Bradley Whitford

Born on October 10, 1959, in Madison, Wisconsin, Bradley Whitford pursued his education in theatre and English literature at Wesleyan University before earning a master’s degree from the Juilliard Theater Center. His early career included professional stage performances in off-Broadway productions like “Curse of the Starving Class” and Broadway’s “A Few Good Men.” Whitford began his television career in 1985 with an episode of “The Equalizer” and secured a recurring role in “All My Children.” His film career started with “Dead as a Doorman” in 1986 and progressed with appearances in notable films such as “Scent of a Woman” (1992), “Philadelphia” (1993), and “Bicentennial Man” (1999). He also guest-starred in popular television series like “ER,” “NYPD Blue,” and “The X-Files,” establishing a diverse acting portfolio in the late 20th century.

Whitford gained significant recognition for his role as Josh Lyman, White House Deputy Chief of Staff, in NBC’s political drama “The West Wing” (1999–2006). This role earned him a Primetime Emmy Award in 2001 for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series and three consecutive Golden Globe Award nominations. He also contributed as a writer for two episodes of the series. Following “The West Wing,” he continued his collaboration with creator Aaron Sorkin on “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.” His career further expanded with diverse roles, including Danny Tripp in “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip” (2006-2007), Dan Stark in “The Good Guys” (2010), and notable film appearances in “The Cabin in the Woods” (2012) and “Saving Mr. Banks” (2013).

A career turning point came with his guest role as Marcy in Amazon’s “Transparent” (2014), for which he won a second Primetime Emmy Award in 2015 for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series. He continued to portray Magnus Hirschfeld in the same series. His role as Dean Armitage in the horror thriller “Get Out” (2017) further solidified his presence in film. From 2018 to 2025, Whitford portrayed Commander Joseph Lawrence in Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale,” earning him his third Primetime Emmy Award in 2019 for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series. He also held a recurring role as Captain Roger Peralta in “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” (2015-2020) and starred in the musical comedy series “Perfect Harmony” (2019-2020).