Robert Gant

Last updated
Robert Gant
Robert Gant at GLAAD Media Awards.jpg
Gant in 2009
Born
Robert John Gonzalez

(1968-07-13) July 13, 1968 (age 56)
Alma mater
Occupations
  • Actor
  • producer
  • lawyer
Years active1994–present

Robert Gant (born Robert John Gonzalez; July 13, 1968) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Ben Bruckner on the Showtime series Queer as Folk . [1]

Contents

Early life and education

At age ten, Gant began acting in television commercials in Florida and became a member of the Screen Actors Guild at the age of eleven. [2]

Gant studied tap and jazz dance with the American Musical Theatre Company in Tampa, Florida. He performed a soft-shoe routine at MacDill Air Force Base with comedian Bob Hope as part of Hope's USO tour. [3] He attended George D. Chamberlain High School and graduated in 1986. [4]

While attending the University of Pennsylvania, Gant majored in English literature with both Shakespeare and poetry concentrations. At Penn, he was also a performing member of the slightly outlandish, artistically driven all-male a cappella group Pennsylvania Six-5000 and, as part of the school’s acting group Quadramics, played such roles as the sadistic dentist in Little Shop of Horrors . [2] He attended the Georgetown University Law Center, where he obtained his Juris Doctor in 1993. Gant was also a member of the Georgetown Gilbert & Sullivan Society, performing in a number of its productions. [5] [6] Gant started a six-man a cappella group, The MetroGnomes, which performed in venues around Washington, D.C. [2]

Gant accepted a position with the Los Angeles office of Chicago-headquartered international law firm Baker McKenzie. When the firm closed its Los Angeles office shortly thereafter, Gant decided to pursue acting and performing. [2]

Career

From 2002 to 2005, Gant portrayed Professor Ben Bruckner in Showtime's television series Queer as Folk . His character was married in the first legal gay marriage portrayed on American television. [7]

In 2004, Gant starred in the short film Billy's Dad is a Fudgepacker , an homage to 1950s educational films, [8] which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. In 2005, [9] Gant was a series regular in the BBC 3-produced drama Personal Affairs , set in London's financial sector and filmed on location in both London and Scotland. Gant was the sole American in an otherwise all-British cast. [7]

Gant was a producing partner in the production company Mythgarden. Its 2007 feature film Save Me , a drama set against the backdrop of an ex-gay ministry, stars Gant along with Judith Light and Chad Allen and premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. [7] He also co-produced, co-wrote, and starred in the Netflix-distributed period drama Milada , the true story of Czech politician Milada Horáková, who was executed by the Communist government in 1950. [7] [10] [11]

Gant portrayed television's first gay spy in the film, Kiss Me Deadly , which was shot on location in New Zealand. [12] [13] Gant has portrayed Melissa Benoist's Kryptonian father Zor-El on Supergirl , [7] Todd Crimsen on the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why , [14] [7] and Jim Hunter on The Fosters and its spin-off series Good Trouble . [15] [16] [17] Prior to Queer as Folk, Gant recurred as Principal Calvin Krupps in Ryan Murphy's first television series, Popular , [7] [18] and a recurring role as Caroline's boyfriend Trevor in Caroline in the City . [19] [2]

Gant has had guest roles on the television show Friends , where he played one of two men Phoebe was dating simultaneously. The other man Phoebe dates was played by recurring Queer as Folk actor, Matt Battaglia. [7] [19] Gant guest starred in Melrose Place , [13] Becker , [2] several CSI -related shows, [7] Caroline in the City , and Criminal Minds . [18] In 2013, he portrayed Captain Robert Norton in Dead Space 3 , the third installment in the Dead Space video game series released by Electronic Arts. [20]

Personal life

In an interview published by The Advocate magazine, Gant came out as gay in 2002. [21] [22] [23]

Gant supports such organizations as Services & Advocacy for LGBT Elders (SAGE) and Gay & Lesbian Elder Housing (GLEH). [24]

Partial filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1996Cityscrapes: Los AngelesPoliceman B
Jane StreetJay
1997 Hercules Video reference cast
1999 Teaching Mrs. Tingle Professor
The ContractGene Collins
2002Fits and StartsIan
2004 Marie and Bruce Bartender
Billy's Dad Is a Fudge-Packer! Billy's DadShort
2007 Save Me ScottAlso producer
Live!Casting Director
2012 Joshua Tree, 1951: A Portrait of James Dean Ian
2016 Love Is All You Need? Pete Santilli
The Thinning Vince Davi
2017 A Million Happy Nows Dr. Hansen
Milada Bohuslav HorákAlso writer and producer
2021 The Map of Tiny Perfect Things Weatherman Dave
2023 [25] To Catch a KillerJimmy Kittridge (uncredited)

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1994 Ellen Dr. GarberEpisode: "The Dentist"
My So-Called Life GuntherEpisode: "Pressure"
Melrose Place WaiterEpisode: "Just Say No"
1995 My Wildest Dreams StewartEpisode: "Sister's Mister"
Step by Step FiremanEpisode: "The Girls and a Baby"
1996 High Tide MasonEpisode: "Old Friends"
Melrose PlaceDeputy TomEpisode: "Moving Violations"
1997 Townies GuyEpisode: "Things to Do in Gloucester When You Are Dead"
Life with Roger Rod DavisEpisode: "The Boxer Rebellion"
Friends JasonEpisode: "The One with Ross's Thing"
Hangin' with Mr. Cooper BartenderEpisode: "Party, Party"
Silk Stalkings KevinEpisode: "Night of the Parrot"
Head Over Heels BlakeEpisode: "Hot Guy"
Night Stand Frank ThatcherEpisode: "Leave Your Job or I'm Leaving You"
1997–98 Caroline in the City Trevor9 episodes
1998 Style & Substance MatthewEpisode: "Terry, We Hardly Knew Ye"
Fantasy Island Dave SullivanEpisode: "Estrogen"
1999 Becker DougEpisode: "Cyrano De-Beckerac"
Rude Awakening JimEpisode: "Abstinence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder"
2000 Linc's Dr. Brad WheelerEpisode: "I Just Want to Testify"
Veronica's Closet BernieEpisode: "Veronica Sets Josh Up"
2000–01 Popular Calvin Krupps11 episodes
2002 V.I.P. Arthur GoodwinEpisode: "Val Cubed"
Providence GroomEpisode: "It's Raining Men"
2002–05 Queer as Folk Prof. Ben Bruckner 55 episodes
2005 The Closer Julian CarverEpisode: "Batter Up"
2006 Pepper Dennis Benny GoldEpisode: "Celebrity Twin Could Hang"
2007 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Lewis GreyburgEpisode: "Empty Eyes"
2008 Nip/Tuck Jeff MorrisEpisode: "Magda and Jeff"
Kiss Me Deadly Jacob KeaneTelevision film
Special Delivery Nate SpencerTelevision film
2009 Rick & Steve: The Happiest Gay Couple in All the World Mayor MayerVoice; Episode: "The Only Straight in the Village"
CSI: NY Felix RedmanEpisode: "Green Piece"
Tracey Ullman's State of the Union BuzzEpisode: "Fuzzy Cheeks"
Personal Affairs Rock van Gelder5 episodes
Castle Ron BigbyEpisode: "Deep in Death"
CSI: Miami Lloyd ArringtonEpisode: "Hostile Takeover"
2010 Bones Jason HendlerEpisode: "The Dentist in the Ditch"
Hot in Cleveland SteveEpisode: "Birthdates"
90210 Dr. WrightEpisode: "Catch Me If You Cannon"
2011 Mike & Molly KyleEpisode: "First Valentine's Day"
Happily Divorced MarcEpisode: "A Kiss Is Just a Kiss"
The Secret Life of the American Teenager Mr. MartinEpisode: "4-1-1"
My Life As an Experiment Craig RolleTelevision film
2012 Free Agents MarkEpisode: "The Kids Are Probably Alright"
Shameless Greg GarvinEpisode: "Father's Day"
2013 Vegas Rick KentEpisode: "From This Day Forward"
NCIS Mike DunkelEpisode: "Detour"
Anger Management Dr. KonnerEpisode: "Charlie and the Hot Nerd"
Baby Daddy SteveEpisode: "Christening"
Sean Saves the World ChaseEpisode: "Date Expectations"
2013–17 The Young and the Restless David Sherman16 episodes
2014 The Tomorrow People Peter MacKenzieEpisode: "The Citadel"
Episode: "Sitting Ducks"
Hit the Floor Louis JasonEpisode: "Full-Court Press"
2015 Criminal Minds Miles TateEpisode: "Lockdown"
2015–16 Supergirl Zor-El 4 episodes
2016 K.C. Undercover Vice President Jackson ClevelandEpisode: "Accidents Will Happen"
Episode: "Brainwashed"
Summer of DreamsNoah BurnsTelevision film
American Housewife Tim DonohueEpisode: "Krampus Katie"
2017 Hawaii Five-0 Thomas StrathamEpisode: "Huikau na makau a na lawai'a"
2017–20 13 Reasons Why Todd Crimsen6 episodes
2018 The Fosters Jim Hunter3 episodes
Wedding of DreamsNoah BurnsTelevision film
2019 Why Women Kill Dale ClarkEpisode: "You Had Me at Homicide"
Episode: "Practically Lethal in Every Way"
All Rise Daniel FoxEpisode: "Maricela and the Desert"
2019–21 Good Trouble Jim Hunter3 episodes
2021 NCIS: Los Angeles Ron LewisEpisode: "A Fait Accompli"

Stage

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References

  1. "Robert Gant works it out". www.advocate.com. 2002-07-23. Retrieved 2020-02-06.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Gazette | Alumni: Profiles (Sept|Oct 03)". www.upenn.edu. September 2003. Retrieved 2020-02-12.
  3. "10 Nov 2000, 78 - The Tampa Tribune at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2020-02-12.
  4. Chamberlain High School Totem Yearbook. Tampa, Florida. 1986. p. 103.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  5. Evans, Curtis (2017-01-11). Murder in the Closet: Essays on Queer Clues in Crime Fiction Before Stonewall. McFarland. ISBN   978-1-4766-2633-8.
  6. "Georgetown Law Students Get Big Break On Stage". WAMU. Retrieved 2020-02-12.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Robert Gant as Noah on Wedding of Dreams". Hallmark Channel. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
  8. "BILLY'S DAD IS A FUDGE-PACKER | Film Threat". 2005-02-04. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
  9. "BILLY'S DAD IS A FUDGE-PACKER". www.powerupfilms.org. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
  10. "MILADA | American Cinematheque". americancinemathequecalendar.com. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
  11. "Robert Gant". Noovie. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
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  13. 1 2 "Robert Gant, action man". The Bay Area Reporter / B.A.R. Inc. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
  14. DigitalCavalry (2018-09-08). "Interview: Robert Gant". The PC Principle. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
  15. Gelman, Vlada (2019-09-18). "Good Trouble Reunites Entire Fosters Family for Christmas Special — PHOTO". TVLine. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
  16. Umstead, R. Thomas (14 March 2018). "Freeform to End 'The Fosters' With Three-Night Series Finale". Multichannel. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
  17. Young, Candace (2019-09-24). "Video: Robert Gant Joins 'Good Trouble' Ahead of Holiday Special". Soaps.com. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
  18. 1 2 "Robert Gant | TV Guide". TVGuide.com. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
  19. 1 2 Hern, Greg; ez (2008-05-03). "My interview with Robert Gant…". Out in Hollywood. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
  20. "Dead Space 3 (2013) Windows credits". MobyGames. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
  21. "6951 - Robert Gant: The spying game - Gay Lesbian Bi Trans News Archive - Windy City Times". 2019-04-05. Archived from the original on 2019-04-05. Retrieved 2020-02-06.
  22. The Advocate. Here Publishing. 2002-09-17.
  23. The Advocate. Here Publishing. 2002-08-20.
  24. "Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE)", The SAGE Encyclopedia of LGBTQ Studies, SAGE Publications, Inc., 2016, doi:10.4135/9781483371283.n357, ISBN   978-1-4833-7130-6
  25. "To Catch a Killer". IMDB. Retrieved 26 March 2024.