Joshua Atwill Pais (born June 21, 1958) is an American actor and acting coach. He has appeared in the films Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990), Music of the Heart (1999), Assassination of a High School President (2008), I Saw the Light (2015) and Motherless Brooklyn (2019). He also appeared in nine episodes of Ray Donovan.
Josh Pais | |
|---|---|
| Born | Joshua Atwill Pais June 21, 1958 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Actor Acting coach |
| Years active | 1988–present |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 1 |
| Parent(s) | Abraham Pais Lila Lee Atwill |
He is also the director of the 2002 documentary 7th Street (the street he grew up on in Alphabet City, Manhattan) depicting various personages living there between the years 1992–2002.
Early life
Pais was born in New York City, and is the son of Lila Lee (née Atwill), a painter and poet, and Dutch-born physicist, professor, and writer Abraham Pais.[1][2][3] His father was from a Jewish family of Portuguese descent, and his mother converted to Judaism.[4]
Career
He has appeared in Hollywood films including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (in which he was both in the costume and was the voice) as Raphael, Music of the Heart, Scream 3, It Runs in the Family, Phone Booth, Little Manhattan and Find Me Guilty.[5] He played Assistant M.E. Borak in 15 episodes of the series Law & Order, between 1990 and 2002. He also played the Spanish teacher in the film Assassination of a High School President. He had a recurring role as an obnoxious movie producer on the American crime drama series Ray Donovan. He also appeared as a lawyer on 2 Broke Girls.
Personal life
Pais married actress Lisa Emery on August 27, 1990.[1] They are parents of the actor Zane Pais.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Jacknife | Rick | |
| 1990 | How to Be Louise | Mike | |
| 1990 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | Raphael | |
| 1996 | I'm Not Rappaport | Rodney | |
| 1997 | Colin Fitz Lives! | Cathartic Fan | |
| 1998 | Safe Men | Mitchell | |
| 1998 | Rounders | Weitz | |
| 1998 | A Civil Action | Law Clerk | |
| 1998 | Karma Local | Charlie | |
| 1999 | Music of the Heart | Dennis | |
| 2000 | Scream 3 | Wallace | |
| 2000 | Swimming | Neil Wheeler | |
| 2001 | Scotland, PA | Douglas McKenna | |
| 2001 | A Beautiful Mind | Princeton Professor | |
| 2002 | Phone Booth | Mario | |
| 2003 | The Station Agent | Carl | |
| 2003 | It Runs in the Family | Barney | |
| 2005 | Little Manhattan | Ronny | |
| 2005 | Confess | Allen Kelner | |
| 2005 | The Reality Trap | Tom | |
| 2006 | Unconscious | Warner Wilcott | |
| 2007 | Teeth | Dr. Godfrey | |
| 2007 | Year of the Dog | Robin | |
| 2007 | Watching the Detectives | Andy | |
| 2007 | Neal Cassady | Calbert Holt | |
| 2008 | Assassination of a High School President | Padre Newell | |
| 2008 | Synecdoche, New York | Ophthalmologist | |
| 2008 | Lifelines | Ira Bernstein | |
| 2009 | Adventureland | Mr. Lewin | |
| 2009 | Reunion | Saul | |
| 2009 | Leaves of Grass | Ken Feinman | |
| 2009 | Gentlemen Broncos | Todd Keefe | |
| 2010 | Please Give | Adam | |
| 2011 | The Key Man | Dr. Abraham Meyer | |
| 2011 | Detachment | Meredith's Father | |
| 2012 | Arbitrage | John Aimes | |
| 2012 | Price Check | Doug Cain | |
| 2012 | The Normals | Dr. Honeysack | |
| 2013 | Touchy Feely | Paul | |
| 2013 | Syrup | Davidson | |
| 2014 | That Awkward Moment | Fred | |
| 2014 | 5 Flights Up | Jackson | |
| 2015 | I Saw the Light | Dore Schary | |
| 2015 | The Family Fang | Freeman | |
| 2016 | Bakery in Brooklyn | Alexander Johnson | |
| 2017 | Crown Heights | D.A. Mengano | |
| 2017 | Going in Style | Chuck Lofton | |
| 2018 | The Land of Steady Habits | Larry Eichner | |
| 2019 | Motherless Brooklyn | William Lieberman | |
| 2019 | Joker | Hoyt Vaughn | |
| 2020 | The Mimic | The Neurotic Lawyer | |
| 2021 | Checkout | Dov | |
| 2022 | Funny Pages | Lewis | |
| 2022 | Spoiler Alert | Scott |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | The Cosby Show | Andy | Episode: "Waterworks" |
| 1989 | Murphy Brown | Secretary #18 | Episode: "Funnies Girl" |
| 1989 | Teething with Anger | Dog Guy | Television film |
| 1990–2009 | Law & Order | Various roles | 16 episodes |
| 1994 | The Second Greatest Story Ever Told | Joey Joesephson | Television film |
| 1996 | On Seventh Avenue | Donny / Photo Assistant | |
| 1997, 1998 | Star Trek: Deep Space Nine | Gaila | 2 episodes |
| 1998 | Homicide: Life on the Street | M.E. #2 | Episode: "Shaggy Dog, City Goat" |
| 1998 | Sex and the City | Nick Waxler | Episode: "Models and Mortals" |
| 1998 | The Crow: Stairway to Heaven | Myron | Episode: "Death Wish" |
| 2000 | The Street | Elliot Bando | Episode: "Closet Case" |
| 2000–2016 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Hank Abraham / Robert Sorensen | 10 episodes |
| 2001 | The Job | Mark | Episode: "Anger" |
| 2002 | Porn 'n Chicken | Prof. Hoffman | Television film |
| 2003, 2007 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Noah Brezner / Ralph Friedman | 2 episodes |
| 2004 | Hope & Faith | Harvey Zak | Episode: "Hope Gets a Job" |
| 2005 | Rescue Me | Leon | Episode: "Reunion" |
| 2006 | The Sopranos | Zev Charney | Episode: "Mr. & Mrs. John Sacrimoni Request..." |
| 2007 | The Bronx Is Burning | Phil Pepe | 3 episodes |
| 2007 | Damages | George Berber | Episode: "She Spat at Me" |
| 2009 | Michael & Michael Have Issues | Jim Biederman | 7 episodes |
| 2011 | How to Make It in America | Garrett | Episode: "In or Out" |
| 2012 | 2 Broke Girls | Leo | Episode: "And the Drug Money" |
| 2012 | NYC 22 | Maxwell Tanner | Episode: "Jumpers" |
| 2013 | Psych | Dr. Richard Umma | Episode: "No Trout About It" |
| 2013–2019 | Ray Donovan | Stu Feldman | 9 episodes |
| 2014 | The Good Wife | Howard Lampey | Episode: "We, the Juries" |
| 2014 | Alpha House | Owen Lefkowitz | Episode: "The Nuptials" |
| 2014 | Duty | Ira | Television film |
| 2015 | Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll | Ira Feinbaum | 8 episodes |
| 2015–2021 | Younger | Todd Heller | 5 episodes |
| 2018 | High Maintenance | Ira | Episode: "Ghost" |
| 2018 | Maniac | Andy | 3 episodes |
| 2018 | I Was A Teenage Pillow Queen | David | Television film |
| 2019 | Tales of the City | Doug | Episode: "Rainbow Warriors" |
| 2019 | Mrs. Fletcher | Barry | 5 episodes |
| 2020 | The Plot Against America | Maurice Silverman | Episode: "Part 5" |
| 2022 | The Dropout | Wade Miquelon | 2 episodes |