Josh Pais

Josh Pais
Pais in 2024
Born
Joshua Atwill Pais

(1958-06-21) June 21, 1958
Occupation(s)Actor
Acting coach
Years active1988–present
Spouses
(m. 1990; div. 2003)
    (m. 2006)
    Children1
    Parent(s)Abraham Pais
    Lila Lee Atwill

    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.

    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. Pais and Emery divorced in 2003. In 2006 he married entrepreneur Marie Forleo.

    Filmography

    Film

    Year Title Role Notes
    1989 Jacknife Rick
    1990 How to Be Louise Mike
    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Raphael
    1996 I'm Not Rappaport Rodney
    1997 Colin Fitz Lives! Cathartic Fan
    1998 Safe Men Mitchell
    Rounders Weitz
    A Civil Action Law Clerk
    Karma Local Charlie
    1999 Music of the Heart Dennis
    2000 Scream 3 Wallace
    Swimming Neil Wheeler
    2001 Scotland, PA Douglas McKenna
    A Beautiful Mind Princeton Professor
    2002 Phone Booth Mario
    2003 The Station Agent Carl
    It Runs in the Family Barney
    2005 Little Manhattan Ronny
    Confess Allen Kelner
    The Reality Trap Tom
    2006 Unconscious Warner Wilcott
    2007 Teeth Dr. Godfrey
    Year of the Dog Robin
    Watching the Detectives Andy
    Neal Cassady Calbert Holt
    2008 Assassination of a High School President Padre Newell
    Synecdoche, New York Ophthalmologist
    Lifelines Ira Bernstein
    2009 Adventureland Mr. Lewin
    Reunion Saul
    Leaves of Grass Ken Feinman
    Gentlemen Broncos Todd Keefe
    2010 Please Give Adam
    2011 The Key Man Dr. Abraham Meyer
    Detachment Meredith's Father
    2012 Arbitrage John Aimes
    Price Check Doug Cain
    The Normals Dr. Honeysack
    2013 Touchy Feely Paul
    Syrup Davidson
    2014 That Awkward Moment Fred
    5 Flights Up Jackson
    2015 I Saw the Light Dore Schary
    The Family Fang Freeman
    2016 Bakery in Brooklyn Alexander Johnson
    2017 Crown Heights D.A. Mengano
    Going in Style Chuck Lofton
    2018 The Land of Steady Habits Larry Eichner
    2019 Motherless Brooklyn William Lieberman
    Joker Hoyt Vaughn
    2020 The Mimic The Neurotic Lawyer
    2021 Checkout Dov
    2022 Funny Pages Lewis
    Spoiler Alert Scott
    2023 You Hurt My Feelings Josh Pais
    2024 The Friend Jerry
    2025 If I Had Legs I'd Kick You Brad

    Television

    Year Title Role Notes
    1988 The Cosby Show Andy Episode: "Waterworks"
    1989 Murphy Brown Secretary #18 Episode: "Funnies Girl"
    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
    1997, 1998 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Gaila 2 episodes
    1998 Homicide: Life on the Street M.E. #2 Episode: "Shaggy Dog, City Goat"
    Sex and the City Nick Waxler Episode: "Models and Mortals"
    The Crow: Stairway to Heaven Myron Episode: "Death Wish"
    2000 The Street Elliot Bando Episode: "Closet Case"
    2000–2016 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Robert Sorensen

    Deputy Commissioner Hank Abraham

    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
    Damages George Berber Episode: "She Spat at Me"
    2009 Michael & Michael Have Issues Jim Biederman 7 episodes
    2010 Outlaw Doc Levin 2 episodes
    2011 How to Make It in America Garrett Episode: "In or Out"
    2012 2 Broke Girls Leo Episode: "And the Drug Money"
    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"
    Alpha House Owen Lefkowitz Episode: "The Nuptials"
    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"
    Maniac Andy 3 episodes
    I Was A Teenage Pillow Queen David Television film
    2019 Tales of the City Doug Episode: "Rainbow Warriors"
    Mrs. Fletcher Barry 5 episodes
    2020 The Plot Against America Maurice Silverman Episode: "Part 5"
    2022 The Dropout Wade Miquelon 2 episodes
    2023 Paul T. Goldman Ryan Sinclair 2 episodes
    2024 Power Book III: Raising Kanan Lowell Gelfand Episode: "Home to Roost"
    A Man in Full Herb Richman 5 episodes

    References

    1. ^ a b "Josh Pais Biography (1958–)". filmreference.com. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
    2. ^ Crow, Kelly (November 4, 2017). "Neighborhood Report: Citypeople; For Seventh Street, a Love Letter on Film". New York Times. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
    3. ^ Dollar, Steve (August 16, 2013). "Spotlight Turns to 'That Guy' on TV". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
    4. ^ "How Josh Pais Learned To Be Invisible – The Arty Semite – Forward.com". Blogs.forward.com. September 4, 2013. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
    5. ^ "Josh Pais – Yahoo! Movies". Retrieved November 4, 2017.