Shea Whigham (born January 5, 1969) is an American actor best known for portraying Elias "Eli" Thompson in the drama series Boardwalk Empire. He also appeared in the first season of True Detective and the third season of Fargo and in numerous films, including Silver Linings Playbook, The Wolf of Wall Street, and Joker.
Early life Whigham was born in Tallahassee, Florida, the son of attorney Frank and school librarian Beth. The family moved to Lake Mary, Florida, when Whigham was five years old. He attended Lake Mary High School.
Whigham attended Tyler Junior College in Tyler, Texas, and then transferred to the acting conservatory at State University of New York, Purchase, where only eight out of his 31 classmates graduated.
Career After graduating, Whigham co-founded the theatre troupe the Rorschach Group with his college roommate Kirk Acevedo in New York City and served as an actor and artistic director with the troupe for three years.
Whigham appeared in one 1997 episode of the television series Ghost Stories before he received a starring role in the 2000 film Tigerland. He went on to appear in the television films Submerged, R.U.S./H., and Paradise before acting in the 2003 film All the Real Girls. Between 2004 and 2006, he appeared in the Japanese film Out of This World, the drama television series Medical Investigation, and the films Water, Man of the House, Faith of My Fathers, Lords of Dogtown, Psychic Driving, and South of Heaven.
Whigham appeared in Pride and Glory and co-starred in the horror film Splinter, the thriller Blood Creek, and the science fiction film Radio Free Albemuth.
He had a regular leading role on the HBO series Boardwalk Empire as Elias "Eli" Thompson, sheriff of Atlantic County, New Jersey, for the show's entire run. In 2014, he appeared in the HBO series True Detective as the disillusioned former minister Joel Theriot. He appeared in two episodes of FX's Justified in 2015.
Between 2012 and 2017, he had several movie roles, such as The Wolf of Wall Street, American Hustle, Silver Linings Playbook, Term Life, and Kong: Skull Island. In 2018, he appeared in the films Sicario: Day of the Soldado, First Man, and Bad Times at the El Royale. In 2019, he appeared in the Warner Bros./DC Comics psychological thriller Joker as GCPD Detective Burke. He also appeared in both seasons of HBO's Vice Principals as Ray Liptrapp; appeared in Fargo and the miniseries Waco; and he starred in the television series Homecoming alongside Julia Roberts for which he was nominated for a Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. In 2020, he was cast as Pete Strickland on HBO's reimagining of Perry Mason, a role for which he received attention for his moustache.
He has appeared in several projects alongside actors Michael Shannon and Paul Sparks, both of whom starred on Boardwalk Empire and Waco. Shannon and Whigham also appeared together in The Quarry, Take Shelter, Tigerland, and Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans. In October 2025, it was announced that Whigham would be joining Jamie Foxx and Andrés Baiz in the Netflix feature film Fight for '84.
Personal life Whigham has four children, including actress Giorgia Whigham, with his wife Christine Whigham.https://mofopolitics.com/2016/12/06/giorgina-whigham-voted/
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes1998Of Love & FantasyCraig2000TigerlandPrivate Wilson2002Bad CompanyCIA Agent WellsUncredited2003All the Real Girls'Tip' 2004Out of This WorldRussell ReadeWaterDaniel West 2005Man of the HouseTexas Ranger HoltLords of DogtownDrake LandonPsychic DrivingRyan BarrettShort film 2006Wristcutters: A Love StoryEugeneFirst SnowVincent McClure 2008South of Heaven'Mad Dog' ManteePride and GloryOfficer Kenny DuganSplinterDennis Farell 2009Blood CreekLuke BennyTony MazzollaSpoonerStan ManfrettiFast & FuriousFBI Agent Michael StasiakBad Lieutenant: Port of Call New OrleansJustin 2010Radio Free AlbemuthPhilBarry MundayDonaldMacheteSniperCaptain Cottingham 2011Take ShelterDewartNominated—Gotham Independent Film Award for Best Ensemble CastDwayne Jeffrey 'D.J.' CorlissThis Must Be the PlaceErnie RayCatch .44Billy 2012Big MiracleSAR Pilot ConradSavagesChad, Cartel LawyerSilver Linings PlaybookJake SolitanoNominated—Gotham Independent Film Award for Best Ensemble Cast 2013Fast & Furious 6FBI Agent Michael StasiakAmerican HustleCarl ElwayScreen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion PictureCaptain Ted Beecham2014Non-StopAgent Marenick 2015Lila & EveDetective Holliston Cop CarManKnight of CupsJim 2016Star Trek BeyondTeenaxi LeaderVoiceTerm LifeDetective Matty Miller 2017Kong: Skull IslandCaptain Earl ColeDeath NoteDetective James TurnerWheelmanMohawk Man 2018The Catcher Was a SpyJoe CroninBeirutGary RuzakSicario: Day of the SoldadoAndy Wheeldon First ManGus GrissomBad Times at the El RoyaleDr. Woodbury LaurenceCity of LiesFrank LygaViceWayne Vincent 2019To the StarsHank DeerborneLow TideSergeant KentJokerDetective Burke 2020The QuarryThe ManAlso executive producerVampires vs. the BronxFrank Polidori 2021F9FBI Agent Michael StasiakThe GatewayParker JodeSmall Engine Repair'Packie' HanrahanSouth of HeavenOfficer Schmidt2022The Gray ManSix's Father 2023Fancy DanceFrank EileenJim Dunlop Spider-Man: Across the Spider-VerseGeorge StacyVoiceMission: Impossible – Dead ReckoningJasper Briggs2024Lake GeorgeDon2025Mission: Impossible – The Final ReckoningJasper BriggsF1Chip Hart 2026 Post-productionTBA Post-production Post-production Filming
Television Year Title Role Notes1997Ghost StoriesEric DukeEpisode: "Cold in the Grave"2001SubmergedCaptain Oliver NaquinTelevision film2002R.U.S./H.Odell TippyPilot2004Medical InvestigationBarrett Fidler2 episodesParadiseJeremiah AlcottTelevision film2005Faith of My FathersNorris Overly2006ERBobby Kenyon3 episodes2007StandoffAndre / Jared KendallEpisode: "Ex-Factor"2009Lie to MeJered BluntEpisode: "Life Is Priceless"Numb3rsTom KardumEpisode: "The Fifth Man"MediumPatrick WilkesEpisode: "New Terrain"2010–2014Boardwalk EmpireElias 'Eli' Thompson 49 episodesScreen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series (2011–2012)Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series (2013–2015)2014True DetectiveJoel Theriot2 episodes2015Agent CarterRoger Dooley7 episodesJustifiedMerrillEpisode: "Collateral"2016–2017Vice PrincipalsRay Liptrapp15 episodes2017The Legend of Master LegendPeanut-HeadPilotFargo'Moe' Dammick5 episodesNarcosAgent Duffy2 episodes2018WacoMitch Decker6 episodesHomecomingThomas Carrasco8 episodesNominated—Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama SeriesDirty JohnWilliam MeehanEpisode: "Lord High Executioner"2019Modern LovePeter 1 episode (Season 1 Episode 6)2020–2023Perry MasonPete StricklandMain role2022GaslitG. Gordon LiddyLimited seriesNominated—Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Movie/MiniseriesNominated—Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film2023Waco: The AftermathMitch Decker5 episodesThe Righteous GemstonesDusty Daniels2 episodesLawmen: Bass ReevesColonel George Reeves2 episodes2025American PrimevalJim Bridger6 episodes Bad ThoughtsPQEpisode: "Jobs"Death by LightningRoscoe Conkling4 episodes 2026SugarTom Flyberg2 episodesTBAThe Murder of JonBenét RamseyAlex HunterUpcoming miniseries
Video games Year Title Role2000Smuggler's RunJon
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