Paul Ben-Victor

Paul Ben-Victor, born in 1958 or 1959 in New York City, grew up in Flatbush, Brooklyn, and is an alumnus of Carnegie Mellon University, where he studied theater. His screen debut occurred in 1987 with the television film “Blood Vows: The Story of a Mafia Wife” and an episode of “Cagney & Lacey.” Over his career, he has collaborated with notable directors such as Martin Scorsese, Tony Scott, Clint Eastwood, and Antoine Fuqua.

Ben-Victor is recognized for his role as Greek mobster Spiros Vondas in HBO’s “The Wire” (2003–2008), a series often cited as one of the greatest TV shows. He also played Alan Gray in “Entourage” (2005–2008) and portrayed Moe Howard in the 2000 television film “The Three Stooges.” His other significant television credits include starring as Robert Hobbes in “The Invisible Man” (2000–2002), and a main role as Marshal Stan McQueen in “In Plain Sight” (2008–2012). He has appeared in numerous television dramas such as “FBI,” “Monk,” and “CSI,” and had a recurring role as Steve Richards on “NYPD Blue” (1994–1997).

His recent work includes starring in the Netflix comedy “Nobody Wants This” (2024), which earned a 2024 Golden Globe nomination for Best Comedy Series. He is set to appear in HBO’s upcoming drama series “Lanterns,” based on the Green Lantern DC comic, and Netflix’s “The Lincoln Lawyer.” Other projects include “Man on Fire” and a return as Coach Thurman in “Everybody Still Hates Chris” on Comedy Central. He also portrays New Jersey mob boss Phil Russo in “Power Book III: Raising Kanan” and King Herod in “The Chosen,” slated for Spring 2025. Additionally, he joined the cast of Bill Dubuque’s “M.I.A.” on Peacock NBC playing Boris Federov, a Russian kingpin, demonstrating his continued strong presence in film and television.