Stephen’s Career on stage, television and films.
Stephen’s first recognized role was playing Harold (Happy) Loman in the 1984 Broadway revival of Death of a Salesman and the 1985 television movie with Dustin Hoffman as Willie Loman. He appeared in the first Hannibal Lecter film, Manhunter (1986), as reporter Freddy Lounds. He played attorney David Abrams in the television series Crime Story (1986–88). He played the title role in the NBC movie Babe Ruth (1991). He later played the "One Armed Man" in the 2000 revival of The Fugitive starring Tim Daly. The series was a modest success but lasted only one season because of its large production budget.
In 1992, he was nominated for a Tony Award for his lead role in The Speed of Darkness. His film role in Last Exit to Brooklyn (1989) garnered him universal acclaim and Oscar buzz, but its limited release prevented the film from reaching a wider audience. On stage, he was the first to play the role of Colonel Nathan Jessup in A Few Good Men, a role made famous on film (1992) by Jack Nicholson. He is the winner of over half a dozen theatre awards including the Drama Desk and Helen Hayes awards.
In films, he played Maj. Gen. George E. Pickett in Gettysburg (1993) and as the lead role of Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson in Gods and Generals (2003), both from director Ronald F. Maxwell. He considers Gods and Generals to be his finest performance. Arguably, his most famous film role, before Avatar, was his portrayal of the villainous Ike Clanton in the successful Western Tombstone (1993) with Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer.
Shortly before Arthur Miller's death in February 2005, Stephen appeared in his long-time friend's last play, titled Finishing the Picture. It premiered in 2004 at Chicago's Goodman Theatre, where he had the second run of his own play Beyond Glory, which had premiered in Arlington, Virginia, early in 2004, and his Tony-nominated portrayal for The Speed of Darkness. Stephen also performed Beyond Glory, a one-man show, for troops deployed overseas. In 2006, he played the role of Colonel Littlefield in John Patrick Shanley's play Defiance. He brought Beyond Glory to Roundabout's Off-Broadway Laura Pels Theatre in 2007. Since its New York City premiere, Beyond Glory has been nominated for a Drama Desk Award and a Lucille Lortel Award both for outstanding solo performance.
Recently, he filmed a key role in the ESPN mini-series The Bronx is Burning, as well as roles in independent features Save Me and From Mexico With Love. He plays a lead role in James Cameron's sci-fi epic Avatar as the villainous Colonel Quaritch.
In 2009, he appeared in Michael Mann's film Public Enemies as Texas Ranger Charles Winstead, the man widely considered to have fired the shots that killed John Dillinger and in Grant Heslov's The Men Who Stare at Goats alongside Jeff Bridges, Kevin Spacey, Ewan McGregor and George Clooney.
Also in 2009, he narrated the audiobook Road Rage—which combines the short stories Duel by Richard Matheson and Throttle by Stephen King and Joe Hill—and guest-starred in the Law & Order: Criminal Intent Season 8 finale, "Revolution" in the role of Axel Kaspers. In 2010 he performed the narration for "The Gettysburg Story: Battlefield Auto Tour", the top-selling audio tour of the Gettysburg Battlefield at Gettysburg National Military Park in Gettysburg, PA. Based on works by historian Gabor Boritt it tells the story of the Battle of Gettysburg and Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address in Gettysburg National Cemetery. It is now being adapted into a documentary film for Public Television for release in 2013 by Maryland Public Television.
Stephen’s most recent film role was as the villain Khalar Zym in the 2011 Conan the Barbarian reboot starring Jason Momoa. He also plays one of the leads, Nathaniel Taylor, in the Steven Spielberg-produced TV series, Terra Nova.
In 1992, he was nominated for a Tony Award for his lead role in The Speed of Darkness. His film role in Last Exit to Brooklyn (1989) garnered him universal acclaim and Oscar buzz, but its limited release prevented the film from reaching a wider audience. On stage, he was the first to play the role of Colonel Nathan Jessup in A Few Good Men, a role made famous on film (1992) by Jack Nicholson. He is the winner of over half a dozen theatre awards including the Drama Desk and Helen Hayes awards.
In films, he played Maj. Gen. George E. Pickett in Gettysburg (1993) and as the lead role of Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson in Gods and Generals (2003), both from director Ronald F. Maxwell. He considers Gods and Generals to be his finest performance. Arguably, his most famous film role, before Avatar, was his portrayal of the villainous Ike Clanton in the successful Western Tombstone (1993) with Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer.
Shortly before Arthur Miller's death in February 2005, Stephen appeared in his long-time friend's last play, titled Finishing the Picture. It premiered in 2004 at Chicago's Goodman Theatre, where he had the second run of his own play Beyond Glory, which had premiered in Arlington, Virginia, early in 2004, and his Tony-nominated portrayal for The Speed of Darkness. Stephen also performed Beyond Glory, a one-man show, for troops deployed overseas. In 2006, he played the role of Colonel Littlefield in John Patrick Shanley's play Defiance. He brought Beyond Glory to Roundabout's Off-Broadway Laura Pels Theatre in 2007. Since its New York City premiere, Beyond Glory has been nominated for a Drama Desk Award and a Lucille Lortel Award both for outstanding solo performance.
Recently, he filmed a key role in the ESPN mini-series The Bronx is Burning, as well as roles in independent features Save Me and From Mexico With Love. He plays a lead role in James Cameron's sci-fi epic Avatar as the villainous Colonel Quaritch.
In 2009, he appeared in Michael Mann's film Public Enemies as Texas Ranger Charles Winstead, the man widely considered to have fired the shots that killed John Dillinger and in Grant Heslov's The Men Who Stare at Goats alongside Jeff Bridges, Kevin Spacey, Ewan McGregor and George Clooney.
Also in 2009, he narrated the audiobook Road Rage—which combines the short stories Duel by Richard Matheson and Throttle by Stephen King and Joe Hill—and guest-starred in the Law & Order: Criminal Intent Season 8 finale, "Revolution" in the role of Axel Kaspers. In 2010 he performed the narration for "The Gettysburg Story: Battlefield Auto Tour", the top-selling audio tour of the Gettysburg Battlefield at Gettysburg National Military Park in Gettysburg, PA. Based on works by historian Gabor Boritt it tells the story of the Battle of Gettysburg and Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address in Gettysburg National Cemetery. It is now being adapted into a documentary film for Public Television for release in 2013 by Maryland Public Television.
Stephen’s most recent film role was as the villain Khalar Zym in the 2011 Conan the Barbarian reboot starring Jason Momoa. He also plays one of the leads, Nathaniel Taylor, in the Steven Spielberg-produced TV series, Terra Nova.