Mark Pellegrino

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Mark Pellegrino
Mark Pellegrino 2023 San Diego Comic-Con International (cropped).jpg
Pellegrino in 2023
Born
Mark Ross Pellegrino

(1965-04-09) April 9, 1965 (age 60)
OccupationActor
Years active1987–present
Notable work 13 Reasons Why
American Rust
Being Human
Dexter
Far Cry 5
Lost
Mulholland Drive
Quantico
Supernatural
The Closer
The Returned
The Tomorrow People
Height6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Spouse
Tracy Pellegrino
(m. 2008)
Children2 stepchildren

Mark Ross Pellegrino (born April 9, 1965) is an American actor of film and television. He is best known for his work as Lucifer in Supernatural , Paul Bennett in Dexter , Jacob in Lost , James Bishop in Being Human , Clayton Haas in Quantico , Joe Messing in Mulholland Drive , and Deputy Bill Standall in 13 Reasons Why .

Contents

Early life, family and education

Mark Pellegrino was born in Pasadena, California and grew up in Van Nuys, California. [1] He attended Notre Dame High School. [2] When he was in high school, he co-founded and sang in a heavy metal band, XL. It disbanded after school was finished. [3] [4] [5]

Although he enrolled in college and achieved straight As, he dropped out after a year. He saw an advertisement for a modeling agency at a place called John Roberts Powers, where he received some free training. During his training he was picked out for talent by commercial agent Bob Hoover. He was set up with an agent and acting coaches. From there he was sent out into the world of acting and discovered the Meisner acting method. He had no dream to become an actor at the time. [6]

For most of his life, Mark believed Bill Pellegrino (whom his mother divorced when he was two years old) was his biological father. As an adult, Mark ran a search on ancestry.com to learn more about his heritage. He discovered his DNA did not indicate Italian ancestry. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, he asked fans of TV show Supernatural on Twitter (now named X) [7] if they would be interested in finding his real father. Within an hour of posting, his father was found along with the knowledge of having two sisters and three brothers. [8] [9] His biological father, Gerry, is of German descent. [10] [11]

Career

Pellegrino's first appearance into television was on season 2, episode 2 of the series L.A. Law . His debut film role was that of a narcotics dealer in 1987's Fatal Beauty . Some of his earlier television appearances are also in Northern Exposure , Tales from the Crypt , ER , Without a Trace , NYPD Blue , CSI: Crime Scene Investigation , Hunter , and The Commish .

In 1989, he portrayed Hulk Hogan's younger brother in No Holds Barred .

In 1991, he co-starred in Prayer of the Rollerboys as Christopher Collet's aide-de-camp.

In 1998, he played the Blonde Treehorn Thug who stuffs The Dude's head down the toilet and drops his bowling ball, breaking the floor tile, in the cult film The Big Lebowski .

In 1999, he appeared in season 7, episode 3 of The X-Files as a disgruntled fast food joint employee. He was featured in National Treasure as the background FBI agent known as Agent Johnson.

In 2001, he played a hitman in David Lynch's critically acclaimed Mulholland Drive. He portrayed terrorist bomber Bobby James on The Beast .

In 2005, he appeared in the Academy Award winning film Capote , playing murderer Dick Hickock.

In 2006, he played Sadik Marku, an Albanian mob boss, in two episodes of Without a Trace . The first episode was in season 4, episode 22 where he guest starred alongside Mark Sheppard who played Crowley in Supernatural . The second episode was in season 5, episode 5 where he guest starred alongside Rachel Miner who played Meg Masters also which is a role in Supernatural.

In March 2009, he was cast on the ABC series Lost for an appearance in the final 2 episodes of Season 5, to play the role of the mysterious Jacob. Although the press release for the episode refers to his character simply as man No. 1, the episode revealed that he portrayed Jacob, a mysterious character pivotal to the show's plot.

On June 26, 2009, it was also announced that he was cast in a recurring role as Lucifer in season 5 of the CW series Supernatural . He played a recurring role as Lucifer in season 7, and a main role as his character in seasons 12 and 13. He played a main role in season 14 as Nick, Lucifer's vessel, and was a special guest in season 15.

Mark Pellegrino at Calgary Expo 2015 Mark Pellegrino.jpg
Mark Pellegrino at Calgary Expo 2015

In 2011 he portrayed James Bishop, the leader of a vampire clan based in Boston, in the SyFy horror series Being Human in the first season, and reprised his role in seasons 2-4 as a recurring guest. [12]

In 2011, he and Curtis Armstrong, who played Metatron on Supernatural, guest starred alongside each other as well as their characters being enemy lawyers in season 7 of The Closer .

In 2012, he played a man that took a hit out on his wife, who also took one out on him, Daniel Drake in season 2, episode 8 of Person of Interest .

In 2015, he joined the ABC thriller series Quantico playing the recurring role of Clayton Haas. [13]

In 2018, he voiced and motion captured his first video game role as antagonist Jacob Seed in one Ubisoft's Far Cry 5 .

In 2021 and 2024, he played Virgil Poe in the American Rust TV series, a show based on the novel of the same name written by Philipp Meyer.

In July 2024, he appeared in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F as one of Captain Cade Grant's, played by Kevin Bacon, main man antagonist named Beck.

Personal life

He is married to Tracy Pellegrino. [14] He sometimes teaches at Playhouse Paris, which is a Meisner training school his wife owns and runs in Paris, France. [15]

He has stated that his favorite thing to do in the world is to teach [16] and if he was not an actor his alternate career would be to teach history. [17]

He is an atheist. [18]

He is a follower of Objectivism, a philosophy created by Russian-American writer Ayn Rand. [19] Before that he used to be an environmentalist and a registered Democrat. [20] Two of the ways he spreads Rand's views are through two YouTube platforms. The first one is through an affiliation with the Ayn Rand Centre UK, [21] and the second is to his own account with a series he has created called: Reality Checks, which are videos of ideas based on philosophical topics of everyday life. [22]

He has described his political views as classical liberalism. [23]

He is a co-founder of the American Capitalist Party. [24] [25] The party stands for individual rights, limited constitutional government, and laissez-faire capitalism. [26]

Filmography

Key
Denotes works that have not yet been released

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1987 Fatal Beauty Frankenstein
Death Wish 4: The Crackdown Punk
1989 No Holds Barred Randy Thomas
Night Life Allen Patumbo
1990 Prayer of the Rollerboys Bango
1991 Blood and Concrete / Blood & Concrete: A Love StoryBartholomew “Bart” Daniels
Inside OutJackSegment "Doubletalk" - misspelled name as "Mark Pelligrino"
1992 Lethal Weapon 3 Billy Phelps
Mission of JusticeThe Gauntlet Fighter
1993 Trouble Bound Deputy Roy
Midnight WitnessRobert "Robbie/Rob" Patterson
Bank Robber Motorcycle Cop Ted
1994 F.T.W Deputy Jimmy Sommers
1996For Life or Death / Soul of the AvengerEarl StockmanMisspelled name as "Mark Pelligrino"
1997 The Lost World: Jurassic Park Tourist #6Deleted scene
Movies Kill
The Temple of Phenomenal ThingsDodd
Macon County JailDan Oldum
1998 The Big Lebowski Blonde Treehorn Thug #2
A Murder of Crows Professor Arthur Corvus
1999 Clubland Lipton TMisspelled name as "Matt Pellegrino"
Certain GuysCal
Word of MouthDarrowCredited as "Robert Rand"
Honest Injun
2000House of LoveNeilCredited as "Henry Taggert" [27]
Lost in the Pershing Point Hotel Tripper
Drowning Mona Murphy "Murph" Calzone
2001 Say It Isn't So Jimmy Mitchelson
Mulholland Drive Joe Messing
Fault Lines
MonstersSally Spinelli
2002The Killer Next Door / RonnieKeith Schwann
Mother GhostThe WaiterMisspelled name as "Mark Pellagrino"
Treading WaterThe Actor
2003Moving AlanAlan Kennard
The Hunted Dale Hewitt
2004 Spartan Convict
Twisted Jimmy Schmidt
National Treasure FBI Agent Johnson
2005 Ellie Parker Justin
Capote Richard Eugene "Dick" Hickock
2006 Caffeine Tom
2007 The Number 23 Kyle Flinch
2008 The Coverup / The Thacker CaseRon Pebble
2009 An American Affair Graham Caswell
Two:Thirteen John Tyler
Disappearing In AmericaThe BodyguardMisspelled name as "Mark Pellligrino" only in the opening credits
2011 Joint Body / The BanditNick Burke
Bad MeatDoug Kendrew
PostMark
2013 Bad Turn Worse / We Gotta Get Out Of This PlaceGiff
The Trials of Cate McCall Detective Robert Welch
2018 Beirut Cal Riley
2024 Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F Beck
TBAStrangers in a Strange LandGrungy ManPost-production

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1987 L.A. Law PunkEpisode: "The Wizard of Odds"
1988What Price VictoryTV movie
1989 Doogie Howser, M.D. DudeEpisode: "She Ain't Heavy, She's My Cousin"
1990 Hunter John ReynoldsEpisode: "Brotherly Love"
Tales from the Crypt PunkEpisode: "The Switch"
1992 Northern Exposure Rolf HauserEpisode: "Nothing's Perfect"
The Hat Squad Daniel Wilson "D.W." StrongEpisode: "Family Business"
1993 The Commish Joe "Joey" LundEpisode: "The Ides of March"
Class of '61 SkinnerTV movie
1994 Viper YuriEpisode: "Pilot"
Renegade Cletus FreedEpisode: "Living Legend"
Knight Rider 2010 Robert LeeTV movie
1995 Marker Charles "Chuck" CalderEpisode: "The Pink Unicorn"
Deadly Games Ross LoganEpisode: "Car Mechanic"
1996 ER Nathan ConleyEpisode: "The Right Thing"
Nash Bridges FergusonEpisode: "Genesis"
The Sentinel Ray WestonEpisode: "Out of the Past"
Little Surprises JackTV movie
The Cherokee Kid Frank BonnerTV movie
1997 Born Into Exile Walter, Owner of EateryTV movie
1997–2002 NYPD Blue Frank Watkins / Stanley Struel /
Steve Dansick
Special guest (seasons 5–6 and 9; 4 episodes)
1998 Brimstone Robert BuschEpisode: "Ashes"
1999 The X-Files Derwood SpinksEpisode: "Hungry"
2001 The Beast Bobby James / Robert TibideauRecurring role (season 1; 3 episodes)
Thieves BillEpisode: "The General"
2002 Crossing Jordan Keith WalkerEpisode: "Lost and Found"
AstronautsHollywoodTV movie
2003 The Practice Herrick SmoltzEpisode: "Character Evidence"
2003, 2011 CSI: Miami Jed Gold / Greg CalomarEpisode: "Hurricane Anthony"
Episode: "About Face"
2004NYPD 2069Phil PavelkaTV movie
2005, 2009 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Elliot Perolta / Bruno CurtisEpisode: "Gum Drops" (deleted scene)
Episode: "All In"
2006 The Unit Gary SotoEpisode: "Exposure"
Without a Trace Sadik MarkuEpisode: "Requiem"
Episode: "The Damage Done"
2006–2007 Dexter Paul Bennett Recurring role (seasons 1–2; 8 episodes)
2007 Burn Notice Quentin KingEpisode: "Identity"
Grey's Anatomy ChrisEpisode: "A Change Is Gonna Come"
Women's Murder Club Sam JohannesEpisode: "Maybe Baby"
K-Ville QuentinEpisode: "AKA"
SuspectJack LambrosoTV movie
2008 Knight Rider Walter "Walt" CoopertonEpisode: "Knight of the Hunter"
Numb3rs Tim HamerEpisode: "Thirty-Six Hours"
Prison Break Patrick VikanEpisodes: "Deal or No Deal" and "Just Business"
Criminal Minds Lieutenant EvansEpisode: "Brothers in Arms"
2008, 2012 Chuck Fulcrum Agent / HectorEpisode: "Chuck Versus the Fat Lady"
Episode: "Chuck Versus the Goodbye"
2009 Fear Itself Mr. DrakeEpisode: "The Spirit Box"
Ghost Whisperer Ben TillmanEpisode: "Leap of Faith"
The Philanthropist Walter KerabatsosEpisode: "San Diego"
The Mentalist Von McBrideEpisode: "Red Menace"
2009–2010 Lost Jacob Recurring role (seasons 5–6; 7 episodes)
2009–2020 Supernatural Nick / Lucifer Recurring role (seasons 5, 7, 11; 13 episodes)
Main role (seasons 12–14)
Special guest (season 15; 1 episode)
2011 Breakout Kings Virgil DowningEpisode: "Paid in Full"
The Closer Gavin Q. Baker IIIRecurring role (season 7; 6 episodes)
Locke & Key Rendell LockeTV movie
2011–2014 Being Human James BishopMain role (season 1)
Recurring role (seasons 2–4; 5 episodes)
2012 Castle Tom Dempsey / Tom Dempsey IIIEpisode: "The Blue Butterfly"
Grimm Jarold KempferEpisode: "Bad Moon Rising"
Hemingway & Gellhorn Max EastmanTV movie
Revolution Jeremy BakerRecurring role (season 1; 4 episodes)
Person of Interest Daniel "Danny" DrakeEpisode: "'Til Death"
2013–2014 The Tomorrow People Jedikiah PriceMain role (season 1)
2015 Chicago P.D. Jim AnderoffEpisode: "Disco Bob"
The Returned Jack WinshipMain role (season 1)
2015–2016 Quantico Executive Assistant Director to the FBI Clayton HaasRecurring role (season 1; 11 episodes)
2017–2020 13 Reasons Why Deputy Bill StandallRecurring role (seasons 1–3; 17 episodes)
Main role (season 4)
2021 9-1-1 Mitchell TrentEpisode: "Brawl in Cell Block 9-1-1"
2021–2024 American Rust Virgil PoeMain role (season 1; 9 credited episodes - only appears in 6, season 2; 10 episodes) [28]
2022 The Rookie: Feds Walter Krebs / Logan HessEpisode: "Face Off"
2023 Class of '09 Mark TupirikSpecial guest (season 1; 3 episodes)
UnderdevelopedNaderMain role (season 1; 6 credited episodes - only appears in 5 episodes)
TBAA MotelTBAPre-production, also co-executive producer [29]
TBA Untitled Murdaugh Murders series Curtis "Eddie" SmithFilming [30]

Video games

YearTitleRoleNotes
2018 Far Cry 5 Jacob SeedVoice and motion capture performance
2019 Anthem Grandmaster AdamsVoice [31]

Other

YearTitleRoleNotes
2015–2018The Hillywood ShowDancer / SlimerSupernatural Parody [32]
Supernatural Parody 2 [33]

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryNominated workResult
2006 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Capote Nominated
2010 Saturn Awards Best Guest Performance in a Television Series Lost Nominated
2017 Teen Choice Awards Choice TV Villain Supernatural Nominated

References

  1. Guest Mark Pellegrino Discusses the Israel-Palestine Conflict, July 26, 2024, retrieved July 29, 2024 - Time Starts at 2:47 and Ends at 2:57.
  2. The Atlas Society Asks Mark Pellegrino , retrieved September 4, 2022 via YouTube - Time Starts at 7:20 and Ends At 8:30.
  3. "Ep. 187 An Interview with Mark Pellegrino!", Five Minutes with Robert & Amy Nasir, November 29, 2023, retrieved December 2, 2023 via YouTube - Time Starts at 1:09:04 and Ends at 1:10:40.
  4. Pellegrino, Mark [@MarkRPellegrino] (December 1, 2023). "XL… no pics. I'll ask my friend Tony if he has any. And I wouldn't call it fun. I was too insecure and hadn't found my own voice enough to enjoy it" (Tweet). Retrieved April 4, 2024 via Twitter.
  5. "The Devil In The Details with Mark Pellegrino pt.1". A Cowgirl From Hell. Retrieved December 2, 2023.
  6. The Atlas Society Asks Mark Pellegrino , retrieved September 4, 2022 via YouTube Time Starts at the Beginning.
  7. Pellegrino, Mark [@MarkRPellegrino] (July 14, 2020). "Who wants to help me find my biological father?" (Tweet) via Twitter.
  8. Purgatory Con 6 - Mark Pellegrino Panel Saturday , retrieved June 20, 2022 via YouTube - Time Starts at 1:15 and Ends At 4:35.
  9. The Atlas Society Asks Mark Pellegrino , retrieved September 4, 2022 via YouTube - Time Starts at 48:00 and Ends at 48:35.
  10. The Atlas Society Asks Mark Pellegrino . Retrieved April 4, 2024 via www.youtube.com. - Time Starts at 48:00 Minute Mark and Ends at 49:00.
  11. Purgatory Con 6 - Mark Pellegrino Panel Saturday . Retrieved April 4, 2024 via youtube.com.- Time Stars at the Beginning.
  12. Being Human (Drama, Fantasy, Horror), Muse Entertainment Enterprises, Zodiak USA, Quebec Film and Television Tax Credit, January 17, 2011, retrieved May 7, 2022.
  13. Herald, Franchise (October 16, 2015). "What Mystery Surrounds Character Of Newest 'Quantico' TV Series Cast Mark Pellegrino?".
  14. "Tracy Pellegrino". IMDb.com. Retrieved September 26, 2017.
  15. "PLAYHOUSE PARIS – Find your sheep" . Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  16. The Atlas Society Asks Mark Pellegrino , retrieved September 4, 2022 Time Starts at 5:00.
  17. SPNKC 2022 Mark Pellegrino Sunday Panel - Supernatural , retrieved September 26, 2022 - Time Starts at 35:29.
  18. Rubin, Dave. "Mark Pellegrino and Dave Rubin discuss Capitalism and the Role of Government (full episode)". YouTube. The Rubin Report. Event occurs at 23:15. Archived from the original on December 19, 2021. Retrieved June 4, 2016. I'm an atheist.
  19. Good vs. Evil - with Mark Pellegrino - Part I, May 11, 2020, retrieved December 26, 2022.
  20. The Atlas Society Asks Mark Pellegrino , retrieved December 26, 2022 - Time Starts at 5:48.
  21. "Ayn Rand Centre UK - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  22. "Mark Pellegrino - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  23. "Mark Pellegrino On X". X (Formerly Twitter).
  24. "American Capitalist Party". americancapitalistparty.org. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
  25. The Atlas Society Asks Mark Pellegrino , retrieved September 4, 2022 - Time Starts at 38:00 and Ends at 42:00.
  26. "ACP | Platforms" . Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  27. Lazarus, Tom (December 26, 2000), House of Love (Drama, Romance), Indigo Entertainment, retrieved May 8, 2022
  28. Owen, Rob (July 19, 2024). "TV Talk: Filmed-in-Pittsburgh 'American Rust' canceled". TribLIVE.com. Retrieved July 19, 2024.
  29. Wiseman, Andreas (May 29, 2024). "'Supernatural' & '13 Reasons Why' Actor Mark Pellegrino To Lead Series 'A Motel'". Deadline. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  30. Petski, Denise (April 22, 2025). "Murdaugh Murders Hulu Series Adds 7 To Cast". Deadline. Retrieved April 23, 2025.
  31. Characters and Voice Actors - Anthem , retrieved May 8, 2022 Event Occurs at 00:31.
  32. Supernatural Parody by The Hillywood Show® , retrieved May 8, 2022.
  33. Supernatural Parody 2 by The Hillywood Show® , retrieved May 8, 2022.