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Life and career

Chernus was born in Rocky River, Ohio. He is a graduate of the Juilliard School's Drama Division.³ An accomplished stage actor, Michael won a 2011 Obie Award⁴ and received a Lucille Lortel Award nomination⁵ for his performance in Lisa Kron's In the Wake at The Public Theater in New York City. On stage, he co-starred with David Hyde Pierce in the Manhattan Theater Club production of Close Up Space at New York City Center.⁶ Other New York credits include such theaters as Playwrights Horizons, the Roundabout Theatre Company, Primary Stages, New York Theatre Workshop, The Atlantic Theater Company, and many productions at the Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, where he played the lead role of KJ in Annie Baker's play, The Aliens, which Charles Isherwood, of The New York Times, named the best play of 2010.⁷

His most recent role was Second Stage Theatre's production of Lips Together, Teeth Apart, co-starring America Ferrera.⁸ Chernus has acted in films such as Men in Black 3, Captain Phillips, The Bourne Legacy, and Jack and Diane. His most notable role to date is Cal Chapman, protagonist Piper Chapman's brother, in the Netflix original comedy-drama series Orange Is the New Black.⁹ Chernus starred as Tom in the Peabody Award winning miniseries Dead Ringers, which premiered on Amazon Prime Video in 2023.¹⁰

He was cast as John Wayne Gacy in the upcoming Peacock series Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy. The series will debut in the Fall of 2025.¹¹

Filmography

Film

Television

Stage

Awards and nominations

External links

• Michael Chernus at IMDb
• Michael Chernus at the Internet Off-Broadway Database (archived)

References

1. "Personal Details for Michael L Chernus, "United States Public Records, 1970-2009"". FamilySearch. Retrieved June 19, 2015. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KKNL-V6D ↩

2. https://peabodyawards.com/award-profile/dead-ringers/ https://peabodyawards.com/award-profile/dead-ringers/ ↩

3. Jackson, Susan. "Spotlight on Danielle Brooks | The Juilliard School". Juilliard. Retrieved June 19, 2015. http://www.juilliard.edu/journal/1309/fame-new-reality-orange-actress ↩

4. "Obie Awards Ceremony". NY Theatre Wire. Retrieved June 19, 2015. http://www.nytheatre-wire.com/ae11051t.htm ↩

5. "26th Annual Lucille Lortel Awards Recipients Announced" (PDF). Lortel Awards. Retrieved June 19, 2015. http://www.lortelaward.com/26th_Annual_Lucille_Lortel_Awards_Recipients_Announced.pdf ↩

6. Isherwood, Charles (December 20, 2011). "Close Up Space with David Hyde-Pierce Review". The New York Times. Retrieved June 19, 2015. https://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/20/theater/reviews/close-up-space-with-david-hyde-pierce-review.html ↩

7. Isherwood, Charles (April 22, 2010). "Theater Reviews : Aliens". The New York Times. Retrieved June 19, 2015. https://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/23/theater/reviews/23aliens.html ↩

8. "America Ferrera and Michael Chernus Star in Lips Together, Teeth Apart, Beginning Tonight". Playbill. October 7, 2014. Retrieved June 19, 2015. http://www.playbill.com/news/article/america-ferrera-and-michael-chernus-star-in-lips-together-teeth-apart-beginning-tonight-332257 ↩

9. Longeretta, Emily (June 20, 2024). "Michael Chernus to Portray John Wayne Gacy in Peacock's Limited Series 'Devil in Disguise'". Variety. Retrieved June 21, 2024. https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/michael-chernus-john-wayne-gacy-peacock-devil-in-disguise-1236043450/ ↩

10. https://peabodyawards.com/award-profile/dead-ringers/ https://peabodyawards.com/award-profile/dead-ringers/ ↩

11. Longeretta, Emily (June 20, 2024). "Michael Chernus to Portray John Wayne Gacy in Peacock's Limited Series 'Devil in Disguise'". Variety. Retrieved June 21, 2024. https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/michael-chernus-john-wayne-gacy-peacock-devil-in-disguise-1236043450/ ↩

12. Tabbara, Mona (February 9, 2024). "Bankside unveils first look at Mala Emde in 'The Girl From Köln', plus suite of sales (exclusive)". ScreenDaily. Retrieved December 20, 2024. https://www.screendaily.com/news/bankside-unveils-first-look-at-mala-emde-in-the-girl-from-k%C3%B6ln-plus-suite-of-sales-exclusive/5190376.article ↩

13. Gans, Andrew (January 31, 2004). "Complete Cast Announced for Guthrie's Romeo and Juliet; McSweeny to Direct". Playbill. http://www.playbill.com/article/complete-cast-announced-for-guthries-romeo-and-juliet-mcsweeny-to-direct-com-117584 ↩

14. Hernandez, Ernio (October 12, 2004). "Adam Rapp's Finer Noble Gases Linger Longer as Off-Broadway Show Extends". Playbill. http://www.playbill.com/article/adam-rapps-finer-noble-gases-linger-longer-as-off-broadway-show-extends-com-122439 ↩

15. James, Caryn (September 26, 2007). "Odd Crew Gathers Round at the Twilight of a Wrestler". The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/26/theater/reviews/26slig.html ↩

16. "Rag and Bone | TheaterMania". www.theatermania.com. https://www.theatermania.com/new-york-city-theater/reviews/rag-and-bone_12117.html ↩