Jake Weber
Jake T. Weber (born March 12, 1963) is an English actor recognized for his extensive work across film, television, and theater, spanning over three decades with a focus on character-driven roles in drama, horror, and supernatural genres.[1][2] Born in London to an English mother and a Danish-born father, Weber was raised in both the United Kingdom and the United States, attending progressive schools such as Summerhill School in Suffolk before pursuing higher education at Middlebury College in Vermont, where he majored in English literature and political science, and later training at the Juilliard School in New York City and the Moscow Art Theatre in the Soviet Union.[2][3] His early career included theater performances off-Broadway and in Shakespeare in the Park productions at the Public Theater, as well as his film debut as Donna's boyfriend in Oliver Stone's Born on the Fourth of July (1989).[2][4] Weber rose to prominence in the late 1990s and early 2000s with supporting roles in films like Meet Joe Black (1998), where he played Drew opposite Brad Pitt and Anthony Hopkins, and Pushing Tin (1999), alongside John Cusack and Billy Bob Thornton.[1] He garnered further acclaim for his leading turn as Michael, a determined father in the zombie apocalypse, in Zack Snyder's remake Dawn of the Dead (2004). On television, he achieved his most sustained success as Joe DuBois, the pragmatic engineer husband to psychic Allison DuBois (played by Patricia Arquette), in the long-running series Medium (2005–2011), appearing in all 130 episodes across NBC and CBS. Additional notable TV credits include the Western drama Hell on Wheels (2011–2016) as John Campbell and the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why (2017–2020) as school counselor Barry Walker.[1] In recent years, Weber has balanced film and television projects, including the thriller Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021) as rancher Owen Casserly alongside Angelina Jolie, the horror film What Josiah Saw (2021), the thriller Peter Five Eight (2024) as Mr. Lock, and guest appearances on shows like Blue Bloods (2024).[5][6] He also starred as Curtis Clark in the horror thriller Self-Help (2025).[1][7] Weber has been married to producer Korri Culbertson since 2017 and has a son, Waylon, born in 2006; he resides in Los Angeles.[8][1]Early life
Family background
Jake Weber was born on March 12, 1963, in London, England.[1] He is the eldest son of Susan Ann Weber (née Coriat), a British socialite, and Thomas Evelyn "Tommy" Weber (originally Thomas Ejnar Arkner), a Danish-English racing driver.[9][10] His mother was of half Sephardic Jewish descent through her father, Robert Coriat, who was born in Mogador, Morocco, and of Moroccan Jewish heritage, while her mother, Priscilla Crystal Frances Blundell Weigall, was English.[9] Weber's father was born in Denmark to a Danish father and an English mother.[9] Weber has a younger brother, Charley Weber.[11] The family led a nomadic and unconventional lifestyle amid London's countercultural scene of the 1960s and early 1970s, influenced by his parents' associations with rock musicians and involvement in the era's social upheavals.[11] Tragedy struck when his mother died by suicide at age 27 in 1971, leaving Weber, then eight years old, and his brother without her presence during their formative years.[12][11] Following his mother's death, Weber and his brother relocated to the United States, where they lived with extended family members while their father continued his peripatetic life.[11] His father, who struggled with addiction throughout his later years, died in 2006 at age 67.[11] These early familial losses and disruptions profoundly shaped Weber's childhood, marked by instability and exposure to adult worlds far beyond typical youthful experiences.[11]Education
Weber attended A.S. Neill's Summerhill School, a progressive boarding school in Leiston, Suffolk, England, during his early education.[2] He later moved to the United States and enrolled at Middlebury College in Vermont, where he majored in English literature and political science, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree cum laude in 1986.[3][13] Following his undergraduate studies, Weber pursued formal acting training at The Juilliard School's Drama Division in New York City as a member of Group 19 from 1986 to 1990, during which he received a Graduate Diploma; notable classmates included Laura Linney and Jeanne Tripplehorn.[3][2][13] He further honed his craft through studies at the Moscow Art Theatre in Russia, immersing himself in the Stanislavski system during the late Soviet era.[2][3]Career
Theatre work
Weber began his professional stage career with his New York debut in David Hare's A Map of the World at the Public Theater in 1985.[14] His early off-Broadway work in the 1990s included John Patrick Shanley's The Big Funk in 1990, where he showcased his versatility in contemporary American plays.[15] That same year, he performed in the New York Shakespeare Festival's production of Richard III in Central Park, marking the start of his classical training application on stage.[16] In 1991, Weber appeared in the off-Broadway production of Caryl Churchill's Mad Forest, earning a Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Ensemble Performance.[17] He continued with Shakespeare in the Park roles as Cassio in Othello (1991) and Orlando in As You Like It (1992), honing his skills in ensemble-driven outdoor theater.[15] His Broadway debut came in 1992 with Alan Ayckbourn's A Small Family Business at the Music Box Theatre, where he played all five Rivetti brothers—Umberto, Giorgio, Orlando, Vincenzo, and Lotario—in a demanding feat of character differentiation.[18] Weber's mid-1990s off-Broadway credits included Arthur Laurents' Radical Mystique (1995) and Shanley's double-bill Missing Marisa/Kissing Christina (1996), both emphasizing his affinity for intimate, character-focused dramas.[15] Regionally, he starred as Faulkland in The Rivals at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in 1998, contributing to acclaimed summer repertory work.[15] Throughout his theater career, Weber collaborated on original U.S. productions by playwrights such as Shanley, Churchill, and David Lindsay-Abaire, often at venues like the Public Theater and regional houses including Arena Stage and Huntington Theatre Company.[2] His Juilliard training provided a strong foundation in classical and modern techniques, grounding his acting style as he transitioned to film and television in the late 1990s.[2] This stage experience emphasized ensemble dynamics and textual precision, influencing his nuanced screen performances.[15]Film roles
Weber's breakthrough in film came with his portrayal of Drew, the scheming business executive romantically involved with the protagonist's daughter, in Martin Brest's 1998 romantic fantasy Meet Joe Black, where he acted opposite Brad Pitt as Death incarnate and Anthony Hopkins as a media mogul facing mortality.[19][20] The role highlighted Weber's ability to embody corporate ambition and moral ambiguity in a high-profile ensemble, contributing to the film's exploration of life, death, and ethical dilemmas. His theater background, honed in stage productions, lent a layered intensity to such character-driven scenes.[21] In 2004, Weber took on a leading role as Michael, a determined father navigating a zombie apocalypse and protecting his family amid a group of survivors barricaded in a mall, in Zack Snyder's action-horror remake Dawn of the Dead.[22][23] This performance as the everyman hero in the survival thriller, which grossed over $100 million worldwide and revitalized the zombie genre, demonstrated his command of tense, ensemble dynamics in high-stakes scenarios.[22] Earlier, Weber appeared as Lieutenant Michael Hirsch, the German-speaking intelligence officer crucial to a covert U.S. Navy mission to capture a Nazi Enigma machine, in Jonathan Mostow's 2000 World War II thriller U-571. His character's strategic expertise drove key plot elements in the submarine-based action film, which earned praise for its technical authenticity and box-office success exceeding $127 million globally. Among Weber's recent film work, he played Owen Casserly, a forensic accountant targeted by assassins alongside his son, in Taylor Sheridan's 2021 survival thriller Those Who Wish Me Dead, starring Angelina Jolie as a smokejumper aiding their escape through wildfire-ravaged Montana forests. In 2024, he portrayed Lock, the enigmatic employer hiring a hitman in the suspenseful indie thriller Peter Five Eight, directed by Michael Zaiko Hall and featuring Kevin Spacey.[24] Most recently, in the 2025 horror thriller Self-Help, Weber embodied Curtis Clark, the charismatic yet manipulative leader of a self-actualization cult that ensnares a family, blending psychological tension with supernatural elements.[25] Critics have commended Weber for his versatile supporting roles in thrillers and dramas, noting his skill in infusing characters with subtle menace and emotional depth, as seen in his contributions to ensemble casts in films like Dawn of the Dead and Meet Joe Black.[26][23]Television roles
Weber began his television career with guest appearances on series such as Law & Order in 1990, where he played various supporting roles across multiple episodes. His early breakthrough came in 1995 as Dr. Matt Crower, the town physician in the horror-drama American Gothic, a CBS series that marked his debut as a series regular and explored supernatural themes in a Southern setting.[2] The show ran for one season, showcasing Weber's ability to portray grounded characters amid eerie narratives.[27] In the early 2000s, Weber continued with series regular roles, including Martin Klein in HBO's The Mind of the Married Man (2001–2002), a comedy-drama examining suburban marital dynamics.[2] He earned wider recognition for his portrayal of Joe DuBois, the pragmatic engineer and husband to psychic Allison DuBois (played by Patricia Arquette), in the NBC/CBS supernatural drama Medium from 2005 to 2011, appearing in all 130 episodes.[28] For this role, Weber received a Satellite Award nomination for Outstanding Actor in a Series, Drama in 2005.[29] Transitioning to more intense dramatic fare, Weber recurred as John Campbell, the provisional governor of the Wyoming Territory and a cunning carpetbagger, in AMC's Western Hell on Wheels across 15 episodes from 2014 to 2016, contributing to the series' depiction of post-Civil War railroad expansion.[30] He later played Brett O'Keefe, a controversial right-wing media pundit, in 11 episodes of Showtime's Homeland during seasons 6 and 7 (2017–2018), embodying a figure inspired by real-world conservative commentators amid espionage intrigue.[31] He also portrayed school counselor Barry Walker in the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why (2017–2020). This period reflected Weber's evolution from episodic guest spots to sustained roles in acclaimed cable dramas, often as morally complex authority figures.[32] In recent years, Weber has taken on guest roles, including Jim Carter, a former NCIS agent turned security head, in a 2023 episode of CBS's NCIS: Hawai'i.[33] Most notably, in 2024, he guest-starred as British investigator Christopher Granger in the Blue Bloods episode "Without Fear or Favor," partnering with Detective Danny Reagan to track an international fugitive.[34] These appearances underscore his versatility in procedural formats while maintaining a focus on character-driven prestige television.Personal life
Marriages and relationships
Weber was married to actress Diane Weber from 1995 until their divorce in 2002.[35][14] Following his first marriage, Weber entered a long-term relationship with actress and handbag designer Elizabeth "Liz" Carey in the early 2000s, which coincided with his starring role on the television series Medium.[11] The couple lived together in Los Angeles and welcomed a son, Waylon, in 2006; in 2009, they expressed plans to marry soon.[11] Their relationship ended around 2011.[36] In 2017, Weber married his longtime partner, Korri Culbertson.[8][3] Throughout his adult life, Weber has maintained a low public profile regarding his romantic partnerships, with sparse media coverage focused primarily on his commitments to family stability.[11][8]Children
Jake Weber has one son, Waylon Weber, born on March 24, 2006, with his former partner, actress Elizabeth Carey.[37][10] Weber and Carey raised Waylon in Los Angeles, where Weber balanced his demanding acting career—particularly his role on the television series Medium—with family responsibilities. In a 2009 interview, Weber expressed commitment to this family life, stating, “I’m here and I’m doing it,” while reflecting on overcoming challenges from his own unconventional upbringing to provide stability for his son.[11] Weber has maintained a high level of privacy regarding Waylon, with public sightings of the pair limited to occasional early childhood appearances, such as at a 2008 park outing and a 2011 family event. No professional involvement in the entertainment industry has been noted for Waylon.[38][39]Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Director |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Born on the Fourth of July | Donna's boyfriend | Oliver Stone |
| 1992 | A Stranger Among Us | Yaakov Klausman | Sidney Lumet |
| 1993 | The Pelican Brief | Curtis Morgan / Garcia | Alan J. Pakula |
| 1993 | Skin Art | Richard | William Blake Herron |
| 1998 | Dangerous Beauty | Maffio Venier | Marshall Herskovitz |
| 1998 | Meet Joe Black | Drew Sinclair | Martin Brest |
| 1998 | Into My Heart | Adam | Jon Gow |
| 1999 | Cherry | Dr. Mark Norton | N/A |
| 1999 | In Too Deep | Knox | Michael Rymer |
| 1999 | Pushing Tin | VTO #1 | Mike Newell |
| 2000 | U-571 | Lt. Oliver Hirsch | Jonathan Mostow |
| 2000 | The Cell | Special Agent Gordon Ramsey | Tarsem Singh |
| 2001 | Wendigo | George | Larry Fessenden |
| 2002 | Leo | Ben Bloom | Mehdi Norowzian |
| 2002 | The 100 Mile Rule | Bobby Davis | David Hollander |
| 2004 | Dawn of the Dead | Michael | Zack Snyder [40] |
| 2004 | Haven | Officer Powell | Frank E. Flowers |
| 2008 | The Haunting of Molly Hartley | Mr. Hartley | Mick Garris |
| 2009 | Leaves of Grass | Detective Ernest | Tim Blake Nelson |
| 2012 | Chained | Brad Fittler | Jennifer Lynch |
| 2013 | Redemption Trail | John Stubbs | Marta M. Mobley |
| 2013 | White House Down | Agent Ted Hope | Roland Emmerich |
| 2014 | Hungry Hearts | Dr. Bill | Saverio Costanzo |
| 2014 | Learning to Drive | Ted | Isabel Coixet |
| 2017 | Song to Song | The Knocker | Terrence Malick |
| 2017 | Thank You for Your Service | Colonel Plymouth | Jason Hall |
| 2018 | Head Full of Honey | Dr. Edward | Til Schweiger |
| 2019 | Berlin, I Love You | Artemis Serac | Various |
| 2019 | The Beach House | Mitch | Jeffrey A. Brown |
| 2019 | Midway | Rear Admiral Raymond A. Spruance | Roland Emmerich |
| 2020 | Clover | Terry | Jon Abrahams |
| 2021 | What Josiah Saw | Boone | Vincent Grashaw |
| 2021 | Every Last One of Them | Nichols | Katia Winter |
| 2021 | Those Who Wish Me Dead | Owen Casserly | Taylor Sheridan |
| 2023 | Year of the Fox | Huxley | Megan Griffiths [41] |
| 2024 | Peter Five Eight | Lock | Michael Zaiko Hall |
| 2025 | Self-Help | Curtis Clark | Erik Bloomquist [7] |
Television
Weber began his television career with guest appearances in the early 1990s, progressing to series regular roles in sitcoms and dramas before achieving prominence in supernatural and procedural series. His television work spans guest spots, recurring arcs, and long-running leads, often portraying complex supporting characters in crime, mystery, and family dynamics.[42]| Year(s) | Title | Character | Episodes | Role Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Law & Order | Wesley Parker | 1 ("Poison Ivy") | Guest |
| 1994–1995 | Something Wilder | Richie Wainwright | 20 | Series regular |
| 1995–1996 | American Gothic | Dr. Matt Crower | 22 | Series regular |
| 1996 | NYPD Blue | Bill Walsh | 1 ("Girl Talk") | Guest |
| 1997 | Liberty! The American Revolution | Virginia officer / Virginia gentleman | Miniseries (6 parts) | Recurring |
| 2000 | The $treet | Pete Dearborn | 2 ("Junk Bonds", "Turf Wars") | Guest |
| 2001 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Karl Atwood | 1 ("One") | Guest |
| 2001–2002 | The Mind of the Married Man | Jake Berman | 20 | Series regular |
| 2005–2011 | Medium | Joe Dubois | 130 | Series regular |
| 2012 | House | Joe Reese | 1 ("Man of the House") | Guest |
| 2013 | Elementary | Geoffrey Silver | 1 ("Dirty Laundry") | Guest |
| 2014–2016 | Hell on Wheels | John Campbell | 15 | Recurring |
| 2014 | The Following | Micah | 3 | Recurring |
| 2015 | Tyrant | Jimmy Timmons | 3 | Recurring |
| 2016 | The Blacklist | Gregory Devry | 1 ("Mr. Gregory Devry (No. 95)") | Guest |
| 2016 | Easy | Matt | 1 ("Open Marriage") | Guest |
| 2016 | Secrets and Lies | Dave | Miniseries (10 parts) | Recurring |
| 2017–2018 | Homeland | Brett O'Keefe | 12 | Recurring |
| 2018–2019 | 13 Reasons Why | Barry Walker | 7 | Recurring |
| 2020–2021 | Star Trek: Discovery | Zareh | 3 | Guest |
| 2022 | Departure | Captain Joe Turner | 4 | Recurring |
| 2022 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Bob Flynn | 1 ("Video Killed the Radio Star") | Guest |
| 2023 | NCIS: Hawai'i | Jim Carter | 1 ("Silent Invasion") | Guest |
| 2024 | Blue Bloods | Christopher Granger | 1 ("Without Fear or Favor") | Guest |