Jefferson Mays

Jefferson Mays
Jefferson Mays in 2014
Born	Lewis Jefferson Mays (1965-06-08) June 8, 1965 United States
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1988–present
Spouse(s)	Susan Lyons

Jefferson Mays (born Lewis Jefferson Mays; June 8, 1965) is an American film, stage and television actor.

Life and career

Mays was raised in Clinton, Connecticut with his parents, a naval intelligence officer and a children's librarian, and his siblings. ^[1] Mays graduated from Yale College, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree, and the University of California, San Diego, where he earned a Master of Fine Arts.^[2][1]

He has appeared at La Jolla Playhouse,^[3] Long Wharf Theatre,^[4] the Williamstown Theatre Festival,^[5] and Playwrights Horizons.^[6]

Mays appeared on Broadway in I Am My Own Wife, a Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Doug Wright, from November 2003 (previews) to October 31, 2004.^[7] He had appeared in the play Off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons in May 2003,^[6] and at the La Jolla Playhouse in July 2001.^[3] Mays won the 2004 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play, the 2004 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding One-Person Show, an Obie Award, and a 2004 Theatre World Award for his solo performance.^[7] He also won the 2007 Helpmann Award for Best Male Actor in a Play for seasons of I Am My Own Wife in Australia in 2006.

Mays starred in two Broadway revivals in 2007. He appeared as Henry Higgins in Pygmalion,^[8] in which he won critical praise. The TheaterMania reviewer called him "pitch-perfect", and the production an "excellent revival."^[9] He appeared in a revival of Journey's End in February to June 2007, in which he starred as Private Mason.^[10] Ben Brantley, in the New York Times, called the production "acutely staged and acted."^[11] The TheaterMania reviewer wrote: "Mays is a reliable, obliging Mason."^[12]

In August 2009, Mays appeared at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in Quartermaine's Terms by Simon Grey.^[5][13]

Mays starred in the 2013 Broadway musical A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, in which he played eight roles. He performed in the musical from October 2013 (previews) until closing on January 17, 2016.^[14][15][16] He won the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical.^[17] He also was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical^[18] and tied for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical (with Neil Patrick Harris).^[16][19]

Personal life

Mays is married to Australian actress Susan Lyons.^[2]

Credits

Film

• Rebel in the Rye (2016)
• Ned Rifle (2014)^[20]
• Inherent Vice (2014)
• How to Lose Friends and Alienate People (2008)
• The Notorious Bettie Page (2005)^[21]
• Alfie (2004)^[22]
• Kinsey (2004)^[23]
• The Big Brass Ring (1999)^[24]
• Cousin Bette (1998)^[25]
• The Low Life (1995)^[26]
• Some Folks Call It a Sling Blade (1994)^[27]

Television

• The Americans (2015)^[28]
• Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (2015)^[29]
• The Knick (2015)^[30]
• Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2014, 2015, 2016)
• My America (2012)
• The Good Wife (2011)
• Mildred Pierce (2011)
• Detroit 1-8-7 (2010)
• Lie to Me (2010)
• God in America (2010)
• Nurse Jackie (2010)
• Fringe (2009)
• Law & Order (2009)
• Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2008)
• 30 Rock (2006)
• The Closer (2005)
• A Week in Joe's Basement (1991)
• Dynaman (1988)

Stage (selected)

• "Oslo" (2017)
• "The Front Page" (2016)
• A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder (2013)
• The Best Man (2012 revival)^[31]
• Blood and Gifts (2011)^[32]
• Pygmalion (2007)
• Journey's End (2007)
• I Am My Own Wife (2003)

Awards

References

External links

• Jefferson Mays at the Internet Movie Database
• Jefferson Mays at the Internet Broadway Database
  
• Jefferson Mays biography, iammyownwife.com; accessed July 11, 2015.