Justin Kirk
Justin Kirk is an American actor, born on May 28, 1969, in Salem, Oregon. He began his acting career at a young age, landing his first role in a college production when he was seven. After moving to Minneapolis and studying at the Children's Theatre Company, he pursued a professional career in New York City, where he quickly made a name for himself on stage. Kirk gained significant attention for his role in the acclaimed play "Love! Valour! Compassion!" which later adapted into a successful film.
Throughout his career, he has showcased his versatility across various mediums, appearing in notable television series such as "Weeds," where he played Andy Botwin, and "Angels in America," which earned him an Emmy nomination. Kirk's film work includes roles in "Ask the Dust," "The Presence," and "Vice." Additionally, he has continued to work in theater, receiving accolades for his performances. With a career spanning over two decades, Kirk remains a respected figure in both stage and screen acting.
Subject Terms
Justin Kirk
Actor
- Born: May 28, 1969
- Birthplace: Salem, Oregon
Contribution: Justin Kirk is a Golden Globe– and Emmy-nominated American actor best known for his roles in the 2003 miniseries Angels in America and the comedy-drama Weeds (2005–12).
Background
Justin Kirk was born on May 28, 1969, in Salem, Oregon. His parents met in Oregon when his mother was a musician and his father worked as a photographer in the adult-film industry. When Kirk was a child, he moved with his parents to Union, Washington, where he attended Hood Canal Elementary School on an American Indian reservation. His parents eventually divorced, and his mother remarried.
Kirk landed his first onstage role in The Caucasian Chalk Circle at Evergreen State College, near his home, when he was seven years old. When he was twelve years old, Kirk moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he attended high school and studied acting at the Children’s Theatre Company.
After graduation Kirk moved to New York City to pursue acting professionally. Kirk worked as a bellhop at the Royalton Hotel while he formally studied acting at the famous Circle in the Square Theatre. After finishing his two-year acting program in 1993, Kirk was cast in a Broadway production of Any Given Day at Longacre Theatre.
Career
The exposure from Any Given Day gave Kirk’s burgeoning career the boost it needed to land him the role of Bobby Brahms in the 1994 Off-Broadway premiere of Terrance McNally’s Love! Valour! Compassion!. The play’s plot revolves around eight gay friends spending time at a New York summerhouse.
The series of productions was highly praised, and the actors’ performances garnered the cast an Obie Award for best performance in an ensemble. The next year the play transferred to Broadway, where it again enjoyed widespread success. In 1997 the play’s director, Joe Mantello, adapted the work into a film, with Kirk and the rest of the cast reprising their stage roles.
Kirk’s theatrical triumphs in New York allowed him by the late 1990s to find stage work in Los Angeles as well, and he divided his time working in the two cities. During this time he starred in the acclaimed 1997 two-character play Old Wicked Songs, in which he played a concert pianist; the play, written by Jon Marans, was a finalist for the 1996 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Kirk then began auditioning for film and television roles.
In 1999 he played a man whose marriage is orchestrated by his father in the direct-to-video film The Eden Myth. He followed this up later that year with an appearance in the little-seen comedy Chapter Zero. Also in 1999 Kirk found regular television work when he was cast as medical student Barto Zane on Jack & Jill, a sitcom about a group of friends living in New York City. Kirk appeared in all thirty-two episodes of the show from 1999 to 2001.
Though Jack & Jill was not renewed for a third season, Kirk found other success on the stage. In 2001 he won a Lucille Lortel Award for his role in the lauded play Ten Unknowns. He followed this milestone with the 2002 Off-Broadway play The World Over. He later landed his first lead film role when he was cast as the mental patient Morris Monk in the independent film Outpatient in 2002.
In 2003 Kirk was cast as Prior Walter in the HBO miniseries adaptation of Tony Kushner’s Pulitzer Prize–winning play Angels in America (1993). The story revolves around the social and political reactions to the spread of the AIDS virus in America during the 1980s. Starring in two of the six one-hour episodes, Kirk was widely praised for his performance, and in 2004 he received an Emmy Award nomination for outstanding supporting actor in a miniseries or movie.
After several guest appearances in series including CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Jack & Bobby, and Without a Trace, Kirk made his mainstream television breakthrough when he was cast on Showtime’s comedy-drama Weeds in 2005. The show focused on the Botwin family, led by widowed Nancy (Mary-Louise Parker), who becomes involved in the marijuana trade as a means to support her loved ones. Kirk played Nancy’s immature brother-in-law, Andy, who gradually becomes involved with his family’s drug trade and falls into unrequited love with Nancy.
Weeds received critical acclaim during its early seasons, with special praise going to its actors. Kirk was a regular through the show’s eight-season run, and in 2007 he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for best performance by an actor in a supporting role.
Kirk continued to take other roles in addition to his work on Weeds. He returned to the stage to star in The Understudy, written by Theresa Rebeck. He appeared in several films, including Ask the Dust (2006), The Presence (2010), Elektra Luxx (2010), L!fe Happens (2011), and Vamps (2012).
After Weeds ended in 2012, Kirk landed the lead in his own sitcom, playing Dr. George Coleman on Animal Practice. The show premiered on NBC in August 2012 to mixed reviews before being canceled in October due to low ratings. He also appeared in several films, including the romantic comedy Last Love (2013), the comedy Walter (2015), and the biographical comedy Vice (2018).
Throughout the rest of the 2010s, Kirk had recurring guest roles in a number of television series, including the sitcom Modern Family (2010–11, 2013, 2015), the thriller Tyrant (2014), the science fiction Wayward Pines (2015), and the crime drama APB (2017). In 2018, began appearing in the dark comedy Kidding, starring Jim Carrey.
Impact
With a career spanning more than twenty years, Kirk has proven his acting versatility with a variety of stage and screen roles. He can easily become any character, from an apparent angel who can do no wrong to a petulant and morally ambiguous criminal.
Principal Works
Television
Jack & Jill, 1999–2001
Angels in America, 2003
Weeds, 2005–12
Modern Family, 2010–11, 2013, 2015
Animal Practice, 2012
Tyrant, 2014
APB, 2017
Kidding, 2018–
Film
Love! Valour! Compassion!, 1997
Chapter Zero, 1999
Ask the Dust, 2006
The Presence, 2010
Elektra Luxx, 2010
L!fe Happens, 2011
Vamps, 2012
Last Love, 2013
Walter, 2015
Vice, 2018
Stage
Any Given Day, 1993
Love! Valour! Compassion!, 1994
Old Wicked Songs, 1997
Ten Unknowns, 2001
The World Over, 2002
Other Desert Cities, 2012
Bibliography
Elber, Lynn. “‘Weeds’ Finale: Justin Kirk, Mary Louise-Parker and Jenji Kohan Reflect on Pot Comedy’s Run.” Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 15 Sept. 2012. Web. 18 July 2013.
Jacobs, Alexandra. “Television: When It Comes to TV Angels, He’s Batting .500.” New York Times. New York Times, 7 Dec. 2003. Web. 15 July 2013.
Kirk, Justin. Interview by Bruce C. Steele. Advocate 9 Dec. 2003: 38–44. Print.
Kirk, Justin. “Justin Kirk on the End of Weeds and the Beginning of Animal Practice.” Interview by Erik Adams. AV Club. Onion, 25 Sept. 2012. Web. 20 Aug. 2013.
Owen, Rob. “‘Animal Practice’: An Interview with TV Series Star Justin Kirk.” Seattle Times. Seattle Times, 23 Sept. 2012. Web. 15 July 2013.