Joshua Atwill Pais (born June 21, 1958) is an American actor and acting coach. He has appeared in the films Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990), Music of the Heart (1999), Assassination of a High School President (2008), I Saw the Light (2015) and Motherless Brooklyn (2019). He also appeared in nine episodes of Ray Donovan.
He is also the director of the 2002 documentary 7th Street (the street he grew up on in Alphabet City, Manhattan) depicting various personages living there between the years 1992–2002.
Early life Pais was born in New York City, and is the son of Lila Lee (née Atwill), a painter and poet, and Dutch-born physicist, professor, and writer Abraham Pais. His father was from a Jewish family of Portuguese descent, and his mother converted to Judaism.
Career He has appeared in Hollywood films including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (in which he was both in the costume and was the voice) as Raphael, Music of the Heart, Scream 3, It Runs in the Family, Phone Booth, Little Manhattan and Find Me Guilty. He played Assistant M.E. Borak in 15 episodes of the series Law & Order, between 1990 and 2002. He also played the Spanish teacher in the film Assassination of a High School President. He had a recurring role as an obnoxious movie producer on the American crime drama series Ray Donovan. He also appeared as a lawyer on 2 Broke Girls.
Personal life Pais married actress Lisa Emery on August 27, 1990. They are parents of the actor Zane Pais. Pais and Emery divorced in 2003. In 2006 he married entrepreneur Marie Forleo.
Filmography
Film +YearTitleRoleNotes1989JacknifeRick1990How to Be LouiseMikeTeenage Mutant Ninja TurtlesRaphael1996I'm Not RappaportRodney1997Colin Fitz Lives!Cathartic Fan1998Safe MenMitchellRoundersWeitzA Civil ActionLaw ClerkKarma LocalCharlie1999Music of the HeartDennis2000Scream 3WallaceSwimmingNeil Wheeler2001Scotland, PADouglas McKennaA Beautiful MindPrinceton Professor2002Phone BoothMario2003The Station AgentCarlIt Runs in the FamilyBarney2005Little ManhattanRonnyConfessAllen KelnerThe Reality TrapTom2006UnconsciousWarner Wilcott2007TeethDr. GodfreyYear of the DogRobinWatching the DetectivesAndyNeal CassadyCalbert Holt2008Assassination of a High School PresidentPadre NewellSynecdoche, New YorkOphthalmologistLifelinesIra Bernstein2009AdventurelandMr. LewinReunionSaulLeaves of GrassKen FeinmanGentlemen BroncosTodd Keefe2010Please GiveAdam2011The Key ManDr. Abraham MeyerDetachmentMeredith's Father2012ArbitrageJohn AimesPrice CheckDoug CainThe NormalsDr. Honeysack2013Touchy FeelyPaulSyrupDavidson2014That Awkward MomentFred5 Flights UpJackson2015I Saw the LightDore ScharyThe Family FangFreeman2016Bakery in BrooklynAlexander Johnson2017Crown HeightsD.A. MenganoGoing in StyleChuck Lofton2018The Land of Steady HabitsLarry Eichner2019Motherless BrooklynWilliam LiebermanJokerHoyt Vaughn2020The MimicThe Neurotic Lawyer2021CheckoutDov2022Funny PagesLewisSpoiler AlertScott2023You Hurt My FeelingsJosh Pais2024The FriendJerry2025If I Had Legs I'd Kick YouBrad
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1988The Cosby ShowAndyEpisode: "Waterworks"1989Murphy BrownSecretary #18Episode: "Funnies Girl"Teething with AngerDog GuyTelevision film1990–2009Law & OrderVarious roles16 episodes1993RoseanneSeanEpisode: "Be My Baby" 1994 The Second Greatest Story Ever Told Joey JoesephsonTelevision film1996On Seventh AvenueDonny1997, 1998Star Trek: Deep Space NineGaila2 episodes1998Homicide: Life on the StreetM.E. #2Episode: "Shaggy Dog, City Goat"Sex and the CityNick WaxlerEpisode: "Models and Mortals"The Crow: Stairway to HeavenMyronEpisode: "Death Wish"2000The StreetElliot BandoEpisode: "Closet Case"2000–2016Law & Order: Special Victims UnitRobert Sorensen Deputy Commissioner Hank Abraham10 episodes2001The JobMarkEpisode: "Anger"2002Porn 'n ChickenProf. HoffmanTelevision film2003, 2007Law & Order: Criminal IntentNoah Brezner Ralph Friedman2 episodes2004Hope & FaithHarvey ZakEpisode: "Hope Gets a Job"2005Rescue MeLeonEpisode: "Reunion"2006The SopranosZev CharneyEpisode: "Mr. & Mrs. John Sacrimoni Request..."2007The Bronx Is BurningPhil Pepe3 episodesDamagesGeorge BerberEpisode: "She Spat at Me"2009Michael & Michael Have IssuesJim Biederman7 episodes2010OutlawDoc Levin2 episodes2011How to Make It in AmericaGarrettEpisode: "In or Out"20122 Broke GirlsLeoEpisode: "And the Drug Money"NYC 22Maxwell TannerEpisode: "Jumpers"2013PsychDr. Richard UmmaEpisode: "No Trout About It"2013–2019Ray DonovanStu Feldman9 episodes2014The Good WifeHoward LampeyEpisode: "We, the Juries"Alpha HouseOwen LefkowitzEpisode: "The Nuptials"DutyIraTelevision film2015Sex & Drugs & Rock & RollIra Feinbaum8 episodes2015–2021YoungerTodd Heller5 episodes2018High MaintenanceIraEpisode: "Ghost"ManiacAndy3 episodesI Was A Teenage Pillow QueenDavidTelevision film2019Tales of the CityDougEpisode: "Rainbow Warriors"Mrs. FletcherBarry5 episodes2020The Plot Against AmericaMaurice SilvermanEpisode: "Part 5"2022The DropoutWade Miquelon2 episodes2023Paul T. GoldmanRyan Sinclair2 episodes2024Power Book III: Raising KananLowell GelfandEpisode: "Home to Roost"A Man in FullHerb Richman5 episodes
References
External links