Gus Halper (born July 2, 1992) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles in the series Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders (2017), Fear the Walking Dead (2021), and Law & Order: Organized Crime (2022–2023), and in the films Goat (2016), Rustin (2023), and Unabomber (2026). He also appeared in the 2016 off-Broadway production of the musical Ride the Cyclone, playing Mischa Bachinski.
Early life and education Halper was born on July 2, 1992 in Manhattan, New York City. His mother, Deann Simmons Halper, is an actress and theater director. Halper graduated from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, which his mother had previously attended, in 2014.
Career
In 2014, while studying at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Halper played Romeo in the university's production of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. After graduating, he starred in the ABC television film The Kingmakers as Eli, a young man who infiltrates an Ivy League university to investigate his sister's death. The following year, Halper appeared alongside Nick Jonas and Ben Schnetzer in Goat, which was produced by James Franco. The same year, he portrayed Ukrainian teenager Mischa Bachinski in an off-Broadway production of Ride the Cyclone at the Lucille Lortel Theatre.
In 2017, Halper portrayed convicted murderer Erik Menendez in the eight-part series Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders, as well as starred for six episodes as Mikey Scaramucci in Happy! until 2018. A year later, he appeared in an episode of Ramy, then five episodes of both Jett and Dickinson. In 2020, Halper then starred in one episode of the series Love Life and appeared as Blaze in the film Holler, alongside Jessica Barden. In 2021, he appeared in an episode of Evil as Graham Lucian and two episodes of Fear the Walking Dead as Will. A year later, Halper appeared as Teddy Silas, a construction foreman, in Law & Order: Organized Crime. In 2023, he portrayed social democratic activist Tom Kahn, the assistant and lover of civil rights activist Bayard Rustin, in the biographical film Rustin.
In 2019, Halper was cast as Brendan Lalor in the workshop for the musical Sing Street, which then officially premiered its off-broadway run at the New York Theatre Workshop on December 16th and closed on January 26th, 2020. Following the hiatus of the Broadway transfer due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he reprised his role as Brendan for the cast recording that was released in April 2020.
Personal life Halper married actress Emma Geer on October 15, 2023. The couple welcomed their first child in early 2026.
Credits + Key Denotes productions that have not yet been released
Film Year Title Role Notes 2013RémyEmmanuel RémyShort film2015Ricki and the FlashImpatient Traveler2016GoatChanceCouchJeffShort film2017GuyGuyShort film2018MaineDragon2019Cold PursuitBoneSafe SpaceJacquesShort film2020HollerBlazeWinning StreakTyson DrakeShort film2023RustinTom Kahn2026UnabomberMr. C2027Skipping Town Short film
Television Year Title Role Notes 2002The Suite Life of Hudson & JamesWarrenVoice; 1 episode2014GalyntineKyreeTV Movie2015Public MoralsSergio Tedesco4 episodesThe KingmakersEliTV Movie2016PowerAlby3 episodesChicago P.D.Oliver TuxhornEpisode: "300,000 Likes"2017Mercy StreetEpisode: "Southern Mercy"Law & Order True CrimeErik Menendez8 episodes2017–2018Happy!Mikey Scaramucci6 episodes2018Madam SecretaryNathan ClemingerEpisode: "The Chaos Game"2019RamyShawnEpisode: "Do the Ramadan"JettNeal5 episodesDickinsonJoseph5 episodes2020Love LifeDanny Two PhonesEpisode: "Danny Two Phones"2021EvilGraham LucianEpisode: "I is for IRS"Fear the Walking DeadWill2 episodes2022–2023Law & Order: Organized CrimeTeddy Silas8 episodes2026The BeautyAshley SandersEpisode: "Beautiful Chimp Face"The ShardsBruce3 episodesCriminal Ricky Lawless
Web Year Title Role Notes 2018Today in New YorkCo-writer, co-producer2022The Lip Sync FablesPrince
Theater Year Title RoleVenue 2013She Loves MeGeorg NowackUNCSA production2014Romeo and JulietRomeoUNCSA production2014A Time for SingingIestyn EvansSaint Peter's Church (York Theatre Company), Off-Broadway2016Ride the CycloneMischa BachinskiLucille Lortel Theatre, Off-Broadway2019–2020Sing StreetBrendan LalorNew York Theatre Workshop, Off-Broadway
Cast Recordings
2020: Sing Street (Original Broadway Cast Recording)
References
External links