Shea Whigham Biography

Fast Facts

• Was nominated for an award for Best Ensemble Acting for "Silver Linings Playbook" in 2012 at the Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards
• Studied at the State University of New York at Purchase, where he was part of a small acting program with a select group of students
• Studied at Tyler Junior College in Tyler, Texas
• Early in his career, he ran a theatre company in New York
• Best known for his role as Eli Thompson on HBO's award-winning dramatic TV series "Boardwalk Empire․"
• Co-founded New York City theatre troupe The Rorschach Group with his college roommate Kirk Acevedo after graduation
• He has worked with legendary directors Robert Redford, Martin Scorcese, Oliver Stone, Robert Rodriguez, and more
• Worked with famous actors Anthony Hopkins, Robert DeNiro, Christian Bale, Sean Penn, and more
• His birth name is Franklin Shea Whigham Junior
• Tom Waits gave him a lesson on how to play the singing saw while the two were shooting "Wristcutters: A Love Story․"