View source for David Strathairn

{{short description|American actor}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| image        = David Strathairn (5974348391).jpg
| caption      = Strathairn at the 2011 [[San Diego Comic-Con]]
| birth_name   = David Russell Strathairn
| birth_date   = {{birth date and age|1949|1|26}}
| birth_place  = San Francisco, California, U.S.
| alma_mater= [[Williams College]]
| occupation   = Actor
| years_active = 1979–present
| spouse       = {{marriage|Logan Goodman|1980}}
| children     = 2
}}

'''David Russell Strathairn''' ({{IPAc-en|s|t|r|ə|ˈ|θ|ɛər|n}};<ref>{{Cite web |title=Say How: S |url=https://www.loc.gov/nls/about/organization/standards-guidelines/qrst/#s |access-date=October 5, 2017 |publisher=[[National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped]]}}</ref> born January 26, 1949) is an American actor. Known for his leading roles on stage and screen, he has often portrayed historical figures such as [[Edward R. Murrow]], [[J. Robert Oppenheimer]], [[William H. Seward]], and [[John Dos Passos]]. He has received various accolades including an [[Independent Spirit Awards|Independent Spirit Award]], a [[Primetime Emmy Award]], and a [[Volpi Cup for Best Actor|Volpi Cup]], and has been nominated for an [[Academy Awards|Academy Award]], a [[British Academy Film Awards|BAFTA Award]], two [[Golden Globe Awards]], and four [[Screen Actors Guild Awards]].

Strathairn made his acting debut in his fellow [[Williams College]] graduate [[John Sayles]]' film ''[[Return of the Secaucus 7]]'' (1980). He continued acting in films such as ''[[Matewan]]'' (1987), ''[[Eight Men Out]]'' (1988), ''[[City of Hope (film)|City of Hope]]'' (1991), ''[[A League of Their Own]]'' (1992), ''[[Sneakers (1992 film)|Sneakers]]'' (1992), ''[[Passion Fish]]'' (1992), ''[[The Firm (1993 film)|The Firm]]'' (1993), ''[[The River Wild]]'' (1995), ''[[L.A. Confidential (film)|L.A. Confidential]]'' (1997), and ''[[Limbo (1999 film)|Limbo]]'' (1999). Strathairn gained prominence for his portrayal as journalist [[Edward R. Murrow]] in [[George Clooney]]'s ''[[Good Night, and Good Luck]]'' (2005), for which he was nominated for an [[Academy Award for Best Actor]]. He is also recognized for his role as [[CIA]] Deputy Director Noah Vosen in ''[[The Bourne Ultimatum (film)|The Bourne Ultimatum]]'' (2007), and ''[[The Bourne Legacy (film)|The Bourne Legacy]]'' (2012). He appeared in [[Steven Spielberg]]'s ''[[Lincoln (film)|Lincoln]]'' (2012), [[Chloe Zhao]]'s ''[[Nomadland (film)|Nomadland]]'' (2020), and [[Guillermo del Toro]]'s ''[[Nightmare Alley (2021 film)|Nightmare Alley]]'' (2021).
 
Also known for his lengthy work on television, he made his debut in the [[soap opera]] ''[[Search for Tomorrow]]'' in 1984. He portrayed [[List of characters from The Sopranos – friends and family#Robert Wegler|Robert Wegler]] in the acclaimed [[HBO]] drama series ''[[The Sopranos]]'' (2004). He received a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] win and a [[Golden Globe Award]] nomination for his performance in the [[HBO]] television film ''[[Temple Grandin (film)|Temple Grandin]]'' (2010). He portrayed [[John Dos Passos]] in the HBO film ''[[Hemingway & Gellhorn]]'' (2012). He's had recurring roles in the [[Syfy]] series ''[[Alphas]]'' (2011-2012), the [[NBC]] series ''[[The Blacklist]]'' (2015-2016), the [[Showtime (TV network)|Showtime]] series ''[[Billions (TV series)|Billions]]'' (2017-2019), and the [[SyFy]], then [[Amazon Prime Video]], series ''[[Expanse (TV series)|The Expanse]]'' (2018 - 2019).

==Early life and education==
Strathairn was born in San Francisco, California, the second of three children of Thomas Scott Strathairn, Jr., a physician, and Mary Frances (née Frazier), a nurse.<ref name="filmref">{{Cite web |title=David Strathairn Biography (1949-) |url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/85/David-Strathairn.html |access-date=May 29, 2021 |website=www.filmreference.com}}</ref><ref>[http://www.dispatch.co.za/2006/02/04/Features/f4.html Welcome to Dispatch Online]{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. Dispatch.co.za (November 12, 2010). Retrieved on July 10, 2011.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Hivelys.com is for sale |url=https://www.hugedomains.com/domain_profile.cfm?d=Hivelys.com |website=HugeDomains}}</ref> He is of [[Scottish people|Scottish]] descent through his paternal grandfather, Thomas Scott Strathairn, a native of [[Crieff]], and of [[Native Hawaiian]] ancestry through his paternal grandmother, Josephine Lei Victoria Alana.<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 11, 2009 |title=Secret Scottish Roots Of Best Actor Nominee |work=[[Sunday Mail (Scotland)|The Sunday Mail]] |url=http://www.sundaymail.co.uk/lifestyle/features/tm_objectid=16749011&method=full&siteid=64736&headline=secret-scottish-roots-of-best-actor-nominee-david-name_page.html |accessdate=July 10, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=January 27, 2006 |title=David Strathairn Finds the Spotlight |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4607732.stm |website=[[BBC News]] |accessdate=July 10, 2011}}</ref><ref>[https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FW89-GZN "Hawaii, Marriages, 1826-1922"].FamilySearch.org. Retrieved on July 30, 2012.</ref> Strathairn attended [[Redwood High School (Larkspur, California)|Redwood High School]] in [[Larkspur, California]], and graduated from [[Williams College]] in [[Williamstown, Massachusetts]], in 1970. At Williams, he met fellow actor [[Gordon Clapp]] and director [[John Sayles]], with whom he has collaborated on a number of projects.

He studied [[clown]]ing at the [[Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Clown College]] in [[Venice, Florida]],<ref name="Yahoobio">Full biography of [https://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800019124/bio "David Strathairn"], ''[[Yahoo!]] Movies'', Copyright 2007, accessed August 7, 2007.</ref> and briefly worked as a [[clown]] in a traveling [[circus]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=March 1, 2006 |title=The Nominees: David Strathairn |work=[[CBS News]] |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/03/01/oscar/main1361519.shtml}}</ref>

==Career==
{{more citations needed|date = February 2021}}
Strathairn was nominated for an [[Academy Award]] for his stirring portrayal of [[CBS]] newsman [[Edward R. Murrow]] in the 2005 biographical film ''[[Good Night, and Good Luck]]''. The film explored Murrow's clash with Senator [[Joseph McCarthy]] over McCarthy's [[Second Red Scare|Communist witch-hunts]] in the 1950s. Strathairn also received Best Actor [[Golden Globe]] and [[Screen Actors Guild]] (SAG) nominations for his performance. In 2010, he won the [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie]] for his portrayal of Dr. Carlock in the HBO television film [[Temple Grandin (film)|''Temple Grandin'']]. For that role, he also won the [[Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film]] and was nominated for a [[Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film]].

Other notable film roles include his portrayals of the title character in ''[[Harrison's Flowers (film)|Harrison's Flowers]]'' (2000); Col. Craig Harrington in ''Memphis Belle'' (1990); Whistler, the wisecracking blind techie, in ''[[Sneakers (1992 film)|Sneakers]]'' (1992); convict Ray McDeere in the legal thriller ''[[The Firm (1993 film)|The Firm]]'' (1993); abusive husband Joe St. George in ''[[Dolores Claiborne (film)|Dolores Claiborne]]'' (1995); Pierce Patchett, a millionaire involved in the seedy side of 1950s Los Angeles in ''[[L.A. Confidential (film)|L.A. Confidential]]'' (1997); [[Theseus]], Duke of Athens, in the [[A Midsummer Night's Dream (1999 film)|1999 version]] of ''[[A Midsummer Night's Dream]]''; and baseball player [[Eddie Cicotte]] in ''[[Eight Men Out]]'' (1988).

Strathairn is a [[character actor]], appearing in supporting roles in many independent and Hollywood films. In this capacity, he has co-starred in ''[[Twisted (2004 film)|Twisted]]'' as a psychiatrist; in ''[[The River Wild]]'' as a husband; and in ''[[Blue Car]]'' as a teacher.

He has worked with his [[Williams College]] classmate and director [[John Sayles]]. He made his film debut in ''[[Return of the Secaucus 7]]'', and worked in the films ''[[Passion Fish]]'', ''[[Matewan]]'', ''[[Limbo (1999 film)|Limbo]]'' and ''[[City of Hope (film)|City of Hope]]'', for which he won the [[Independent Spirit Award]]. Alongside Sayles, he played one of the "men in black" in the 1983 film ''[[The Brother from Another Planet]]''. Strathairn created the role of [[Edwin Booth]] with [[Maryann Plunkett]] in a workshop production of ''Booth! A House Divided'', by W. Stuart McDowell, at [[The Players (club)|The Players]] in New York City.<ref>{{Cite web |title=History of the Bristol Riverside Theatre |url=http://www.brtstage.org/history2.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080807162401/http://www.brtstage.org/history2.html |archive-date=August 7, 2008}}</ref>

Strathairn's television work also includes a wide range of roles: Moss, the bookselling nebbish on the critically acclaimed ''[[The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd]]''; Captain Keller, the father of [[Helen Keller]] in the 2000 remake of ''[[The Miracle Worker]]''; [[Frederick Benteen|Capt. Frederick Benteen]], a U.S. 7th Cavalry officer under [[George Armstrong Custer|General Custer's]] command in ''[[Son of the Morning Star (film)|Son of the Morning Star]]''; and a far-out (both figuratively and literally) televangelist in ''Paradise'', the pilot episode for a TV series on [[Showtime (TV network)|Showtime]] that was not successful. Strathairn had a recurring role on the hit television drama ''[[The Sopranos]]''. Strathairn starred in the ''[[Miami Vice]]'' episode "Out Where the Buses Don't Run."

Strathairn appeared in ''[[We Are Marshall]]'', a 2006 film about the rebirth of [[Marshall University]]'s football program after the 1970 plane crash that killed most of the team's members; and ''[[Cold Souls]]'', starring [[Paul Giamatti]] as a fictionalized version of himself, who enlists a company's services to deep freeze his soul, directed by [[Sophie Barthes]]. In 2006 he did a campaign ad for then congressional candidate (now Senator) [[Kirsten Gillibrand]]. He reprised his role as Edward R. Murrow in a speech similar to the one from ''[[Good Night, and Good Luck]]'', but was altered to reference Gillibrand's opponent John Sweeney.<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 3, 2006 |title=A 'Good Luck' Charm in Race For Congress |url=http://articles.nydailynews.com/2006-10-03/gossip/18343674_1_kirsten-gillibrand-laura-bush-bae-systems |access-date=October 9, 2011 |website=NY Daily News}}</ref>

Strathairn plays the lead role in the 2007 independent film, ''[[Steel Toes]]'', a film by [[David Gow]] (writer/co-director/producer) and Mark Adam (co-director/DOP/editor). The film is based on Gow's stage play ''Cherry Docs'', in which Strathairn starred for its American premiere at the [[Wilma Theater (Philadelphia)|Wilma Theatre]] in Philadelphia.

He played a role in [[Paramount Pictures]]' children's film ''[[The Spiderwick Chronicles (film)|The Spiderwick Chronicles]]'' (2008) as Arthur Spiderwick. Strathairn appeared in the ''American Experience'' PBS anthology series documentary, ''The Trials of J. Robert Oppenheimer'', a biography of the physicist. He first played Oppenheimer in the 1989 CBS TV movie ''[[Day One (1989 film)|Day One]]''. He plays William Flynn, an FBI agent dealing with anarchism in 1920s New York City, in ''No God, No Master''.

In 2009, Strathairn performed in ''[[The People Speak (film)|The People Speak]]'', a documentary feature film that uses dramatic and musical performances of the letters, diaries, and speeches of everyday Americans. It was adapted from the historian [[Howard Zinn]]'s ''[[A People's History of the United States]]''.<ref>[http://www.thepeoplespeak.com/pages/credits/] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100513003536/http://www.thepeoplespeak.com/pages/credits/|date=May 13, 2010}}</ref>

He starred as Dr. Lee Rosen on [[Syfy]]'s series ''[[Alphas]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=David Strathairn to Headline Syfy's Alpha |url=https://www.tvguide.com/News/David-Strathairn-Alphas-1020196.aspx |publisher=TVGuide.com}}</ref>

In 2018-19, Strathairn appeared on the third and fourth seasons of SyFy's ''[[The Expanse (TV series)|The Expanse]]''<ref>{{Cite news |title=David Strathairn Joins The Expanse Season 3 |language=en |work=Syfy |url=https://www.syfy.com/theexpanse/blog/david-strathairn-joins-the-expanse-season-3 |access-date=May 26, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Petski |first=Denise |date=July 14, 2017 |title='The Expanse': David Strathairn Cast in Key Role in Syfy Space Drama Series |language=en-US |work=Deadline |url=https://deadline.com/2017/07/the-expanse-david-strathairn-cast-syfy-space-drama-series-1202129079/ |access-date=May 26, 2018}}</ref> as Klaes Ashford.

In 2020, Strathairn was one of the few genuine actors in the Oscar-winner ''[[Nomadland (film)|Nomadland]]'', directed by [[Chloé Zhao]]. David appears alongside his son Tay, the first time they have acted together on screen since 1988's ''Eight Men Out'' when Tay was just eight years old.

Strathairn stars in the upcoming film ''Remember This'', based on the stage play about the life of a Polish diplomat and war hero [[Jan Karski]]. The film is executive-produced by Eva Anisko and directed by Jeff Hutchens and Derek Goldman.

===Theater===
Strathairn is also a stage actor and has performed over 30 theatrical roles. He performed several roles in stage plays by [[Harold Pinter]]. He played Stanley in two consecutive New York [[Classic Stage Company]] (CSC) productions of Pinter's 1957 play ''[[The Birthday Party (play)|The Birthday Party]]'', directed by [[Carey Perloff]] (since 1992 artistic director of the [[American Conservatory Theater]]), in 1988<ref name="BP88">Performance revs. by Susan Hollis Merritt, "The Birthday Party" ([[Classic Stage Company|CSC]] Repertory Theatre, New York, April 17, 1988, April 12, 1988 – May 22, 1988) and Bernard Dukore, "The Birthday Party" (CSC Repertory Theatre, New York, April–May 1988), ''The Pinter Review'' 2.1 (1988): 66–70; 71–73. (Cover photograph features Strathairn in his role as Stanley.)</ref> and 1989;<ref name="BP89">[http://www.haroldpinter.org/plays/frn_bdayparty_us89.shtml 1989 CSC production], ''HaroldPinter.org'' (official site), accessed August 7, 2007.</ref> the dual roles of prison Officer and Prisoner in Pinter's 1989 play ''[[Mountain Language]]'' (in a double bill with the second CSC Rep production of ''The Birthday Party'');<ref name="TPRinterv">Susan Hollis Merritt, "A Conversation with [[Carey Perloff]], Bill Moor, [[Peter Riegert]], [[Jean Stapleton]], and David Strathairn: After Matinee of ''[[Mountain Language]]'' and ''[[The Birthday Party (play)|The Birthday Party]]'' by [[Classic Stage Company|CSC]] Repertory Ltd., Bruno's, New York, Nov. 12, 1989", ''The Pinter Review: Annual Essays 1989'' (TPR) (Tampa: U of Tampa P, 1989) 59–84 (interview); cf. performance rev. by Francis Gillen, "[[Mountain Language]], [[The Birthday Party (play)|The Birthday Party]]" ''TPR'' 93–97. (Cover photograph features Strathairn and Stapleton in their roles as a prison Officer and the Elderly Woman in ''Mountain Language''; his other role, the Prisoner, is the Elderly Woman's son.)</ref> [[Edwin Booth]] in a workshop production by W. Stuart McDowell at [[The Players (club)|The Players]] in 1989; Kerner, in [[Tom Stoppard]]'s ''[[Hapgood (play)|Hapgood]]'' (1994); and Devlin, opposite [[Lindsay Duncan]]'s Rebecca, in Pinter's 1996 two-hander ''[[Ashes to Ashes (play)|Ashes to Ashes]]'' in the 1999 New York premiere by the [[Roundabout Theatre Company]].<ref name=filmref/><ref name="AANY">Performance revs. by Katherine H. Burkman, "''[[Ashes to Ashes (play)|Ashes to Ashes]]'' in New York: [[Roundabout Theatre Company]] at the Gramercy Theatre, March 30, 1999" and by Susan Hollis Merritt, "''Ashes to Ashes'' in New York: Roundabout Theatre Company, Gramercy Theatre, New York, April 3, 1999", ''The Pinter Review: Collected Essays 1997 and 1998'' (Tampa: U of Tampa P, 1999) 154-59.</ref>

In 2015 Strathairn appeared in Anton Chekov's ''[[The Cherry Orchard]]'' with Mary McDonnell at People's Light theater in Malvern, Pennsylvania.<ref>{{Cite web |title=People's Light Presents an Elegant Production of THE CHERRY ORCHARD - Theatre Sensation |url=http://www.theatresensation.com/index.cfm/reviews/peoples-light-presents-an-elegant-production-of-the-cherry-orchard/ |access-date=January 8, 2019 |website=www.theatresensation.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Season Archive - People's Light |url=https://www.peopleslight.org/whats-on/archive/?s=1443 |access-date=January 8, 2019 |website=www.peopleslight.org}}</ref> He lent his voice talents to an adaptation in the form of a radio play of [[Sinclair Lewis]]' ''[[It Can't Happen Here]]'' by the [[Berkeley Repertory Theatre]] in October 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |title=It Can't Happen Here |url=https://berkeleyrep.org/season/2021/itcanthappenhere.asp |access-date=October 27, 2020 |publisher=Berkeley Repertory Theatre}}</ref>

Strathairn plays [[Jan Karski]] in the one-man play ''Remember This: The Lesson of Jan Karski'', written by Clark Young and Derek Goldman. The play is an original production by The Laboratory for Global Performance and Politics at Georgetown University. In 2021, Strathairn garnered critical acclaim for a production of ''Remember This'' at the [[Chicago Shakespeare Theater]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Review: In 'Remember This' at Chicago Shakes, David Strathairn tells a devastating story of the man who warned the Allies of the Holocaust |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/theater/reviews/ct-ent-remember-this-review-chicago-shakes-20211105-zm3n5mefazhopg6dfmpl3ylsb4-story.html |access-date=November 5, 2021 |publisher=[[Chicago Tribune]]}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Strathairn narrated a biographical video to introduce [[Barack Obama]] before his acceptance speech at the [[2008 Democratic National Convention]].<ref>Greeley Tribune (2008). [http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20080829/NEWS/108299989/1051/ENTERTAIN&parentprofile=-1 Obama uses language of hope, calls for action] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081207074055/http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20080829/NEWS/108299989/1051/ENTERTAIN%26parentprofile%3D-1 |date=December 7, 2008 }}. Retrieved August 29, 2008.</ref>

Strathairn's son Tay Strathairn was keyboardist for the band [[Dawes (band)|Dawes]].<ref name="people200407">{{Cite magazine |last=Fernandez |first=Alexia |date=April 7, 2020 |title=Meryl Streep's Daughter Grace Gummer Files for Divorce from Musician Tay Strathairn |url=https://people.com/movies/meryl-streep-daughter-grace-gummer-files-for-divorce/ |magazine=People |access-date=April 8, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Roach |first=Pemberton |title=Dawes Biography |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/dawes-mn0001070890 |access-date=April 8, 2020 |publisher=[[AllMusic]]}}</ref>
<!--He is married to Logan Goodman, a nurse, and lives in the town of [[Clinton, Dutchess County, New York]]. Strathairn serves on the [[Rosendale Theatre]] Collective's Board of Advisors.-->

==Filmography==

===Film===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year !! Title !! Role !! Notes
|-
| 1980
| ''[[Return of the Secaucus 7]]''
| Ron Desjardins
|
|-
| 1983
| ''[[Lovesick (1983 film)|Lovesick]]''
| Marvin Zuckerman
|
|-
| 1983
| ''[[Silkwood]]''
| Wesley
|
|-
| 1984
| ''[[Iceman (1984 film)|Iceman]]''
| Dr. Singe
|
|-
| 1984
| ''[[The Brother from Another Planet]]''
| Man in Black
|
|-
| 1985
| ''[[When Nature Calls]]''
| Weejun
|
|-
| 1986
| ''[[At Close Range]]''
| Tony Pine
|
|-
| 1987
| ''[[Matewan]]''
| Police Chief [[Sid Hatfield]]
|
|-
| 1988
| ''[[Stars and Bars (1988 film)|Stars and Bars]]''
| Charlie
|
|-
| 1988
| ''[[Call Me (film)|Call Me]]''
| Sam
|
|-
| 1988
| ''[[Eight Men Out]]''
| [[Eddie Cicotte]]
|
|-
| 1988
| ''[[Dominick and Eugene]]''
| Martin Chernak
|
|-
| 1989
| ''The Feud''
| The Stranger
|
|-
| 1990
| ''[[Memphis Belle (film)|Memphis Belle]]''
| Colonel Craig Harriman
|
|-
| 1990
| ''[[Judgment (film)|Judgment]]''
| Father Frank Aubert
|
|-
| 1991
| ''[[City of Hope (film)|City of Hope]]''
| Asteroid
|
|-
| 1992
| ''[[Big Girls Don't Cry... They Get Even]]''
| Keith Powers
|
|-
| 1992
| ''[[A League of Their Own]]''
| Ira Lowenstein
|
|-
| 1992
| ''[[Bob Roberts]]''
| Mack Laflin
|
|-
| 1992
| ''[[Sneakers (1992 film)|Sneakers]]''
| Erwin 'Whistler' Emory
|
|-
| 1992
| ''[[Passion Fish]]''
| Rennie
| 
|-
| 1993
| ''[[Lost in Yonkers (film)|Lost in Yonkers]]''
| Johnny
|
|-
| 1993
| ''[[The Firm (1993 film)|The Firm]]''
| Ray McDeere
|
|-
| 1993
| ''[[A Dangerous Woman (1993 film)|A Dangerous Woman]]''
| Getso
|
|-
| 1994
| ''[[The River Wild]]''
| Tom Hartman
|
|-
| 1995
| ''[[Losing Isaiah]]''
| Charles Lewin
|
|-
| 1995
| ''[[Dolores Claiborne (film)|Dolores Claiborne]]''
| Joe St. George
|
|-
| 1995
| ''[[Home for the Holidays (1995 film)|Home for the Holidays]]''
| Russell Terziak
|
|-
| 1996
| ''[[Mother Night (film)|Mother Night]]''
| Lieutenant Bernard B. O'Hare
|
|-
| 1997
| ''Song of Hiawatha''
| Marcel
|
|-
| 1997
| ''[[L.A. Confidential (film)|L.A. Confidential]]''
| Pierce Morehouse Patchett
| 
|-
| 1997
| ''[[Bad Manners (1997 film)|Bad Manners]]''
| Wes Westlund
|
|-
| 1998
| ''[[The Climb (1999 film)|The Climb]]''
| Earl Himes
|
|-
| 1998
| ''[[With Friends Like These...]]''
| Armand Minetti
|
|-
| 1998
| ''[[Simon Birch]]''
| Reverend Russell
|
|-
| 1998
| ''[[Meschugge]]''
| Charles Kaminski
|
|-
| 1998
| ''Evidence of Blood''
| Jackson Kinley
|
|-
| 1999
| ''[[A Midsummer Night's Dream (1999 film)|A Midsummer Night's Dream]]''
| [[Theseus]]
|
|-
| 1999
| ''[[Limbo (1999 film)|Limbo]]''
| "Jumpin Joe" Gastineau
| 
|-
| 1999
| ''[[A Map of the World]]''
| Howard Goodwin
|
|-
| 2000
| ''[[A Good Baby]]''
| Truman Lester
|
|-
| 2000
| ''[[Harrison's Flowers]]''
| Harrison Lloyd
|
|-
| 2001
| ''Relative Evil''
| Dr. Charlie
| a.k.a. ''Ball in the House''
|-
| 2002
| ''[[Speakeasy (2002 film)|Speakeasy]]''
| Bruce Hickman
|
|-
| 2002
| ''[[Blue Car]]''
| Auster
|
|-
| 2004
| ''[[Twisted (2004 film)|Twisted]]''
| Melvin Frank
|
|-
| 2005
| ''[[The Notorious Bettie Page]]''
| [[Estes Kefauver]]
|
|-
| 2005
| ''[[Missing in America]]''
| Henry
|
|-
| 2005
| ''[[Good Night, and Good Luck]]''
| [[Edward R. Murrow]]
| 
|-
| 2006
| ''The Shovel''
| Paul Mullin
| Short film
|-
| 2006
| ''[[Heavens Fall]]''
| Judge James Horton
|
|-
| 2006
| ''[[We Are Marshall]]''
| [[Donald Dedmon]]
|
|-
| 2007
| ''[[The Sensation of Sight]]''
| Finn
| Also producer
|-
| 2007
| ''[[Steel Toes]]''
| Danny Dunckelman
|
|-
| 2007
| ''[[Fracture (2007 film)|Fracture]]''
| District Attorney Joe Lobruto
|
|-
| 2007
| ''Racing Daylight''
| Henry Becker/Harry Stokes
|
|-
| 2007
| ''[[The Bourne Ultimatum (film)|The Bourne Ultimatum]]''
| Noah Vosen
|
|-
| 2007
| ''[[My Blueberry Nights]]''
| Arnie Copeland
|
|-
| 2007
| ''[[Matters of Life and Death]]''
| Mr. Jennings
|
|-
| 2007
| ''[[Trumbo (2007 film)|Trumbo]]''
| Readings
|
|-
| 2008
| ''[[The Spiderwick Chronicles (film)|The Spiderwick Chronicles]]''
| Arthur Spiderwick
|
|-
| 2009
| ''[[The Uninvited (2009 film)|The Uninvited]]''
| Steven Ivers
|
|-
| 2009
| ''[[Cold Souls]]''
| Dr. Flintstein
|
|-
| 2009
| ''[[The People Speak (film)|The People Speak]]''
| Himself
| Documentary
|-
| 2009
| ''Odysseus in America''
| Narration
|
|-
| 2010
| ''[[Howl (2010 film)|Howl]]''
| Ralph McIntosh
|
|-
| 2010
| ''[[The Tempest (2010 film)|The Tempest]]''
| Alonzo, King of Naples
|
|-
| 2010
| ''[[The Whistleblower]]''
| Peter Ward
|
|-
| 2012
| ''[[The Bourne Legacy (film)|The Bourne Legacy]]''
| Noah Vosen
|
|-
| 2012
| ''[[No God, No Master]]''
| [[William J. Flynn]]
|
|-
| 2012
| ''[[Lincoln (film)|Lincoln]]''
| [[William H. Seward|William Seward]]
|
|-
| 2014
| ''[[Godzilla (2014 film)|Godzilla]]''
| Admiral William Stenz
|
|-
| 2015
| ''[[The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel]]''
| Ty Burley
|
|-
| 2015
| ''[[Louder Than Bombs (film)|Louder Than Bombs]]''
| Richard
|
|-
| 2015
| ''[[The Debt (2015 film)|The Debt]]''
| Nathan
|
|-
| 2016
| ''[[American Pastoral (film)|American Pastoral]]''
| [[Nathan Zuckerman]]
|
|-
| 2017
| ''[[Darkest Hour (film)|Darkest Hour]]''
| [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] (voice)
|
|-
| 2017
| ''[[November Criminals (film)|November Criminals]]''
| Theo Schacht
|
|-
| 2018
| ''[[An Interview with God]]''<ref>{{Cite web |last=McNary |first=Dave |date=June 30, 2016 |title=Brenton Thwaites, David Strathairn Starring in 'An Interview with God' |url=https://variety.com/2016/film/news/brenton-thwaites-david-straithairn-interview-with-god-1201807066/ |access-date=January 8, 2019 |website=Variety}}</ref>
| God
|
|-
| 2018
|''[[Fast Color]]''
| Ellis
|
|-
| 2018
| ''[[UFO (2018 film)|UFO]]''
| Franklin Ahls
|
|-
| 2019
| ''[[Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019 film)|Godzilla: King of the Monsters]]''
| Admiral William Stenz
|
|-
| 2019
| ''[[The Devil Has a Name]]''
| Fred Stern
|
|-
| 2020
| ''[[Walkaway Joe (film)|Walkaway Joe]]''
| Joe Haley
|
|-
| 2020
| ''[[Nomadland (film)|Nomadland]]''
| David
| 
|-
| 2021
| ''[[Nightmare Alley (2021 film)|Nightmare Alley]]''
| Pete Krumbein
| 
|-
| 2022
| ''[[Where the Crawdads Sing (film)|Where the Crawdads Sing]]''
| Tom Milton
| 
|-
| TBA
| ''The Gettysburg Address''
| [[Ralph Waldo Emerson]] (voice)
| Documentary; post-production
|-
|}

===Television===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year !! Title !! Role !! Notes
|-
| 1984
| ''[[Search for Tomorrow]]''
| Dr. Robert Hand
| 4 episodes
|-
| 1985
| ''[[Miami Vice]]''
| Marty Lang
| Episode: "[[Out Where the Buses Don't Run]]"
|-
| 1987
| ''[[Broken Vows (1987 film)|Broken Vows]]''
| Stuart Chase
| Television movie
|-
| 1987
| ''[[Spenser: For Hire]]''
| Doggie Thorpe
| Episode: "One for my Daughter"
|-
| 1988
| ''[[The Equalizer (1985 TV series)|The Equalizer]]''
| Phillip Borchek
| Episode: "Sea of Fire"
|-
| 1988–91
| ''[[The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd]]''
| Moss Goodman
| 20 episodes
|-
| 1989
| ''[[Wiseguy (TV series)|Wiseguy]]''
| Matthew Stemkowsky
| 4 episodes
|-
| 1989
| ''[[Day One (1989 film)|Day One]]''
| [[J. Robert Oppenheimer]]
| Television movie
|-
| 1990
| ''[[Heat Wave (1990 film)|Heat Wave]]''
| Bill Thomas
| Television movie
|-
| 1990
| ''[[Judgment (film)|Judgment]]''
| Father Frank Aubert
| Television movie
|-
| 1991
| ''[[Son of the Morning Star (film)|Son of the Morning Star]]''
| [[Frederick Benteen|Capt. Frederick W. Benteen]]
| Television movie
|-
| 1991
| ''[[Without Warning: The James Brady Story]]''
| Doctor Art Kobrine
| Television movie
|-
| 1992
| ''[[O Pioneers! (film)|O Pioneers!]]''
| Carl Linstrum
| Television movie
|-
| 1994
| ''April One''
| John McCowan
| Television movie
|-
| 1996
| ''Beyond the Call''
| Russell Cates
| Television movie
|-
| 1997
| ''[[In the Gloaming (film)|In the Gloaming]]''
| Martin
| Television movie
|-
| 1998
| ''Evidence of Blood''
| Jackson Kinley
| Television movie
|-
| 2000
| ''[[Freedom Song (film)|Freedom Song]]''
| Peter Crowley
| Television film
|-
| 2000
| ''[[The Miracle Worker (2000 film)|The Miracle Worker]]''
| Captain Keller
| Television film
|-
| 2001
| ''[[Big Apple (TV series)|Big Apple]]''
| FBI Agent Will Preecher
| 8 episodes
|-
| 2002
| ''[[Lathe of Heaven (film)|Lathe of Heaven]]''
| Mannie
| Television movie
|-
| 2002
| ''[[Master Spy: The Robert Hanssen Story]]''
| Jack Hoschouer
| Television movie
|-
| 2004
| ''[[The Sopranos]]''
| [[List of characters from The Sopranos – friends and family#Robert Wegler|Robert Wegler]]
| 3 episodes
|-
| 2004
| ''Paradise''
| Reverend Bobby Paradise
| Television movie
|-
|2008
| ''The Trials of Oppenheimer''
| [[J. Robert Oppenheimer]]
| [[BBC]] drama-documentary
|-
| 2008
| ''[[Monk (TV series)|Monk]]''
| Patrick Kloster
| Episode: "Mr. Monk and the Genius"
|-
| 2010
| ''[[Temple Grandin (film)|Temple Grandin]]''
| Dr. Carlock
| HBO Television movie
|-
| 2010
| ''[[House (TV series)|House]]''
| Nash
| Episode: "[[Lockdown (House)|Lockdown]]"
|-
| 2011–12
| ''[[Alphas]]''
| Dr. Lee Rosen
| 24 episodes
|-
| 2012
| ''[[Hemingway & Gellhorn]]''
| [[John Dos Passos]]
| HBO Television movie
|-
| 2015–16
| ''[[The Blacklist (TV series)|The Blacklist]]''
| Peter Kotsiopulos (aka The Director)
| 12 episodes
|-
| 2015–17
| ''[[Z: The Beginning of Everything]]''
| Judge Anthony Sayre
| 5 episodes
|-
| 2015
| ''[[Axe Cop (TV series)|Axe Cop]]''
| Extincter
| Voice<br>Episode: "Night Mission: The Extincter"
|-
| 2017–19
| ''[[Billions (TV series)|Billions]]''
| "Black Jack" Foley
| 8 episodes
|-
| 2018
| ''[[McMafia]]''
| Semiyon Kleiman<ref name="bbc1115">{{Cite news |date=November 15, 2016 |title=Further casting announced for epic new BBC One drama McMafia |publisher=BBC |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2016/mcmafia-further-casting}}</ref>
| Miniseries; 7 episodes
|-
| 2018–19
| ''[[The Expanse (TV series)|The Expanse]]''
| Klaes Ashford
| 13 episodes
|-
| 2018
| ''[[My Dinner with Hervé]]''
| Marty Rothstein
| Television movie
|-
| 2020
| ''[[Interrogation (TV series)|Interrogation]]''
|Henry Fisher
|10 episodes
|}

=== Theatre ===
{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!Title
!Role
!Playwright
!Venue
|-
|1981 || ''Einstein and the Polar Bear'' || Bobby Bullins || [[Tom Griffin (playwright)|Tom Griffin]] || [[Cort Theatre]], Broadway debut
|-
|1997 || ''[[The Three Sisters (play)|The Three Sisters]]'' || Vershinin || [[Anton Chekov]] || [[Roundabout Theatre Company]], Broadway
|-
|2001 || ''[[Dance of Death]]'' || Kurt || [[August Strindberg]] || [[Broadhurst Theatre]], Broadway
|-
|2003 || ''[[Salome (play)|Salome]]'' || Jokanaan || [[Oscar Wilde]] || [[Ethel Barrymore Theatre]], Broadway
|-
|2012 || ''[[The Heiress (1947 play)|The Heiress]] || Dr. Austin Sloper || Augustus & Ruth Goetz || [[Walter Kerr Theater]], Broadway
|-
|}

=== Music videos ===
{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!Title
!Artist
!Notes
|-
|2018
|"Oh Baby"
|[[LCD Soundsystem]]
|
|}

== Awards and nominations ==
{| class="wikitable unsortable"
|-
! Year
! Award
! Title
! Ref.
|-
| 1991
| rowspan="2" | [[Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male]]
|''[[City of Hope (film)|City of Hope]]''
|{{won}}
|-
| 1992
| ''[[Passion Fish]]''
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1997
| [[Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture]]
| ''[[L.A. Confidential (film)|L.A. Confidential]]''
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[CableACE]] Award for Guest Actor in a Dramatic Special or Series
| ''[[In the Gloaming (film)|In the Gloaming]]''
| {{won}}
|-
| 1999
| [[Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead]]
| ''[[Limbo (1999 film)|Limbo]]''
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan=11|2005
| [[Volpi Cup for Best Actor]]
| rowspan=11|''[[Good Night, and Good Luck]]''
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Academy Award for Best Actor]] 
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role]] || {{nom}}
|-
| [[Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor]] || {{nom}}
|-
|[[Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Cast]] || {{nom}}
|-
| [[Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor]] || {{nom}}
|-
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama]] || {{nom}}
|-
| [[Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead]] || {{nom}}
|-
|[[Satellite Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama]] || {{nom}}
|-
|[[Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture]] || {{nom}}
|-
| [[Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role]] || {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan=2|2010
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film]] || rowspan=2|''[[Temple Grandin (film)|Temple Grandin]]'' || {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie]] || {{won}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2012
| ''[[Hemingway & Gellhorn]]''
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture]]
| ''[[Lincoln (film)|Lincoln]]''
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan=4|2020
| [[AACTA International Award for Best Supporting Actor]]
| rowspan=4|''[[Nomadland (film)|Nomadland]]''
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture]] || {{nom}}
|-
| [[Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor]] || {{nom}}
|-
| [[San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor]] || {{nom}}
|-
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|657|David Strathairn}}
* {{IBDB name}}

{{Navboxes
|title = Awards for David Strathairn
|list  =
{{EmmyAward MiniseriesSupportingActor 2001-2025}}
{{Independentspiritbestsupportingmale 1987-1999}}
{{Satellite Award Best Supporting Actor Series Miniseries or Television Film}}
{{Volpi Cup for Best Actor}}
}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Strathairn, David}}
[[Category:1949 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century American male actors]]
[[Category:21st-century American male actors]]
[[Category:American male actors of Chinese descent]]
[[Category:American male actors of Puerto Rican descent]]
[[Category:American male film actors]]
[[Category:American male stage actors]]
[[Category:American male television actors]]
[[Category:American people of Azorean descent]]
[[Category:American people of Chinese descent]]
[[Category:American people of English descent]]
[[Category:American people of French-Canadian descent]]
[[Category:American people of German descent]]
[[Category:American people of Irish descent]]
[[Category:American people of Native Hawaiian descent]]
[[Category:American people of Northern Ireland descent]]
[[Category:American people of Portuguese descent]]
[[Category:American people of Puerto Rican descent]]
[[Category:American people of Scotch-Irish descent]]
[[Category:American people of Scottish descent]]
[[Category:American people of Swiss descent]]
[[Category:American people of Welsh descent]]
[[Category:Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male winners]]
[[Category:Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie Primetime Emmy Award winners]]
[[Category:Male actors from California]]
[[Category:Male actors from San Francisco]]
[[Category:Male actors of British descent]]
[[Category:Male actors of French descent]]
[[Category:Male actors of German descent]]
[[Category:Male actors of Irish descent]]
[[Category:Male actors of Portuguese descent]]
[[Category:Male actors of Swiss descent]]
[[Category:Native Hawaiian male actors]]
[[Category:Volpi Cup for Best Actor winners]]
[[Category:Williams College alumni]]
[[Category:Redwood High School (Larkspur, California) alumni]]