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Josh Pais

b. 1964

American actor

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About Josh Pais

Born 1964. Josh Pais is an American screenwriter, television actor, film actor, film director, stage actor and actor.

Joshua Atwill Pais (born June 21, 1958) is an American actor and acting coach. He has appeared in the films Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Music of the Heart (1999), Assassination of a High School President (2008), I Saw the Light (2015) and Motherless Brooklyn (2019). He also appeared in nine episodes of Ray Donovan.

He is also the director of the 2002 documentary 7th Street (the street he grew up on in Alphabet City, Manhattan) depicting various personages living there between the years 1992–2002.

Early life Pais was born in New York City, and is the son of Lila Lee (née Atwill), a painter and poet, and Dutch-born physicist, professor, and writer Abraham Pais. His father was from a Jewish family of Portuguese descent, and his mother converted to Judaism.

Career He has appeared in Hollywood films including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (in which he was both in the costume and was the voice) as Raphael, Music of the Heart, Scream 3, It Runs in the Family, Phone Booth, Little Manhattan and Find Me Guilty. He played Assistant M.E. Borak in 15 episodes of the series Law & Order, between 1990 and 2002. He also played the Spanish teacher in the film Assassination of a High School President. He had a recurring role as an obnoxious movie producer on the American crime drama series Ray Donovan. He also appeared as a lawyer on 2 Broke Girls.

Personal life Pais married actress Lisa Emery on August 27, 1990. They are parents of the actor Zane Pais. Pais and Emery divorced in 2003. In 2006 he married entrepreneur Marie Forleo.

Filmography

Film

Television

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Important facts

Family & relationships

Spouse
Lisa Emery
Spouse
Marie Forleo
Parent
Abraham Pais

People in Josh Pais's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Josh Pais's

Frequently asked questions

Who is Josh Pais?

American actor

When was Josh Pais born?

Josh Pais was born on 21 June 1964 in New York City.

What is Josh Pais's occupation?

Josh Pais is a screenwriter, television actor, film actor, film director, stage actor and actor.

What nationality is Josh Pais?

Josh Pais is American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Josh Pais

· Wikidata: Q2050378

· DBpedia: Josh Pais

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Josh Pais. https://biography.guide/josh-pais/

MLA: "Josh Pais." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/josh-pais/.

Chicago: "Josh Pais." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/josh-pais/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-24 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence

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