Stephen Root facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Stephen Root
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![]() Root in 2024
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Born | Sarasota, Florida, U.S.
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November 17, 1951
Education | University of Florida (BFA) |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1980–present |
Spouse(s) |
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Children | 1 |
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Stephen Root (born November 17, 1951) is a well-known American actor. He has appeared in many movies and TV shows. You might know his voice from popular animated series.
He played Jimmy James in the TV show NewsRadio. He was also Milton Waddams in the movie Office Space. Stephen Root is famous for voicing Bill Dauterive and Buck Strickland in King of the Hill.
He has been in several films by the Coen brothers. These include O Brother, Where Art Thou? and No Country for Old Men. He also appeared in Get Out and Dodgeball. On TV, he was in Star Trek: The Next Generation and The Man in the High Castle. He also had roles in HBO shows like True Blood and Barry. For Barry, he was nominated for an Primetime Emmy Award.
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Early life and education
Stephen Root was born in Sarasota, Florida, on November 17, 1951. His father, Rolland Clair Root, was a project manager. Because of his father's work, Stephen's family moved around a lot. He compared his childhood to that of an Army brat.
He went to Vero Beach High School in Florida. Later, he studied acting at the University of Florida. He left college early to start his acting career on Broadway theater. In 2008, the university recognized him as a distinguished former student. They also gave him his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.
Acting career
Stephen Root started acting on stage in 1980. His first Broadway play was Journey's End. He also performed in All My Sons.
He made his first movie appearance in 1988 in Crocodile Dundee II. That same year, he was in the movie Monkey Shines. He also had a small role in the 1990 movie Ghost.
One of his most famous TV roles was as the funny billionaire Jimmy James on NewsRadio. He also played Bob Mayer on The West Wing. Stephen Root has been in many comedy films. He was the quiet Milton Waddams in Office Space. He also played Gordon Pibb in Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story.
The Coen brothers often cast him in their films. He appeared in O Brother, Where Art Thou? and No Country for Old Men. He was also in The Ballad of Buster Scruggs. Director Kevin Smith even wrote a role just for him in Jersey Girl.
Stephen Root worked with director Mike Judge again in Idiocracy. He played NASA flight director Chris Kraft in From the Earth to the Moon. He also had many guest roles on TV. He was a Klingon Captain in Star Trek: The Next Generation in 1991. He appeared in Harts of the West from 1993 to 1994.

He guest-starred on Seinfeld as a bank manager. He also had a role in Frasier. He appeared in an episode of CSI. He was a regular on the show Ladies Man.
Stephen Root is also a very busy voice actor. He is well-known as the voice of Bill Dauterive and Buck Strickland on King of the Hill. He has voiced characters in animated movies like Ice Age, Finding Nemo, and Rango. His voice roles on TV include Commander Chode in Tripping the Rift and Homebase in The X's. He has also voiced characters in Chowder and Teen Titans.
He played Eddie, a vampire, in HBO's True Blood. He was Dwight Dixon in Pushing Daisies. In 2009, he was in the movie The Men Who Stare at Goats. In 2010, he appeared in 24 and Justified. He played John Lloyd in The Conspirator in 2011. In 2012, he joined the cast of Boardwalk Empire as Gaston Means. He also plays Lynn Boyle, Charles Boyle's father, on Brooklyn Nine-Nine. From 2018, Root starred in the HBO series Barry. For this role, he received an Emmy nomination.
Personal life
Stephen Root married Laura Joan Hase in 1984. They had a son named Cody. He later married actress Romy Rosemont on December 14, 2008. They have worked together on TV shows like Fringe.
Selected filmography
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
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1993 | Dave | Don Durenberger | |
1999 | Office Space | Milton Waddams | |
2000 | O Brother, Where Art Thou? | Mr. Lund | |
2002 | Ice Age | Frank, Start (voice) | |
2003 | Finding Nemo | Bubbles (voice) | |
2004 | Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story | Gordon Pibb | |
2006 | Idiocracy | Judge Hank "The Hangman" BMW | |
2007 | No Country for Old Men | Man who hires Wells | |
2011 | Rango | Doc, Merrimack, Mr. Snuggles (voice) | |
2014 | Selma | Al Lingo | |
2016 | Finding Dory | Bubbles (voice) | |
2017 | Get Out | Jim Hudson | |
2018 | The Ballad of Buster Scruggs | Teller | Segment: "Near Algodones" |
2021 | The Tragedy of Macbeth | The Porter |
Selected television roles
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
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1991 | Star Trek: The Next Generation | Captain K'Vada | 2 episodes |
1995–1999 | NewsRadio | Jimmy James | Main role |
1996 | Seinfeld | Mr. Lager | Episode: "The Invitations" |
1997–2010 | King of the Hill | Bill Dauterive, Buck Strickland, Additional voices | 259 episodes |
2004 | Frasier | Harbin | Episode: "Detour" |
2005–2007 | The West Wing | Bob Mayer | 9 episodes |
2008–2009 | True Blood | Eddie | 4 episodes |
2010–2014 | Justified | Judge Mike Reardon | Recurring role |
2012–2013 | Boardwalk Empire | Gaston Means | Recurring role |
2012–2016 | Gravity Falls | Bud Gleeful | 8 episodes |
2014–2015 | Brooklyn Nine-Nine | Lynn Boyle | 4 episodes |
2016–2019 | The Man in the High Castle | Hawthorne Abendsen | Recurring role |
2018–2023 | Barry | Monroe Fuches / The Raven | Main role |
2019–2022 | Amphibia | Frodrick Toadstool (voice) | Recurring role |
2020 | Perry Mason | Maynard Barnes | 7 episodes |
2021–2023 | Succession | Ron Petkus | 2 episodes |
2022 | The Book of Boba Fett | Lortha Peel | Episode: "Chapter 3: The Streets of Mos Espa" |
Video games
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
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2003 | Finding Nemo | Bubbles |
Theme parks
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
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2007 | Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage | Bubbles | Short film |
Theatre
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
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1980 | Journey's End | 2nd Lieutenant Trotter | Off-Broadway |
1987 | All My Sons | Frank Lubey | Broadway |
See also
In Spanish: Stephen Root para niños