Bradley Whitford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bradley Whitford
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Whitford at GalaxyCon Richmond in 2025
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| Born | October 10, 1959 Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.
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| Other names | Brad Whitford |
| Education | Wesleyan University (BA) Juilliard School (GrDip) |
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| Years active | 1985–present |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | 3 |
Bradley Whitford (born October 10, 1959) is an American actor and producer. He is well-known for playing Josh Lyman, a White House staff member, in the TV show The West Wing (1999–2006). For this role, he won an Emmy Award in 2001.
Whitford has also appeared in many other popular TV shows and movies. These include Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, The Good Guys, and The Mentalist. He was also in the movies Billy Madison, The Post, and the horror film Get Out. Since 2018, he has played Commander Joseph Lawrence in the TV series The Handmaid's Tale, winning another Emmy Award for this role in 2019.
Contents
Bradley Whitford: A Talented Actor
Early Life and Education
Bradley Whitford was born in Madison, Wisconsin. He lived in Wayne, Pennsylvania, for part of his childhood. His mother was a poet. He grew up in a Quaker family.
He finished high school in Madison in 1977. Later, he studied English and theater at Wesleyan University. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1981. After that, he continued his acting studies at the Juilliard School.
Acting Career Highlights
First Steps in Acting
Bradley Whitford started his acting career on TV in 1985. His first TV show was The Equalizer. He also had a role in the daytime drama All My Children. His first movie was Dead as a Doorman in 1986.
In 1990, he made his debut on Broadway in the play A Few Good Men. This play was written by Aaron Sorkin. Whitford and Sorkin would work together many times after this.
Famous TV Roles
Whitford joined the cast of Aaron Sorkin's show The West Wing in 1999. He played Josh Lyman, a key character in the White House. This role made him very famous. He won an Emmy Award in 2001 for his acting in the show. He even wrote two episodes of The West Wing.
After The West Wing ended in 2006, Whitford worked with Sorkin again. He appeared in the series Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. He also had roles in The Good Guys and The Mentalist. In 2014, he won another Emmy Award for his guest role in the series Transparent.
Since 2018, Whitford has played Commander Joseph Lawrence in The Handmaid's Tale. He won his third Emmy Award for this role in 2019. This made him the first actor to win guest acting Emmys for both comedy and drama shows.
Big Screen Appearances
Bradley Whitford has been in many movies. In the 1980s and 1990s, he appeared in films like Adventures in Babysitting (1987) and Scent of a Woman (1992). He also had roles in Philadelphia (1993) and Billy Madison (1995).
More recently, he starred in the horror film Get Out (2017). He also appeared in the political thriller The Post (2017). In 2019, he was in the monster movie Godzilla: King of the Monsters.
Recent Projects
In 2019, Whitford starred in the musical comedy series Perfect Harmony. He also continued his role as Commander Joseph Lawrence in The Handmaid's Tale. In August 2023, he performed in the play Peter Pan Goes Wrong in Los Angeles. He has several upcoming projects in film and television.
Personal Life and Activism
Bradley Whitford married actress Jane Kaczmarek in 1992. They had three children together. They divorced in 2010.
In 2015, Whitford started dating his Transparent co-star Amy Landecker. They got married in July 2019.
Whitford is known for his support of various causes. He has written columns for The Huffington Post. He is also on the board of advisors for organizations like Let America Vote, which works to protect voting rights. He also supports Citizens' Climate Lobby, an environmental group.
He has spoken at protests and supported political candidates. He has been a strong voice for his beliefs.
Film and TV Shows
Bradley Whitford has had a long and successful career in both movies and television. Here are some of his notable roles:
Film Roles
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Dead as a Doorman | Terry Reilly |
| 1987 | Adventures in Babysitting | Mike Todwell |
| 1990 | Presumed Innocent | Jamie Kemp |
| 1992 | Scent of a Woman | Randy Slade |
| 1993 | A Perfect World | FBI Agent Bobby Lee |
| 1993 | Philadelphia | Jamey Collins |
| 1995 | Billy Madison | Eric Gordon |
| 1999 | Bicentennial Man | Lloyd Charney |
| 2001 | Kate & Leopold | J.J. Camden |
| 2012 | The Cabin in the Woods | Steve Hadley |
| 2013 | Saving Mr. Banks | Don DaGradi |
| 2017 | Get Out | Dean Armitage |
| 2017 | The Post | Arthur Parsons |
| 2018 | The Darkest Minds | President Gray |
| 2019 | Godzilla: King of the Monsters | Dr. Rick Stanton |
| 2020 | The Call of the Wild | Judge Miller |
| 2021 | Tick, Tick... Boom! | Stephen Sondheim |
| 2022 | Rosaline | Adrian Capulet |
Television Roles
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985–1987 | All My Children | Jason | 3 episodes |
| 1994 | The X-Files | Daniel Trepkos | Episode: "Firewalker" |
| 1995 | ER | Sean O'Brien | 2 episodes |
| 1999–2006 | The West Wing | Josh Lyman | 155 episodes |
| 2006–2007 | Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip | Danny Tripp | 22 episodes |
| 2010 | The Good Guys | Detective Dan Stark | 20 episodes |
| 2011 | The Mentalist | Timothy Carter | 3 episodes |
| 2013–2014 | Trophy Wife | Pete Harrison | Main role |
| 2014–2019 | Transparent | Marcy / Magnus Hirschfeld | 8 episodes |
| 2015–2020 | Brooklyn Nine-Nine | Captain Roger Peralta | 4 episodes |
| 2018–2025 | The Handmaid's Tale | Commander Joseph Lawrence | Main role, 35 episodes |
| 2019–2020 | Perfect Harmony | Arthur Cochran | Main role |
| 2021 | What If...? | Colonel John Flynn | Voice role |
| 2023 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Pence Humphreys | Episode: "King of the Moon" |
| 2025 | The Diplomat | Todd Penn | Recurring role |
Awards and Recognitions
Bradley Whitford has received several awards for his acting. He won a Primetime Emmy Award in 2001 for his role as Josh Lyman in The West Wing. He won another Emmy Award in 2015 for his guest role in Transparent. In 2019, he won his third Emmy Award for his work in The Handmaid's Tale.
See also
In Spanish: Bradley Whitford para niños
