Ben Shenkman

Ben Shenkman (born September 26, 1968) is an American actor. He is known for his roles in the comedy-drama series Royal Pains and the acclaimed HBO miniseries Angels in America, which earned him both Primetime Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award nominations.

Early life and education Shenkman was born to a Jewish family in New York City, the son of Katherine, who was an associate at a law firm, and Shepard A. Sheinkman, who worked for a consulting company.

Career He began his professional acting career with a small role in the 1994 film Quiz Show directed by Robert Redford and a guest-starring role on Law & Order, his first of seven appearances throughout the run of the show. He also began working in theatre, portraying Louis Ironson in Tony Kushner's play Angels in America at San Francisco's American Conservatory Theater. While still at New York University, Shenkman played the role of Roy Cohn in a workshop production of the play. He would reprise the role of Louis seven years after playing the role at ACT in the HBO miniseries adaptation, earning Emmy and Golden Globe nominations.

Throughout the 1990s, Shenkman combined work in off-Broadway productions in New York with small roles in films such as Eraser (1996), The Siege (1998), π (1998), and Jesus' Son (1999), Chasing Sleep (2000), and Requiem for a Dream (2000). In 2000, Shenkman gained success in the theatre, co-starring with Mary-Louise Parker in the Manhattan Theatre Club production of Proof, for which he received a 2001 Tony nomination. After the release of HBO's Angels in America miniseries, he returned to Manhattan Theatre club in 2004 in Sight Unseen opposite Laura Linney.

As his career continued, Shenkman moved between studio films such as Must Love Dogs (2005) and Just Like Heaven (2005), and independent movies such as Then She Found Me (2008), Brief Interviews with Hideous Men (2008), and Breakfast with Scot (2008), a gay-themed film made in Canada for which the NHL notably endorsed the use of a team's logo and uniforms. In 2010, he appeared with Michael Douglas in Solitary Man and the Sundance premiere Blue Valentine.

He also acted on TV as a series regular in the 2008 Julianna Margulies legal drama Canterbury's Law on Fox, and in recurring roles on Grey's Anatomy, Burn Notice, Damages, Drop Dead Diva, and FX's Lights Out.

In 2012, he joined USA network's Royal Pains as the recurring character Dr. Jeremiah Sacani, and was promoted to series regular the following season, the show's fifth. In the fall of 2015, the series wrapped production of its final season, which aired in the summer of 2016. In 2015, Shenkman also was on Broadway opposite Larry David, and later Jason Alexander, in David's hit comedy Fish in the Dark, which had a sold-out six-month limited run at the Cort Theater.

Since 2016 Shenkman has played the recurring role of Ira Schirmer on the Showtime series Billions. That year also saw him as Desk Sgt. Klein in the acclaimed HBO limited series The Night Of. The following year, 2017, he was cast as a series regular in the Shondaland drama For the People, which aired for two seasons on ABC until 2019. In 2020, in addition to Billions fifth season, he is featured in a recurring role on Season 10 of HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm, and as defense counsel Leonard Weinglass in Aaron Sorkin's film The Trial of the Chicago 7.

Personal life Shenkman married Lauren Greilsheimer in 2005.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1994 Quiz Show Childress 1996 Eraser Reporter 1997 Camp Stories Yehudah 1998 Pi Lenny Meyer INS Agent Howard Kaplan 1999 Thick as Thieves Veterinarian Jesus' Son Tom 30 Days Jordan Trainer 2000 Joe Gould's Secret David Requiem for a Dream Dr. Spencer Chasing Sleep Officer Stewart Bed Short film Table One Scott 2002 Personal Velocity: Three Portraits Max Roger Dodger Donovan People I Know Radio announcer (voice) Stella Shorts 1998–2002 Hans 2004 Waking Dreams Charles Short film 2005 Must Love Dogs Charlie Just Like Heaven Brett 2006 Americanese Steve 2007 Then She Found Me Dr. Freddy Epner Breakfast with Scot Sam 2009 Brief Interviews with Hideous Men Subject #14 Solitary Man Peter Hartofilias 2010 Blue Valentine Dr. Sam Feinberg Love Shack Skip Blitzer 2011 The Key Man Martin 2013 Breathe In Sheldon Concussion Graham Bennet 2020 The Trial of the Chicago 7 Leonard Weinglass 2022 Forty Winks Daryl Camacho 2024 Christmas Eve in Miller's Point Lenny

Television Year Title Role Notes 1993 Law & Order Mark Ferris Episode: "Born Bad" 1996 New York Undercover Gabe Green Episode: "Sympathy for the Devil" 1999–2009 Law & Order Nick Margolis 6 episodes 2000 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Max Knaack Episode: "Chat Room" 2001 Ed Frank Carr 2 episodes 2003 Ed Andy Bednarik Episode: "Frankie" Angels in America Louis Ironson / The Angel Oceania Miniseries; 6 episodes 2005 Law & Order: Trial by Jury Irv Kressel 2 episodes Stella Carl Episode: "Meeting Girls" 2006 Love Monkey Scott 5 episodes 2007 Wainy Days Clovie Web series; episode: "My Turn" 2008 Canterbury's Law Russell Krauss Main cast; 6 episodes 2009 Grey's Anatomy Rob Harmon 3 episodes Private Practice Rob Harmon Episode: "Ex-Life" Burn Notice Tom Strickler 4 episodes 2010 Damages Curtis Gates 11 episodes 2011 Lights Out Mike Fumosa 5 episodes Jonathan Main cast; 2 episodes Drop Dead Diva Dr. Bill Kendall 5 episodes 2012 Made in Jersey Andrew Treaster Episode: "Pilot" 2012–16 Royal Pains Dr. Jeremiah Sacani Recurring role (season 4); Main role (seasons 5–8)45 episodes 2016 Sgt. Klein 2 episodes 2016–23 Billions Ira Schirmer 39 episodes 2018–19 For the People Roger Gunn Series regular 2020 Curb Your Enthusiasm Roger Swindell 3 episodes 2020–25 FBI John Reynolds 4 episodes 2022 The Good Fight Ben-Baruch 3 episodes 2026 Love Story Edwin Schlossberg 6 episodes

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work Result 2001 Tony Award Best Featured Actor in a Play 2003 Online Film & Television Association Awards Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture or Miniseries 2004 Golden Globe Awards Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film Gold Derby Awards Best Miniseries/TV Movie Supporting Actor Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie