Jacob Lee Epstein (born January 16, 1987) is a Canadian actor and singer. He is known for playing Craig Manning, a musician with bipolar disorder, on Degrassi: The Next Generation. He has also had recurring roles in the television series Designated Survivor and The Hardy Boys.
On Broadway, Epstein originated the role of Gerry Goffin in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. He has also starred as Melchior in the national tour of Spring Awakening and played Will in the national tour of American Idiot.
Early life Epstein was born in Toronto, Ontario. His mother, Kathy Kacer, is a Norma Fleck Award-winning writer of children's stories about the Holocaust, and his father is a lawyer. He also has an older sister, Gabi, who is an actress and jazz singer.
Epstein is Jewish, and was raised in Conservative Judaism.Document2 Epstein stated in 2019, "I would consider myself spiritually Jewish rather than religiously Jewish."
Career Theatre Epstein made his professional stage debut in a production of Our Town, which played at the Royal Alexandra Theatre in 1999. After this, Epstein played the Artful Dodger in a production of Oliver!. The musical played at the Princess of Wales Theatre between November 2, 1999 and January 2, 2000.
In 2009, he starred as C.B. (Charlie Brown) in a Canadian production of Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead. Later that year, Epstein joined the first national tour Spring Awakening, where he replaced Kyle Riabko as Melchior Gabor. His first performance with the tour was on July 7, 2009, and stayed with the tour until it ended in 2010.
In July 2011, Epstein joined the original Canadian production of Billy Elliot the Musical. He played the role of Tony Elliot, Billy's older brother, in the production which played at the Canon Theatre in Toronto. After that show closed, Epstein played Will in the first national tour of American Idiot, which began in December 2011. In a 2013 interview, Epstein said that Will was the most challenging role had had ever played. He said, "I sat on a couch and never left the stage for the majority of the show. That experience was a whole lesson in pacing, in creating a whole world for yourself on stage..."
In 2012, Epstein made his Broadway debut in Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, which played at the Foxwoods Theatre. He was the alternate for the lead role of Peter Parker/Spider-Man. Epstein referred to the role as a "childhood fantasy come true."
Epstein was cast as Gerry Goffin in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, opposite Jessie Mueller. The musical had a pre-Broadway engagement at the Curran Theatre in San Francisco, where it played September 24 and October 20, 2013. He then originated the role when it transferred to Broadway, where it began performances at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre on November 12, 2013. Epstein later shared that playing Carole's ex-husband was uniquely challenging because Carole encouraged him to not portray Gerry as the villain, even though the script changes increasingly presented him that way. He left the show in 2014 after a year of performances, citing vocal problems and fatigue of playing a real person being portrayed as brooding and villainous. However, Epstein temporarily returned to the show in 2016, where he reprised his role opposite fellow Canadian actor Chilina Kennedy, who starred as Carole.
In 2016, Epstein starred as a closeted gay man in the off-Broadway show Straight. He said of the script:
At the 2019 Toronto Fringe Festival, Epstein premiered his solo cabaret show Boy Falls From the Sky. The show is a retelling of his experiences in show business, including his time on Degrassi: The Next Generation, the challenges of auditioning for musicals, and his experiences on the ill-fated musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. Epstein wrote the show at the encouragement of his wife, who he credits with helping him realizing the power and authenticity of "...somebody with a microphone, telling a true story, something that's funny or horrific or whatever..." Mirvish Productions expressed interest in the show, and presented it at the Royal Alexandra Theatre between April 19 and May 29, 2022 and received widespread positive reviews. Epstein has since performed the show across Canada, including in Hamilton, Barrie, and in Quebec at the Segal Centre for Performing Arts.
Epstein will star as Frank Carter in the pre-Broadway engagement of Life After, which will play at the Ed Mirvish Theatre in Toronto between April 16 and May 4, 2025.
Television After appearing on the TV show The Zack Files, he played Craig Manning on Degrassi: The Next Generation for five seasons and won the Gemini Award. The character of Craig became a musician on the show and had to cope with parental abuse and bipolar disorder. Epstein said, "At the time, mental illness was not really something anyone was talking about. There was a huge stigma attached — I had never seen [bipolar disorder] on TV, and certainly not in a teenager. I loved the opportunity to portray someone who was conflicted and not perfect..." Craig impregnated a girl named Manny who gets an abortion, and Epstein noted that those episodes were "initially banned" in the United States. Epstein indicated that he "got the chance to really flesh out this guy that felt like a darker extension of me."
He left Degrassi during the fifth season to attend the National Theatre School of Canada in Montreal and made theater his new focus. Epstein said, "One of the things I love about theatre is how raw it is. There's no faking it… I really wanted to have a base in theatre, and that kind of opened up all these doors for me." Epstein returned to Degrassi for minor guest appearances in season 6–8.
Epstein played "geeky FBI computer nerd" Chuck Russink in the American TV show Designated Survivor (2016–2018). It was cancelled by ABC after two seasons, and he was no longer in the show when it was picked up and aired by Netflix for a third season.
Personal life Epstein married actress Vanessa Smythe in 2018. They welcomed their first child, son Miles August Epstein, on May 25, 2023.
Theatre credits Year Production Role Theatre Category 1999Our Town Joe Crowell Royal Alexandra Theatre Soulpepper Theatre / Mirvish ProductionsOliver! Artful Dodger Princess of Wales Theatre Mirvish Productions2008–2009Cinderella: The Sillylicious Family Musical Prince George Elgin Theatre Ross Petty Productions2009Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead CB Six Degrees Theatre Regional: Toronto2009–2010 Spring Awakening Melchior Gabor First National Tour2010–2011Beauty and the Beast: The Savagely Silly Family Musical Prince Zack / The Beast Elgin Theatre Ross Petty Productions2011Billy Elliot the Musical Tony Elliot Canon Theatre Mirvish Productions2011–2012 American Idiot Will First National Tour2012–2013Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark alt. Peter Parker/Spider-ManFoxwoods Theatre Broadway2013Beautiful: The Carole King Musical Gerry Goffin Curran Theatre Pre-Broadway engagement: San Francisco2013–2014Stephen Sondheim TheatreBroadway2016 Straight Ben Acorn Theatre Off-Broadway2016–2017Beautiful: The Carole King Musical Gerry GoffinStephen Sondheim TheatreBroadway2019 Boy Falls From the Sky Himself Supermarket BarToronto Fringe Festival2019 Dear Jack, Dear Louise Jack Ludwig Arena Stage Washington, D.C. 2022 Boy Falls From the Sky Himself Royal Alexandra Theatre Mirvish Productions 2023 Five Points Theatre Barrie, Ontario Theatre Aquarius Hamilton, Ontario Sylvan Adams Theatre Segal Centre for Performing Arts2024The Last Timbit Shane Elgin Theatre 2025 Life After Frank Carter Ed Mirvish Theatre Pre-Broadway engagement: Toronto
Filmography
Film Year Film Role Notes 2004 Crown Heights 2007 Charlie Bartlett Dustin Lauderbach 2012 Blood Pressure Josh Trestman 2013 Jesse Jesse Turner Short film2015 4th Man Out Marc Peters As I Like Her Jimmy Short film Borealis Fergus Full Out Coach Pierce 2016 Zaide Saul Short film2018MouthpieceDanny
Television Year Title Role Notes1999 Ricky's Room Bradley Real Kids, Real Adventures Chris Gilmore Episode: "Lost & Found: The Richard Prieur Story"2000Mom's Got a Date with a VampireDuffyTelevision movieQuintsBradTelevision movie 2000–2002 The Zack Files Cam Dunleavy Main role 2002–2009 Degrassi: The Next Generation Craig Manning Main role (seasons 2–5); guest role (seasons 6–8)2003 The Eleventh Hour Jacob McGibbon Episode: "Shelter" Girls v. Boys Himself Contestant Hawaii 2005 Radio Free Roscoe Jackson Torrance Episode: "Musical Influences" 2006 Angela's Eyes Brad Episode: "Undercover Eyes" 2007 The Good Witch Brad Episodes: "Halloween Prophecy, parts 1 & 2" 2008 Paradise Falls Jim Episodes: "Revelations", "Stardust"2009 Being Erica Malcolm Abrams Episode: "Battle Royale"Degrassi Goes HollywoodCraig ManningTeleivision movie 2011 My Babysitter's a Vampire David Stachowski Episode: "Blue Moon" 2012 Murdoch Mysteries Eddie Driscol Episode: "Murdoch Night in Canada"2015 Remedy Jake Ruben Episodes: "Fight or Flight", "Day One"Charming ChristmasWoodyTelevision movie 2016–2017 Degrassi: Next Class Craig Manning Episodes: "#ThrowBackThursday", "FactsOnly" 2016–2018 Designated Survivor Chuck Russink Main role (season 1-2); 39 episodes 2017–2019 Suits Brian Altman Recurring role (seasons 7–9)2017 Gone Stephen Episode: "Ride"Backstage Clive RichieSeason 2 Episode 25Home for the HolidaysCharles PonziTelevision movie: Christmas special of Murdoch Mysteries2019Frankie Drake MysteriesBruce FordhamEpisode: "A Brother in Arms"Mistletoe & MenorahsJonathan SilverTelevision movie A Storybook ChristmasTaylor HaldwayTelevision movie2020Star Trek: Discovery Dr Attis Episode: "Die Trying"Christmas at Maple CreekCarterTelevision movie2021Eight Gifts of HanukkahDaniel MyersTelevision movie2021Danger Next DoorBenTelevision movie2022The Umbrella Academy Alphonso Hargreeves / Sparrow Number Four Recurring role (season 3) Hudson & Rex Todd Harvey Episode: "Den of Snakes" 2022–2023 The Hardy Boys Mr. Adrian Munder Recurring role (seasons 2–3)2023The Wedding ContractAdamTelevision movieWhat We Do for LoveJason SharpeTelevision movieLaughing All the WayMike BaxterTelevision movieSincerely Truly ChristmasRobert RileyTelevision movie2024Unwrapping Christmas: Olivia's ReunionBenjamin HallTelevision movieUnwrapping Christmas: Mia's PrinceBenjamin HallTelevision movieUnwrapping Christmas: Lily's DestinyBenjamin HallTelevision movieUnwrapping Christmas: Tina's MiracleBenjamin HallTelevision movieMistletoe MurdersNoah JohnsonSeason 1 Episodes 5 & 6 "Death of a Humbug" parts 1 & 22025Law & Order Toronto: Criminal IntentAndrewSeason 2 Episode 7Oy to the World!Jake CohenTelevision movie
Discography 2008: Music from Degrassi: The Next Generation ("My Window") 2009: Degrassi Goes Hollywood: Music from the Original Movie ("Rescue You" and "Swan Song") 2014: Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording)
Awards and nominations YearAwardCategoryNominated workResultRef.2001Young Artist AwardsBest Performance in a TV Movie (Comedy) – Supporting Young ActorQuints2003Best Ensemble in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama)Degrassi: The Next GenerationBest Performance in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama) – Leadying Young ActorGemini AwardsBest Performance in a Children's or Youth Program or Series2004Best Performance in a Children's or Youth Program or SeriesYoung Artist AwardsBest Performance in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama) – Leadying Young Actor2005Outstanding Young Performers in a TV Series2006Best Young Ensemble Performance in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama)2018Hollywood North Film AwardsBest Performance – Canadian Short FilmOkay / The Talk / Zaide / Hypostasis / I Lost My Mind 2022 Dora Mavor Moore Awards Outstanding New Musical Boy Falls From the Sky Outstanding Performance in a Leading Role2025 Outstanding Performance by an Individual Life After
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