Michael Chernus

Michael Louis Chernus (born August 8, 1977) is an American actor who has acted on film, television, and the stage. He is best known for his role as Cal Chapman on the Netflix original comedy-drama series Orange Is the New Black (2013–2019), and has had roles in the superhero film Spider-Man: Homecoming and the Apple TV+ series Severance (2022–present). Chernus starred in the 2023 thriller miniseries Dead Ringers, which won a Peabody Award.

Life and career Chernus was born in Rocky River, Ohio. He is a graduate of the Juilliard School's Drama Division. An accomplished stage actor, Chernus won a 2011 Obie Award and received a Lucille Lortel Award nomination for his performance in Lisa Kron's In the Wake at The Public Theater in New York City. On stage, he co-starred with David Hyde Pierce in the Manhattan Theater Club production of Close Up Space at New York City Center. Other New York credits include such theaters as Playwrights Horizons, the Roundabout Theatre Company, Primary Stages, New York Theatre Workshop, Atlantic Theater Company, and many productions at the Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, where he played the lead role of KJ in Annie Baker's play The Aliens, which Charles Isherwood of The New York Times named the best play of 2010.

He appeared in Second Stage Theatre's 2014 production of Lips Together, Teeth Apart, co-starring America Ferrera. Chernus has acted in films such as Men in Black 3, Captain Phillips, The Bourne Legacy, and Jack and Diane. His most notable role to date is Cal Chapman, protagonist Piper Chapman's brother, in the Netflix original comedy-drama series Orange Is the New Black. Chernus starred as Tom in the Peabody Award winning miniseries Dead Ringers, which premiered on Amazon Prime Video in 2023.

He was cast as John Wayne Gacy in the Peacock series Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy. The series debuted in October 2025.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role NotesRef. 2005 Winter Passing Ben 2007 Lovely by Surprise Humpkin 2008High Street Plumbing Kirby Short film 2009 The Messenger Alan 2009 The Rebound Actor #3 2009 Feed the Fish JP 2010 Nonames Danny 2010 Coach Michael 2010 Love & Other Drugs Jerry 2011 Split Chris Short film 2011 Higher Ground Ned 2011 The Handel-Halvorsen Passacaglia The Man 2012 Jack & Diane Jaimie 2012 Men in Black 3 Jeffrey Price 2012 The Bourne Legacy Arthur Ingram 2013 He's Way More Famous Than You Himself 2013 The Mouseketeer Short film 2013 Mutual Friends Chernus 2013 Captain Phillips Shane Murphy 2014 Goodbye to All That Freddie 2014 Alex of Venice Trofimov 2014 Glass Chin Brian Colby 2014 The Rub Henry Short film 2015 Mistress America Dylan 2015 People Places Things Gary 2015 Aloha Roy 2015 The Family Fang Kenny 2016 Complete Unknown Clyde 2017 The Dinner Dylan Heinz 2017 The Most Hated Woman in America Jon Garth Murray 2017 The Meyerowitz Stories Male Nurse 2017 Spider-Man: Homecoming Phineas Mason / Tinkerer 2018 The Kindergarten Teacher Grant Spinelli 2018 Furlough Bus Driver 2020 Materna David 2021 Werewolves Within Pete 2023 Molli and Max in the Future Turboschmuck 2024 Out of My Mind Mr. Dimming 2024 A Complete Unknown Theodore Bikel 2025 Köln 75 Michael "Mick" Watts TBA Evil Genius Filming TBA The Statement Filming

Television Year Title Role NotesRef. 2009 Bored to Death Francis Hamm Episode: "Take a Dive" 2009–2010 Mercy Ryan Flanagan Recurring role, 9 episodes 2011 Damages New Jersey Bar Owner 2 episodes 2011 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Jay Delaney Episode: "Educated Guess" 2012 The Big C Pastor Rick 4 episodes 2012 The New Normal Paul Episode: "Nangasm" 2013 Nurse Jackie Louie Episode: "Walk of Shame" 2013–2019 Orange Is the New Black Cal Chapman Recurring role, 17 episodes 2013 Royal Pains Pat McRevis Episode: "Can of Worms" 2013 Nashville Howie V Episode: "They Don't Make 'Em Like My Daddy Anymore" 2014 Elementary Edwin Borstein Episode: "Bella" 2014–2015 Manhattan Louis "Fritz" Fedowitz Main role, 22 episodes 2015 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Tommy Sullivan Episode: "Parole Violations" 2015–2018 Patriot Congressman Edward Tavner Main role, 18 episodes 2015 The Good Wife Spencer Harman Episode: "Discovery" 2016–2019 Easy Kyle 6 episodes 2017 Wormwood Mal 3 episodes 2019–2020 Ramy Michael 3 episodes 2019 Perpetual Grace, LTD Everly Pirdoo5 episodes 2020 Tommy Ken Rosey Main role, 12 episodes 2020 Monsterland Tommy Episode: "Newark, New Jersey" 2021 Prodigal Son Jerry 2 episodes 2021 Cinema Toast Man (voice) Episode: "Attack of the Karens" 2022 Evil Dr. Paul Wimsimer Episode: "The Demon of Cults" 2022 Little America Paul Episode: "Columbus Starlings LLC" 2022–present Severance Dr. Ricken Lazlo Hale Main role 2023 Dead Ringers Tom Miniseries 2023 Carol & the End of The World Eric (voice) 3 epis odes2025Devil in Disguise: John Wayne GacyJohn Wayne GacyMain role, 8 episodes

Stage Year Play Role Theatre NotesRef. 2003 Jump/Cut Dave Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, Regional 2004 Romeo and Juliet Benvolio Guthrie Theater, Regional Finer Noble Gases Lynch Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, Off-Broadway 2004–2005 A Number Bernard/Bernard/Michael New York Theatre Workshop, Off-Broadway Understudy 2005 Create Fate Nathan Williamstown Theatre Festival, Regional 2005–2006 Mr. Marmalade George/Cactus/Bob Laura Pels Theatre, Off-Broadway 2006 The Mistakes Madeline Made Wilson Yale Repertory Theatre, Regional 2007 Essential Self-Defense Isaak Glinka Playwrights Horizons, Off-Broadway American Sligo Kyle Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, Off-Broadway Rag and Bone George Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, Off-Broadway 2008 Hunting and Gathering Astor 59E59 Theaters, Off-Broadway 2010 The Aliens KJ Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, Off-Broadway In the Wake Danny The Public Theater, Off-Broadway 2011 Touch(ed) Billy Williamstown Theatre Festival, Regional 2011–2012 Close Up Space Steve Manhattan Theatre Club, Off-Broadway 2014 Lips Together, Teeth Apart Sam Truman Second Stage Theater, Off-Broadway 2025 Well, I'll Let You Go Bubba Weiler Irondale Center, Off-Broadway

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref. 2011 Lucille Lortel Awards Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play In the Wake Obie Awards Outstanding Performance by a Featured Actor 2022 Actor Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Severance 2023 Peabody Awards Entertainment Dead Ringers 2026 Critics' Choice Television Awards Best Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy Actor Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Severance