Michael Kostroff

Michael Kostroff (born May 22, 1961) is an American actor. He appeared on the HBO drama series The Wire as defense attorney Maurice Levy. Kostroff starred in the fifth season of the series and appeared in all four earlier seasons as a guest star.

Life and career Kostroff is best known for his five seasons playing drug lawyer Maury Levy on the HBO series The Wire, and from his recurring appearances on shows including The Blacklist, Billions, The Good Wife, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, as well as his role as Marshall Pike on the Disney Channel series Sonny with a Chance. He played Peter Madoff, brother of Bernie Madoff (Robert De Niro), in HBO's The Wizard of Lies, and Shepsie Tirschwell in David Simon's 2020 miniseries The Plot Against America.

From 2002 to 2003, Kostroff performed in the first national tour of Mel Brooks' Broadway hit The Producers, and from 2003 to 2004, he played the comic villain Thénardier in the touring company of Les Misérables, a role he reprised for its 25th anniversary tour in 2010.

Kostroff is the author of four books: Letters from Backstage (a chronicle of his time on the road with two Broadway tours); The Stage Actor's Handbook: Traditions, Protocols, and Etiquette for the Working and Aspiring Professional; Audition Psych 101 (based on his workshop of the same name); and Advice from 'The Working Actor''' (a textbook based on the “Working Actor” advice column in the weekly publication Backstage; Kostroff was also one of the writers of that column).

He also volunteered on the Barack Obama campaign.

Kostroff is the brother of Nina Kostroff Noble, a television producer who was an executive producer of The Wire.

In September 2024, he was cast in a recurring role on the superhero series Spider-Noir''.

Filmography + Film Year Title Role Notes 1989 Return from the River Kwai Radio Man Unreleased in the US 1997 Liar Liar Tom the Attorney 1998 Blunt Det. Prang 2008 Eagle Eye Jeweler 2011 Hit List Mr. Weller 2014 Best Man in the Dark Ricky Feruci 2016 Norman Steve Goldfarb Hard Sell Mr. Harrison 2017Molly's Game Louis Butterman 2018 Most Likely to Murder Uncle Fred 2019 The Sunlit NightCritic #3 Standing Up, Falling DownRabbi 2022 Pinball: The Man Who Saved the GameChairman Warner 2023 Maybe I DoManny ChupaTaylor

+ Television Year Title Role Notes 1980 The Dream Merchants Brooklyn A.D. Mini-series; 2 episodes 1992 Knots Landing Orderly #1 Episode: "Dedicated to the One I Love" 1994 The Steven Banks Show Pepper Episode: "Miss Janie Regrets" 1995 Partners Harried Man Episode: "City Hall" General Hospital Francis Unknown episodes 1997–1998 NewsRadio Carl Episode: "Planbee"Episode: "Who's the Boss: Part 2" 1998 Dharma & Greg Lou Episode: "Much Ado During Nothing" 1999 Ladies Man Alan Episode: "No Cinco, Seis!" Port Charles Johnny LaLaUnknown episodes 2000–2001 The Geena Davis Show Mr. Kern Episode: "Motherly Advice"Episode: "Momma Bear"Episode: "White Moms Can't Jump" 2001 Providence Floral Designer Episode: "You Can Count on Me" Men, Women & Dogs Steve Episode: "Sick as a Dog" Felicity Bill Episode: "A Perfect Match" 2001–2003 The King of Queens Mr. Thompson Episode: "No Retreat"Episode: "Food Fight"Episode: "Affidavit Justice" 2002 Malcolm in the Middle Toadie Episode: "Company Picnic: Part 1"Episode: "Company Picnic: Part 2" 2002–2008 The Wire Maurice Levy Recurring (seasons 1-4)/main cast (season 5); 21 episodes 2004 The West Wing Richard Squire Episode: "A Change Is Gonna Come" 8 Simple Rules Photographer Episode: "A Very C.J. Christmas" 2005 ER Community Theater Director Episode: "The Show Must Go On" The Inside Rick Byers Episode: "The Perfect Couple" 2005–2006 Boston Legal N/ADr. David Cannon Episode: "The Ass Fat Jungle"; uncreditedEpisode: "Helping Hands" Veronica Mars Mr. Pope Episode: "Cheatty Cheatty Bang Bang"Episode: "Nobody Puts Baby in a Corner"Episode: "The Quick and the Wed" 2006 Charmed Mr. Metcalf Episode: "Payback's a Witch"; uncredited Commander in Chief Reporter Cy Episode: "State of the Unions" The Closer Dr. Aaron Sands Episode: "Heroic Measures" Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip David Langenfeld Episode: "Nevada Day: Part 1"Episode: "Nevada Day: Part 2" 2007 In Case of Emergency Mr. Hunt Episode: "Stuck in Amber" The Wedding Bells Milton Crest Episode: "Partly Cloudy, with a Chance of Disaster" Life McAllister Episode: "A Civil War" 2008 Without a Trace Dr. Cappell Episode: "Hard Reset" Eli Stone Judge Timothy Nelson Episode: "Help!" Dan's Detour of Life Dan Ford Lead role; unsold pilot 2009–2010 Sonny with a Chance Marshall Pike Recurring role; 15 episodes 2009 Brothers & Sisters Realtor Episode: "From France with Love" 2010 Cold Case Wilson Katz (1974) Episode: "The Runaway Bunny" The Middle Steve Episode: "TV or Not TV" Party Down Jeff Gold Episode: "Jackal Onassis Backstage Party" Sons of Tucson Mr. Shuldiner Episode: "Chicken Pox" Weeds Stroller Salesman Episode: "A Yippity Sippity" 2011–2021 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Evan Braun Recurring role; 8 episodes 2012 NYC 22 Brandon Ken Episode: "Self Cleaning Oven" Damages Judge Richard Gearheart Recurring role; 5 episodes Made in Jersey Hank Episode: "Ridgewell" 2013 Blue Bloods Mr. Wojcik Episode: "Framed" Banshee Wicks Vanderwick Episode: "Wicks" 2013–2016 The Good Wife Charles Froines Episode: "The Bit Bucket"Episode: "Parallel Construction, Bitches"Episode: "All Tapped Out"Episode: "Landing" 2014 The Actress Dr. Hersham Episode: "The Dermatologist" Black Box Jacob Myers Episode: "Jerusalem" F to 7th Mike Episode: "Deny, Deny, Deny"Episode: "Down to Zero" Louie Subway Man Episode: "Pamela: Part 1" Gotham Officer Tannenbaum Episode: "Pilot" 2015 The Blacklist Det. Martin Wilcox Episode: "Ruslan Denisov"Episode: "The Deer Hunter"Episode: "The Major"Episode: "Tom Keen" Deadbeat Barrold Weinbergerstein Episode: "Last Dance with Edith Jane"Episode: "The Blowfish Job"Episode: "The Polaroid Flasher" Elementary Perry Franklin Episode: "The Best Way Out Is Always Through" 2016 Bosch Hank Myers Episode: "Victim of the Night" Vinyl Allen Charnitski Episode: "E.A.B." Luke Cage Dr. Noah Burstein Recurring role; 4 episodes Madam Secretary Ambassador Chuck Willis Episode: "Tectonic Shift" 2017 The Wizard of Lies Peter Madoff TV movie 2017–2018 The Deuce Rizzi Recurring role; 8 episodes 2018 Instinct John Raymond Episode: "Blast from the Past" NCIS: Los Angeles Robert Fenton Episode: "A Diamond in the Rough" Indoor Boys Richard Recurring role; 3 episodes 2018–2021 Billions Mick Nussfaur Episode: "Hell of a Ride"Episode: "Maximum Recreational Depth"Episode: "Victory Smoke" 2020 Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone CollectorDr. Allen TraskEpisode: "Game On" The Plot Against America Shepsie Tirchwell Main cast; 6 episodes The Baker and the BeautyEli WeissEpisode: "Get Carried Away" The George Lucas Talk Show Himself Episode: "Stu-D2 1138 on the Binary Sunset Sith" 2021 Prodigal SonDr. Raymond StengelEpisode: "Sun and Fun" 2022 9-1-1: Lone StarDr. PattEpisode: "Down to Clown" Animal KingdomDavid2 episodes Law & OrderEvan BraunEpisode: "Gimme Shelter - Part Three" NCISFelix LassiterEpisode: "Love Lost" 2023 PlatonicFrank Schaeffer2 episodes Carol & the End of the WorldGuest Performer (voice)Episode: "The Distraction" 2024 The RookieRafael Episode: "Trouble in Paradise" 2025 WatsonWilliam BetancourtEpisode: "Patient Question Mark" 2026 Spider-Noir Mayor Morris Recurring role 2026 Furious 2 episodes

+ Music video Year Artist Title 2008 Demi Lovato "La La Land"