Tergesen will next be seen starring in the independent film "Desert Cathedral." Tergesen also recently starred in "No One Lives" and "The Collection."
Other selected film credits include "Monster" opposite Charlize Theron, "The Forgotten" with Julianne Moore, "Wayne’s World," "Red Tails," "Shaft," "Point Break," "Silver Tongues" and "Helena From The Wedding."
Probably best known for his starring role as Tobias Beecher for six seasons on the acclaimed HBO series "Oz," he has also starred in HBO’s Emmy Award winning mini-series "Generation Kill and Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee."
Tergesen can be seen on the A&E series "Longmire." Theatrical credits include Good Boys and True at Second Stage Theatre, The Foreigner at The Laura Pels Theater, The Exonerated at The Bleecker Street Theater and the New York production of Rapture, Blister, Burn at Playwrights Horizons.
| Full given name: | Lee Tergesen |
| Where you were born/where you were raised: | Essex, CT |
| Zodiac Sign: | Cancer |
| Siblings: | Chris Tergesen is a music supervisor/music editor for TV |
| Special skills: | Tongue tricks (not exactly what you might think). Karaoke master. |
| If you could go back in time and catch any Broadway show, what would it be? | The first Jesus Christ Superstar |
| Did you have any particular mentors or inspirations as a young actor? | Tom Fontana |
| Current show other than your own you have been recommending to friends: | Pippin |
| Favorite showtune(s) of all time: | "Damned For All Time/Blood Money" |
| Favorite musicals: | Jesus Christ Superstar |
| Some favorite modern plays: | Rapture, Blister, Burn (of course) and Moonchildren |
| Broadway or screen stars of the past you would most have loved to perform with: | James Cagney, Marilyn Monroe, Spencer Tracy |
| The one performance – attended - that you will never forget: | The opening night of the revival of Hair in Central Park. There were storm clouds and lightning threatening in the distance for most of the show. It held off until Claude died. The lights went out and when they came up and the ensemble started singing "Let the Sunshine In" and it was a torrential downpour!! Amazing! I cried. |
| Music that makes you cry, any genre: | Radiohead- "How To Disappear Completely" |
| You personal acting idols: | Jeff Bridges, Rita Moreno, John Travolta |
| MAC or PC? | MAC |
| Most played song on your iPod: | "What's My Name" by Miyavi |
| Last book you read: | Steve McQueen biography (I know, I know) |
| Must-see TV show(s): | "RuPaul's Drag Race" |
| Some films you consider classics: | "Saturday Night Fever," "Fearless," "On The Waterfront" |
| Performer you would drop everything to go see: | Miyavi |
| Pop culture guilty pleasure: | I don't experience guilt. Does that make me a sociopath? |
| Three favorite cities: | New York, Kyoto, London |
| First CD/Tape/LP you owned: | Jefferson Starship's "Red Octopus" |
| First stage kiss: | It wasn't on stage. It was next to the stage, with Ann Thompson. I kissed her through a small American flag prop I had in Godspell, which we were rehearsing. I will never forget that kiss and I still have the flag!! |
| Worst job you ever had: | Installing insulation in houses (very itchy) |
| Craziest audition story: | I auditioned for a director once and after we had spoken for a while we started to read the scene. He pulled out this camera that had the kind of lens on it that I saw people in Alaska using to take pictures of moose.
He put it right in my face and started taking snapshots... he asked if I minded. Of course I said no. Should have said YES! |
| What drew you to this project? | Peter Dubois |
| Do you have a favorite moment for your character, or a favorite aspect of playing him? | Despite all the terrible things that get said about Don he just keeps going with the flow. |
| Who have you played on "Law & Order"? | Too many! |
| Any upcoming or side projects you can talk about? | "Longmire" and an independent movie I made called "Desert Cathedral" |
| Career you would want if not a performer: | Pumping gas |
