Reed Birney (born September 11, 1954) is an American actor. Birney is known for his performances on stage and screen often acting on and off Broadway. Birney gained acclaim in 2016 for his role in The Humans winning the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play. He was also nominated previously in the same category for his performance in Casa Valentina in 2014.
He starred in the films Mass (2021) and The Menu (2022). He is also known for his recurring roles in Gossip Girl (2007–2009), House of Cards (2013–2017), The Blacklist (2014–2015), and Home Before Dark (2021–2022). He has also acted in The Americans, The Handmaid's Tale, and Succession.
Career Birney attended the Boston University College of Fine Arts for two years. After moving to New York City, he attended classes sponsored by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.Sod, Ted. "Interview" roundabouttheatre.org, October 4, 2015
Birney appeared off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons in 1976 in Gemini by Albert Innaurato. He has appeared in many plays off-Broadway since, including Bug (2004) and Circle Mirror Transformation (2009).Gates, Anita. "At Peter J. Sharp Theater: Actor, Make Like a Tree" The New York Times, October 15, 2009
He has performed on Broadway in Casa Valentina (2014) and The Humans."Reed Birney Credits" broadwayworld.com, accessed June 13, 2016 He appeared in the Annie Baker adaptation of Uncle Vanya at the Soho Rep in 2012. Charles Isherwood in his review for The New York Times wrote: "The indispensable Reed Birney is as vitally moving a Vanya as I’ve yet to see..."Isherwood, Charles. "A Fresh Breeze in Pastoral Russia" The New York Times, June 18, 2012 He was nominated for the Drama Desk Award, Outstanding Actor in a Play, for Uncle Vanya.Lefkowitz, Andy. "The 58th Annual Drama Desk Award Winners Are Announced!" theatermania.com, May 19, 2013
He won the 2016 Tony Award, Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play, for The Humans;Viagas, Robert. " 'Hamilton' Tops Tony Awards With 11 Wins" Playbill, June 12, 2016 the 2014 Drama Desk Award, Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play, for Casa Valentina; and the 2010 Obie Award, Performance, for Circle Mirror Transformation."Reed Birney Bio" broadwayworld.com, accessed June 13, 2016 He received a Special Drama Desk Award in 2011, honoring his career."Reed Birney" columbia.edu, accessed June 13, 2016"Reed Birney Broadway" Playbill, accessed June 13, 2016
He appeared off-Broadway in the play by Tracy Letts, Man from Nebraska, which opened in January 2017 in previews at the Second Stage Theatre.Clement, Olivia. " 'Man from Nebraska 'Opens at Second Stage" Playbill, February 15, 2017 From May to October 2017, he starred as O'Brien in the Broadway production of 1984 at the Hudson Theatre.
His television performances include Matthew Lester in Kane & Abel, Mr. Prescott on Gossip Girl, Donald Blythe on the Netflix series House of Cards,"'House of Cards’ Star Reed Birney Endures ‘Quiet Desperation’ in ‘Mad Women’" madeinhollywood.tv, July 22, 2015 Tom Connolly in The Blacklist and Dr. Adamson on Titans. He also appeared in Hulu's adaptation of Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale as Lieutenant Stans.
His movie roles included Louie in Four Friends (1981), the Merchant Prince in A Perfect Murder (1998), Governor Willis in Morning Glory (2010), J. Whitman in The 40-Year-Old Version, Pa in The Hunt (both 2020), Peter Bloom in Strawberry Mansion, and Richard in Mass (both 2021).
Birney is an adjunct assistant professor at Columbia University.
Personal life He is married to actress Constance Shulman, who appears in Orange is the New Black, and they have two children together.Borison, Susan. "Actors Constance Shulman and Reed Birney Talk Parenting" Your Teen, retrieved June 8, 2018 Their daughter Gus Birney is also an actor, as is their son, Ephraim. Birney's nephew is filmmaker Albert Birney.
Acting credits Film Year Title Role Notes1976Not a Pretty PictureFredFeature film debut 1981Four FriendsLouie1985CrimewaveVic Ajax1998A Perfect MurderMerchant Prince #12003Uptown GirlsExecutive2007The TenJim Stansel2008ChangelingMayor Cryer2010Twelve ThirtyMartin2010Morning GloryGovernor Willis2012Girl Most LikelyDr. Chalmers2013Molly's Theory of RelativityAsher2013Adult WorldTodd2014In Your EyesDr. Maynard2015JackrabbitPaul Bateson2015Mad WomenRichard2019The Lost WeekendHenryShort film 2020The Forty-Year-Old VersionJ. Whitman2020Lost GirlsPeter Hackett2020The HuntPop2021Strawberry MansionPeter Bloom2021MassRichard2022 Baby Ruby Dr. Rosenbaum2022The MenuRichard Liebrandt 2024 Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2Henry Bennett 2024 If You See Something Ward 2025 Blue FilmBlue Film’ Review: A Swaggering Camboy Is Caught Off-Guard In a Provocative Chamber Piece Hank TBA The Steel Harp Post-production TBA OutrageReed Birney Starring in Robin Rose Singer’s Satirical Thriller ‘Outrage’ (EXCLUSIVE) Jake Gadling Post-production
Television Year Title Role Notes1979Eight Is EnoughStevenEpisode: "Mary, He's Married"1981NurseEpisode: "Margin for Error"19833-2-1 ContactWenfieldEpisode: "Flight: Flying Animals"1985Kane & AbelMatthew Lester2 episodes1987Beverly Hills BuntzLarry FieldingEpisode: "Sid and Randy"1990Tales from the CryptPaulEpisode: "Mute Witness to Murder"1992–2010Law & OrderVarious3 episodes1994Another WorldWalter Trask3 episodes1994American MastersActorEpisode: "Tennessee Williams: Orpheus of the American Stage"1998From the Earth to the MoonJohn HouboltEpisode: "Spider"2000Law & Order: Special Victims UnitHarry WatersEpisode: "Chat Room"2002The Education of Max BickfordToddEpisode: "Money Changes Everything"2002EdMr. WalzerEpisode: "Human Nature"2002–2005Law & Order: Criminal IntentA.D.A. Stillman / Fred Martz2 episodes2003Queens SupremeEpisode: "The Eyes Have It"2006KidnappedManciniEpisode: "Number One with a Bullet"2007–2009Gossip GirlMr. Prescott4 episodes2008Wainy DaysCharlie RoseEpisode: "Jonah and the Manilow"2009KingsMinister Forsythe5 episodes2010My GenerationMichael Foster2 episodes2012The Good WifeLee TripkeEpisode: "Battle of the Proxies"2013–2017House of CardsDonald Blythe17 episodes2014Blue BloodsBurden MaxwellEpisode: "Manhattan Queens"2014GirlsPeterEpisode: "I Saw You"2014–2015The BlacklistTom Connolly9 episodes2015American OdysseySenator Darnell3 episodes2017Madam SecretaryRoland HobbsEpisode: "Gift Horse"2017The Immortal Life of Henrietta LacksDr. George GeyTelevision film2018Chicago MedGregEpisode: "Best Laid Plans"2018The AmericansPatrick McCleesh2 episodes2018TitansDr. Adamson5 episodes2019A Million Little ThingsEugene BloonEpisode: "The Day Before..."2019High MaintenanceLeonardEpisode: "Cruise"2019BullJudge HumphreyEpisode: "Imminent Danger"2020–2021Home Before DarkSylvester Lisko18 episodes2021The Handmaid's TaleLieutenant StansEpisode: "The Crossing"2021EvilFather ThunderlandEpisode: "I Is for IRS"2021SuccessionVice President Dave BoyerEpisode: "What It Takes"2023Poker FaceGabriel/BenEpisode "Time of the Monkey"2023Star Trek: Strange New WorldsLuqEpisode: "Among the Lotus Eaters"2024American Horror Story: DelicateDexter Harding Sr.4 episodes2026–presentSiloHenry8 episodesTBARabbit, RabbitUpcoming series
Theatre Year Title Role Playwright VenueRef.1977 Gemini Randy Hastings Albert Innaurato Little Theatre, Broadway 2013 Picnic Howard Bevans William Inge American Airlines Theatre, Broadway 2014 Casa Valentina Charlotte Harvey Fierstein Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, Broadway 2016 The Humans Erik Blake Stephen Karam Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, Broadway 2017 1984 O'Brien Robert Icke Hudson Theatre, Broadway
Awards and nominations Year Association Category Project ResultRef2011 Drama Desk Award Special Drama Desk Award 2014 Tony Award Best Featured Actor in a Play Casa Valentina Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play Drama League Award Distinguished Performance Award 2016 Tony Award Best Featured Actor in a Play The Humans Drama Desk Award Outstanding Ensemble Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Actor in a Play Drama League Award Distinguished Performance Award Long Island International Film Expo Best Supporting Actor in a Short Film Mired 2021 Gotham Award Outstanding Supporting Performance Mass Independent Spirit Award Robert Altman Award MASS wins the Robert Altman Award at the 2022 Spirit Awards. - Film Independent on YouTube
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