
SuitsMayor Bobby NovakEpisode: "Good-Bye"
2019PearsonMayor Bobby Novak8 episodes
2020The Plot Against AmericaHerman Levin6 episodes
2022–2023The Gilded AgeGeorge Russell17 episodes
TBABlack RabbitCampbellUpcoming miniseries

Theatre

YearTitleRoleVenue
2010A View from the BridgeRodolphoCort Theatre, Broadway
2012Russian TransportBorisAcorn Theatre, Off-Broadway
HarveyLyman Sanderson M.D.Studio 54, Broadway
2014MachinalA LoverAmerican Airlines Theatre, Broadway
2016IronboundPerformerRattlestick Theater, Off-Broadway
IncognitoPerformerNew York City Center, Off-Broadway
2017AnimalTomAtlantic Stage 2, Off-Broadway

Awards and nominations

YearAssociationCategoryProjectResultRef.
2021Critics' Choice Television AwardsBest Actor in a Movie/MiniseriesThe Plot Against AmericaNominated[17]
2023Screen Actors Guild AwardsOutstanding Ensemble in a Drama SeriesThe Gilded AgeNominated[18]

References