Tom Pelphrey

Thomas Joseph Pelphrey (born July 28, 1982) is an American actor. He is known for playing the roles of Jonathan Randall on the CBS television series Guiding Light (for which he won two Daytime Emmy Awards), Mick Dante on As the World Turns, Kurt Bunker on Banshee, Ward Meachum on Iron Fist, Ben Davis on Ozark, Perry Abbott on Outer Range, Don Crowder on Love & Death, Robbie Prendergrast on Task, Joe Mankiewicz in David Fincher's film Mank, and Jason Derek Brown in the true crime film American Murderer. For Ozark, he received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series. He received his second Emmy nomination for Supporting Actor in a Drama series in 2026 for his role in Task.

Early life and education Pelphrey was born Thomas Joseph Pelphrey on July 28, 1982, in Howell Township, New Jersey, to Laurie (née Demgard) and Richard Pelphrey (1950–2007). He has one brother named Robert.

Career

Guiding Light Pelphrey's first notable role was on the CBS soap opera Guiding Light as Jonathan Randall, the son of Reva Shayne and her late former husband, Richard Winslow. He joined the cast in October 2003 and received critical acclaim for his portrayal of anti-hero Jonathan.

He was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for "Outstanding Younger Actor" in 2005 and won the award the following year. He received a third consecutive nomination in the same category in 2007 but lost to Bryton McClure. Pelphrey won his second Daytime Emmy Award for "Outstanding Younger Actor" in 2008.

As the World Turns Pelphrey played Mick Dante on As the World Turns from October 2009 to February 2010 when his character was sent to prison for his misdeeds. The role earned Pelphrey an Emmy pre-nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

Other television and film roles On March 30, 2007, he appeared in an episode of Numb3rs, "Pandora's Box". On October 17, 2008, he appeared in an episode of "Ghost Whisperer", and the following season in an episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. In 2015 Pelphrey landed the recurring role of Kurt Bunker, a former neo-Nazi trying to reintegrate into society, on Cinemax's action drama Banshee. To prepare for this role he started lifting weights and did research by reading books on the neo-Nazi movement in America. In 2017, he appeared in Iron Fist as Ward Meachum and portrayed Ben Davis on the third season of the Netflix crime drama Ozark which was released on March 27, 2020. His portrayal in the latter received critical acclaim and the lack of an Emmy nomination was perceived as a snub by fans and critics. Nonetheless, Pelphrey received nominations for Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film and Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series (shared with the cast). Pelphrey portrayed Joe Mankiewicz in David Fincher's 2020 film, Mank and Jason Derek Brown in the 2022 true crime film, American Murderer. In the final season of Ozark (2022), Pelphrey reprised the role of Ben Davis as a guest appearance, for which he received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.

In 2022, he starred on the Amazon Prime Video series Outer Range as Perry Abbott.

In 2023, he starred on the HBO miniseries Love & Death as Don Crowder. Pelphrey won Best Actor at the Bucharest Film Awards and the Manchester International Film Festival for his performance in the 2023 film, Jill. He was nominated for the 2026 Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his performance in Task.

Theater From September 6, 2007, to September 30, 2007, Pelphrey performed in Kevin Mandel's A New Television Arrives Finally as the title character, at Theatre 54, in New York. Pelphrey starred in In God's Hat at the Peter Jay Sharp Theater, in New York City, through August 7, 2010. In 2012, he appeared in the Broadway cast of the musical drama End of the Rainbow as Mickey Deans; in 2015, he returned to Broadway in a revival of Fool for Love, playing Martin.

Personal life In 2022, Pelphrey began dating actress Kaley Cuoco. The two made their first public appearance as a couple at a Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony in May 2022. Pelphrey and Cuoco announced on Instagram in October 2022 that they were expecting their first child together. Cuoco gave birth to their daughter on March 30, 2023. They announced their engagement on August 14, 2024. Pelphrey is a fan of the New York Giants. The couple announced in June 2026 that they’re expecting their second child.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 2008 Birds of America Hitchhiker 2010 The Elastic Marty Short film2012 Junction David ReelHeart International Film Festival Award for Best Ensemble Cast Excuse Me for Living Dan 2013 Turtle Island Tim Tiger Lily Road Ricky Harden 2014 A Cry from Within Carl 2015 Anchors Denny The Girl Is in Trouble Eric #Lucky Number Bret Reynolds Blink Actor 2017 Sam Stephen 2019 Crazy Alien John Stockton 2020 Mank Joseph L. Mankiewicz 2022 American Murderer Jason Derek Brown Jill Ted Bucharest Film Awards for Best Actor Manchester International Film Festival for Best Actor She Said Jim Rutman 2025 Six Sixty Six Demon Ronnie James (voice) Short film TBA Rooster Post-production TBA Liminal Filming

Television Year Title Role Notes 2003–2009 Guiding Light Jonathan Randall 154 episodes: October 23, 2003 – February 1, 2007, July 31 – August 2, 2007, January 23 – March 6, 2008, August 5 – September 18, 2009;Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series (2006, 2008)Nominated – Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series (2005, 2007)Nominated – Gold Derby Award for Younger Actor – Daytime Drama (2006–2007)Nominated – Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Male Newcomer (2005)2007 The Burg Douche Bag Dave Episode: "Out" Numb3rs Mike Daley Episode: "Pandora's Box"2008 Ghost Whisperer Brian Episode: "Ghost in the Machine" CSI: Miami Mick Ragosa Episode: "Wrecking Crew" 2009–2010 As the World Turns Mick Dante 29 episodes 2009–2016 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Various 2 episodes 2010 The Good Wife Josh Mundy Episode: "Doubt" 2011 Body of Proof Dean Avery Episode: "Talking Heads" 2012 Blue Bloods Mike Galatis Episode: "The Uniform" 2013 The Following Brock Episode: "Guilt" 2014 Black Box Joseph Morgan Episode: "Forget Me" 2015–2016 Banshee Kurt Bunker 15 episodes 2017 Chicago P.D. Thomas Cade Episode: "Favor, Affection, Malice or Ill-Will" 2017–2018 Iron Fist Ward Meachum Main role; 21 episodes 2019 Blindspot Cameron Gibbs Episode: “Frequently Recurring Struggle for Existence” 2020–2022 Ozark Ben Davis Main role (season 3)Guest role (season 4)Nominated – Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama SeriesNominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama SeriesNominated – Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television FilmNominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series 2022–2024 Outer Range Perry Abbott Main role 2023 Love & Death Don Crowder Miniseries 2024 A Man in Full Raymond Peepgrass Miniseries 2025 Task Robbie Prendergrast 6 episodes

Video games Year Title Voice role 2011 Homefront Connor J. Morgan

Awards and nominations Year Association Category Project Result Ref. 2005 Daytime Emmy Awards Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series Guiding Light 2006 2007 2008 2020 Critics' Choice Television Awards Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Ozark 2020 Satellite Awards Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film 2020 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama Series 2022 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series 2023 Bucharest Film Awards Best Actor Jill 2023 Manchester International Film Festival Best Actor 2026 Critics' Choice Television Awards Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Task Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series