Anthony Torn (born 1965) is an American actor, director, and producer. He has made extensive appearances across film, television, and theatre. Torn has long been involved in the New York experimental theater community, having worked with avant-garde directors Richard Foreman and Reza Abdoh, and served as one of the founding directors of long-running New York City performance community Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping. Torn has appeared in episodes of the television shows Law & Order (1997–2009), 30 Rock (2009), The Good Wife (2010), Jason and Shirley (2015), The Blacklist (2018), Teenage Bounty Hunters (2020), and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2021).

Career Torn has an extensive theatrical career, having performed at the Signature Theatre Off-Broadway, Classic Stage Company, American Repertory Theater, La MaMa, and the Cort Theater on Broadway.

Described as "a stalwart of the experimental theater" by Jesse Green, Torn has worked extensively with experimental playwrights, directors, and filmmakers Reza Abdoh and Richard Foreman, and has even been called a "crucial muse" to the latter. He appeared in Abdoh's Father Was A Peculiar Man (1990), The Law of Remains (1991), The Blind Owl (1992), Tight Right White (1993), and Quotations From a Ruined City (1994), as well as Foreman's The Universe (1996), Paradise Hotel (1999), and Now That Communism Is Dead My Life Feels Empty! (2004). Torn also collaborated with lead performer William Talen to develop the character of Reverend Billy for the Stop Shopping Choir.

In 2014, Torn co-directed and starred in Ubu Sings Ubu, an immersive performance adapting Ubu Roi and incorporating the music of avant-garage rock band Pere Ubu.

In 2019, Torn played a fictionalized version of performance artist Paul Swan with avant-garde theatre company The Civilians.

In 2024, Torn played the Roaring Twenties Faust-analogue J. G. Conwell in the original cast of Off-Broadway site-specific immersive theater production Life and Trust, created by the producers of Sleep No More.

In 2024, Torn directed the United States premiere of The Whole of Time, "a feminist reworking of The Glass Menagerie by Argentinian playwright Romina Paula" which was staged at The Brick Theater in 2025. The Whole of Time was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Adaptation, extended multiple times, and positively reviewed, with The New Yorker singling out Torn's "beautifu[l]" direction.

Personal life He is the son of actors Rip Torn and Geraldine Page.

Filmography

+ Film rolesYearTitleRoleNote1985The Trip to BountifulTwin1989Wicked StepmotherStreet Hustler (as Anthony Torn)1992The Blind Owl1997Chasing AmyCashier1997Ill Gotten GainsThe Vet1998Claudine's ReturnRoscoe Measles1998WhateverMr. Stanley2004The Stepford WivesAdditional Stepford Husband2007The Grand InquisitorBillShort film, Torn also directed2006The ConventionGordonShort film, Torn also directed and produced2008Lucky DaysBobbyAlso co-directed2010All Good ThingsTheater Manager (as Anthony Torn)2012Unchained MelodyWolf (voice)Short film2014The DisinheritedPofiry2015Jason and ShirleySaul2015My MilongaSpiroShort film, also produced2016CustodyByron2016Idee FixeShort film2017The Wilde WeddingStore Owner2019The AssistantBoss2021BuriedBrianShort film2021BobbinTomShort film2023A Simple StoneTonyShort film2024Exhibiting ForgivenessArthur2024InventionTony2016The DutchmanJanitor2025Late FamePaulie + Television rolesYearTitleRoleNotes1997–2009Law & OrderDr. Voss, Court Clerk #2, Remy3 episodes200930 RockBertram GeissEpisode: "Sun Tea"2010The Good WifeProfessor DunnEpisode: "Doubt"2014Good MedicineThomas JeffersonEpisode: "Atari"2016Banker Madness!MiltonRecurring2016BrainDeadScientist ManEpisode: "Playing Politics"2018The BlacklistThe ToymakerEpisode: "The Invisible Hand"2020Teenage Bounty HuntersSister JimEpisode: "This Must Be How Dumb Kids Feel"2021Law & Order: Special Victims UnitLarry HughesEpisode: "Turn Me On Take Me Private"2023Staging FilmJohn SleightEpisode: "The Bad Infinity"2025FBI: Most WantedLev SussmanEpisode: "Ars Moriendi"

Theater (partial) The Picture (2000, chashama) (The Large Gentleman) The Tempest (2008, Classic Stage Company) (Trinculo) Breakfast at Tiffany's (2013, Cort Theatre) (Rusty Trawler) Ubu Sings Ubu (2014, Abrons Art Center) (Pa Ubu) The Tempest (2014, La MaMa) (Stephano) Venus (2017, The Signature Theatre) (Cyclops/Mother) Paul Swan Is Dead and Gone (2019, Torn Page) (Paul Swan) King Lear (2024, La MaMa) (Lear/Oswald)

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