Justin Kirk (born May 28, 1969) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as Prior Walter in the HBO miniseries Angels in America (2003), for which he received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie, and Andy Botwin in the Showtime dark comedy series Weeds (2005–2012).
Early life
Kirk was born in Salem, Oregon. His mother was of Russian-Jewish descent and his father was of Danish and English ancestry.
Kirk grew up in Union, Washington, where he attended a grade school on a Native American reservation, until his family moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, when he was 13 years old. He attended high school there and performed at Children's Theatre Company. He completed a two-year conservatory acting program at Circle in the Square Theatre School. In 2015, he appeared in the WGN period drama series Manhattan and FX/FXX comedy drama series You're the Worst. In 2018, he joined the cast of Showtime's Kidding. In 2020, he began playing the role of Hamilton Burger in HBO's Perry Mason. In 2021, he appeared in Succession as Congressman Jeryd Mencken.
Kirk‘s first appearance on screen was in the Mike Nichols' romantic horror film Wolf in a photograph as Laura Alden's deceased brother. He made his feature film debut in the 1997 drama film Love! Valour! Compassion! recreating his stage role. His other film credits include Vamps (2012), Mr. Morgan's Last Love (2013), Justice League: War (2014), Ghostbusters (2016), Molly's Game (2017), The Tribes of Palos Verdes (2017), and Vice (2018).
Acting credits
{| class="wikitable"
|+Key
| style="background:#FFFFCC;" |
|Denotes projects that have not yet been released
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Film
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class="unsortable"| Notes
|-
| 1994
| Wolf
| Laura Alden's Brother
| Appeared in a photograph, uncredited
|-
| 1997
| Love! Valour! Compassion!
| Bobby Brahms
|
|-
|rowspan="2" | 1999
| The Eden Myth
| Aldo Speck
|
|-
| Chapter Zero
| Lonnie
|
|-
|rowspan="2" | 2002
| Teddy Bears' Picnic
| Damien Pritzker
|
|-
| Outpatient
| Morris Monk
|
|-
|rowspan="4" | 2006
| Ask the Dust
| Sammy
|
|-
| Hollywood Dreams
| Robin Mack
|
|-
| Puccini for Beginners
| Philip
|
|-
| Flannel Pajamas
| Stuart Sawyer
|
|-
| 2007
| Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience
| Narrator
|
|-
| 2008
| Food Fight
| Narrator
|
|-
|rowspan="2" | 2009
| Against the Current
| Jeff Kane
|
|-
| Four Boxes
| Trevor Grainger
|
|-
|rowspan="4" | 2010
| Elektra Luxx
| Benjamin
|
|-
| See You in September
| A.J.
|
|-
| The Presence
| The Man
|
|-
| The Legend of Hallowdega
| Justin Thyme
| Short film
|-
| 2011
| L!fe Happens
| Henri
|
|-
|rowspan="4" | 2012
| Nobody Walks
| Billy
|
|-
| Goats
| Bennet
|
|-
| 30 Beats
| Adam
|
|-
| Vamps
| Vadim
|
|-
|rowspan="2" | 2013
| Mr. Morgan's Last Love
| Miles Morgan
| Also known as Last Love
|-
| Chronicles Simpkins Will Cut Your Ass
| Mr. Finkle
| Short film
|-
|rowspan="2" | 2014
| Sexual Secrets
| Aldo Speck
|
|-
| Justice League: War
| Hal Jordan / Green Lantern <small>(voice)</small>
|
|-
| 2015
| Walter
| Gregory Tomlinson
|
|-
| 2016
| Ghostbusters
| Phil Hudson
| Cut from the theatrical cut – only appears in the extended edition
|-
|rowspan="2" | 2017
| Molly's Game
| Jay
|
|-
| The Tribes of Palos Verdes
| Phil Mason
|
|-
| 2018
| Vice
| Scooter Libby
|
|-
| 2019
| Jack and Jo Don't Want to Die
| Jack Custodio
| Short film
|-
| 2020
| Hollywood Fringe
| Travis Sunstrom
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2021
| Hangry
| Leroy
| Short film
|-
| The Groke: A Tragedy in Two Acts
| Mr. Emerson
| Short film
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2025
| Émigré/Americana
| Allan
| Short film; also executive producer
|-
| Miriam
| Adam
| Short film
|-
| 2026
|
|
| Post-production
|}
Television
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class="unsortable"| Notes
|-
| 1995
| New York News
| Bartender
| Episode: "You Thought the Pope Was Something"
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1998
| The Pretender
| Horace Strickland
| Episode: "Hazards"
|-
| Nothing Sacred
| Jack
| Episode: "A Nun's Story"
|-
| 1999–2001
| Jack & Jill
| Bartholomew "Barto" Zane
| 32 episodes
|-
| 2001
| Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
| Eric Plummer
| Episode: "Wrath"
|-
| 2003
| Angels in America
| Prior Walter / Leatherman in Park
| Television miniseries
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2005
| CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
| Patrick Bromley
| Episode: "Spark of Life"
|-
| Jack & Bobby
| John McCallister
| Episode: "Under the Influence"
|-
| 2005–2012
| Weeds
| Andrew "Andy" Botwin
| 99 episodes
|-
| 2005
| Without a Trace
| Thomas Beale
| Episode: "Lost Time"
|-
| 2006
| Everwood
| James Carmody
| Episode: "Enjoy the Ride"
|-
| 2009
| Glenn Martin, DDS
| Rick Montana <small>(voice)</small>
| Episode: "A Bromantic Getaway"
|-
| 2010–2015
| Modern Family
| Charlie Bingham
| 6 episodes
|-
| 2012
| Animal Practice
| Dr. George Coleman
| 9 episodes
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2013
| Childrens Hospital
| Michael
| Episode: "Country Weekend"
|-
| The Blacklist
| Nathaniel Wolff
| Episode: "General Ludd"
|-
| 2014
| Tyrant
| John Tucker
| 10 episodes
|-
| rowspan="4" | 2015
| American Dad!
| Ax Jenkins <small>(voice)</small>
| Episode: "My Affair Lady"
|-
| Wayward Pines
| Peter McCall
| 2 episodes
|-
| Manhattan
| Joseph Bucher
| 2 episodes
|-
| You're the Worst
| Rob
| 2 episodes
|-
| 2016
| The Crossroads of History
| Leonardo da Vinci
| Episode: "Mona Lisa"
|-
| 2017
| APB
| Gideon Reeves
| 12 episodes
|-
| 2018–2020
| Kidding
| Peter Zeckhauser
| 18 episodes
|-
| 2018
| Overthinking with Kat & June
| David
| 3 episodes
|-
| 2019
| Conversations in L.A.
| Michael Miller
| 2 episodes
|-
| 2020
| Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist
| Charlie Bennett
| Episode: "Zoey's Extraordinary Boss"
|-
| 2020–2023
| Perry Mason
| Hamilton Burger
| 11 episodes
|-
| 2021–2023
|Succession
| Jeryd Mencken
| 5 episodes
|-
| 2022
| Roar
| Larry the Duck <small>(voice)</small>
| Episode: "The Woman Who Was Fed by a Duck"
|-
| 2024–present
|Interview with the Vampire
| Raglan James
| 2 episodes
|-
| 2025–present
| Ghosts
| Tad
| 5 episodes
|-
| 2025
| Talamasca: The Secret Order
| Raglan James
| Episode: "Wet Work"
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2026
| The 'Burbs
| Gary Wilson
| 5 episodes
|-
| Criminal Minds
|
| Post-production
|}
Theatre
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Venue
|-
| 1993
| Any Given Day
| Willis
| Longacre Theatre
|-
| 1994–1995
| rowspan="2"| Love! Valour! Compassion!
| rowspan="2"| Bobby Brahms
| New York City Center
|-
| 1995
| Walter Kerr Theatre
|-
| 1996
| rowspan="2"|Old Wicked Songs
| rowspan="2"| Stephen Hoffman
| Promenade Theatre
|-
| 1997
| Geffen Playhouse
|-
| 1998
| June Moon
| Fred Stevens <small>(replacement)</small>
| Variety Arts Theatre
|-
| 2001
| Ten Unknowns
| Judd Sturgess
| Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater
|-
| 2002
| The World Over
| Adam
| The Duke on 42nd Street
|-
| 2009
| The Understudy
| Harry
| Laura Pels Theatre
|-
| 2012
| Other Desert Cities
| Trip Wyeth <small>(replacement)</small>
| Booth Theatre
|-
| 2014
| The Invisible Hand
| Nick Bright
| New York Theatre Workshop
|-
| 2015
| rowspan="2"|These Paper Bullets!
| rowspan="2"| Ben
| Gil Cates Theatre
|-
| 2015–2016
| Linda Gross Theatre
|}
Podcasts
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class="unsortable"| Notes
|-
| 2011–2014
| Thrilling Adventure Hour
| Ewing Klipsringer / Jason / Cupid
| 3 episodes
|-
|rowspan="2" | 2021
| Bronzeville
| Eli Samson
| 4 episodes
|-
| DUST
| Charlie
| Episode: "Beyond the Tattered Veil of the Stars"
|-
| 2022
| Marvel's Wastelanders: Black Widow
| Hank Hammond
| 10 episodes
|}
Music videos
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Song
! Artist
|-
| 2009
| "Whatever You Like"
| Anya Marina
|-
| 2011
| "How Blue"
| Bleu
|}
Awards and nominations
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! class="unsortable" | Year
! class="unsortable" | Award
! class="unsortable" | Category
! class="unsortable" | Work
! class="unsortable" | Result
! class="unsortable" | Ref.
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2001
| Lucille Lortel Awards
| Outstanding Featured Actor
| rowspan="3"| Ten Unknowns
|
| align="center"|
|-
| Drama Desk Awards
| Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play
|
| align="center"|
|-
| Outer Critics Circle Awards
| Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play
|
| align="center"|
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2004
| Satellite Awards
| Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
| rowspan="3" | Angels in America
|
| align="center"|
|-
| Screen Actors Guild Awards
| Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in Television Movie or Miniseries
|
| align="center"|
|-
| Primetime Emmy Awards
| Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie
|
| align="center"|
|-
| rowspan="4" |2007
| Golden Globe Awards
| Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
| rowspan="6" | Weeds
|
| align="center"|
|-
| Screen Actors Guild Awards
| Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
|
| align="center"|
|-
| Golden Nymph Awards
| Outstanding Actor – Comedy Series
|
| align="center"|
|-
| Satellite Awards
| Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
|
| align="center"|
|-
| 2008
| Satellite Awards
| Best Actor in a Series, Comedy or Musical
|
| align="center"|
|-
| 2009
| Screen Actors Guild Awards
| Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
|
| align="center"|
|-
| 2016
| Critics' Choice Awards
| Best Guest Actor/Actress in a Drama Series
| Manhattan
|
| align="center"|
|}