Jeffrey Donovan
Jeffrey Donovan | |
|---|---|
 Donovan in November 2009 | |
| Born | May 11, 1968 |
| Education | Bridgewater State University University of Massachusetts, Amherst (BA) New York University (MFA) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1995–present |
| Spouse |
Michelle Woods (m. 2012) |
| Children | 3 |
Jeffrey Donovan (born May 11, 1968)[1][2] is an American actor. He has played Michael Westen in the television series Burn Notice, and appeared in films such as Hitch, Believe in Me, Changeling, and Come Early Morning. He played Robert F. Kennedy in Clint Eastwood's J. Edgar (2011)[3] and his brother John F. Kennedy in Rob Reiner's LBJ (2016). He had a recurring role in the second season of the TV series Fargo (2015). From 2022 to 2023, he starred as NYPD Detective Frank Cosgrove on the revival of the NBC crime drama Law & Order. He left the show before the 23rd season due to creative differences.
Early life
[edit]Donovan was born the middle of three boys to Nancy Matthews (1946–2010); his older brother was Michael Donovan (1965-2024) and his younger brother was Sean (1970-1987). Donovan’s mother raised her sons alone on welfare after their father abandoned the family. They moved several times before settling in Amesbury, Massachusetts.[4][5][6]
At Amesbury High School, Donovan was mentored by a teacher who helped him start a drama club[7] and find a private scholarship, enabling him to participate in a summer program that helped him start his acting career.[8] He attended Bridgewater State College before transferring to the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in drama.
While attending college, Donovan was a commercial bus driver at UMass Transit Service, where he operated passenger buses as part of the PVTA.[citation needed][9] He went on to earn his Master of Fine Arts from New York University's Graduate Acting Program at the Tisch School of the Arts.
Career
[edit]Television
[edit]Donovan has guest-starred in several television shows, including CSI: Miami, Spin City, Monk, Millennium, Witchblade, The Pretender, Homicide: Life on the Street and Law & Order. In the short-lived TV series Threshold, Donovan played the antihero Dr. Sloan. Donovan also played the recurring role of William Ivers in Crossing Jordan. In 2004, he had his first leading role in the American remake of the British television series Touching Evil with Vera Farmiga on the USA Network.
From 2007 to 2013, Donovan starred in Burn Notice, as Michael Westen, a spy who was burned, for reasons unknown to him, and marooned in Miami, Florida. The show follows Westen as he attempts to find out why he was burned and regain his job as a covert intelligence agent, in addition to bringing justice to the people of Miami. Donovan made his directorial debut with the series' episode, "Made Man" which first aired on June 17, 2010. Donovan also directed a prequel film starring co-star Bruce Campbell, titled Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe, which first aired on USA Network on April 17, 2011. The series lasted for seven seasons, received positive reviews from both fans and critics, and was nominated for four Primetime Emmy Awards.
In 2015, Donovan had a recurring role on Fargo as North Dakota mobster Dodd Gerhardt. In 2016, he began starring as Tarot-reading con artist Charlie Haverford in Shut Eye on Hulu. On January 30, 2018, Shut Eye was canceled after two seasons.[10]
In 2021, he was cast as a series regular detective for the 21st season of Law & Order.[11]
Theater
[edit]Donovan has also performed on stage in various productions, including Hamlet as the title character, A View from the Bridge as Marco, An Inspector Calls, and Off-Broadway in Things You Shouldn't Say Past Midnight as Gene, The Glory of Living as Clint, regionally in Toys in the Attic as Julian Berniers, On the Waterfront as Terry Malloy, Oedipus as Teiresias and Freedomland (play) as Seth. From October 2008 until spring 2009, he starred in the farce Don't Dress for Dinner in Chicago. Donovan has also performed in the radio dramas On the Waterfront (once again as Terry Malloy), Frozen, and Grapes of Wrath.
Personal life
[edit]Donovan has over 20 years of martial arts experience. In college, he earned his black belt in Shotokan karate and competed throughout the state. Later, he studied aikido for over six years and Brazilian jiu-jitsu.[12]
On July 3, 2009, Donovan, a Boston Red Sox baseball fan since childhood, threw the ceremonial first pitch at the game between the Red Sox and the Seattle Mariners at Fenway Park.[13] On July 3, 2010, he once again threw the ceremonial first pitch at Fenway Park, this time at a game between the Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles.[14]
Donovan married model and actress Michelle Woods in 2012. Their daughter, Claire, was born that same year. Their son Lucas was born in 2014 and they had a third child, another daughter, in 2017.[15][16]
Philanthropy
[edit]In 2009, Donovan returned to Amesbury High School where he took part in a career day mentorship program with other successful professionals and presented the school with a $100,000 arts scholarship program.[17] The first $10,000 award was given out to a senior that June.[18]
For many years, Donovan has actively supported Life Rolls On (LRO), a foundation empowering people with spinal cord injuries. On October 4, 2009 he served as one of the chairmen for the 6th Annual LRO annual fundraiser called Night by the Ocean at the Kodak Theatre.[19] Donovan was named Grand Marshal of the 22nd annual AIDS Walk Miami held on April 17, 2010.[20]
Donovan also supports his friends' charity events. In September 2009, while helping Michael Bolton at the 17th Annual Benefit Concert for Women and Children at Risk in Stamford, Connecticut, Donovan auctioned off a "Burn Notice walk-on-part" plus a kiss. Walk on parts usually raise $2,000–$5,000. With the added kiss, he raised $36,000.[21]
Filmography
[edit]Film
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Throwing Down | Pete Gulley | |
| 1996 | Sleepers | Henry Addison | |
| Critical Choices | Randy | ||
| 1997 | Vegas Vacation | Hotel employee | Uncredited |
| Catherine's Grove | Thomas Mason | ||
| 1998 | Witness to the Mob | Agent | |
| When Trumpets Fade | Private Bobby Miller | ||
| 2000 | Bait | Julio | |
| Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 | Jeffrey Patterson | ||
| 2002 | Purpose | Robert Jennings | |
| 2003 | Final Draft | Pascal | |
| 2004 | Sam & Joe | Eric | |
| 2005 | Hitch | Vance Munson | |
| 2006 | Come Early Morning | Cal Percell | |
| Believe in Me | Clay Driscoll | ||
| 2008 | Hindsight | Paul | |
| Changeling | Captain J.J. Jones | ||
| 2011 | J. Edgar | Robert F. Kennedy | |
| 2015 | Sicario | Steve Forsing | |
| Extinction | Jack | ||
| 2016 | LBJ | John F. Kennedy | |
| 2017 | Shot Caller | Bottles | |
| 2018 | Sicario: Day of the Soldado | Steve Forsing | |
| 2019 | Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile | John O'Connell | |
| Villains | George | ||
| Lucy in the Sky | Jim Hunt | ||
| Wonder Woman: Bloodlines | Steve Trevor | Voice role | |
| 2020 | Honest Thief | Agent Sean Meyers | |
| Let Him Go | Bill Weboy | ||
| 2021 | Wrath of Man | Jackson | |
| National Champions | Mark Titus | ||
| 2022 | Breaking | Major Riddick | |
| R.I.P.D. 2: Rise of the Damned | Sheriff Roy Pulsipher | ||
| First Love | Greg Albright | ||
| 2023 | Surrounded | Wheeler |
Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Homicide: Life on the Street | Miles and Newton Dell | Episode: "Thrill of the Kill" |
| 1995, 2007 | Law & Order | Edward Nicodos / Jacob Reese | 2 episodes |
| 1997 | Millennium | Bobby Webber | Episode: "The Wild and the Innocent" |
| Another World | Dwayne 'Popper' Collins | 1 episode | |
| 1997–1998 | The Pretender | Kyle | S1/E21–22 "Dragon House: Part 1 & 2";
S2/E19 "Red Rock Jarod" |
| 1999 | Spin City | Tom | 2 episodes |
| 2000 | The Beat | Brad Ulrich | Recurring role |
| 2002 | Witchblade | Daniel Germaine | Episode: "Lagrimas" |
| 2004 | Touching Evil | Detective Inspector Dave Creegan | Main role |
| 2005 | CSI: Miami | Todd Kendrick | 2 episodes |
| 2006 | Threshold | Dr. Julian Sloan | Episode: "Vigilante" |
| Monk | Steve Wagner | Episode: "Mr. Monk and the Astronaut" | |
| 2007 | Crossing Jordan | William Ivers | 5 episodes |
| 2007–2013 | Burn Notice | Michael Westen | Main role Also director (episodes: "Made Man", "Mixed Message", and "Forget Me Not") |
| 2011 | Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe | Michael Westen | Television film, cameo, also director and executive producer |
| 2015 | Fargo | Dodd Gerhardt | Recurring role, 10 episodes |
| 2016–2017 | Shut Eye | Charlie Haverford | Main role |
| 2021 | Invincible | Machine Head (voice) | Episode: "That Actually Hurt" |
| 2022–2023 | Law & Order | Det. Frank Cosgrove | Main role (seasons 21–22) |
| 2022 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | 1 episode | |
| Law & Order: Organized Crime | 1 episode |
Awards and nominations
[edit]| Year | Award/Festival | Category | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Method Fest Independent Film Festival | Best Supporting Actor | Sam & Joe
|
Won |
| 2010–2011 | Teen Choice Awards | Choice TV Actor: Action | Burn Notice | Nominated |
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Jeffrey Donovan". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
- ^ "UPI Almanac for Monday, May 11, 2020". United Press International. May 11, 2020. Archived from the original on October 20, 2023.
- ^ Melena Ryzik (March 9, 2011). "Jeffrey Donovan to Play Robert Kennedy in Eastwood's 'J. Edgar'". The New York Times.
- ^ Buchanan, Jason (2013). "Jeffrey Donovan Biography". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved June 25, 2012.
- ^ Hood, Micaela (July 2, 2010). "Jeffrey Donovan 'Burns' hot". miami.com. Archived from the original on October 4, 2013. Retrieved January 16, 2014.
- ^ Donovan, Jeffrey. Interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live Archived June 30, 2009, at the Wayback Machine, February 18, 2009.
- ^ King, Liz: "Actor's $100,000 pledge aimed at aspiring arts students." May 19, 2009.
- ^ Kichuk, Victoria, "Jeffrey Donovan's Burning Desire to Give Back". May 30, 2009 Archived March 13, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Jeffrey Donovan". Apple TV. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
- ^ Nemetz, Dave (January 30, 2018). "Shut Eye Cancelled at Hulu". TVLine. Archived from the original on January 31, 2018. Retrieved February 11, 2018.
- ^ Roots, Kimberly (November 1, 2021). "Law & Order Revival Casts Burn Notice's Jeffrey Donovan in Season 21". TVLine. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
- ^ Dan Snierson (June 28, 2009). "Jeffrey Donovan Fact: The 'Burn Notice' star can bring a grown man to his knees. For real". Entertainment Weekly.
- ^ D'Angelo, Tom "60 Seconds with actor Jeffrey Donovan". Palm Beach Post.com June 7, 2009
- ^ Shanahan, Mark; Goldstein, Meredith (July 5, 2010). "A gown for a Brown". The Boston Globe.
- ^ "Jeffrey Donovan & Michelle Woods Had a Baby Just after Their Wedding - Meet the 'Law & Order' Newcomer's 3 Children". February 22, 2022.
- ^ "Jeffrey Donovan and wife welcome baby girl". December 18, 2012. Usweekly December 18, 2012. Retrieved January 17, 2016.
- ^ King, Liz (May 19, 2009). "Actor's $100,000 pledge aimed at aspiring arts students". The Newburyport Daily News. Archived from the original on April 2, 2012.
- ^ King, Liz (June 24, 2009). "Amesbury High School senior wins first $10K Donovan scholarship". The Newburyport Daily News. Archived from the original on March 18, 2012.
- ^ "Night by the Ocean at the Kodak Theatre". Archived from the original on August 15, 2009. Retrieved July 21, 2009.
- ^ Grand Marshal of the 22nd annual AIDS Walk Miami held on April 17, 2010
- ^ "Chance to Star on Burn Notice with Jeffrey Donovan Goes for $36,000 (and a Kiss)!". People. September 16, 2009. Archived from the original on September 22, 2009.
External links
[edit]
- Living people
- 20th-century American male actors
- 21st-century American male actors
- American male film actors
- American male television actors
- American male voice actors
- American practitioners of Brazilian jiu-jitsu
- Bridgewater State University alumni
- Male actors from Massachusetts
- People from Amesbury, Massachusetts
- Tisch School of the Arts alumni
- University of Massachusetts Amherst alumni
- 1968 births