Michael Cudlitz
Michael Cudlitz | |
|---|---|
 Cudlitz at GalaxyCon Oklahoma City in 2026 | |
| Born | December 29, 1964 Long Island, New York, U.S. |
| Education | California Institute of the Arts (BFA) |
| Occupations | Actor, director |
| Years active | 1989–present |
| Known for | |
| Spouse | Rachael Cudlitz |
| Children | 2 |
Michael Cudlitz (born December 29, 1964) is an American actor and director known for portraying John Cooper in the NBC/TNTdrama series Southland (2009–2013) for which he won the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 2013, Sergeant Denver "Bull" Randleman in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers (2001), and SergeantAbraham Ford in the AMC horror series The Walking Dead (2014–2018).
Early life
Cudlitz was born on December 29, 1964[1] on Long Island, New York,[2] and raised in Lakewood Township, New Jersey.[3] He is a 1982 graduate of Lakewood High School. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the California Institute of the Arts, from which he graduated in 1990.[4]
Career
Until he landed the role in Band of Brothers, Cudlitz worked in TV and film production in the art department of various shows including as a set carpenter.[5] Cudlitz was a construction coordinator on Beverly Hills, 90210.[6]
His first acting role was in the 1989 film Crystal Ball, playing Scottie. Other roles were Tony Miller on Beverly Hills, 90210 and Tad Overton on Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story, and in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, the second seasons of 24, Lost, FOX series Standoff, and Prison Break. He was also in the movie A River Runs Through It. He guest starred on Over There. He played Bob Destepello in the 1997 film Grosse Pointe Blank. He also played a 30-second role as a bartender in the movie Forces of Nature in 1999.
His breakout role came in 2001 with his portrayal of Sgt. Denver "Bull" Randleman in the World War II miniseries, Band of Brothers.[7][8] Cudlitz starred on the critically acclaimed,[9][10] five-season television drama Southland as patrol officer John Cooper, a 20-year veteran and training officer.[11][12] It was picked up by TNT, who aired the remaining episodes of its first season, bringing it back for a total of five seasons.[13][14] The character struggled with chronic back pain, addiction to pain medication, and ethical issues relating to his partners.[15] Prior to the start of shooting for the show, Cudlitz had a large mole removed from his right upper lip, which had previously been a signature feature of his appearance. The show was cancelled in 2013.[16] Cudlitz won the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his role in 2013.[17]
In 2009, Cudlitz appeared in the science fiction film Surrogates as Colonel Brendon. In 2013, Cudlitz played opposite Melanie Griffith in the movie, Dark Tourist.[18]
From February 2014 to October 2016, he appeared in the AMC TV show The Walking Dead as SergeantAbraham Ford, a character from the comic series of the same name. His first appearance was in the tenth episode of Season 4, an episode entitled "Inmates".[19] Cudlitz's character was killed off in the premiere episode of the show's seventh season entitled "The Day Will Come When You Won't Be". Cudlitz quickly became a fan favorite, with fans noting his quirky and comedic sayings combined with his upfront approach.[20][21]
From 2023 to 2024, Cudlitz played the DC Comics character Lex Luthor in the CWsuperherodrama television series Superman & Lois, based on the DC Comics characters Superman and Lois Lane.
Voice work
Cudlitz voiced Sgt. Glenn "Hawk" Hawkins in the video game Call of Duty 2: Big Red One. He provided additional voice work for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.
Awards
- 2013: Critics Choice Awards, Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, Southland
- 2013: Entertainment Industries Council PRISM Awards, Southland (episode: "Legacy")[22]
Personal life
He is married to Rachael Cudlitz. They have two children.[23] They met while students at CalArts.[3]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | A River Runs Through It | Chub |
| 1993 | Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story | Tad Overton |
| The Liars' Club | Jimbo | |
| 1996 | Savage | Spillane |
| Follow the Bitch | Ty | |
| D3: The Mighty Ducks | Cole | |
| 1997 | Grosse Pointe Blank | Bob Destepello |
| 1998 | The Negotiator | Palermo |
| 1999 | Forces of Nature | Bartender |
| Live Virgin | Bob | |
| 2000 | A Question of Faith | James |
| Lured Innocence | Harry Kravitz | |
| 2003 | Welcome to the Neighborhood | George |
| 2006 | Running Scared | Sal 'Gummy Bear' Franzone |
| 2008 | Sex Drive | Rick |
| Tenure | Tim | |
| 2009 | Crossing Over | San Pedro ICE Processing Agent |
| Surrogates | Colonel Brendan | |
| Stolen | Jonas | |
| 2011 | Satin | Kip Tanner |
| Inside Out | Detective Calgrove | |
| 2012 | Rogue River | Sheriff Boyd; also associate producer |
| 2013 | Dark Tourist | Jim; also Producer |
| Pawn Shop Chronicles | Ben | |
| Cesar Chavez | Sheriff Smith | |
| 2017 | The Trustee | Timothy Waits |
| 2018 | Driven | Morgan Hetrick |
| 2019 | Five Women in the End | PJ Weller |
| 2020 | Return To Hardwick | Self (voice narration) |
| 2023 | Beautiful Disaster | Jim Maddox |
Television (miniseries, TV movies, shorts)
| Year | Title | Role | notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Crystal Ball | Scottie | Short |
| 1996 | Last Exit to Earth | Hardester | TV movie |
| 1998 | Thirst | Andy | |
| 1999 | Small Change | Gary | Short |
| 2001 | Band of Brothers | Sgt. Denver "Bull" Randleman | Miniseries 10 episodes |
| 2002 | Live from Baghdad | Tom Murphy | TV movie |
| 2004 | Homeland Security | Agent Tango 12 | |
| 2008 | Danny Fricke | Praeger | |
| 2011 | Silent Witness | Sam Robb |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Hull High | Schwartz | Episodes: "Episode #1.2", "Episode #1.6" |
| 1991 | 21 Jump Street | Dennis Richards | Episode: "Bad Day at Blackburn" |
| L.A. Law | Passerby | Episode: "Do the Spike Thing" | |
| 1992 | Step by Step | Ed | Episode: "Home Alone" |
| Life Goes On | Ernie | Episode: "The Wall" | |
| 1991–1992 | Growing Pains | Chuck | Episodes: "There Must Be a Pony", "The Call of the Wild" |
| 1992–1993 | Beverly Hills, 90210 | Tony Miller | 11 episodes |
| 1993 | Against the Grain | Bud Hardeman | Episodes: "Pilot", "The Buck Stops... There" |
| 1994 | Lifestories: Families in Crisis | Walton | Episode: "A Body to Die For: The Aaron Henry Story" |
| Picket Fences | White Teenager #1 | Episode: "Elective Conduct" | |
| The Marshal | Gary Lowell | Episode: "Kissing Cousins" | |
| 1996 | ER | Injured Firefighter Lang | Episode: "The Healers" |
| Pacific Blue | Brett Andrews | Episode: "The Enemy Within" | |
| Renegade | Patch / Beau | Episodes: "High Rollers", "The Dollhouse" | |
| 1997 | Leaving L.A. | Joey Reno | Episode: "The Black Widower" |
| Party of Five | Schuyler | Episode: "4.2: Past Imperfect" | |
| 1998 | Touched by an Angel | Landau | Episode: "God and Country" |
| NYPD Blue | Joshua | Episode: "Prostrate Before the Law" | |
| 1999 | Home Improvement | Kyle | Episode: "Whitewater" |
| Buffy the Vampire Slayer | Bob | Episode: "The Zeppo" | |
| Chicago Hope | Episode: "And Baby Makes 10" | ||
| Good vs Evil | The Wiz | Episode: "Men Are from Mars, Women Are Evil" | |
| Snoops | Michael Keppler | Episode: "Constitution" | |
| Love & Money | Joe | Episodes: "Everybody Doesn't Love Eamon", "Puff the Magic Sister" | |
| 2001 | Walker, Texas Ranger | State Trooper | Episode: "Unsafe Speed" |
| Six Feet Under | Dennis, Crossroads Leader | Episode: "Crossroads" | |
| The Mind of the Married Man | Contractor | Episodes: "Just Thinking of You", "When We Were Nice" | |
| Philly | Joe | Episode: "Live and Leg Die" | |
| 2001 & 2009 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Officer William Spencer / Josh Barston | 2 episodes: "And Then There Were None" as Officer William Spencer, "The Grave Shift" |
| 2002 | The Practice | Russell Hampton | Episode: "The Test" |
| Family Law | Darren Carson | Episode: "Big Brother" | |
| Push, Nevada | Episode: "Jim's Domain" | ||
| Fastlane | Det. Ray Cornwright | Episode: "Girls Own Juice" | |
| MDs | Elkin | Episode: "R.I.P." | |
| 2002–2003 | 24 | Rick Phillips | 3 episodes: "Day 2: 2:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m.", "Day 2: 3:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m.", "Day 2: 4:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m." |
| 2004 & 2007 | JAG | Episodes: "Force Recon" as Sergeant Tesla, "Take It Like a Man" as Cpl. Hal Strange | |
| 2004 | Nip/Tuck | Brody | Episode: "Joel Gideon" |
| 2005 | Las Vegas | Brian Carlton Venturi - the Kidnapper | Episode: "When You Got to Go, You Got to Go" |
| Medical Investigation | Lt. Troy Adams | Episode: "Mousetrap" | |
| CSI: Miami | 'Mac' MacKern | Episode: "Nothing to Lose" | |
| 2004 & 2005 | Without a Trace | Mark CaseyFreddy Katen | 2 episodes: "The Line", "John Michaels" |
| 2005 | Line of Fire | Jury Member | Episode: "This Land Is Your Land" |
| Over There | Colonel Ryan | Episode: "The Prisoner" | |
| The Dead Zone | Herb Smith | Episode: "Babble On" | |
| Prison Break | Corrections Officer Robert 'Bob' Hudson | 2 episodes: "Riots, Drills and the Devil: Part 1", "Riots, Drills and the Devil: Part 2" | |
| Wanted | Dep. Reed | Episode: "Lips Are Lips" | |
| Sleeper Cell | LAPD Detective Walt Moss | Episode: "Intramural" | |
| 2006 | Close to Home | Dan Johnson | Episode: "Escape" |
| CSI: NY | Vern Dox | Episode: "Super Men" | |
| 2004 & 2006 | Dr. Vegas | Glen | 2 episodes: "Lust for Life", "For Love or Money" |
| 2006–2007 | Standoff | Frank Rogers | 18 episodes |
| 2007 | Bones | Lucky | Episode: "Death in the Saddle" |
| Criminal Minds | Francis Goehring | Episode: "Identity" | |
| 2005 & 2008 | Lost | Big Mike Walton | 2 episodes: "Collision", "The Beginning of the End" |
| 2008 | The Cleaner | JWB | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2007–2008 | Life | Mark Rawls | 3 episodes: "Pilot: Merit Badge", "Fill It Up", "Did You Feel That?" |
| 2009 | Knight Rider | Lead Gunman | Episode: "Exit Light, Enter Knight" |
| Eleventh Hour | Ben Finney | Episode: "Minamata" | |
| Saving Grace | Donald Gilmore | Episode: "The Heart of a Cop" | |
| 2009–2013 | Southland | John Cooper | 43 episodes Winner - Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series |
| 2014–2017; 2018; 2019–2022 | The Walking Dead | Abraham Ford | 30 episodes Recurring: season 4 Main cast: seasons 5–7 Special guest star (episode: "The First Day of the Rest of Your Life", "What Comes After", "Rest in Peace") Director; 4 episodes (seasons 9–11) |
| 2015 | Ballers | Dan Balsamo | 2 episodes: "Head-On", "Gaslighting" |
| 2016 | House of Lies | Kohl Brother | 2 Episodes: "Violent Agreement", "No Es Fácil" |
| 2018 | Young Sheldon | NASA director[24] | Episode: "Gluons, Guacamole, and the Color Purple" |
| 2018–2019 | The Kids Are Alright | Mike Cleary | Main cast: 23 episodes |
| 2020 | The Walking Dead: World Beyond | N/a | Director; 2 episodes |
| 2021 | Invincible | Josef / Red Rush | Episode: "It's About Time" |
| Clarice | Paul Krendler | Main cast | |
| 2022 | Bosch: Legacy | Edge | Episode: "Always/All Ways" |
| 2023–2024 | Superman & Lois | Lex Luthor | Guest (season 3)[25]Main cast (season 4), 11 episodes; also director, episode: "Sharp Dressed Man" |
| 2026 | Marshals | Randall Clegg |
Video games
| Year | Title | Voice role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Call of Duty 2 | Pvt. Braeburn | Also provides voice work for NPC U.S. Rangers |
| Call of Duty 2: Big Red One | Sgt. Glenn "Hawk" Hawkins | ||
| 2007 | Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare | Griffin, additional voices | |
| 2009 | Red Faction Guerrilla | Saul Marius | |
| Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 | Additional voices | ||
| 2011 | Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 | Griffin, additional voices |
Crew work
Art department
- 1986–1988: Tales from the Darkside – carpenter (12 episodes)
- 1988: The Unnamable – carpenter
- 1989: W.B., Blue and the Bean – set construction
- 1989: C.H.U.D. II: Bud the C.H.U.D. – carpenter
- 1990–1993: Beverly Hills, 90210 – construction coordinator (65 episodes)
- 1996: Dunston Checks In – propmaker gang boss
- 1998: American History X – construction coordinator
- 2007: Nobel Son – propmaker
External links
