William Pullman (born December 17, 1953) is an American actor. After graduating with a Master of Fine Arts degree in theater, he was an adjunct professor at Montana State University, before deciding to pursue acting.
Pullman made his film debut in Ruthless People (1986), and starred in Spaceballs (1987), The Accidental Tourist and The Serpent and the Rainbow (both 1988), Newsies (1992), Sleepless in Seattle (1993), Wyatt Earp (1994), Casper, While You Were Sleeping (both 1995), Independence Day (1996), Lost Highway (1997), Zero Effect (1998) and Lake Placid (1999). He voiced Captain Joseph Korso in the animated science-fiction film Titan A.E.(2000). He has appeared frequently on television, usually in TV films. Since the beginning of the 21st century, Pullman has acted in miniseries and regular series such as Torchwood (2011), playing starring roles in 1600 Penn (2012–13) and The Sinner (2017–2021). In 2021, he had a recurring role in the miniseries Halston.
Pullman also has a long stage acting career. He has appeared on Broadway several times, including in Edward Albee's The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? (2002).
Early life and education Pullman is of Dutch, English, and Irish ancestry.WTF with Marc Maron episode 1283
After graduating from Hornell High School in 1971, he attended the State University of New York at Delhi (SUNY Delhi) and the State University of New York at Oneonta (SUNY Oneonta) in the 1970s, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theater Studies from the latter in 1975. He eventually received his Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 1980. He taught theater at SUNY Delhi and was an adjunct professor at Montana State University's School of Film and Photography in Bozeman, Montana, where his students persuaded him to pursue film roles.
Career During the 1980s, Pullman worked primarily with theater companies around New York and Los Angeles. His first prominent film role was in Ruthless People, starring Danny DeVito and Bette Midler. Other notable films included the protagonist Lone Starr in Spaceballs (1987), The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988) (with Zakes Mokae), A League of Their Own (1992), Malice (1993), Casper and While You Were Sleeping (both 1995). In 1996, he played the President of the United States in the sci-fi film Independence Day. A year later he had a major role in Lost Highway (1997) and voiced Korso in the animated post-apocalyptic film Titan A.E.
From February 2002 until September 2002, Pullman starred with Mercedes Ruehl in Edward Albee's play The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? on Broadway. It won the 2002 Tony Award for Best Play, the 2002 Drama Desk Award Outstanding New Play, and the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Pullman was nominated for the 2002 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play.
He starred as Dr. Richard Massey in the 2005 miniseries Revelations. He appeared in Albee's play Peter and Jerry at off-Broadway's Second Stage Theatre in New York for which he received a second Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Actor in a Play in 2008.
Pullman is also a creative writer. His first play, Expedition 6, is about the International Space Station mission Expedition 6, in orbit at the time the Space Shuttle Columbia was destroyed on reentry, grounding the U.S. Space Shuttle program and requiring the ISS crew to remain in orbit an additional two months. The play opened at San Francisco's Magic Theater in September 2007.Bill Pullman's theatrical space odyssey, www.collectspace.com, September 20, 2007
He also appeared in the Broadway production of David Mamet's play Oleanna, co-starring Julia Stiles.Pullman and Stiles Will Star in Mamet's Oleanna on Broadway, Opening Oct. 11 , Playbill.com, June 30, 2009 It opened at the John Golden Theatre on October 11, 2009, and closed on December 6, 2009, after 65 performances."Oleanna | Playbill Vault" , PlaybillVault.com
He is a jury member for the digital studio Filmaka, a platform for undiscovered filmmakers to show their work to industry professionals.
Pullman played Oswald Danes, a pedophile and child killer, in Torchwood: Miracle Day, the fourth series of the BBC/Starz Entertainment television show Torchwood (a spinoff to the BBC series Doctor Who), the former of which began airing in July 2011. For his performance as Danes, he received a Saturn Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor on Television.
From 2012 to 2013, Pullman portrayed the president of the United States in the television comedy series 1600 Penn. He played detective Harry Ambrose in the USA Network mystery series The Sinner, which premiered in 2017 and has aired for four seasons.
In 2023, Pullman portrayed Alex Murdaugh, a South Carolina attorney convicted of murdering his wife and son. The two-part Lifetime series Murdaugh Murders: The Movie premiered on October 14.Eley, Amy (September 6, 2023). "See Bill Pullman's transformation into Alex Murdaugh for new Lifetime movie". The Today Show. Retrieved September 6, 2023. In June 2025, Pullman was announced to reprise the role of Lone Star in the sequel to Spaceballs, Spaceballs: The New One, which is scheduled for release in 2027, and that he would be co-starring alongside his son Lewis Pullman.
In 2026, it was announced that he would make his Royal Shakespeare Company debut in the 2025–26 season production of The Cherry Orchard, playing Gaev.
His most recent role is as Jack Willard in the 2026 Netflix series The Boroughs.
Personal life Pullman is married to Tamara Hurwitz, a modern dancer.Biography . BillPullman.org. Their three children are actor Lewis Pullman, singer-songwriter Maesa Pullman, and Jack Pullman.Nå har jeg ryddet plass til Bergen . November 18, 2014.
At the age of 21, Pullman suffered a head injury when he fell while rehearsing a play, and lost his sense of smell and the feeling in his left elbow.
Pullman is an avid Buffalo Bills fan. He co-owns a cattle ranch with his brother in Montana, near the town of Whitehall, where he lives part-time.Associated Press (October 20, 2002). Entertainment: "Yeltsin visits Armenian brandy distillery". Via Amarillo Globe-News. He also serves on the board of trustees at Alfred University and was awarded an honorary doctorate there on May 14, 2011. In 2018, he received an honorary doctorate from Montana State University, where he was formerly employed.
Filmography Film
Year Film Role Notes 1986 Ruthless People Earl Mott 1987 Spaceballs Lone Starr 1988 The Serpent and the Rainbow Dr. Dennis Alan Rocket Gibraltar Crow Black The Accidental Tourist Julian Edge 1989 Cold Feet Buck Latham 1990 Brain Dead Dr. Rex Martin Sibling Rivalry Nicholas Meany Bright Angel Bob 1991 Liebestraum Paul Kessler Going Under Biff Banner 1992 Nervous Ticks York Daley Newsies Bryan Denton A League of Their Own Bob Hinson Singles Dr. Jamison 1993 Sommersby Orin Meecham Sleepless in Seattle Walter Jackson Malice Andy Safian Mr. Jones Construction Site Foreman Uncredited 1994 The Favor Peter Whiting Wyatt Earp Ed Masterson The Last Seduction Clay Gregory 1995 While You Were Sleeping Jack Callaghan Casper Dr. James Harvey 1996 Mr. Wrong Whitman Crawford Independence Day President Thomas J. Whitmore 1997 Lost Highway Fred Madison The End of Violence Mike Max 1998 Zero Effect Daryl Zero 1999 Lake Placid Jack Wells Brokedown Palace Hank "Yankee Hank" Green Spy Games Harry Howe / Ernie Halliday 2000 The Guilty Callum Crane Titan A.E. Captain Joseph Korso Voice Lucky Numbers Detective Pat Lakewood A Man Is Mostly Water Parking Fascist 2001 Ignition Conor Gallagher 2002 29 Palms The Ticket Clerk Igby Goes Down Jason Slocumb 2003 Rick Rick O'Lette 2004 The Grudge Peter Kirk 2005 Dear Wendy Officer Krugsby 2006 Scary Movie 4 Henry Hale Alien Autopsy Morgan Banner 2007 Nobel Son Max Mariner You Kill Me Dave 2008 Surveillance Sam Hallaway Bottle Shock Jim Barrett Phoebe in Wonderland Peter Lichten Your Name Here William J. Frick 2010 Peacock Edmund French The Killer Inside Me Billy Bob Walker Rio Sex Comedy William 2011 Bringing Up Bobby Kent 2012 Lola Versus Lenny 2013 The Unbelievers Himself 2014 Red Sky Captain John Webster Cymbeline Sicilius Leonatus The Equalizer Brian Plummer 2015 American Ultra Raymond Krueger 2016 Independence Day: Resurgence Former President Thomas J. Whitmore LBJ Senator Ralph Yarborough Brother Nature Jerry Turley 2017 Walking Out Clyde The Ballad of Lefty Brown "Lefty" Brown Trouble Ben Battle of the Sexes Jack Kramer 2018 The Equalizer 2 Brian Plummer 2019 The Coldest Game Joshua Mansky Dark Waters Harry Dietzler 2020 The High Note Max 2025 Killing Faith Preacher Ross 2026 Everybody Digs Bill Evans Harry Evans Senior Melvyn Jorrisen Post-production 2027 Lone Starr
Television
Year Title Role Notes 1986 Cagney & Lacey Dr. Giordano Episode: "A Safe Place" 1989 Home Fires Burning Henry Tibbets Television movie 1990 The Tracey Ullman Show Sheldon Moss Episode: "The Word" 1992 Crazy in Love Nick Symonds Television movie 1995 Fallen Angels Rich Thurber Episode: "Tomorrow I Die" 1996 Mistrial Steve Donohue Television movie 1997 Merry Christmas, George Bailey George Bailey 2000 The Virginian The Virginian Television movie; also producer/director 2001 Night Visions Major Ben Darnell Episode: "A View Through the Window" 2004 Tiger Cruise Commander Gary Dolan Television movie 2005 Revelations Richard Massey 6 episodes 2008 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Kurt Moss Episode: "Closet" 2010 Nathan vs. Nature Arthur Television movie 2011 Too Big to Fail Jamie Dimon Innocent Rusty Sabich Torchwood: Miracle Day Oswald Danes 8 episodes 2012–2013 1600 Penn President Dale Gilchrist 13 episodes 2017–2021 The Sinner Detective Harry Ambrose Main cast; 32 episodes 2021 Halston David J. Mahoney 3 episodes 2022 Nature Narrator Episode: "American Horses" 2023 This Fool Curtis Episode: "The Bigger Man" Murdaugh Murders: The Movie Alex Murdaugh 2 episodes 2026 The Boroughs Jack Willard
Stage Year Title Role Theatre 1989 Demon Wine Jimmie Los Angeles Theatre Center 2002 The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? Martin John Golden Theatre 2007 Peter and Jerry Peter Second Stage Theatre 2009 Oleanna John John Golden Theatre 2012 The Other Place Ian Samuel J. Friedman Theatre 2014 Sticks and Bones Ozzie Pershing Square Signature Center 2015 Othello Othello Den Nationale Scene 2015 The Jacksonian Fred Weber Theatre Three at Theatre Row 2019 All My Sons Joe Keller Old Vic Theatre 2022 Mad House Daniel Ambassadors Theatre2026The Cherry OrchardGaevSwan Theatre
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work Result 1997 Online Film & Television Association Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror ActorIndependence Day 2001 Western Heritage Awards Television Feature Film The Virginian 2002 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actor in a Play The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? 2008 CineVegas International Film Festival Special Jury Prize Your Name Here Denver International Film Festival John Cassavetes AwardHimself RiverRun International Film Festival Master of Cinema Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actor in a Play Peter and Jerry 2012 Saturn Awards Best Supporting Actor on TelevisionTorchwood: Miracle Day 2014 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play The Jacksonian 2015 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actor in a Play Sticks and Bones 2016 CinemaCon Award Ensemble of the Universe Independence Day: Resurgence Locarno International Film Festival Excellence AwardHimself 2017 Woodstock Film Festival Excellence in Acting Award 2018 Critics' Choice Television Awards Best Actor in a Movie/Miniseries The Sinner 2019 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series Saturn Awards Best Actor on Television
References
External links
Bill Pullman at FEARnet