Richard Dale Jenkins (born May 4, 1947) is an American actor. He is well known for his portrayal of deceased patriarch Nathaniel Fisher on the

HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television service, which is the flagship property of namesake parent-subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is based a ...

funeral drama series '' Six Feet Under'' (2001–2005). He began his career in theater at the Trinity Repertory Company and made his film debut in 1974. He has worked steadily in film and television since the 1980s, mostly in supporting roles. His eclectic body of work includes such films as ''

The Witches of Eastwick ''The Witches of Eastwick'' is a 1984 novel by American writer John Updike. A sequel, '' The Widows of Eastwick'', was published in 2008. Plot The story, set in the fictional Rhode Island town of Eastwick in the early 1970s, follows the witc ...

'' (1987), ''

Little Nikita ''Little Nikita'' is a 1988 American thriller film directed by Richard Benjamin and starring River Phoenix and Sidney Poitier. The film marks the first collaboration between Phoenix and Poitier (the second being ''Sneakers'' in 1992). Plot ...

'' (1988), '' Flirting with Disaster'' (1996), '' Snow Falling on Cedars'' (1999), ''

The Mudge Boy ''The Mudge Boy'' is a 2003 American drama film directed by Michael Burke, based on Burke's 1998 short film ''Fishbelly White'' which was featured in the compilation ''Boys Life 5''. It stars Emile Hirsch, Tom Guiry, and Richard Jenkins. It was ...

'' (2003), '' Burn After Reading'' (2008), '' Step Brothers'' (2008), '' Let Me In'' (2010), '' Jack Reacher'' (2012), '' The Cabin in the Woods'' (2012), '' Bone Tomahawk'' (2015), '' The Last Shift'' (2020), '' The Humans'' (2021), and '' Nightmare Alley'' (2021). Jenkins received nominations for the

Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...

, Spirit Award, and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actor for the drama film '' The Visitor'' (2007). He won the

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie is an award presented annually by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). It is given in honor of an actor who has delivered an outstanding pe ...

for the limited drama series '' Olive Kitteridge'' (2014). For his performance in the fantasy drama film ''

The Shape of Water ''The Shape of Water'' is a 2017 period romantic dark fantasy film directed and produced by Guillermo del Toro, who co-wrote the screenplay with Vanessa Taylor. It stars Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins, Doug Jones, Micha ...

'' (2017), he was nominated for the

Golden Globe The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally held every Januar ...

, and

Screen Actors Guild Award Screen Actors Guild Awards (also known as SAG Awards) are accolades given by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). The award was founded in 1995 to recognize outstanding performances in movie an ...

for Best Supporting Actor. The

Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...

miniseries '' Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story'' (2022) garnered him both

and

Emmy The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award catego ...

nominations for Best Supporting Actor, plus an additional Emmy nod for producing the series.

Early life

Jenkins was born and raised in

DeKalb, Illinois DeKalb ( ) is a city in DeKalb County, Illinois, United States. The population was 40,290 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The city is named after decorated Franconian-French war hero Johann de Kalb, who died during the Ameri ...

. His mother, Mary Elizabeth (

née The birth name is the name of the person given upon their birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name or to the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a births registe ...

Wheeler), was a housewife, and his father, Dale Stevens Jenkins, was a dentist. He attended DeKalb High School. Before he became a professional actor, Jenkins drove a

linen Linen () is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant. Linen is very strong and absorbent, and it dries faster than cotton. Because of these properties, linen is comfortable to wear in hot weather and is valued for use in garments. Lin ...

truck; his boss was the father of actor John C. Reilly. He earned a degree in drama from

Illinois Wesleyan University Illinois Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college in Bloomington, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1850, the central portion of the present campus was acquired in 1854 with the first building erected in 1856. History The in ...

before relocating to

Rhode Island Rhode Island ( ) is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Is ...

Career

Theatre

Jenkins worked with the Trinity Repertory Company in Providence, Rhode Island, while breaking into film with a bit part in ''Feasting with Panthers'' (1974), a television film about

Oscar Wilde Oscar Fingal O'Fflahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 185430 November 1900) was an Irish author, poet, and playwright. After writing in different literary styles throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular and influential playwright ...

. When he was given the option of joining the

Screen Actors Guild The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) was an American labor union which represented over 100,000 film and television principal and background performers worldwide. On March 30, 2012, the union leadership announced that the SAG membership voted to m ...

, he accepted immediately. He continued as a member of Trinity's resident acting company and served as its artistic director from 1990 to 1994.

Film

Since his debut in the television movie ''Feasting with Panthers'' (1974), Jenkins has worked steadily in

film A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are generally, sinc ...

. His earlier film credits include '' Silverado'' (1985), ''

Hannah and Her Sisters ''Hannah and Her Sisters'' is a 1986 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Woody Allen. It tells the intertwined stories of an extended family over two years that begins and ends with a family Thanksgiving#Thanksgiving dinner, Than ...

'' (1986), ''

'' (1987), '' Sea of Love'' (1989), '' Blue Steel'' (1990), ''

How to Make an American Quilt ''How to Make an American Quilt'' is a 1995 American drama film based on the 1991 novel of the same name by Whitney Otto. Directed by Jocelyn Moorhouse, the film features Winona Ryder, Anne Bancroft, Ellen Burstyn, Kate Nelligan and Alfr ...

''(1995), '' Flirting with Disaster'' (1996), and '' Snow Falling On Cedars'' (1999). He has worked with the director siblings the Farrelly brothers in ''

There's Something About Mary ''There's Something About Mary'' is a 1998 American romantic comedy film directed by the Farrelly brothers, who co-wrote the screenplay with Ed Decter and John J. Strauss. The film features Cameron Diaz as the title character, while Ben S ...

'' (1998), '' Outside Providence'' (1999), ''

Me, Myself & Irene ''Me, Myself & Irene'' is a 2000 American slapstick black comedy film directed by the Farrelly brothers, and starring Jim Carrey and Renée Zellweger. Chris Cooper, Robert Forster, Richard Jenkins, Daniel Greene, Anthony Anderson, Jerod Mixo ...

'' (2000), '' Say It Isn't So'' (2001) and '' Hall Pass'' (2011). He has also appeared in three Coen Brothers movies: '' The Man Who Wasn't There'' (2001), ''

Intolerable Cruelty ''Intolerable Cruelty'' is a 2003 American romantic comedy film directed, co-written and edited by Joel and Ethan Coen, and produced by Brian Grazer and the Coens. The script was written by Robert Ramsey and Matthew Stone and Ethan and Joel Co ...

'' (2003), and '' Burn After Reading'' (2008). He is in '' North Country'' (2005), has three memorable scenes as FBI Director James (Robert) Grace in '' The Kingdom'' (2007), and Dr. Robert Dobeck in '' Step Brothers'' (2008). RichardJenkinsApr2011

Although primarily known for supporting parts, Jenkins had a lead role in '' The Visitor'' (2007) for which he was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award and an

Academy Award for Best Actor The Academy Award for Best Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 1st Academy Awards to an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading ...

.Maxwell, Erin and Michael Jones
Variety "Film trio feel the Spirit."
December 2, 2008 Jenkins won the

International Press Academy The International Press Academy (IPA) is an American association of professional entertainment journalists, representing both domestic and foreign markets in print, television, radio, cable and new media outlets. Its members have annually been g ...

's Satellite Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture. In 2010, Jenkins costarred in '' Dear John'', as the father of John Tyree (

Channing Tatum Channing Matthew Tatum (born April 26, 1980) is an American actor and producer. He made his film debut in the drama ''Coach Carter'' (2005), and had his Breakthrough role, breakthrough with the sports comedy film ''She's the Man'' (2006) and t ...

), and also co-starred with

Julia Roberts Julia Fiona Roberts (born October 28, 1967) is an American actress. Known for her leading roles across various genres, she has received multiple accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and three Golden Globe Award ...

and

Javier Bardem Javier Ángel Encinas Bardem (born 1 March 1969) is a Spanish actor. In a career spanning over three decades, he has received various accolades, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Critics' Choice Movie Award, tw ...

in '' Eat Pray Love''. In 2012, he appeared in the

Joss Whedon Joseph Hill "Joss" Whedon ( ; born June 23, 1964) is an American screenwriter, director, producer, comic book writer, and composer. He is best known as the creator of several television series: the supernatural drama ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer' ...

and Drew Goddard horror film '' The Cabin in the Woods'' and the action film '' Jack Reacher''. He then appeared in the action films '' White House Down'' (2013) and '' Kong: Skull Island'' (2017). Jenkins co-starred in

Guillermo del Toro Guillermo del Toro Gómez (; born 9 October 1964) is a Mexican filmmaker, author, and artist. His work has been characterized by a strong connection to fairy tales, Gothic fiction, gothicism and horror fiction, horror often blending the genres ...

's fantasy romance drama film ''

'' (2017), for which he received critical acclaim. For his performance, he garnered

and

nominations for Best Supporting Actor.

Television

Jenkins is perhaps best known on television for playing Nathaniel Fisher in the

drama series '' Six Feet Under''. His character is the deceased patriarch of the Fisher family and regularly appears to his family as a ghost or in dreams. He played the role for the show's entire run. He and his castmates received a

for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in 2002. Jenkins portrayed a DEA agent in one episode of ''

Miami Vice ''Miami Vice'' is an American crime drama television series created by Anthony Yerkovich and produced by Michael Mann for NBC. The series stars Don Johnson as James "Sonny" Crockett and Philip Michael Thomas as Ricardo Tubbs, Ricardo "Rico" Tub ...

'' and a mob boss in a later episode. In 2015, Jenkins won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie for his performance as Henry Kitteridge in the

miniseries '' Olive Kitteridge''. In 2022, Jenkins portrayed Lionel Dahmer, father of notorious serial killer

Jeffrey Dahmer Jeffrey Lionel Dahmer (; May 21, 1960 – November 28, 1994), also known as the Milwaukee Cannibal or the Milwaukee Monster, was an American serial killer and sex offender who killed and dismemberment, dismembered seventeen men and boys b ...

, in Netflix's limited series '' Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story''. Starring alongside

Evan Peters Evan Thomas Peters (born January 20, 1987) is an American actor. He made his acting debut in the 2004 drama film '' Clipping Adam'' and starred in the ABC science fiction series ''Invasion'' from 2005 to 2006. Peters gained wide recognition fo ...

and Molly Ringwald, Jenkins appears in all ten episodes of the series created by Ryan Murphy. His performance was described in ''

The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. It was founded on February 21, 1925, by Harold Ross and his wife Jane Grant, a reporter for ''The New York T ...

'' as "brilliant," and he was nominated for the 2023 Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie.

Personal life

Jenkins is married to choreographer Sharon R. Friedrick, with whom he has two children.

Awards and honors

In 2014, Jenkins and his wife Sharon received the Pell Award for Lifetime Achievement from Trinity Repertory Company in Providence.

Filmography

Film

Television

References

External links

*
Interview with Richard Jenkins at everydayyeah.com

Richard Jenkins interview
by Davy Rothbart for

Grantland ''Grantland'' was a sports and pop-culture blog owned and operated by ESPN. The blog was started in 2011 by veteran writer and sports journalist Bill Simmons, who remained as editor-in-chief until May 2015. ''Grantland'' was named after famed ...

* at The Faster Times, Davi Napoleon's Theater Talk {{DEFAULTSORT:Jenkins, Richard 1947 births Living people American male film actors American male stage actors American male television actors American male voice actors Audiobook narrators People from DeKalb, Illinois People from Cumberland, Rhode Island Male actors from Illinois 20th-century American male actors 21st-century American male actors Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie Primetime Emmy Award winners Male actors from Providence, Rhode Island