Shea Whigham
Encyclopedia
Franklin Shea Whigham, Jr. (born January 5, 1969), best known as Shea Whigham, is an American
actor notably starring as Elias "Eli" Thompson on the HBO dramatic series Boardwalk Empire.
, in 1969 to attorney Frank and school librarian Beth, moving to Lake Mary
when he was five years old. He attended Tyler Junior College (Tyler, Texas) and after completing studies there, transferred to the State University of New York
at Purchase, where he was part of a small acting program with only 31 students and a graduating class of eight seniors. After graduating, he co-founded New York City
theatre troupe The Rorschach Group with his college roommate Kirk Acevedo
; he was actor and artistic director with the troupe for three years.
Tigerland
, alongside Colin Farrell
and future Boardwalk Empire co-star Michael Shannon
. He went on to appear in the television movie
s Submerged, R.U.S./H. and Paradise before acting in the 2003 film
All the Real Girls
. Between 2004 and 2006, he was credited in the Japanese film Out of This World, the drama television series Medical Investigation
, the films Water and Man of the House
, the television movie Faith of My Fathers
, and the films Lords of Dogtown
, Psychic Driving
and South of Heaven.
He appeared in Pride and Glory
, with Colin Farrell again, and co-starred in the horror film Splinter
, the thriller Creek
, and the science fiction film Radio Free Albemuth
.
Whigham has a regular role on the HBO series Boardwalk Empire. He portrays Elias "Eli" Thompson, sheriff of Atlantic City, New Jersey
, and brother of the main character Nucky Thompson (Steve Buscemi
).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor notably starring as Elias "Eli" Thompson on the HBO dramatic series Boardwalk Empire.
Early life
Whigham was born in Tallahassee, FloridaTallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee is the capital of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County, and is the 128th largest city in the United States. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In 2010, the population recorded by...
, in 1969 to attorney Frank and school librarian Beth, moving to Lake Mary
Lake Mary, Florida
Lake Mary is a city in Seminole County, Florida, United States. The population was 11,456 at the 2000 census. As of 2009, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 15,230...
when he was five years old. He attended Tyler Junior College (Tyler, Texas) and after completing studies there, transferred to the State University of New York
State University of New York at Purchase
Purchase College, State University of New York, is a public four-year college located in Purchase, New York, United States. It is one of 13 comprehensive colleges in the State University of New York system...
at Purchase, where he was part of a small acting program with only 31 students and a graduating class of eight seniors. After graduating, he co-founded New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
theatre troupe The Rorschach Group with his college roommate Kirk Acevedo
Kirk Acevedo
Kirk Acevedo is an American actor. He is primarily known for his portrayals of Miguel Alvarez in the HBO series Oz, Joe Toye in Band of Brothers and FBI Agent Charlie Francis in the science-fiction series Fringe....
; he was actor and artistic director with the troupe for three years.
Career
Whigham appeared in one 1997 episode of the television series Ghost Stories before he received a starring role in the 2000 film2000 in film
The year 2000 in film involved some significant events.The top grosser worldwide was Mission: Impossible II. Domestically in North America, Gladiator won the Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Actor ....
Tigerland
Tigerland
Tigerland is a 2000 war drama film directed by Joel Schumacher starring Colin Farrell in the role of Private Roland Bozz, and takes place in a training camp for soldiers to be sent to the Vietnam War....
, alongside Colin Farrell
Colin Farrell
Colin James Farrell is an Irish actor, who has appeared in such film as Tigerland, Miami Vice, Minority Report, Phone Booth, The Recruit, Alexander and S.W.A.T....
and future Boardwalk Empire co-star Michael Shannon
Michael Shannon (actor)
Michael Corbett Shannon is an American stage, film, and television actor. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Revolutionary Road...
. He went on to appear in the television movie
Television movie
A television film is a feature film that is a television program produced for and originally distributed by a television network, in contrast to...
s Submerged, R.U.S./H. and Paradise before acting in the 2003 film
2003 in film
The year 2003 in film involved some significant events. Releases of sequels took place with movies like The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, Pokémon Heroes, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines,...
All the Real Girls
All the Real Girls
All the Real Girls is a 2003 romantic drama film written and directed by David Gordon Green. The film debuted at the Sundance Film Festival on January 19, 2003. It stars Paul Schneider, Zooey Deschanel, Shea Whigham, Danny R. McBride, Patricia Clarkson, Maurice Compte and Benjamin Mouton...
. Between 2004 and 2006, he was credited in the Japanese film Out of This World, the drama television series Medical Investigation
Medical Investigation
Medical Investigation was an American medical drama television series that began September 9, 2004, on NBC. It ran for 20 one-hour episodes before being cancelled in 2005...
, the films Water and Man of the House
Man of the House (2005 comedy film)
Man of the House is a 2005 crime comedy film directed by Stephen Herek, written by John J. McLaughlin and Scott Lobdell, and starring Tommy Lee Jones. The main plot revolves around Lt...
, the television movie Faith of My Fathers
Faith of My Fathers (film)
Faith of My Fathers is a 2005 American television film, directed by Peter Markle. Based on the 1999 memoir of the same name by United States Senator and former United States Navy aviator John McCain , it aired on A&E Network on Memorial Day, May 30, 2005.Filmed in Louisiana, Faith of My...
, and the films Lords of Dogtown
Lords of Dogtown
Lords of Dogtown is a 2005 biographical film directed by Catherine Hardwicke, written by Stacy Peralta. The film is based on the story of "The Z-Boys", an influential group of skateboarders who revolutionized the sport...
, Psychic Driving
Psychic driving
Psychic driving was a psychiatric procedure in which patients were subjected to a continuously repeated audio message on a looped tape, in order to alter their behaviour. In psychic driving, patients were often exposed to hundreds of thousands of repetitions of a single statement over the course of...
and South of Heaven.
He appeared in Pride and Glory
Pride and Glory (film)
Pride and Glory is a 2008 crime drama film directed by Gavin O'Connor. It stars Edward Norton, Colin Farrell, Jon Voight, and Noah Emmerich. The film was released on October 24, 2008, in the United States....
, with Colin Farrell again, and co-starred in the horror film Splinter
Splinter (2008 film)
Splinter is a 2008 horror film directed by Toby Wilkins. It had a limited theatrical release on October 31, 2008 and stars Shea Whigham, Paulo Costanzo, Jill Wagner, and Rachel Kerbs. It was filmed near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma...
, the thriller Creek
Creek (film)
Blood Creek, previously known as Creek and Town Creek, is a horror film directed by Joel Schumacher, starring Michael Fassbender as the main antagonist and written by Dave Kajganich. The film had a limited theatrical release on September 18, 2009...
, and the science fiction film Radio Free Albemuth
Radio Free Albemuth (film)
Radio Free Albemuth is an American film adaptation of the 1985 science fiction novel Radio Free Albemuth by author Philip K. Dick. The film is written, directed, and produced by John Alan Simon and stars Alanis Morissette in a lead role...
.
Whigham has a regular role on the HBO series Boardwalk Empire. He portrays Elias "Eli" Thompson, sheriff of Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
, and brother of the main character Nucky Thompson (Steve Buscemi
Steve Buscemi
Steven Vincent "Steve" Buscemi is an American actor, writer and film director. An associate member of the renowned experimental theater company The Wooster Group, Buscemi has starred and supported in successful Hollywood and indie films including New York Stories, Mystery Train, Reservoir Dogs,...
).
Filmography
- Ghost Stories (1997) (TV series)
- TigerlandTigerlandTigerland is a 2000 war drama film directed by Joel Schumacher starring Colin Farrell in the role of Private Roland Bozz, and takes place in a training camp for soldiers to be sent to the Vietnam War....
(2000) - Smuggler's RunSmuggler's RunAlthough some reviews criticize the game for being repetitive and frustrating, the overall response was positive. It achieved an average score of 79/100 on review aggregator Metacritic. -External links:*...
(2000) - Submerged (2001) (TV)
- R.U.S./H. (2002) (TV)
- Bad CompanyBad Company (2002 film)Bad Company is a 2002 action-comedy film directed by Joel Schumacher, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and starring Anthony Hopkins and Chris Rock.-Plot:...
(2002) - All the Real GirlsAll the Real GirlsAll the Real Girls is a 2003 romantic drama film written and directed by David Gordon Green. The film debuted at the Sundance Film Festival on January 19, 2003. It stars Paul Schneider, Zooey Deschanel, Shea Whigham, Danny R. McBride, Patricia Clarkson, Maurice Compte and Benjamin Mouton...
(2003) - Paradise (2004) (TV)
- Out of This World (2004)
- Medical InvestigationMedical InvestigationMedical Investigation was an American medical drama television series that began September 9, 2004, on NBC. It ran for 20 one-hour episodes before being cancelled in 2005...
(2004) (TV series) - Water (2004)
- Man of the HouseMan of the House (2005 comedy film)Man of the House is a 2005 crime comedy film directed by Stephen Herek, written by John J. McLaughlin and Scott Lobdell, and starring Tommy Lee Jones. The main plot revolves around Lt...
(2005) - Faith of My FathersFaith of My Fathers (film)Faith of My Fathers is a 2005 American television film, directed by Peter Markle. Based on the 1999 memoir of the same name by United States Senator and former United States Navy aviator John McCain , it aired on A&E Network on Memorial Day, May 30, 2005.Filmed in Louisiana, Faith of My...
(2005) (TV) - Lords of DogtownLords of DogtownLords of Dogtown is a 2005 biographical film directed by Catherine Hardwicke, written by Stacy Peralta. The film is based on the story of "The Z-Boys", an influential group of skateboarders who revolutionized the sport...
(2005) - Psychic DrivingPsychic drivingPsychic driving was a psychiatric procedure in which patients were subjected to a continuously repeated audio message on a looped tape, in order to alter their behaviour. In psychic driving, patients were often exposed to hundreds of thousands of repetitions of a single statement over the course of...
(2005) - ERER (TV series)ER is an American medical drama television series created by novelist Michael Crichton that aired on NBC from September 19, 1994 to April 2, 2009. It was produced by Constant c Productions and Amblin Entertainment, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
(2006) (TV series) - Wristcutters: A Love StoryWristcutters: A Love StoryWristcutters: A Love Story is a 2006 comedy-fantasy-romance film written and directed by Goran Dukić, starring Patrick Fugit, Shea Whigham, and Shannyn Sossamon. It is set in a strange afterlife way-station that has been reserved for people who have committed suicide.It is based on Etgar Keret's...
(2006) - First SnowFirst Snow (2007 film)First Snow is a 2006 thriller starring Guy Pearce and directed by Mark Fergus. The film was released on March 23, 2007.-Plot:Jimmy Starks is a smooth-talking salesman certain he’s on the verge of a big break, but when his car stalls in the middle of nowhere, a soothsayer named Vacaro First Snow is...
(2007) - StandoffStandoff (TV series)Standoff is an American drama series that premiered on the Fox network on September 5, 2006. Created by Craig Silverstein, the series focused on an FBI Crisis Negotiation Unit whose members negotiated hostage situations and shared relationships. The show was produced by 20th Century Fox Television...
(2007) (TV series) - South of Heaven (2008)
- Pride and GloryPride and Glory (film)Pride and Glory is a 2008 crime drama film directed by Gavin O'Connor. It stars Edward Norton, Colin Farrell, Jon Voight, and Noah Emmerich. The film was released on October 24, 2008, in the United States....
(2008) - SplinterSplinter (2008 film)Splinter is a 2008 horror film directed by Toby Wilkins. It had a limited theatrical release on October 31, 2008 and stars Shea Whigham, Paulo Costanzo, Jill Wagner, and Rachel Kerbs. It was filmed near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma...
(2008) - Blood Creek (2009)
- The Killing RoomThe Killing RoomThe Killing Room is a 2009 psychological thriller film directed by Jonathan Liebesman and starring Chloë Sevigny, Nick Cannon, and Timothy Hutton. It premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival...
(2009) - Spooner (2009)
- Fast & Furious (2009)
- Radio Free AlbemuthRadio Free Albemuth (film)Radio Free Albemuth is an American film adaptation of the 1985 science fiction novel Radio Free Albemuth by author Philip K. Dick. The film is written, directed, and produced by John Alan Simon and stars Alanis Morissette in a lead role...
(2009) - Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New OrleansBad Lieutenant: Port of Call New OrleansBad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans is a 2009 American crime drama film directed by Werner Herzog and starring Nicolas Cage.-Overview:...
(2009) - Barry MundayBarry MundayBarry Munday is a 2010 American comedy film directed by Chris D'Arienzo; it is based on the novel Life is a Strange Place by Frank Turner Hollon. The film stars Patrick Wilson as the titular character, as well as Judy Greer, Malcolm McDowell, Chloë Sevigny, Cybill Shepherd, Billy Dee Williams,...
(2009) - MacheteMachete (film)Machete is a 2010 action film directed by Robert Rodriguez and Ethan Maniquis. The "Machete" character originates from the 2001 Spy Kids film, written and directed by Robert Rodriguez. This film is an expansion of a fake trailer that was released together with Rodriguez's and Quentin Tarantino's...
(2010) - Boardwalk Empire (2010) (TV series)
- This Must Be the PlaceThis Must Be the Place (film)This Must Be the Place is a 2011 drama film directed by Paolo Sorrentino, written by Sorrentino and Umberto Contarello. It stars Sean Penn and Frances McDormand...
(2011) - The Lincoln LawyerThe Lincoln Lawyer (film)The Lincoln Lawyer is a 2011 American thriller film adapted from the novel of the same name by Michael Connelly, starring Matthew McConaughey, Ryan Phillippe, William H. Macy and Marisa Tomei...
(2011) - Take ShelterTake ShelterTake Shelter is a 2011 American drama film starring Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain. The film is written and directed by Jeff Nichols. Plagued by a series of apocalyptic visions, a young husband and father questions whether to shelter his family from a coming storm, or from...
(2011)