Fact-checked by Grok 2 weeks ago

Tim Blake Nelson

Timothy Blake Nelson (born May 11, 1964) is an American actor, writer, director, and producer known for his work as a versatile across film, theater, and . Born in , Nelson graduated from with a degree in and later trained in acting at the , completing the program in 1990. His early career emphasized playwriting and directing, with works such as the play Eye of God, which he adapted and directed as his feature film debut in 1997, and (2001), a drama based on Primo Levi's accounts of Auschwitz resistance. Nelson's breakthrough acting roles include Delmar O'Donnell in the Coen brothers' O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000), the clairvoyant Gideon in Minority Report (2002), and biochemist Samuel Sterns in The Incredible Hulk (2008). He has directed additional films like O (2001), a modern adaptation of Shakespeare's Othello, and Leaves of Grass (2009), a dark comedy starring Edward Norton. Nelson's stage background informs his screen performances, often featuring morally complex or eccentric figures, as seen in The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018) and Watchmen (2019).

Early Life and Education

Family Background and Childhood

Tim Blake Nelson was born on May 11, 1964, in , into a Jewish family. His father, , worked as a petroleum and , while his mother, Ruth Kaiser Nelson, served as a social activist and philanthropist active in Tulsa community efforts. Nelson's paternal heritage traced to Jewish roots, and his parents themselves arrived in the United States as children of refugees. His maternal grandparents, German Jews including grandfather Herman Kaiser, a pre-Nazi era judge, fled persecution in in 1938 and resettled in , providing Nelson's family with an immediate link to Holocaust-era survival and displacement. This heritage fostered a household that was culturally observant in Jewish traditions yet religiously skeptical, emphasizing resilience amid historical trauma. Raised in Tulsa's culturally engaged yet traditionally oriented environment, Nelson encountered theater early through local influences, including acting classes at age eight arranged by his mother at the Harwelden mansion, which sparked his initial performing interests amid a family priority on intellectual and artistic pursuits.

Academic Training

Nelson received a degree in classics from in 1986. His studies emphasized and Roman texts, including those of philosophers like , which later informed his playwriting by providing rigorous analytical frameworks and thematic depth drawn from classical inquiry. At , Nelson participated in student theater productions, gaining initial practical experience in performance and staging through campus groups such as Production Workshop, a student-run organization dedicated to experimental and non-traditional works. This involvement marked the beginning of his transition from academic pursuits to professional drama, bridging literary analysis with hands-on theatrical experimentation. Following graduation, Nelson pursued advanced training at the in , earning a in drama in 1990. The program's intensive sharpened his skills in acting, directing, and ensemble collaboration, emphasizing classical techniques alongside contemporary methods to build versatile foundational abilities essential for stage and screen work.

Theater Career

Playwriting Achievements

Tim Blake Nelson's playwriting career began with Eye of God, first produced at the in 1992, which examines moral dilemmas in a small town through intersecting stories of faith, violence, and redemption. The play, published by Dramatists Play Service in 1997, draws on regional American settings to probe ethical choices without overt didacticism. His New York City playwriting debut came in 1996 with The Grey Zone at MCC Theater, an Obie Award-winning production depicting the operations of the Auschwitz Sonderkommando units, focusing on the prisoners' coerced role in crematoria processes and the stark mechanics of survival amid genocide. The work prioritizes documentary-like reconstruction of historical events over emotional appeals, highlighting the ethical paradoxes faced by victims forced into complicity. In 2019, Nelson's premiered at as part of the Onassis Festival, adapting Platonic dialogues to portray the philosopher's trial and execution while interrogating the vulnerabilities of , such as susceptibility to demagoguery and majority rule's suppression of inquiry. The play extends to contemporary parallels, emphasizing persistent threats to rational discourse in democratic systems. Most recently, And Then We Were No More had its world premiere at La MaMa's Ellen Stewart Theatre from to November 2, 2025, presenting a Kafkaesque in which advanced and algorithmic erode individual , serving as a caution against and institutional decay in justice systems. Critics noted its procedural structure and lo-fi sci-fi elements as vehicles for exploring plausible near-future erosions of .

Stage Directing and Acting

Following his graduation from Yale School of Drama in 1986, Nelson established himself in New York's theater scene through acting roles that emphasized intricate character work within ensemble formats. In 1992, he performed in the U.S. premiere of Caryl Churchill's Mad Forest at , portraying Gabriel Vadu, a young Romanian navigating the chaos of the 1989 and its aftermath, contributing to the production's raw depiction of societal upheaval through intimate, reactive performances. Nelson's stage repertoire included classical and modern works such as , , , and An Experiment with an Air Pump, where he delivered portrayals focused on psychological depth and interpersonal tensions amid . These roles underscored his ability to inhabit multifaceted figures in collaborative settings, often requiring precise timing and emotional layering to advance ensemble narratives. By the early 2000s, his performances evolved toward more introspective, philosophical characters, as seen in his lead role as Will— a Shakespeare surrogate—in The Beard of Avon (2003) at New York Theatre Workshop, a production exploring authorship and personal ambition through heightened dramatic interplay. This work highlighted Nelson's affinity for roles probing ethical ambiguities and human resilience, bridging ensemble demands with individual moral inquiries in experimental off-Broadway contexts.

Screen Acting Career

Breakthrough and Major Film Roles

Nelson's portrayal of Private Lysander Tills in Terrence Malick's (1998) marked an early significant film appearance amid an ensemble cast that included , , and , depicting the Battle of Mount Austen in World War II's . He later reflected on the production as "like film school" due to its immersive directing style and philosophical depth. The role of Delmar O'Donnell in Joel and Ethan Coen's O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) represented Nelson's breakthrough, casting him as a naive, Bible-thumping escaped in a Depression-era adaptation starring and . Featured in nearly every scene—from a river to encounters with seductive sirens—his folksy, earnest performance helped propel the film's cultural impact, including its Grammy-winning soundtrack, and solidified his niche as a versatile . Nelson attributed his subsequent career opportunities directly to the ' decision to cast him prominently. In Steven Spielberg's (2012), Nelson embodied Richard Schell, a shrewd operative collaborating with lobbyists to secure votes for the 13th Amendment abolishing , contributing to the film's focus on legislative maneuvering in 1865. Later Western roles showcased his range in frontier settings: the titular Buster Scruggs, a cheerful yet lethal in the ' anthology (2018), blending whimsy with mortality across episodic tales. He headlined as the secretive widower Henry McCarty in (2021), a slow-burn thriller directed by Potsy Ponciroli, where a chance encounter with unravels his isolated life in 1906.

Television and Supporting Roles

Nelson portrayed Casey Malick, an eccentric CIA ally, in the 2011 CBS spy comedy-drama series , appearing in five episodes as a who provided amid plots. He guest-starred as the hapless inventor Hank in the 2011 episode "The Old Wagon" of ABC's , contributing to the show's portrayal of family dysfunction through his character's bungled inventions. In HBO's 2019 limited series , Nelson played Wade Tillman / , a masked and former cop grappling with trauma from a past , delivering a performance that emphasized psychological isolation in a deconstruction. In supporting film roles, Nelson depicted Harvey Elder, the subterranean scientist , in the 2015 reboot , where his character aided the protagonists before revealing antagonistic subterranean ambitions. He also starred as the twin brothers—naive Bill Pritchard and meth-dealing criminal Brady—in his self-directed 2009 black comedy , balancing intellectual everyman traits against gritty criminality in a story of family deception and drug trade violence. These parts showcased his range in portraying quirky antagonists or relatable underdogs in , often leveraging his distinctive voice and physicality for eccentric menace. Nelson's voice work extends his versatility to animation and non-visual media. He reprised biochemist Samuel Sterns, mutating into the villainous Leader, in the 2025 Marvel Cinematic Universe film Captain America: Brave New World, building on his 2008 The Incredible Hulk appearance to emphasize intellectual hubris in sci-fi threats. In Disney Channel's Big City Greens, he voiced Grampa Green and Ernest Green across episodes like "Garage Tales" (2018) and "One Hundred" (2020), infusing rural family dynamics with folksy wisdom. Additionally, he provided the voice of Coy, a reflective everyman contemplating sensory experiences, in the 2022 animated short Ninety-Five Senses, which qualified for Academy Awards consideration through its poignant life-review narrative. His recurring voice role as Chief Magilahorn in Adult Swim's Black Dynamite (2012–2015) further highlighted adaptability in blaxploitation parody, blending authoritative timbre with satirical edge.

Voice Work and Other Media

Nelson voiced Samuel Sterns in the 2008 The Incredible Hulk, reprising his role from the live-action of the same year. He provided the voice for the Black Rabbits in the 2022 stop-motion animated Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio. In animation for television, Nelson voiced characters including and Grampa Green in episodes of the series Big City Greens. In narration, Nelson lent his voice to the 2023 short documentary Ninety-five Senses, which explores human sensory experiences through the perspective of a terminally ill individual. Beyond traditional , Nelson has contributed to music videos by co-directing projects such as "Babylon by Bus" and "Soft Landing" for rapper and producer , blending his filmmaking expertise with visuals. These efforts reflect an extension of his involvement outside narrative screen roles.

Directing and Producing Work

Independent Films

Nelson's directorial efforts in independent cinema emphasize narratives propelled by character psychology and inevitable consequences of actions, often realized through economical productions that prioritize actor-driven authenticity over elaborate production values. His films in this vein, typically budgeted under $10 million, eschew spectacle in favor of dialogue-heavy explorations of moral failings and social pressures, yielding performances marked by restraint and verisimilitude. O (2001), Nelson's adaptation of Shakespeare's transposed to a contemporary American preparatory school, centers on Odin James (), a Black basketball prodigy whose lieutenant Hugo () sows seeds of doubt about Odin's relationship with Desdemona (), escalating to murder via amid peer rivalries and performance-enhancing drugs. Released August 31, 2001, through Lions Gate Films after delays due to post-Columbine sensitivities around , the film traces a causal progression from and to lethal outcomes, underscoring how unchecked impulses and easy weapon access compound adolescent vulnerabilities. Produced for approximately $5 million, its limited resources compelled at a South Carolina academy, fostering immersive teen dynamics without relying on . Leaves of Grass (2009), a black comedy-thriller penned and directed by Nelson, features as twin brothers—stoic classics professor Bill Kincaid and hedonistic marijuana grower Brady—whose reunion in small-town unravels when Brady's ploy against a rival dealer backfires, drawing Bill into lies, shootings, and betrayals that expose the fragility of fraternal loyalty under criminal incentives. Set against the rural landscapes of Nelson's birth state, where he drew from local cadences and family lore for authenticity, the $8 million production highlights how initial deceptions propagate fatalities through foreseeable escalations in a drug economy. Nelson himself appears as the twins' sardonic associate Bolger, his involvement pivotal in calibrating the film's tonal shifts from humor to pathos amid budgetary imperatives for practical stunts and natural lighting. The work premiered at the Film Festival, exemplifying how indie constraints enabled unpolished ensemble interplay, with co-stars and delivering layered portrayals of complicity in kin-driven corruption.

Collaborative Projects

Nelson wrote, directed, and produced the 2016 ensemble drama , which weaves together multiple narratives centered on the aftermath of a professor's in , emphasizing themes of isolation and human connection through intersecting character arcs. The project involved partnerships with a diverse cast, including as the assaulted professor, , and , facilitated by collaborations with casting director to assemble New York-based talent for authentic urban storytelling. Produced under Nelson's Red Barn Films banner, it represented a shift toward larger-scale ensemble coordination compared to his earlier solo efforts, premiering at the Film Festival on April 22, 2015. In a family-driven , served as and lead for Asleep in My Palm, the feature directorial debut of his , adapting the younger 's play into a exploring and family dynamics in a Midwestern setting. This partnership allowed to support emerging talent while contributing to production decisions that preserved the intimate, stage-rooted vision, with the screening at festivals like . The project underscored efficient blending of producing and performing roles to amplify personal and thematic depth without expansive external funding. Post-2020, Nelson executive produced The Invisibles (2024), a speculative drama directed by Andrew Currie about a man literally fading from visibility amid personal crises, starring Nelson alongside and . This role involved oversight in development to integrate fantastical elements with emotional realism, partnering with producers like Lee Kim to facilitate a theatrical release on September 20, 2024, after festival screenings. The collaboration extended Nelson's producing scope to genre-blending narratives, distinct from his independent directorial works by leveraging co-financing for broader distribution.

Personal Life

Family and Relationships

Tim Blake Nelson has been married to Lisa Benavides since June 12, 1994. The couple has three sons. One son, Henry Nelson, works as a and collaborated with his father on the 2024 feature Asleep in My Palm, which Tim Blake Nelson produced and starred in as the lead. The family maintains residence in , where Nelson relocated after being raised in .

Jewish Heritage

Tim Blake Nelson is of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, tracing his paternal lineage to Jewish ancestry and his maternal side to Jews who fled Nazi persecution. His maternal grandparents escaped in 1938 amid escalating antisemitic measures, including the that disbarred his grandfather from practicing law; they resettled first in , where his mother Ruth was born, before moving to the in 1941 via a Jewish resettlement program that dispersed refugees to rural areas like , for safety. This heritage reflects broader patterns of Ashkenazi Jewish migration driven by centuries of pogroms in and intensified extermination policies under the Nazis, compelling families to seek refuge in unlikely American locales. Raised in Tulsa's small Jewish community, Nelson grew up in a household that was culturally observant yet religiously skeptical, emphasizing intellectual engagement with over ritual observance. His mother's firsthand accounts as a child informed family education on the Holocaust's stark realities—focusing on survival amid systemic rather than sanitized narratives—instilling a causal understanding of as a recurring rooted in ethnic targeting rather than isolated prejudice. This background directly shaped his creative output, notably the 1996 play and 2001 film , which dramatizes the moral quandaries faced by Jewish prisoners in Auschwitz's crematoria, drawing from survivor testimonies and his own familial proximity to the era's horrors. In public commentary, Nelson has addressed modern as an extension of historical patterns, from Russian pogroms to Nazi policies and contemporary surges, urging awareness of Jewish vulnerability without endorsing exaggerated fears. A September 2025 highlighted his concern over post-October 7, 2023, escalations, critiquing narratives that portray as inherently privileged amid evidence of targeted violence, and attributing such denial to a failure to reckon with causal chains of ethnic . He advocates measured vigilance, informed by his heritage's lessons, to counter resurgence without succumbing to alarmism that overlooks other global threats.

Public Views and Commentary

Political Perspectives

Nelson has described his family as predominantly Republican, noting in a May 2024 interview that "almost all of my family members are Republicans, and it's hard to talk to them about what I believe," which implies his own perspectives diverge from theirs without specifying alignment to any party. He has avoided explicit partisan endorsements or activism, framing certain causes, such as animal rights advocacy in 2020, as non-political matters of ethical right and wrong rather than ideological stances. In discussing his interest in politics, Nelson has confirmed he is not a supporter of , while expressing broader engagement with political ideas through classical , as evidenced by his 2019 play , which draws parallels between ancient Athenian democracy's vulnerabilities and modern democratic risks, including allusions to contemporary figures like . This approach prioritizes individual reasoning and historical precedents over contemporary partisanship, reflecting a preference for dialogue across divides despite familial challenges. No public records indicate endorsements of specific left-leaning policies, with his commentary emphasizing practical, non-ideological concerns in areas like tied to .

Cultural and Philosophical Insights

Tim Blake Nelson often invokes classical philosophers such as to underscore the perils of societal complacency and unexamined progress. In his 2019 play , premiered at , he dramatizes the philosopher's trial and hemlock execution, drawing explicit parallels to contemporary democratic vulnerabilities, including the conflict between utilitarian state imperatives and individual ethical inquiry. This work emphasizes Socratic insistence on rigorous questioning as a bulwark against mob-driven decisions, reflecting Nelson's broader concern with historical precedents for modern erosions of dissent. Extending these themes to contemporary , Nelson's 2025 play And Then We Were No More, staged at La MaMa, merges Franz Kafka's "" with AI-driven dystopias, portraying a surveillance state where algorithms supplant human judgment in justice systems, enabling painless executions without juries or judges. He warns of the insidious surrender of personal agency to automated collectives, inspired by observations of predictive computing anticipating human behavior as early as 2019, predating widespread AI adoption, and critiques the unchecked acceleration of such technologies under without philosophical safeguards. In storytelling, Nelson advocates for narratives anchored in time-tested structures that prioritize over contrived resolutions, viewing as a medium uniquely positioned to revive ancient techniques amid industrial pressures. His adaptations, such as the Holocaust drama The Grey Zone (2001), exemplify this by adhering to historical rather than sentimental diversions, fostering ethical in depictions of human extremes. Rooted in his upbringing, Nelson counters coastal dismissals of heartland culture by portraying it as a vital repository of authentic stories and resilient identities, where traditions like Jewish life persist amid distinct regional accents and practices. He argues that supporting local institutions, such as the Pop Music Hall of Fame, preserves these grounded cultural inspirations essential to national self-understanding, emphasizing practical continuity over abstracted urban narratives. This perspective highlights the heartland's capacity for fostering independent thought, as evidenced by his own "liberated mind" shaped by Tulsa's environment.

References

  1. [1]
    Tim Blake Nelson - Biography - IMDb
    Tim Blake Nelson was born on May 11, 1964 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. He is an actor and director, known for O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) The Ballad of ...
  2. [2]
    Timothy Blake (Tim) Nelson - Genealogy - Geni
    Timothy Blake Nelson (born May 11, 1964) is an American actor, writer and director. Nelson has had a wide career becoming a recognizable character actor of ...
  3. [3]
    A distinguished career | Blogs | tulsapeople.com
    Jun 4, 2012 · A 1982 Holland Hall graduate who was born and raised in Tulsa, Nelson received his classics degree from Brown University before attending ...
  4. [4]
    Tim Blake Nelson (Playwright): Credits, Bio, News & More
    As a playwright, his works include Anadarko, The Grey Zone, and Eye of God, the latter two of which he also adapted and directed as feature films. His other ...
  5. [5]
    Tim Blake Nelson - IMDb
    Tim Blake Nelson was born on 11 May 1964 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. He is an actor and director, known for O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000), The Ballad of Buster ...Biography · Awards · Lisa Benavides-Nelson · Old Henry
  6. [6]
    Frontier Tales Actor Tim Blake Nelson '86 turns singing gunslinger
    Jan 9, 2019 · Throughout his career, Nelson has interspersed acting gigs with writing and directing projects. ... Education. Fight Like an Egyptian. A ...
  7. [7]
    Tim Blake Nelson - Ethnicity of Celebs | EthniCelebs.com
    Aug 8, 2015 · His mother, Ruth Kaiser Nelson, is a philanthropist, and his father, Donald Harris Nelson, is a geologist and wildcatter. Tim's father is of ...Missing: family | Show results with:family<|separator|>
  8. [8]
    FILM; A Holocaust Story That Has Roots In His Own
    Oct 20, 2002 · Mr. Nelson's father, a Yale graduate, is a petroleum geologist -- essentially, a wildcatter; his mother, who went to Bryn Mawr, runs the Tulsa ...Missing: background | Show results with:background
  9. [9]
    Tim Blake Nelson on the Upper West Side - The New York Times
    Jan 1, 2016 · Born and raised in Oklahoma, where his maternal grandparents settled after fleeing Nazi Germany in 1938, Mr. Nelson moved to the Upper West ...
  10. [10]
    celebrity jews - The Jewish News of Northern California
    Aug 6, 2015 · Tim Blake Nelson, 51, who plays a supervillain, has a similar background: Nelson's maternal grandfather, Herman Kaiser, a judge in pre-Nazi ...
  11. [11]
    Tim Blake Nelson to be honored at Tulsa Awards for Theatre ...
    Jun 23, 2012 · Nelson said his first exposure to theater as a performer also came at age 8, when his mother enrolled him in child acting classes at Harwelden.Missing: childhood | Show results with:childhood
  12. [12]
    Bear with Him | Brown Alumni Magazine
    Nov 9, 2010 · Former classics concentrator Tim Blake Nelson '86 says a very special philosophy professor inspired his new comedy, "Leaves of Grass."Missing: 1986 | Show results with:1986
  13. [13]
    Production Workshop - Wikipedia
    Production Workshop (PW) is a student-run theater at Brown University. ... Tim Blake Nelson. Other alumni include novelist Donald Antrim, illustrator ...
  14. [14]
    Tim Blake Nelson for Kids
    He then went to Brown University, where he studied classics. After Brown, he studied acting at the famous Juilliard School and graduated in 1990. Career. Acting ...
  15. [15]
    Eye of God - Backstage
    Aug 22, 2019 · First produced by Seattle Repertory Theatre in 1992, "Eye of God" is actor Tim Blake Nelson's first play. He later wrote the magnificent ...
  16. [16]
    Buy Eye Of God by Tim Blake Nelson | Playwright Co
    Eye Of God is a American play written by and published by Dramatists Play Service in New York, 1997. The print edition has an ISBN-13 of 9780822215752 and an ...
  17. [17]
    And Then We Were No More - September 19-November 2 - La MaMa
    He made his NYC playwriting debut in 1996 with the MCC Theater Obie Award-winning production of his play, The Grey Zone, a searing Holocaust drama that won ...
  18. [18]
    THE PRICE OF SURVIVAL 'The Grey Zone' tells the story of Jewish ...
    But as the writer, director, editor and a producer of “The Grey Zone,” which is based on his Obie Award-winning play produced at the Manhattan Class Company ...
  19. [19]
    Review: In 'Socrates,' a Brainy Tribute to a Prickly Provocateur
    Tim Blake Nelson's “Socrates,” which opened on Tuesday night at the Public Theater, starring a sublime Michael Stuhlbarg in the title role.
  20. [20]
    Tim Blake Nelson's 'Socrates' Draws Parallels Between Modern ...
    May 7, 2019 · Tim Blake Nelson explains how his new play "Socrates" parallels the modern-day dynamics of democracy.
  21. [21]
    'And Then We Were No More' Review: Not Quite Kafka
    Oct 4, 2025 · With “And Then We Were No More” (at La MaMa through Nov. 2), Nelson returns to the stage but as a playwright, more specifically a playwright of ...
  22. [22]
    'And Then We Were No More' delivers big ideas in a lo-fi sci-fi ...
    Sep 28, 2025 · While Nelson doesn't stick the landing, And Then We Were No More spotlights the dangers that our justice system faces from new technologies ...
  23. [23]
    Tim Blake Nelson - Wikipedia
    Timothy Blake Nelson (born May 11, 1964) is an American actor, writer, and director. Described as a modern character actor.
  24. [24]
    `MAD FOREST' OFFERS POWERFUL VIEW OF ROMANIA ...
    Oct 18, 1992 · Tim Blake Nelson works painfully on a twisted foot as young ... MAD FOREST, written by Caryl Churchill; directed by Mark Wing-Davey ...<|separator|>
  25. [25]
    REVIEW – THEATER: Mad Forest (1992 off-Broadway)
    Nov 1, 1992 · In one marvelous scene, Gabriel Vadu (Tim Blake Nelson) rushes home to tell his wife (Mary Shultz) how he's outwitted the boss who wanted him to ...
  26. [26]
    Tim Blake Nelson's Eye of God to Play Off-Broadway's Kirk Theatre
    His acting credits include A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Beard of Avon, Oedipus, Troilus and Cressida, Les Bourgeois Avant-Garde, An Imaginary Life, The ...
  27. [27]
    Tim Blake Nelson Is Will in The Beard of Avon at New York Theatre ...
    Other credits include A Question of Mercy, Othello, An Experiment with an Air Pump and Tim Blake Nelson's The Grey Zone. The design team for The Beard of Avon ...
  28. [28]
    Tim Blake Nelson Plays The Beard of Avon at NYTW, Oct. 31 | Playbill
    Oct 31, 2003 · ... Theatre. Other credits include A Question of Mercy, Othello, An Experiment with an Air Pump and Tim Blake Nelson's The Grey Zone. The design ...
  29. [29]
    The Thin Red Line (1998) - Full cast & crew - IMDb
    Tim Blake Nelson at an event for Leaves of Grass (2009). Tim Blake Nelson · Tim Blake Nelson · Pvt. Tills · Larry Neuhaus · Larry Neuhaus · Crewman · Nick ...
  30. [30]
    'O Brother, Where Art Thou?' Changed Tim Blake Nelson's Life
    Sep 15, 2025 · ... Nelson was a classics major at Brown. He was wrong. “I had no business being the lead in a Coen brothers movie alongside [John] Turturro and ...Missing: influence playwriting
  31. [31]
    Tim Blake Nelson as Richard Schell - Lincoln (2012) - IMDb
    Lincoln (2012) - Tim Blake Nelson as Richard Schell.
  32. [32]
    The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018) - IMDb
    Rating 7.2/10 (179,831) The Ballad of Buster Scruggs: Directed by Ethan Coen, Joel Coen. With Tim Blake Nelson, Willie Watson, Clancy Brown, Danny McCarthy. Six tales of life and ...Full cast & crew · Tim Blake Nelson as Buster... · The Ballad of Buster Scruggs · Plot
  33. [33]
    Old Henry (2021) - IMDb
    Rating 7.3/10 (42,922) Old Henry is one of those. Not very fast paced but certainly worth watching. No huge names either, although Tim Blake Nelson was perfect to play his character.Plot · Trailer · Parents guide · User reviews
  34. [34]
    Tim Blake Nelson - TV Guide
    Actor ; The Sensitive Kind as Dale Washberg. The Sensitive Kind ; Ann Lee as Pastor Reuben Wright. Ann Lee ; Big City Greens as Ernest Green, Grampa Green. Big ...
  35. [35]
    Tim Blake Nelson: Movies, TV, and Bio - Amazon.com
    Top titles · Old Henry · O Brother, Where Art Thou? · Leaves of Grass · Modern Family Season 1 · Watchmen - Season 1 · Black Dynamite Season 1 · Stella Season 1 · Poker ...
  36. [36]
    Tim Blake Nelson Movies & TV Shows List | Rotten Tomatoes
    ... Tim Blake Nelson carved out a successful career as a writer, director and accomplished actor. Despite years spent struggling to find his footing on screen, ...
  37. [37]
    Tim Blake Nelson | Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki - Fandom
    Filmography · The Incredible Hulk (2008) · Captain America: Brave New World (2024) - Samuel Sterns/The Leader.Missing: appearances | Show results with:appearances
  38. [38]
    Tim Blake Nelson | Disney Wiki - Fandom
    He is known for his roles in This Is My Life, Joe's Apartment, The Thin Red Line, Hoot, Colossal, Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk, and The Ballad of Buster ...
  39. [39]
    Shorts Exclusive: Tim Blake Nelson-Starring Animated Short 'Ninety ...
    Oct 27, 2023 · As a playwright, his works include SOCRATES, ANADARKO, THE GREY ZONE, and EYE OF GOD, the latter two of which he also adapted and directed as ...
  40. [40]
    Tim Blake Nelson (Creator) - TV Tropes
    2009 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation as Paulie Krill · 2011 Chaos as Casey Malick · 2011 Modern Family as Hank · 2012-2015 Black Dynamite as Chief Magilahorn, the ...Missing: work | Show results with:work
  41. [41]
    Samuel Sterns Voice - The Incredible Hulk (Video Game)
    Tim Blake Nelson is the voice of Samuel Sterns in The Incredible Hulk. Video Game: The Incredible Hulk Franchise: Hulk
  42. [42]
    Tim Blake Nelson — The Movie Database (TMDB)
    Timothy Blake Nelson (born May 11, 1964) is an American actor and playwright. Described as a "modern character actor, his roles include Delmar O'Donnell in ...
  43. [43]
    Ninety-five Senses - Documentary+
    Narrated by Tim Blake Nelson, this is an ode to the body's five senses delivered by a man with little time left to enjoy them.
  44. [44]
    Tim Blake Nelson - YouTube Music
    Nelson has also co-directed music videos for Billy Woods and Kenny Segal including "Babylon by Bus" and "Soft Landing". He also co-directed the music video for ...
  45. [45]
    Tim Blake Nelson Directs - The Criterion Channel
    Widely recognized for his prolific acting career, Tim Blake Nelson has also pursued an impressive parallel path as a director, often working from his own ...Missing: theater Yaz Matrix
  46. [46]
    O (2001) - IMDb
    Rating 6.1/10 (22,481) An update of Shakespeare's 'Othello' with a young cast, set in an upper class prep school, and centered around basketball player Odin.Full cast & crew · Parents guide · Plot · Christopher Michael Jones as...
  47. [47]
    O The Movie
    Running Time: 91 min. Release Date: August 31, 2001. Director: Tim Blake Nelson Studio: Lions Gate Films Producer(s): Daniel Fried, ...
  48. [48]
    O movie review & film summary (2001) | Roger Ebert
    Rating 3.5/4 · Review by Roger EbertSo now here is ”O,” a good film for most of the way, and then a powerful film at the end, when, in the traditional Shakespearean manner, all of the plot ...Missing: details | Show results with:details
  49. [49]
    Leaves of Grass (2009) - IMDb
    Rating 6.4/10 (28,510) The strengths of the movie were excellent performances by Norton and Russell, and even director Tim Blake Nelson was great in the role of Bolger. This movie ...Full cast & crew · User reviews · 1 of 54 · Edward Norton, Keri Russell
  50. [50]
    Leaves of Grass - Rotten Tomatoes
    Rating 63% (40) An Ivy League professor (Edward Norton) returns home, where his pot-growing twin brother has concocted a plan to take down a local drug lord.
  51. [51]
    One of the year's best, and Ed Norton times two movie review (2010)
    Rating 4/4 · Review by Roger EbertTim Blake Nelson's “Leaves of Grass” is some kind of sweet, wacky masterpiece. It takes all sorts of risks, including a dual role with Edward Norton playing ...
  52. [52]
    Leaves of Grass - The Criterion Channel
    Director Tim Blake Nelson's audacious, tonally assured blend of black comedy and crime thriller features a marvelous dual performance from Edward Norton as ...
  53. [53]
    Tribeca 2015: Tim Blake Nelson on Writing/Directing/Producing ...
    Apr 27, 2015 · Writer/director Tim Blake Nelson's ensemble drama Anesthesia premiered Wednesday night at the Tribeca Film Festival.Missing: theater Yaz Matrix
  54. [54]
    Anesthesia (2015) - IMDb
    Rating 6.1/10 (5,277) Anesthesia: Directed by Tim Blake Nelson. With Sam Waterston, Ivan Goris, Rob Morgan, Corey Stoll. Multiple lives intersect in the aftermath of the violent ...
  55. [55]
    Tim Blake Nelson on How to Create (and Cast) an Ensemble Film
    Oct 22, 2020 · His auditions, “a pretty exhaustive process,” vary depending on each performer, but each involves getting to know acting styles and backgrounds.Missing: MFA Drama
  56. [56]
    Tim Blake Nelson To Produce & Star In Son Henry's Feature
    Dec 1, 2021 · Notable credits include Just Mercy, The Report, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk, Fantastic Four, Kill the ...
  57. [57]
    Interview with 'Asleep in My Palm' Writer-Director Henry Nelson and ...
    Mar 7, 2024 · Henry Nelson and Tim Blake Nelson talk about their latest creative collaboration, 'Asleep in My Palm,' from Henry's approach as a writer-director to Tim's ...
  58. [58]
    The Invisibles (2024) - IMDb
    Rating 5.9/10 (646) A truly unique and fascinating movie about a man (Charlie, Tim Blake Nelson (The Ballad of Buster Scruggs)) who fades from reality due to not dealing with ...Full cast & crew · Parents guide · User reviews · Awards
  59. [59]
    The Invisibles - Cinequest
    Mon, Mar 11, 2024 2:25 PMHammer Theatre Center, San Jose. Not Available. Description. Starring Tim Blake Nelson (O Brother, Where Art Thou?, The Ballad of ...
  60. [60]
    The Invisibles: Imaginative Film Asks, Is It Better to Be Not Seen ...
    Sep 19, 2024 · Stars Tim Blake Nelson, Gretchen Mol and Bruce Greenwood. The Invisibles releases theatrically September 20. ReviewJim Slotek September 19, 2024 ...
  61. [61]
    Lisa Benavides-Nelson - Biography - IMDb
    She is married to Actor/Director Tim Blake Nelson. They have three boys and live on the Upper West Side. - IMDb mini biography by: Cerebrus12. Family. Spouse.Missing: met Yale
  62. [62]
    Tim Blake Nelson: Age, Net Worth, Relationships & Biography
    Dec 13, 2024 · He pursued higher education at Brown University, graduating in 1986 with a degree in Classics and earning the Workman/Driskoll award for ...<|control11|><|separator|>
  63. [63]
    Tim Blake Nelson To Produce & Star In 'Asleep In My Palm', His Son ...
    Dec 1, 2021 · The elder Nelson will produce alongside Shannon Houchins (Old Henry) of Hideout Pictures and Vince Jolivette (Zola), with Old Henry's writer- ...
  64. [64]
    Work on 'Asleep in My Palm' family affair for Tim Blake Nelson - Yahoo
    Mar 20, 2024 · The proof the relationship worked well is that father and son are writing a new script. Having father and son work on the production is in line ...
  65. [65]
    How often does Tim Blake Nelson think about ancient Greece?
    Sep 15, 2025 · He thinks this idée fixe comes from growing up with his mother, Ruth, a childhood Holocaust refugee who left Germany in 1938 with her parents, ...Missing: maternal grandparents
  66. [66]
    After Being Cut From Dune 2, Tim Blake Nelson Has A Humorously ...
    May 19, 2024 · "Almost all of my family members are Republicans, and it's hard to talk to them about what I believe." BuzzFeed.<|separator|>
  67. [67]
    "Watchmen” Star Tim Blake Nelson Fights for Animal Rights
    Aug 28, 2020 · "It's not partisan. It's not political. It's really about, as far as I'm concerned, a simple right and wrong concerning the future of our planet ...
  68. [68]
    Tim Blake Nelson and Michael Stuhlbarg Discuss Socrates - Vulture
    Apr 9, 2019 · He's not a Trump supporter, but he's interested in politics, and he's one of millions of people who can very publicly experience Trump's ...
  69. [69]
    Tim Blake Nelson's New Play Reveals How Socrates Predicted ...
    Apr 17, 2019 · Tim Blake Nelson's New Play Reveals How ... Just to set the stage, so to speak, your play takes place soon after democracy was founded ...
  70. [70]
    A Socrates for our time | The New Criterion
    Now he adds to the list an extraordinary play: Socrates, directed by Doug Hughes and playing at The Public Theater in Manhattan from April 2 ...
  71. [71]
    Elizabeth Marvel On the Themes of 'And Then We Were No More'
    Oct 2, 2025 · Tim Blake Nelson's play challenges audiences to reckon with the cost of surrendering individual agency to collective automation.Missing: warnings | Show results with:warnings
  72. [72]
    Tim Blake Nelson Explains Why Film is the Most Unique Art Form
    Mar 6, 2024 · Film is an art form unlike any other, one that is both new and grounded in storytelling techniques that are hundreds of years old.Missing: critique conformity
  73. [73]
    Interview: Actor Tim Blake Nelson - Filmmaker Magazine
    Sep 9, 2025 · Coen Bros. regular Tim Blake Nelson joins the Back to One podcast to discuss his acting process and his new film, “Bang Bang.”Missing: narration documentaries<|separator|>
  74. [74]
    Watchmen's Tim Blake Nelson : Bullseye with Jesse Thorn - NPR
    Dec 3, 2019 · On Bullseye Tim talks to us about growing up Jewish in the heartland, keeping traditions alive and being amused by the accents at the synagogue.Missing: observations | Show results with:observations
  75. [75]
    Tim Blake Nelson: Why supporting OKPOP is essential - Tulsa World
    Oct 12, 2025 · Tim Blake Nelson: Supporting OKPOP is investing in our identity, stories and cultural inspiration. By Tim Blake Nelson; Oct 12, 2025 ...Missing: heartland observations
  76. [76]
    Actor Tim Blake Nelson on how growing up in Tulsa ... - YouTube
    Jan 27, 2025 · Actor Tim Blake Nelson on how growing up in Tulsa fostered a 'liberated mind'. 246 views · 8 months ago ...more ...Missing: Oklahoma heartland culture observations