Gus Halper

Gus Halper
Gus Halper as Erik Menendez in Law & Order True Crime (2017)
Born (1992-07-02) July 2, 1992
EducationUniversity of North Carolina School of the Arts
OccupationActor
Years active2002–present
Spouse
Emma Geer
(m. 2023)
MotherDeann Simmons Halper

Gus Halper (born July 2, 1992) is an American actor best known for his roles in the series Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders (2017), Fear the Walking Dead (2021), and Law & Order: Organized Crime (2022–2023), and in the films Goat (2016) and Rustin (2023).[1][2][3][4] He also appeared in the 2016 off-Broadway production of the musical Ride the Cyclone, playing Mischa Bachinski.[5]

Early life and education

Halper was born on July 2, 1992 in Manhattan, New York City.[6] His mother, Deann Simmons Halper, is an actress and theater director.[7][8] Halper graduated from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, which his mother had previously attended, in 2014.[9]

Career

In 2014, while studying at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Halper played Romeo in the university's production of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.[10] After graduating, he starred in the ABC television film The Kingmakers as Eli, a young man who infiltrates an Ivy League university to investigate his sister's death.[11] The following year, Halper appeared alongside Nick Jonas and Ben Schnetzer in Goat, which was produced by James Franco.[4] The same year, he portrayed Ukrainian teenager Mischa Bachinksi in an off-Broadway production of Ride the Cyclone at the Lucille Lortel Theatre.[5]

In 2017, Halper portrayed convicted murderer Erik Menendez in the eight-part series Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders.[1] In 2021, he appeared in two episodes of Fear the Walking Dead.[2] A year later, Halper appeared as Teddy Silas, a construction foreman, in Law & Order: Organized Crime.[12] In 2023, he portrayed activist Tom Kahn in Rustin, a film about civil rights activist Bayard Rustin.[3]

Personal life

Halper married actress Emma Geer on October 15, 2023.[13]

Credits

Key
Denotes productions that have not yet been released

Film

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2013 Rémy Emmanuel Remy Short film
2015 Ricki and the Flash Impatient Traveler
2016 Goat Chance [4]
Couch Jeff Short film
2017 Guy Guy Short film
2018 Maine Dragon
2019 Cold Pursuit Bone
Safe Space Jacques Short film
2020 Holler Blaze
Winning Streak Tyson Drake Short film
2023 Rustin Tom Kahn [3]

Television

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2002 The Suite Life of Hudson & James Warren Voice; 1 episode
2014 Galyntine Kyree TV Movie
2015 Public Morals Sergio Tedesco 4 episodes
The Kingmakers Eli TV Movie [11]
2016 Power Alby 3 episodes
Chicago P.D. Oliver Tuxhorn 1 episode
2017 Mercy Street 1 episode
Law & Order True Crime Erik Menendez 8 episodes [1]
2017–2018 Happy! Mikey Scaramucci 6 episodes
2018 Madam Secretary Nathan Cleminger 1 episode
2019 Ramy Shawn 1 episode
Jett Neal 5 episodes
Dickinson Joseph 5 episodes
2020 Love Life Danny Two Phones 1 episode
2021 Evil Graham Lucian 1 episode
Fear the Walking Dead Will 2 episodes [2]
2022–2023 Law & Order: Organized Crime Teddy Silas 8 episodes [12]
TBA Criminal Ricky Lawless

Web

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2022 The Lip Sync Fables Prince [14]

Theater

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2014 Romeo and Juliet Romeo UNCSA production [10]
2016 Ride the Cyclone Mischa Bachinski Off-Broadway [5]

References

  1. ^ a b c Cordero, Rosy (August 12, 2022). "'Law & Order: Organized Crime': Camilla Belle And Gus Halper Board Season 3". Deadline. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c Bonomolo, Cameron (July 24, 2021). "Fear the Walking Dead Returns in October With New Cast Members for Season 7". ComicBook. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c "Gus Halper Talks New Netflix/Obama Production, Rustin". Wonderland. December 6, 2023. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c Chitwood, Adam (September 6, 2016). "Goat Red-Band Trailer: James Franco Gets Wild in Hazing Drama". Collider. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c "Meet the Cast of MCC's Ride the Cyclone". Playbill. October 26, 2016.
  6. ^ "Gus Halper - Movies, TV, and Bio". Amazon Prime Video. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
  7. ^ Clary, Sheela (July 18, 2022). "Great Barrington Public Theatre is growing by leaps and bounds". The Berkshire Edge. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
  8. ^ "Who We Are". Great Barrington Public Theater. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
  9. ^ Upton, Melissa; Roos, Dave (November 10, 2015). "Drama alumnus Gus Halper digs deep to land major roles". University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
  10. ^ a b Felder, Lynn (March 27, 2014). "This 'Romeo and Juliet' is beautiful, funny". Winston-Salem Journal. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
  11. ^ a b Andreeva, Nellie (March 13, 2015). "Newcomer Gus Halper Lands The Lead In ABC Pilot 'The Kingmakers'". Deadline. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
  12. ^ a b Boles, Melissa (July 29, 2024). "10 Most Disturbing Law & Order: Organized Crime Villains (So Far)". CBR. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
  13. ^ "Emma Geer & Gus Halper - wedding registry". MyRegistry.com. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
  14. ^ Brunner, Raven (July 19, 2022). "JJ Niemann, Kennedy Kanagawa, Joshua Morgan, More Join Web Series Lip Sync Fables". Playbill. Retrieved June 30, 2024.