Adam David Thompson
Adam David Thompson (born May 12, 1986) is an American actor recognized for his portrayals of intense and often antagonistic characters in independent films and television series.[1] Born and raised in Florida, where his family has owned an orange grove for generations, Thompson graduated from Florida State University in 2006 before relocating to New York City to begin his acting career.[2] His notable film roles include the serial killer Albert in A Walk Among the Tombstones (2014), directed by Scott Frank, and Daryl, an orderly at the psychiatric hospital, in M. Night Shyamalan's Glass (2019).[3] On television, he has appeared as Gordon Jerrod in the WGN America series Outsiders (2016–2017), Gatz Brown, a member of an outlaw gang, in the Netflix miniseries Godless (2017), and as Craig G in multiple episodes of Amazon's Mozart in the Jungle (2014–2018). Thompson's early career featured smaller parts, such as the bartender in Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011), before gaining wider attention for his supporting role as Brian in Noah Baumbach's The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) (2017), a critically acclaimed Netflix comedy-drama.[4] He continued to build his resume with genre roles, including Alexis in the horror-comedy Vampires vs. the Bronx (2020) and Joseph in the time-loop thriller Things Will Be Different (2024), which premiered at the SXSW Film Festival. Additional television credits encompass guest appearances on Chicago Fire (2022), Manifest (2023), and The Equalizer (2024), showcasing his versatility across procedural dramas and supernatural narratives.Early life and education
Early life
Adam David Thompson was born on May 12, 1986, and raised in Florida, where his family has resided for generations. His family's agricultural heritage includes ownership of an orange grove, reflecting their longstanding ties to the state's rural landscape.[2][5] Thompson's grandmother contributed to the family legacy by modeling oranges for trade magazines, while his great-grandmother, Lois, led a colorful life as a fur trader and avid golfer who started smoking at age 80. Lois was known for her signature "snort," a homemade mix of Coca-Cola and other ingredients.[2]Education
Thompson attended Florida State University, where he pursued formal training in the performing arts. He graduated in 2006 with a degree in acting from the university's School of Theatre, a program known for its rigorous curriculum in stagecraft and performance.[6][2][7] His high school experience with stage fright ultimately ignited a passion for theater, prompting him to enroll at FSU for specialized acting education.[6] During his studies, Thompson participated in productions at the FSU Lab Theatre, honing foundational skills in character development and live performance essential to his later career.[7]Career
Early career and theater
Thompson began his professional acting career shortly after graduating from Florida State University in 2006, where his theater training laid the groundwork for his stage work. Relocating from his native Florida to New York City, he immersed himself in the city's independent theater scene to hone his craft and build experience. This move marked the start of his transition from academic performances to professional opportunities, though the shift to a bustling urban environment posed initial adjustments for the young actor.[1][2] His theater debut came through lead roles in off-off-Broadway and festival productions, showcasing his versatility in dramatic and ensemble pieces. In 2012, Thompson starred as the lead in End of Days, a play by Jeffrey James Keyes presented at the New York International Fringe Festival, where he portrayed a photographer reuniting with his first love amid apocalyptic themes alongside co-star Libby Winters. He also took the lead in The History of Cardenio, directed by Joe Cacaci, an adaptation drawing from Shakespeare and Fletcher's lost collaborative work. These early stage roles, performed in intimate venues like the Soho Playhouse, allowed Thompson to develop his presence and emotional depth before larger audiences.[7][8] Parallel to his theater commitments, Thompson made his screen debut in the 2011 psychological thriller Martha Marcy May Marlene, directed by Sean Durkin, playing the supporting role of a bartender opposite Elizabeth Olsen in her breakout performance. This minor but pivotal appearance introduced him to film sets, highlighting the differences in pacing and preparation compared to live theater. Transitioning fully from stage to screen involved overcoming hurdles such as initial typecasting in commercials—his entry point into on-camera work—and navigating the competitive audition process in New York, where he balanced sporadic theater gigs with relentless self-taping and networking. The relocation intensified these challenges, as Thompson adapted to the city's relentless rhythm and seasonal harshness, far removed from his Southern roots, while persisting through early rejections to secure his first film credit.[6][2]Breakthrough in film and television
Thompson's breakthrough in film came with his portrayal of Albert, one of the sadistic serial killers in the 2014 thriller A Walk Among the Tombstones, directed by Scott Frank and starring Liam Neeson as the protagonist Matt Scudder.[9] In the film, adapted from Lawrence Block's novel, Thompson's character is a chilling antagonist involved in the kidnapping and murder of young women, contributing to the story's dark exploration of urban crime and moral ambiguity in 1990s New York City.[10] Critics noted the menacing intensity of Thompson's performance alongside co-antagonist David Harbour, which heightened the film's tense atmosphere and its unflinching depiction of violence.[11] This role marked a significant early film credit for Thompson, showcasing his ability to embody complex villains in a major studio production.[2] Transitioning to television, Thompson secured a recurring role as Craig G., a member of the New York Symphony orchestra ensemble, in Amazon's Mozart in the Jungle from 2014 to 2016, appearing in 18 episodes. The series, a Golden Globe-winning comedy-drama about the competitive world of classical music, allowed Thompson to portray the interpersonal dynamics and artistic pressures within the ensemble, adding depth to the ensemble cast led by Gael García Bernal.[12] His involvement in the show, which blended humor with insights into the music industry's underbelly, helped establish Thompson in prestige television during the mid-2010s streaming boom.[2] In 2017, Thompson demonstrated versatility in dramatic genres through lead supporting roles in two limited series. He played Gordon Jerrod, a key figure in the mountain community conflicts, across 6 episodes of WGN America's Outsiders, a drama centered on Appalachian coal miners and clan rivalries.[13] Later that year, he portrayed Gatz Brown, the loyal right-hand man to the outlaw leader in Netflix's Western miniseries Godless, appearing in 7 episodes and contributing to the narrative's focus on a lawless frontier town dominated by women.[14] These roles highlighted Thompson's range in ensemble-driven stories of survival and societal tension. That same year, he gained wider attention for his supporting role as Brian in Noah Baumbach's critically acclaimed Netflix comedy-drama The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected).[15] A pivotal independent film project was Thompson's star turn as Chris in the 2016 post-apocalyptic thriller Here Alone, directed by Rod Blackhurst, where his character is a survivor encountered by the protagonist in a zombie-ravaged world, driving the plot's emotional core of trust and loss. The low-budget production, filmed primarily in the forests of New York's Southern Tier, emphasized practical effects and intimate character interactions over spectacle, reflecting Thompson's hands-on involvement in an indie feature that premiered at Tribeca.[16] This role underscored his commitment to genre storytelling with psychological depth, further solidifying his rising profile in mid-2010s cinema.[6] Thompson continued with antagonistic roles, including Daryl, a member of the Herd of Wolves cult, in M. Night Shyamalan's Glass (2019).[3]Voice acting and other media
Thompson's foray into voice acting began with his contribution to the video game Grand Theft Auto V (2013), where he provided voices for members of the "Local Population," part of an extensive ensemble cast that brought the sprawling open-world of Los Santos to life.[17] The project featured over 500 voice actors, highlighting the massive scale of Rockstar Games' production, which included thousands of lines for pedestrians, bystanders, and incidental characters to enhance immersion in the game's satirical depiction of American society. This role underscored Thompson's versatility in delivering naturalistic, ensemble-driven performances within interactive media. In subsequent years, Thompson expanded his voice work into film, notably voicing the character Adam in Creep Box (2025), a supernatural thriller where his performance as a spectral figure engaged in posthumous dialogues with the protagonist, adding emotional depth to the narrative's exploration of grief and technology.[18] Directed by Patrick Biesemans, the film utilized Thompson's vocal talents to convey the ethereal quality of the role, distinct from on-screen appearances. Thompson also ventured into audiobook narration, contributing to the audio adaptation of Joyce Maynard's To Die For: A Novel (2023), where he lent his voice alongside other narrators to capture the story's tense interpersonal dynamics and media frenzy.[19] This work exemplified his ability to adapt dramatic timing for auditory formats, aligning with his broader acting range in narrative-driven content. Beyond voice roles, Thompson has engaged in other media through podcast appearances, discussing his craft and projects such as A Teacher (2020) and Vampires vs. the Bronx (2020) on platforms like Popternative, offering insights into his approach to character development in diverse genres.[20] These discussions have highlighted his transition across media boundaries, informed by his training and on-set experiences.Filmography
Film
Thompson's feature film work spans independent dramas and genre thrillers, with roles ranging from small supporting parts to leads in recent projects.[21][22][23]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Martha Marcy May Marlene | Bartender | Supporting role; directed by Sean Durkin.[24] |
| 2012 | All Wifed Out | Fanny | Supporting.[25] |
| 2013 | +1 | Kyle | Supporting.[26] |
| 2014 | A Walk Among the Tombstones | Albert | Antagonist (one of the killers); directed by Scott Frank. |
| 2015 | The Missing Girl | J. Lee | Supporting. |
| 2016 | Here Alone | Chris | Supporting.[27] |
| 2016 | Diverge | Brad | Supporting. |
| 2017 | Imitation Girl | Max | Supporting. |
| 2017 | The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) | Brian | Supporting; directed by Noah Baumbach. |
| 2017 | The Truth About Lies | Andy | Supporting.[28] |
| 2018 | Rosy | Eddie | Supporting. |
| 2019 | Glass | Daryl | Supporting (follower of The Beast); directed by M. Night Shyamalan.[3] |
| 2019 | The Day Shall Come | Stevie | Supporting. |
| 2020 | Vampires vs. the Bronx | Alexis | Supporting.[29] |
| 2022 | Over/Under | David Steinberg | Supporting. |
| 2024 | Things Will Be Different | Joseph | Lead role; directed by Michael Felker. |
| 2025 | Creep Box | Adam (voice) | Supporting (voice); directed by Patrick Biesemans.[30] |
Television
Thompson's television appearances span a variety of genres, showcasing his range from comedic ensembles to dramatic thrillers.[31]| Year(s) | Title | Role | Episodes | Role Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | The Blacklist | Marcus | 1 | Guest |
| 2014–2016 | Mozart in the Jungle | Craig G. | 18 | Recurring |
| 2015 | Blindspot | Travis Robek | 1 | Guest |
| 2016–2017 | Outsiders | Gordon Jerrod | 3 | Recurring[32] |
| 2017 | Godless | Gatz Brown | 1 | Guest |
| 2018 | The Sinner | Adam | 3 | Recurring |
| 2019 | The Other Two | Pastor Jax Dag | 1 | Guest[33] |
| 2019 | Chicago P.D. | Billy Mays | 1 | Guest |
| 2019 | NCIS: New Orleans | FBI Special Agent Harper | 1 | Guest |
| 2020 | A Teacher | Nate Wilson | 4 | Recurring |
| 2021 | NCIS: Hawai'i | Mitchell Smith | 1 | Guest |
| 2021–2024 | The Equalizer | C.O. Darren Rigby | 2 | Recurring |
| 2022 | The Thing About Pam | Capt. Mike Lang | 3 | Recurring[34] |
| 2022 | Chicago Fire | Rob Scanlon | 1 | Guest |
| 2023 | Manifest | Patrick Daly | 1 | Guest |