John Carroll Lynch

His films include Face/Off (1997), Mercury Rising (1998) Gothika (2003), Zodiac (2007), Gran Torino (2008), Shutter Island (2010), Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011), Ted 2 (2015), The Invitation (2015), The Founder (2016), and The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020). He made his directorial debut with the 2017 film Lucky.

• Name — John Carroll Lynch • Born — 1 August 1963 • Birthplace — Boulder, Colorado, U.S. • Education — Catholic University (BFA) • Occupation — Actor, director • Years Active — 1990–present

Lynch was born in Boulder, Colorado. He attended Regis Jesuit High School in Denver. He studied theater at The Catholic University of America, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1986.

Lynch was a member of the Guthrie Theater company. He starred in several productions, toured with the company and worked there for over eight seasons. Lynch made his feature film debut in Grumpy Old Men (1993). He gained notice in a supporting role as Norm Gunderson in the Coen brothers' film Fargo (1996). His other notable films are Face/Off (1997), Bubble Boy (2001), Gothika (2003), Things We Lost in the Fire (2007), Gran Torino (2008), Shutter Island (2010), Paul (2011) and Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011). He portrayed Arthur Leigh Allen in Zodiac (2007) and the first establisher of McDonald's, Mac McDonald, in The Founder (2016). Lynch has also had an extensive career in television. He appeared in ABC sitcom The Drew Carey Show as the title character's cross-dressing brother, Steve Carey. He has also been a regular cast member on series such as Close to Home, Carnivàle, Body of Proof and seasons 4, 5, 7 and 9 of American Horror Story. In 2018, Lynch was cast in the lead role of Bud Carl in the CBS All Access drama One Dollar. The series was cancelled after one season. In 2020, Lynch plays the lead role of Rick Legarski in the ABC crime drama series Big Sky, created by David E. Kelley. After his character was killed off, he resurfaced as Wolf Legarski, Rick's twin brother. He also co-starred in Aaron Sorkin's acclaimed film The Trial of the Chicago 7, as activist David Dellinger. In 2025, he co-starred in the 1st season of Ballard alongside Maggie Q. In 2025, Lynch made his Broadway debut, playing Creon in Oedipus, directed by Robert Icke.

Lynch has been married to actress Brenda Wehle (also a former member of the Guthrie Theatre Company) since 1997.

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 2025 — Oedipus — Creon — Broadway Debut

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1996 — Frasier — Actor playing Franklin — Episode: "The Show Where Diane Comes Back" • Murder One — Officer Carl Bickley — Episode: "Chapter Thirteen" • The Client — Frank — Episode: "Damn Yankees" • Voice from the Grave — Prosecutor O'Gane — Television film • A Friend's Betrayal — Mr. Franks • 1996, 1997 — Life's Work — District Attorney Agee / Crazy Larry — 2 episodes • 1997–2004 — The Drew Carey Show — Steve Carey — Main role (seasons 6–8), recurring role (seasons 3–5), guest (season 9), 72 episodes • 1997 — The Practice — Dr. Robert Larson — Episode: "Search and Seizure" • The Visitor — Joe York — Episode: "Going Home" • 1998 — From the Earth to the Moon — Robert R. Gilruth — 2 episodes • 1999 — Star Trek: Voyager — Gerald Moss — Episode: "11:59" • Late Last Night — Sgt. Van Wyck — Television film • Tuesdays with Morrie — Walter Moran • 2000 — The Fugitive — Raynor — Episode: "Pilot" • The West Wing — Jack — Episode: "Galileo" • 2001 — Gideon's Crossing — Sonny Green — Episode: "The Race" • 2002 — Live from Baghdad — John Holliman — Television film • 2003 — The Brotherhood of Poland, New Hampshire — Mayor Garrett Shaw — 7 episodes • 2005 — Carnivàle — Varlyn Stroud — 12 episodes • American Dad! — Mr. Simms — Voice; episode: "Stannie Get Your Gun" • 2005–2006 — Close to Home — Steve Sharpe — Main role • 2007–2008 — K-Ville — Captain James Embry — Main role • 2007 — Big Love — Officer Chuck Tuttle — 2 episodes • 2009 — Lie to Me — Mr. Reed — Episode: "Truth or Consequences" • Monk — Kurt Pressman — Episode: "Happy Birthday, Mr. Monk" • CSI: Crime Scene Investigation — Buddy Arnold — Episode: "Bloodsport" • 2010 — How to Make It in America — Larry — Episode: "Keep on Truck'n" • 2010–2012 — The Glades — Mike Ogletree — 2 episodes • 2011–2013 — Body of Proof — Bud Morris — Main role • 2013 — Do No Harm — Will Hayes — 10 episodes • 2013–2014 — Comedy Bang! Bang! — Ned Dooley — 2 episodes • 2014 — House of Lies — Gil Selby — 2 episodes • The Americans — Fred — 6 episodes • Manhattan — Daniel Ellis — 2 episodes • Us & Them — Ed — Episode: "Coeds & Carburetors" • 2014–2015 — American Horror Story: Freak Show — Twisty the Clown — 5 episodes • 2015 — The Walking Dead — Eastman — Episode: "Here's Not Here" • 2015–2016 — American Horror Story: Hotel — John Wayne Gacy — 2 episodes • 2016 — Billions — Mr. Gilbert — Episode: "The Punch" • 2016–2017 — Turn: Washington's Spies — James Rivington — 8 episodes • 2017 — American Horror Story: Cult — Twisty the Clown — 2 episodes • Channel Zero: The No-End House — John Sleator — 6 episodes • 2018 — The Handmaid's Tale — Dan — Episode: "Unwomen" • Crawford — Owen — 12 episodes • One Dollar — Bud Carl — Main role • The Good Cop — Sherman Smalls — Episode: "Who Is the Ugly German Lady?" • 2019 — Veep — Lloyd Hennick — 3 episodes • American Horror Story: 1984 — Benjamin Richter / Mr. Jingles — 9 episodes • 2019–2020 — Perfect Harmony — Pastor Magnus — 3 episodes • 2020–2022 — Big Sky — Rick Legarski / Wolf Legarski — 22 episodes • 2021 — American Horror Stories — Larry Bitterman — Episode: "Drive In" • 2022 — Gaslit — L. Patrick Gray — 4 episodes • 2023 — White House Plumbers — John N. Mitchell — 2 episodes • 2024 — Evil — Henry Stick — Episode: "Fear of the Future" • 2025 — Ballard — Thomas Laffont — 10 episodes • 2025 — Elsbeth — Judge Edwin Dousant — 2 episodes • 2026 — The Beauty — Meyer Williams — 3 episodes • Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord — Nico Deemis — Episode: "Chapter 1: The Dark Revenge" • American Horror Story: Season 13 — Filming