Tracy Letts

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Tracy Letts
Tracy Letts A House of Dynamite-36 (cropped).jpg
Letts at the 2025 New York Film Festival
Born
Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S.
Occupations
  • Playwright
  • screenwriter
  • actor
Years active1988–present
Spouse
​
(m. 2013)​
Children2
Parent(s) Billie Letts
Dennis Letts
Awards Pulitzer Prize for Drama
Tony Award for Best Play
Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play

Tracy S. Letts is an American actor, playwright, and screenwriter. He started his career at the Steppenwolf Theatre before making his Broadway debut as a playwright for August: Osage County (2007), for which he received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Play. As an actor, he won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for the Broadway revival of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (2013).

Contents

As a playwright, Letts is known for having written for the Steppenwolf Theatre, Off-Broadway and Broadway theatre. His works include Killer Joe , Bug , Man from Nebraska , August: Osage County , Superior Donuts , Linda Vista, and The Minutes . Letts adapted three of his plays into films, Bug and Killer Joe , both directed by William Friedkin, and August: Osage County , directed by John Wells. His 2009 play Superior Donuts was adapted into a television series of the same name. As a stage actor, Letts has performed in various classic plays with the Steppenwolf Theatre since 1988. He made his acting Broadway debut as George in the revival of Edward Albee's play Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? , which earned him a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play. He continued acting on the Broadway stage in The Realistic Joneses , All My Sons , and The Minutes.

On television, he is known for his portrayal of Andrew Lockhart in seasons 3 and 4 of Showtime's Homeland from 2013 to 2014, and pyramid-scheme con-artist Nick on the HBO comedy series Divorce from 2016 to 2019. He played Jack McKinney in the HBO sports drama series Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty (2022–2023) for which he was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series. On film he has portrayed Henry Ford II in James Mangold's sports drama Ford v Ferrari (2019) and Herb Sargent in Jason Reitman's biographical comedy-drama Saturday Night (2024). He has also taken leading roles in The Lovers (2017) as well as supporting roles in The Big Short (2015), Indignation (2016), Imperium (2016), Lady Bird (2017), The Post (2017), Little Women (2019), and A House of Dynamite (2025).

Early life

Letts was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to author Billie Letts ( née  Gipson) a college professor and actor Dennis Letts. [1] [2] He has two brothers, Shawn, a musician, and Dana. He grew up in Durant, Oklahoma, and graduated from Durant High School in the early 1980s. He moved to Dallas, where he waited tables and worked in telemarketing while beginning his acting career. He appeared in Jerry Flemmons's O Dammit!, which was part of a new playwrights' series sponsored by Southern Methodist University.

Career

Theatre

Letts moved to Chicago at the age of 20, working for the next 11 years at Steppenwolf Theatre Company and Famous Door. He is still an active member of Steppenwolf. He was a founding member of Bang Bang Spontaneous Theatre, whose members included Greg Kotis, Michael Shannon, Paul Dillon, and Amy Pietz. [3] In 1991, Letts wrote the play Killer Joe . Two years later, the play premiered at the Next Lab Theater in Evanston, Illinois, followed by the 29th Street Rep in New York City. Since then, Killer Joe has been performed in a number of countries in 12 languages. [4]

Letts has written a number of plays. His most famous, August: Osage County , premiered at the Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago on June 28, 2007. It had its Broadway debut at the Imperial Theatre on December 4, 2007; the production transferred to Broadway's Music Box Theatre on April 29, 2008. The Broadway show closed on June 28, 2009, after 648 performances and 18 previews. The show went on to receive seven Tony Award nominations, winning six, including Best Play. [5] The play won Letts the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2008. [6] Letts has also been a finalist for the Pulitzer drama prize for his plays Man from Nebraska and The Minutes ; the Pulitzer committee described The Minutes as a "shocking drama set in a seemingly mundane city council meeting that acidly articulates a uniquely American toxicity that feels both historic and contemporary." [7] [8]

Letts's plays have depicted people struggling with moral and spiritual questions. He says he was inspired by the plays of Tennessee Williams and the novels of William Faulkner and Jim Thompson. He has said that he considers sounds to be effective "storytelling tools" for theater. [9]

During the late 1980s through the late 2000s, Letts acted in many of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company's productions, starring in Steve Martin's Picasso at the Lapin Agile (1994). In 2012, he gained attention for his Broadway debut performance in the revival of Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? at the Booth Theatre. [10] He received positive reviews and won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play. [11] In 2019, he appeared in the Broadway revival of Arthur Miller's All My Sons with Annette Bening at Roundabout Theatre Company's American Airlines Theatre. The show officially opened on April 22, 2019, and closed on June 23, 2019. [12] Letts starred in the 2022 Broadway production of The Minutes, his first time acting in one of his own plays. [13]

Television

Early in his acting career, in the 1990s through the mid 2000s, Letts acted in TV shows including Prison Break , The District , Strong Medicine , Profiler , Judging Amy , The Drew Carey Show , Seinfeld , Early Edition , and Home Improvement . In 2013–14, he joined the cast of Showtime's Homeland as US Senator Andrew Lockhart. He was nominated with the rest of the cast for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Ensemble.

In 2016, Letts joined HBO's marital comedy–drama Divorce . [14] In 2018, Letts was cast in the second season of USA Network's anthology crime drama series The Sinner , opposite Bill Pullman and Carrie Coon. [15] He played Jack McKinney in HBO's 2022 series Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty .[ citation needed ]

Film

Letts starred in Adam McKay's 2015 ensemble piece The Big Short , [16] 2016's Wiener-Dog , Christine , and Elvis & Nixon , and James Schamus's film adaptation of the Philip Roth novel Indignation , [17] [18] as well as the true-story crime thriller adaptation Imperium . [19] Letts appeared in the 2017 films The Lovers , The Post , [20] and Lady Bird . [21] [22]

In 2019, Letts portrayed Henry Ford II in James Mangold's sports drama film Ford v Ferrari , and played Mr. Dashwood in Little Women , a film adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's novel of the same name. [23]

Letts has written screenplays for three feature films based on his plays: Bug (directed by William Friedkin), Killer Joe (also directed by Friedkin); and August: Osage County (directed by John Wells).[ citation needed ] He also wrote the screenplay for the 2021 Netflix feature film The Woman in the Window , starring Amy Adams, based on the eponymous psychological thriller by A. J. Finn.[ citation needed ]

Personal life

Letts and Carrie Coon at the premiere of August: Osage County, Toronto Film Festival 2013 Tracy Letts and Carrie Coon at the premiere of August- Osage County, Toronto Film Festival 2013 -a.jpg
Letts and Carrie Coon at the premiere of August: Osage County, Toronto Film Festival 2013

He married actress Carrie Coon in September 2013. [24] They have two children, born in 2018 [25] [26] and 2021. [27] [28] Letts was previously engaged to actress Sarah Paulson, [29] and was in a relationship with actress Holly Wantuch [30] [31] until her unexpected death in 1998. [32] He has been sober since 1993. [33]

Work as an author

Theater

YearTitleNotesRef.
1993 Killer Joe
1996 Bug
2003 Man from Nebraska
2007 August: Osage County
2008 Superior Donuts
2009 Three Sisters Adaptation [34]
2015The Stretch [35]
2016 Mary Page Marlowe [36]
2017Linda Vista [37]
2017 The Minutes [38]

Screenwriter

YearTitleNotes
2006 Bug Adaptation of his play
2007Cop ShowShort film
2011 Killer Joe Adaptation of his play
2013 August: Osage County Adaptation of his play
2021 The Woman in the Window

Work as an actor

Theater

YearTitleRoleTheatre
1988 The Glass Menagerie Chicago, Steppenwolf Theatre
1991–1995Bang Bang Spontaneous TheatreVarious charactersChicago, No Exit Cafe
1994 Picasso at the Lapin Agile FreddyChicago, Steppenwolf Theatre
1999 Three Days of Rain WalkerChicago, Steppenwolf Theatre
2001 Glengarry Glen Ross John WilliamsonChicago, Steppenwolf Theatre
2002The DazzleChicago, Steppenwolf Theatre
2002Miracle on 34th StreetLawyerChicago Center for Performing Arts
2003Homebody/KabulChicago, Steppenwolf Theatre
2004 The Dresser NormanChicago, Steppenwolf Theatre
2005Last of the BoysChicago, Steppenwolf Theatre
2005 Orson's Shadow Kenneth TynanOff-Broadway, Barrow Street Theatre
2005The Pain and the ItchCashChicago, Steppenwolf Theatre
2006 The Pillowman TupolskiChicago, Steppenwolf Theatre
2006The Well-Appointed RoomStewartChicago, Steppenwolf Theatre
2007 Betrayal RobertChicago, Steppenwolf Theatre
2009 American Buffalo Walter "Teach" ColeChicago, Steppenwolf Theatre
2010 Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? GeorgeChicago, Steppenwolf Theatre
2012Broadway, Booth Theatre
2014 The Realistic Joneses Bob JonesBroadway, Lyceum Theatre
2019 All My Sons Joe KellerBroadway, American Airlines Theatre
2020 The Minutes Mayor SuperbaBroadway, Cort Theatre
2022Broadway, Studio 54 [39]

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1988ParamedicsVan Owner
1992 Straight Talk Sean
1998Chicago CabSports Fan
U.S. Marshals Sheriff Poe
1999 Guinevere Zack
2007Cop ShowMichael CookeShort film
2015 The Big Short Lawrence Fields
2016 Wiener-Dog Danny
Christine Michael Nelson
Elvis & Nixon John Finlator
Indignation Hawes D. Caudwell
Imperium Dallas Wolf
2017 The Lovers Michael
Lady Bird Larry McPherson
The Post Fritz Beebe
2019 Ford v Ferrari Henry Ford II
Little Women Mr. Dashwood
2020 French Exit Franklin "Small Frank" Price (voice)
2021 The Woman in the Window Dr. LandyUncredited
Ghostbusters: Afterlife JackUncredited
2022 Deep Water Don Wilson
2023 Eric Larue Bill Verne
2024 McVeigh Richard Snell
Saturday Night Herb Sargent
2025 A House of Dynamite General Anthony Brady
2026 Rosebush Pruning Post-production
TBA I Play Rocky Sandy MaddoxFilming

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1995 Home Improvement HenryEpisode: "Jill's Surprise Party"
1996–1997 Early Edition Jonathan / Marksman2 episodes
1997 Seinfeld CounterguyEpisode: "The Strike"
1998 The Drew Carey Show LomaxEpisode: "Drew and the Conspiracy"
1999 Judging Amy Mr. KleinmanEpisode: "Pilot"
2000 Profiler Mr. AdamsEpisode: "Train Man"
2001 Strong Medicine KenEpisode: "Wednesday Night Fever"
2001 The District Brad GilroyEpisode: "Melt Down"
2006 Prison Break Peter Tucci2 episodes
2013–2014 Homeland Senator/Director Andrew Lockhart17 episodes
2016–2019 Divorce Nick17 episodes
2017 Comrade Detective Vasile (voice)Episode: "No Exit"
2018 The Sinner Jack Novack7 episodes
2022–2023 Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty Jack McKinney 9 episodes
2024 Mr. Throwback Mitch Grossman5 episodes
2024 The Simpsons Himself (voice)Episode: "Desperately Seeking Lisa"
2025 The Paper John Stack2 episodes
2025 The Lowdown Frank MartinUpcoming series
TBA East of Eden Cyrus TraskUpcoming series

Awards and nominations

OrganizationsYearCategoryWorkResultRef.
Critics' Choice Movie Awards 2013 Best Adapted Screenplay August: Osage County Nominated [40]
Drama Desk Awards 2008 Outstanding Play August: Osage County Won [41]
2013 Outstanding Actor in a Play Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Won [42]
2014Outstanding Ensemble Performance The Realistic Joneses Won [42]
Drama League Awards 2019Distinguished Performance All My Sons Nominated [42]
Primetime Emmy Awards 2024 Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty Nominated [43]
Pulitzer Prize 2004 Drama Man from Nebraska Nominated [44]
2008 August: Osage County Won [45]
2018 The Minutes Nominated [46]
Razzie Awards 2022 Worst Screenplay The Woman in the Window Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Awards 2012 Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama Series Homeland (season three) Nominated [47]
2013 Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama Series Homeland (season four) Nominated [48]
2017 Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture Lady Bird Nominated [49]
Tony Awards 2008 Best Play August: Osage County Won [50]
2013 Best Leading Actor in a Play Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Won [51]
2022 Best Play The Minutes Nominated [42]
Writers Guild of America Awards 2013 Best Adapted Screenplay August: Osage County Nominated [52]

References

  1. ↑ "Interview with Billie Letts". readersread.org.
  2. ↑ "Dennis Letts, 73, a Professor Who Became Broadway Actor, Dies". The New York Times. Associated Press. February 25, 2008. Retrieved July 3, 2008.
  3. ↑ "Tracy Letts's Productions at Steppenwolf". Steppenwolf Theatre Company. 2008. Retrieved July 3, 2008.
  4. ↑ Carlton Stowers (November 27, 2003). "Sweet Revenge". The Dallas Observer. Retrieved July 3, 2008.
  5. ↑ "Tony Winners: 'In the Heights,' 'August: Osage County'". www.vulture.com. June 16, 2008. Retrieved March 17, 2019.
  6. ↑ "The 2008 Pulitzer Prize Winners – Drama". pulitzer.org.
  7. ↑ "Finalists Tracy Letts" pulitzer.org, retrieved April 16, 2018
  8. ↑ "2018 Pulitzer Prize Winners: Full List". The New York Times. April 16, 2018. Retrieved April 16, 2018.
  9. ↑ Aifen Wang (2008). "In-your-face Theatre with In Your Face Sound Design". Stage Research. Archived from the original on June 12, 2008. Retrieved July 3, 2008.
  10. ↑ Gans, Andrew (May 17, 2012). "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, with Tracy Letts and Amy Morton, Will Arrive On Broadway in September". Playbill. Retrieved March 17, 2019.
  11. ↑ Schuessler, Jennifer (June 6, 2013). "'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?' at the Tonys". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved March 17, 2019.
  12. ↑ "All My Sons". Broadway.com. Retrieved March 17, 2019.
  13. ↑ McKinley, Jesse (February 26, 2020). "Tracy Letts Can't Fight With His Playwright". The New York Times. Retrieved July 31, 2024.
  14. ↑ Otterson, Joe (November 2, 2018). "'Divorce' Renewed for Season 3 at HBO With New Showrunner, Smaller Episode Count". Variety. Retrieved March 17, 2019.
  15. ↑ Nguyen, Hanh (May 18, 2018). "'The Sinner' Season 2 Reveals First-Look Photos and Who's Joining Carrie Coon in the Mystery Crime Series". IndieWire. Retrieved March 17, 2019.
  16. ↑ "The Big Short Gets 5 Oscar Nominations Including Best Picture". oscar.go.com. Retrieved March 17, 2019.
  17. ↑ Debruge, Peter (January 25, 2016). "Sundance Film Review: 'Indignation'". Variety. Retrieved March 17, 2019.
  18. ↑ "Indignation (2016)", Rotten Tomatoes, retrieved March 17, 2019
  19. ↑ "Imperium (2016)", Rotten Tomatoes, retrieved March 17, 2019
  20. ↑ "Fritz Beebe, portrayed by Tracy Letts - 'The Post': 16 of the Film's Stars and Their Real-Life Inspirations". The Hollywood Reporter. December 22, 2017. Retrieved March 17, 2019.
  21. ↑ "Lady Bird (2017)", Rotten Tomatoes, retrieved March 17, 2019
  22. ↑ Surrey, Miles (December 13, 2017). "SAG Awards Nominations: 'Lady Bird' Cleans Up, 'Phantom Thread' Flops". The Ringer. Retrieved March 17, 2019.
  23. ↑ "Oscar Nominations 2020: The Complete List". Variety. January 13, 2020. Archived from the original on January 13, 2020. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
  24. ↑ Fierberg, Ruthie (August 18, 2017). "Why Tony Nominee Carrie Coon and Pulitzer Prize Winner Tracy Letts Got Married in a Hospital" . Retrieved March 16, 2024.
  25. ↑ "Carrie Coon and Husband Tracy Letts Expecting Their First Child". Peoplemag. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
  26. ↑ "It's a Boy! The Post Stars Carrie Coon and Tracy Letts Welcome Son Haskell". Peoplemag. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
  27. ↑ Hogan, Michael (August 15, 2021). "Actor Carrie Coon: 'My husband says I have ice-water in my veins'". The Observer. ISSN   0029-7712 . Retrieved March 16, 2024.
  28. ↑ "How Carrie Coon Hid Her Pregnancy on 'The Gilded Age' (Exclusive)". Entertainment Tonight. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
  29. ↑ Schulman, Michael (March 2, 2016). "Sarah Paulson Opens Up About Acting, Marcia Clark and Dating Older Women". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 21, 2020. Retrieved September 9, 2018. Closed Access logo transparent.svg
  30. ↑ https://www.willkern.com/Holly.html
  31. ↑ https://playbill.com/article/holly-wantuch-noted-chicago-actress-dead-at-33-com-73083
  32. ↑ Weber, Bruce (April 14, 2004). "For an Okie Playwright and Actor, A Life With Drama of Its Own". The New York Times. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
  33. ↑ "The Interview Show | Tracy Letts". January 26, 2018. Archived from the original on November 17, 2021. Retrieved October 17, 2021– via www.youtube.com.
  34. ↑ "Three Sisters by Anton Chekhov, adapted by Tracy Letts". Artists Repertory Theatre . Retrieved October 26, 2009. This adaptation of the Russian masterpiece was commissioned by Artists Rep as part three of its four-part Chekhov project. Letts offers a fresh, new look at the decay of the privileged class and the search for meaning in the modern world, through the eyes of three dissatisfied sisters who desperately long for their treasured past.
  35. ↑ ""TEN" earns its rating at The Gift Theatre - Chicago Sun-Times".
  36. ↑ "Carrie Coon Among Cast Of 19 For Steppenwolf's World Premiere Of Tracy Letts Play". Chicago Sun-Times . Retrieved December 7, 2015.
  37. ↑ "Linda Vista | Steppenwolf Theatre". www.steppenwolf.org. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
  38. ↑ "The Minutes | Steppenwolf Theatre". www.steppenwolf.org. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
  39. ↑ "Tracy Letts' Pulitzer Finalist 'The Minutes' Sets Post-COVID 2022 Broadway Reopening, Plans Venue Switch". www.msn.com. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
  40. ↑ "Critics' Choice Awards: The Winners". The Hollywood Reporter . January 16, 2014. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  41. ↑ "August: Osage County". marintheatre.org. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  42. 1 2 3 4 "Tracy Letts (Performer)". Playbill. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
  43. ↑ "Married Duo Carrie Coon and Tracy Letts on Landing Emmy Noms Together for 'Gilded Age' and 'Winning Time'". Variety. August 23, 2024. Retrieved January 11, 2025.
  44. ↑ "Man from Nebraska, by Tracy Letts". pulitzer.org. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  45. ↑ "August: Osage County, by Tracy Letts". pulitzer.org. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  46. ↑ "Finalist: The Minutes, by Tracy Letts". pulitzer.org. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  47. ↑ "The 20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards". Screen Actors Guild Awards . Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  48. ↑ "The 21st Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards". Screen Actors Guild Awards . Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  49. ↑ "The 24th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards". Screen Actors Guild Awards . Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  50. ↑ "August: Osage County". americantheatrewing.org. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  51. ↑ "Steppenwolf's Tracy Letts Wins Best Actor in a Play Tony Award". nbcchicago.org. June 10, 2013. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  52. ↑ "WGA Awards: The Winners". The Hollywood Reporter . February 2014. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
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