# William Fichtner

William Edward Fichtner (born November 27, 1956) is an American actor. Born in New York, he started his career with supporting appearances in Virtuosity (1994), Heat and Strange Days (both, 1995). A prolific character actor in film, Fichtner is recognized for memorable performances in Contact (1997), Armageddon (1998), Go (1999), The Perfect Storm (2000), Black Hawk Down (2001), Crash (2004), and The Longest Yard (2005).
In 2005, Fichtner starred as Sheriff Tom Underlay in Invasion. He later appeared as Alexander Mahone in Prison Break, Carl Hickman in Crossing Lines, and Adam Janikowski in Mom.

## Early life

Fichtner was born on Mitchel Air Force Base on Long Island and raised in Cheektowaga, New York, a suburb of Buffalo. He is the son of Patricia A. (née Steitz) and William Frederick Fichtner. He has German ancestry.
He graduated from Maryvale High School in 1974. After graduating from Farmingdale State College in 1976 with an associate degree in criminal justice, he attended the State University of New York at Brockport and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in criminal justice in 1978. In an interview with Michael Rosenbaum, Fichtner recalled he took a theatrical improvisation class initially to fill a fine arts requirement, and the professor recommended he consider taking further acting classes. He then studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York.
On May 18, 2008, Fichtner received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Farmingdale State College. In his acceptance address, he credited Farmingdale admissions counselor Don Harvey with his decision to study acting. Harvey, who became a lifelong friend, took Fichtner to his first Broadway show.

## Career

Fichtner began his acting career playing the role of Rod Landry in As the World Turns in 1987. He has also appeared in the films Contact, Heat, Armageddon, Go, Equilibrium, Black Hawk Down, The Perfect Storm, The Longest Yard, Crash, Ultraviolet, Drive Angry and The Dark Knight. Mainly a character actor, one of his few leading roles is in Passion of Mind, also starring Demi Moore and Stellan Skarsgård. His role in Crash won him a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture award and a Best Acting Ensemble award from Broadcast Film Critics Choice. He appeared in the CBS sitcom Mom from 2015 to 2021.
Fichtner voiced Ken Rosenberg in the video games Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. He is credited as Willian Fichtner in Vice City and Bill Fichtner in San Andreas. Between 2005 and 2006, he also starred in the sci-fi TV series Invasion as Sheriff Tom Underlay. After Invasion was canceled, he played ruthless FBI Agent Alexander Mahone in three seasons of Prison Break (2006–2009). In 2009, he co-presented the Vezina Trophy (for goal tending) at the National Hockey League awards show. He later guest starred as judge Christopher Mulready in The West Wing episode "The Supremes." He also had a role as the corrupt Gotham National Bank manager in the feature film The Dark Knight and as the resistance leader Jurgen in Equilibrium.
In June 2009, Fichtner had a recurring role as TV producer Phil Yagoda on Entourage. He also voiced Master Sergeant Sandman in the 2011 video game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. He also played Eric Sacks in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014). In September 2024, it was reported that Fichtner had joined the cast of The Talamasca as Jasper in a series regular role. In January 2025, it was announced that Fichtner had joined the second season of Beef.

## Personal life

Fichtner is a fan of the NFL team the Buffalo Bills, and appeared in a commercial for them before the 2014 season. He narrated the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary Four Falls of Buffalo, chronicling their four consecutive Super Bowl appearances from 1990–93.
He is a close friend of his Black Hawk Down co-stars Kim Coates and Eric Bana.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1994 | Quiz Show | Stage Manager | |
| 1995 | Virtuosity | William Wallace | |
| 1995 | Reckless | Rachel's Father | |
| 1995 | Strange Days | Officer Dwayne Engelman | |
| 1995 | Heat | Roger Van Zant | |
| 1995 | The Underneath | Tommy Dundee | |
| 1996 | Albino Alligator | Law | |
| 1997 | Contact | Kent Clarke | |
| 1997 | Switchback | Chief Jack McGinnis | |
| 1998 | Armageddon | Colonel Willie Sharp | |
| 1999 | Go | Burke Halverson | |
| 1999 | The Settlement | Jerry | |
| 2000 | The Perfect Storm | David "Sully" Sullivan | |
| 2000 | Drowning Mona | Phil Dearly | |
| 2000 | Passion of Mind | Aaron Reilly | |
| 2000 | Endsville | Prince Victor | |
| 2001 | Pearl Harbor | Mr. Walker | |
| 2001 | Black Hawk Down | Sergeant First Class Jeff Sanderson | Nominated—Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast |
| 2001 | What's the Worst That Could Happen? | Detective Alex Tardio | |
| 2002 | Julie Walking Home | Henry | |
| 2002 | Equilibrium | Jurgen | |
| 2004 | Crash | Jake Flanagan | Hollywood Film Festival Ensemble of the Year Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Nominated—Gotham Independent Film Award for Best Ensemble Cast |
| 2005 | Nine Lives | Andrew | Nominated—Gotham Independent Film Award for Best Ensemble Cast |
| 2005 | The Chumscrubber | Dr. Bill Stifle | |
| 2005 | The Amateurs | Otis | |
| 2005 | The Longest Yard | Captain Brian Knauer | |
| 2005 | Mr. & Mrs. Smith | Dr. Wexler | Voice; Uncredited |
| 2006 | Ultraviolet | Garth | |
| 2007 | Blades of Glory | Darren MacElroy | |
| 2007 | First Snow | Ed | |
| 2008 | The Dark Knight | Bank Manager | |
| 2010 | Forehead Tittaes | Boss | Funny or Die sketch |
| 2010 | Date Night | District Attorney Frank Crenshaw | |
| 2011 | The Big Bang | Detective Poley | |
| 2011 | Drive Angry | The Accountant | Fangoria Chainsaw Award for Best Supporting Actor |
| 2012 | Wrong | Master Chang | |
| 2012 | St. Sebastian | Jurgens | Unreleased |
| 2013 | Phantom | Alex Kozlov | |
| 2013 | The Lone Ranger | Butch Cavendish | |
| 2013 | Elysium | John Carlyle | |
| 2014 | The Homesman | Vester Belknap | |
| 2014 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | Eric Sacks | |
| 2016 | Independence Day: Resurgence | General Joshua T. Adams | |
| 2016 | American Wrestler: The Wizard | Coach Plyler | |
| 2017 | Hot Summer Nights | Shep | |
| 2017 | The Neighbor | Mike Prentis | Also producer |
| 2017 | Krystal | Dr. Lyle Farley | |
| 2018 | 12 Strong | Colonel John Mulholland | |
| 2018 | Traffik | Carl Waynewright | |
| 2018 | O.G. | Danvers | |
| 2018 | Armed | Richard | |
| 2018 | Cold Brook | Ted Markham | Also director and co-writer |
| 2018 | All the Devil's Men | Mike Brennan | |
| 2019 | Josie & Jack | Joseph Raeburn | |
| 2019 | Finding Steve McQueen | Enzo Rotella | |
| 2021 | The Space Between | Donny Rumson | |
| 2021 | The Birthday Cake | Uncle Ricardo | |
| 2023 | Hypnotic | Lev Dellrayne | |
| 2024 | French Girl | Peter Kinski | |
| 2025 | The Embers and the Stars | TBA | |
| TBA | That's Amore! | TBA | Post-production |
| TBA | The Gettysburg Address | John G. Nicolay | Voice; Post-production |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1987–1994 | As the World Turns | Rod Landry | 79 episodes |
| 1989 | A Man Called Hawk | Boros | 2 episodes |
| 1989 | Baywatch | Howard Ganza | Episode: "Rookie School" |
| 1994–1995 | Grace Under Fire | Ryan Sparks | 8 episodes |
| 1995 | A Father for Charlie | Sheriff | Television film |
| 2002 | MDs | Bruce Kellerman | 10 episodes |
| 2004 | The West Wing | Christopher Mulready | Episode: "The Supremes" |
| 2005 | Empire Falls | Jimmy Minty | 2 episodes |
| 2005 | American Dad! | Harland | Voice; Episode: "Homeland Insecurity" |
| 2005–2006 | Invasion | Sheriff Tom Underlay | 22 episodes Nominated—Saturn Award for Best Actor on Television |
| 2006–2009 | Prison Break | Alexander Mahone | 59 episodes |
| 2009–2011 | Entourage | Phil Yagoda | 13 episodes |
| 2010 | Night and Day | Dan Hollister | Pilot |
| 2012 | Seal Team Six: The Raid on Osama Bin Laden | Mr. Guidry | Television film |
| 2013–2014 | Crossing Lines | Carl Hickman | 22 episodes |
| 2015–2016 | Empire | Jameson Henthrop | 4 episodes |
| 2016–2021 | Mom | Adam Janikowski | Recurring (season 3), Main cast (seasons 4–8); 84 episodes Nominated—Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series |
| 2016 | Shooter | Rathford O'Brien | Episode: "Killing Zone" |
| 2017 | Porsche: Decades of Disruption | Narrator | Voice; Documentary |
| 2017 | Top Gear America | Himself | Host; 8 episodes |
| 2019 | Veep | Felix Wade | Episode: "Discovery Weekend" |
| 2020 | Corporate | Brett | Episode: "Fuck You Money" |
| 2022 | Joe vs. Carole | Rick Kirkham | 2 episodes |
| 2023 | The Company You Keep | Leo Nicoletti | Main role; 10 episodes |
| 2025 | The Talamasca | Jasper | Main role |
| TBA | Beef | TBA | |

### Video games

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2002 | Grand Theft Auto: Vice City | Ken Rosenberg | Credited as William Fichtner |
| 2004 | Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas | Ken Rosenberg | Credited as Bill Fichtner |
| 2008 | Turok | Logan | |
| 2011 | Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 | Master Sergeant Sandman | |
| 2012 | Infex | The Administrator | |
| 2013 | Disney Infinity | Butch Cavendish | |
| 2014 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | The Shredder | Nintendo 3DS version |
| 2021 | Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition | Ken Rosenberg | Archival recordings Remasters of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas only |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
| 2005 | 32nd Saturn Awards | Best Actor on Television | Invasion | Nominated |
| 2011 | Buffalo Niagara Film Festival | Walk of Fame Trail of the Stars | Walk of Fame Trail of the Stars | Won |
| 2012 | Fangoria Chainsaw Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Drive Angry | Nominated |
| 2017 | Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival | Best Actor | The Neighbor | Won |
| 2021 | 26th Critics' Choice Awards | Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Mom | Nominated |