Jefferson Mays (born Lewis Jefferson Mays; June 8, 1965) is an American theatre and film actor.A Connecticut native, Mays trained at Yale College, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree, and the University of California, San Diego, where he earned an Master of Fine Arts. He has appeared at La Jolla Playhouse, Long Wharf Theatre, the Williamstown Theatre Festival, and Playwrights Horizons.In 2004, Mays won the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play, the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding One-Person Show, an Obie Award, and a Theatre World Award for his solo Broadway performance in I Am My Own Wife, a Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Doug Wright. In 2007, Mays starred in two highly acclaimed Broadway revivals: Pygmalion, in which he won critical praise as Henry Higgins, and a well received revival of Journey's End in which he starred as Private Mason.Mays is currently starring in the 2013 Broadway musical A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, in which he plays eight roles. He has won the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical. He has also been nominated for the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical.Mays is married to Australian actress Susan Lyons.
I think being thrown into having dyslexia made me struggle with words and be interested in words, and learn to get them right. That was the beginning of my love affair with language.
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Fact
1
Completed a successful month-long run of I Am My Own Wife at the Curran Theatre in San Francisco. [May 2005]
2
MFA in Acting - University of California, San Diego (1991).
3
He was awarded the 2005 Joseph Jefferson Award for Actor in a Principal Role in a Play for "I Am My Own Wife" at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.
4
Second wife, Susan Lyons, is a book editor and served as associate director for his touring one-man show "I Am My Wife."
5
Won Broadway's 2004 Tony Award as Best Actor (Play) for his one-man show, "I Am My Own Wife."
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Rebel in the Rye
2017
completed
William Maxwell
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
2015-2016
TV Series
Daddy
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
2014-2016
TV Series
Dr. Carl Rudnick
The Knick
2015
TV Series
Attorney Whitting
The Americans
2015
TV Series
Walter Taffet
I Am Michael
2015
Preacher Teacher
The Raven
2014/I
Short
Voice over (voice)
Inherent Vice
2014
Dr. Threeply
Ned Rifle
2014
Dr. Ford
The Giver
2014
Community (voice)
The Cask of Amontillado
2014/I
Short
Fortunato
My America
2014
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
2014
TV Series
Lord Adalbert D'Ysquith
My America
2012
TV Series
The Good Wife
2011
TV Series
Diplomat Van Buskirk
Mildred Pierce
2011
TV Mini-Series
Man In Blue Coat
Detroit 1-8-7
2010
TV Series
Dr. Roger Kosowski
Lie to Me
2010
TV Series
Sidney
God in America
2010
TV Series
Jeremiah Moore
Nurse Jackie
2010
TV Series
Tim
American Experience
2004-2010
TV Series documentary
James Madison / Voice / Additional voice
Dolley Madison
2010
TV Series
James Madison
Fringe
2009
TV Series
Nicholas Boone
Law & Order
2009
TV Series
Attorney Olson
How to Lose Friends & Alienate People
2008
Bill Nathanson
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
2008
TV Series
Keifer Gates
Memoirs of My Nervous Illness
2006
Daniel Schreber
The Notorious Bettie Page
2005
Little John
The Closer
2005
TV Series
Dr. Easton
Alfie
2004
Dr. Miranda Kulp
Kinsey
2004
Effete Man's Friend
Benjamin Franklin
2002
TV Mini-Series documentary
Elkanah Watson
The Big Brass Ring
1999
Garne Strickland
Cousin Bette
1998
Stidmann
Liberty! The American Revolution
1997
TV Mini-Series
James Madison
Hudson River Blues
1997
Eric
The Low Life
1995
Hollywood Mogul
Some Folks Call It a Sling Blade
1994
Short
Gerry Woolridge
Grey Knight
1993
Martin Bradley
This Week in Joe's Basement
1991
TV Series
Alex
Dynaman
1988
TV Series
Dynabeige (1988) (voice)
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
2016
TV Series performer - 1 episode
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
2014
TV Series performer - 1 episode
Miscellaneous
Title
Year
Status
Character
American Experience
2005
TV Series documentary additional voices - 1 episode
Thanks
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Louise Log
2014
TV Series special thanks - 1 episode
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
The 88th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
2014
TV Movie
Himself
The Broadway.com Show
2014
TV Series
Himself
Theater Talk
2014
TV Series
Himself
Dress Up! With George B. Style
2014
TV Series
Himself
The 68th Annual Tony Awards
2014
TV Special
Himself - Performer & Nominee: Best Leading Actor in a Musical
$10 Million
