# John Carroll Lynch

John Carroll Lynch (born August 1, 1963) is an American character actor and film director. He first gained notice for his role as Norm Gunderson in Fargo (1996). He is also known for his television work on the ABC sitcom The Drew Carey Show (1997–2004) as the title character's cross-dressing brother, Steve Carey, as well as on four seasons of American Horror Story (2014–2019), most notably as breakout character Twisty the Clown. His films include Face/Off (1997), Zodiac (2007), Gran Torino (2008), Shutter Island (2010), Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011), Ted 2 (2015), The Invitation (2015), The Founder (2016), and The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020). He made his directorial debut with the 2017 film Lucky.

## Early life

Lynch was born in Boulder, Colorado. He attended Regis Jesuit High School in Denver. He studied theater at The Catholic University of America, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1986.

## Career

Lynch was a member of the Guthrie Theater company. He starred in several productions, toured with the company and worked there for over eight seasons.
Lynch made his feature film debut in Grumpy Old Men (1993). He gained notice in a supporting role as Norm Gunderson in the Coen brothers' film Fargo (1996). His other notable films are Face/Off (1997), Bubble Boy (2001), Gothika (2003), Things We Lost in the Fire (2007), Gran Torino (2008), Shutter Island (2010), Paul (2011) and Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011). He portrayed Arthur Leigh Allen in Zodiac (2007) and the first establisher of McDonald's, Mac McDonald, in The Founder (2016).
Lynch has also had an extensive career in television. He appeared in ABC sitcom The Drew Carey Show as the title character's cross-dressing brother, Steve Carey. He has also been a regular cast member on series such as Close to Home, Carnivàle, Body of Proof and seasons 4, 5, 7 and 9 of American Horror Story.
In 2018, Lynch was cast in the lead role of Bud Carl in the CBS All Access drama One Dollar. The series was cancelled after one season. In 2020, Lynch plays the lead role of Rick Legarski in the ABC crime drama series Big Sky, created by David E. Kelley. After his character was killed off, he resurfaced as Wolf Legarski, Rick's twin brother. He also co-starred in Aaron Sorkin's acclaimed film The Trial of the Chicago 7, as activist David Dellinger.

## Personal life

Lynch has been married to actress Brenda Wehle (also a former member of the Guthrie Theatre Company) since 1997.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1993 | Grumpy Old Men | Moving Man | |
| 1995 | The Cure | Skipper #1 | Credited as John Lynch |
| 1996 | Beautiful Girls | Frank Womack | |
| 1996 | Fargo | Norm Gunderson | |
| 1996 | Feeling Minnesota | Cop | |
| 1997 | Volcano | Stan Olber | |
| 1997 | Face/Off | Prison Guard Walton | |
| 1997 | A Thousand Acres | Ken LeSalle | |
| 1998 | Mercury Rising | Martin Lynch | |
| 1998 | The Naked Man | Sticks' Driver | |
| 1998 | Restaurant | John English | |
| 1999 | Anywhere but Here | Jack Irwin | |
| 1999 | The Minus Man | Bartender | Uncredited cameo |
| 1999 | Pushing Tin | Doctor Freeze | |
| 1999 | Freak Weather | Ed | |
| 2000 | Waking the Dead | Father Mileski | |
| 2000 | Gone in 60 Seconds | Impound Manager | Uncredited cameo |
| 2001 | Bubble Boy | Mr. Livingston | |
| 2002 | The Good Girl | Jack Field | |
| 2002 | Bug | Wallace Gregory | |
| 2002 | Three Days of Rain | Dinner Guest | |
| 2003 | Gothika | Sheriff Ryan | |
| 2003 | Confidence | Leon Ashby | |
| 2004 | Catch That Kid | Mr. Hartmunn | |
| 2005 | Mozart and the Whale | Gregory | |
| 2005 | Trust the Man | Doctor | Scene deleted |
| 2005 | Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World | Stewart | |
| 2007 | Full of It | Mr. Leonard | |
| 2007 | Zodiac | Arthur Leigh Allen | |
| 2007 | Things We Lost in the Fire | Howard Glassman | |
| 2008 | Gran Torino | Barber Martin | |
| 2009 | Love Happens | Walter | |
| 2010 | Sympathy for Delicious | Evangelist Carroll | |
| 2010 | Shutter Island | Deputy Warden McPherson | |
| 2010 | Hesher | Larry | |
| 2011 | Paul | Moses Buggs | |
| 2011 | Crazy, Stupid, Love | Bernie Riley | |
| 2012 | Lay the Favorite | Dave Greenberg | |
| 2013 | The Pretty One | Frank | |
| 2014 | Camp X-Ray | Col. James Drummond | |
| 2015 | Hot Pursuit | Captain Emmett | |
| 2015 | Ted 2 | Tom Jessup | |
| 2015 | The Invitation | Pruitt | |
| 2016 | Miracles from Heaven | Pastor Scott | |
| 2016 | Jackie | Lyndon B. Johnson | |
| 2016 | The Founder | Mac McDonald | |
| 2016 | Shangri-La Suite | Colonel Tom Parker | |
| 2017 | Lucky | — | Directorial debut |
| 2017 | Anything | Early Landry | |
| 2018 | Private Life | Charlie | |
| 2018 | White Orchid | Sheriff Mann | |
| 2019 | The Highwaymen | Lee Simmons | |
| 2020 | Kiss Me Before It Blows Up | Ron Shalev | |
| 2020 | The Trial of the Chicago 7 | David Dellinger | |
| 2024 | Outlaw Posse | Carson | |
| 2024 | Babes | Dr. Morris | |
| 2025 | Sorry, Baby | Pete | Post-production |
| TBA | She Rides Shotgun | TBA | Post-production |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1996 | Frasier | Actor playing Franklin | Episode: "The Show Where Diane Comes Back" |
| 1996 | Murder One | Officer Carl Bickley | Episode: "Chapter Thirteen" |
| 1996 | The Client | Frank | Episode: "Damn Yankees" |
| 1996 | Voice from the Grave | Prosecutor O'Gane | Television film |
| 1996 | A Friend's Betrayal | Mr. Franks | Television film |
| 1996, 1997 | Life's Work | District Attorney Agee / Crazy Larry | 2 episodes |
| 1997–2004 | The Drew Carey Show | Steve Carey | Main role (seasons 6–8), recurring role (seasons 3–5), guest (season 9), 72 episodes |
| 1997 | The Practice | Dr. Robert Larson | Episode: "Search and Seizure" |
| 1997 | The Visitor | Joe York | Episode: "Going Home" |
| 1998 | From the Earth to the Moon | Robert R. Gilruth | 2 episodes |
| 1999 | Star Trek: Voyager | Gerald Moss | Episode: "11:59" |
| 1999 | Late Last Night | Sgt. Van Wyck | Television film |
| 1999 | Tuesdays with Morrie | Walter Moran | Television film |
| 2000 | The Fugitive | Raynor | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2000 | The West Wing | Jack | Episode: "Galileo" |
| 2001 | Gideon's Crossing | Sonny Green | Episode: "The Race" |
| 2002 | Live from Baghdad | John Holliman | Television film |
| 2003 | The Brotherhood of Poland, New Hampshire | Mayor Garrett Shaw | 7 episodes |
| 2005 | Carnivàle | Varlyn Stroud | 12 episodes |
| 2005 | American Dad! | Mr. Simms (voice) | Episode: "Stannie Get Your Gun" |
| 2005–2006 | Close to Home | Steve Sharpe | Main role |
| 2007–2008 | K-Ville | Captain James Embry | Main role |
| 2007 | Big Love | Officer Chuck Tuttle | 2 episodes |
| 2009 | Lie to Me | Mr. Reed | Episode: "Truth or Consequences" |
| 2009 | Monk | Kurt Pressman | Episode: "Happy Birthday, Mr. Monk" |
| 2009 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Buddy Arnold | Episode: "Bloodsport" |
| 2010 | How to Make It in America | Larry | Episode: "Keep on Truck'n" |
| 2010–2012 | The Glades | Mike Ogletree | 2 episodes |
| 2011–2013 | Body of Proof | Bud Morris | Main role |
| 2013 | Do No Harm | Will Hayes | 10 episodes |
| 2013–2014 | Comedy Bang! Bang! | Ned Dooley | 2 episodes |
| 2014 | House of Lies | Gil Selby | 2 episodes |
| 2014 | The Americans | Fred | 6 episodes |
| 2014 | Manhattan | Daniel Ellis | 2 episodes |
| 2014 | Us & Them | Ed | Episode: "Coeds & Carburetors" |
| 2014–2015 | American Horror Story: Freak Show | Twisty the Clown | 5 episodes |
| 2015 | The Walking Dead | Eastman | Episode: "Here's Not Here" |
| 2015–2016 | American Horror Story: Hotel | John Wayne Gacy | 2 episodes |
| 2016 | Billions | Mr. Gilbert | Episode: "The Punch" |
| 2016–2017 | Turn: Washington's Spies | James Rivington | 8 episodes |
| 2017 | American Horror Story: Cult | Twisty the Clown | 2 episodes |
| 2017 | Channel Zero: The No-End House | John Sleator | 6 episodes |
| 2018 | The Handmaid's Tale | Dan | Episode: "Unwomen" |
| 2018 | Crawford | Owen | 12 episodes |
| 2018 | One Dollar | Bud Carl | Main role |
| 2018 | The Good Cop | Sherman Smalls | Episode: "Who Is the Ugly German Lady?" |
| 2019 | Veep | Lloyd Hennick | 3 episodes |
| 2019 | American Horror Story: 1984 | Benjamin Richter / Mr. Jingles | 9 episodes |
| 2019–2020 | Perfect Harmony | Pastor Magnus | 3 episodes |
| 2020–2022 | Big Sky | Rick Legarski / Wolf Legarski | 22 episodes |
| 2021 | American Horror Stories | Larry Bitterman | Episode: "Drive In" |
| 2022 | Gaslit | L. Patrick Gray | 4 episodes |
| 2023 | White House Plumbers | John N. Mitchell | 2 episodes |
| 2024 | Evil | Henry Stick | Episode: "Fear of the Future" |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Association | Category | Nominated work | Result |
| 2016 | Saturn Awards | Best Guest Starring Role on Television | The Walking Dead | Nominated |
| 2017 | Fangoria Chainsaw Awards | Best Supporting Actor | The Invitation | Nominated |
| 2017 | Camerimage | Directors' Debuts Competition | Lucky | Nominated |
| 2017 | Chicago Film Critics Association | Most Promising Filmmaker | Lucky | Nominated |
| 2017 | Haifa International Film Festival | Carmel Award for Best Film | Lucky | Nominated |
| 2017 | Haifa International Film Festival | Fedeora Award - Directors of Tomorrow | Lucky | Won |
| 2017 | Locarno Festival | Golden Leopard | Lucky | Nominated |
| 2017 | Locarno Festival | Prize of the Ecumenical Jury | Lucky | Won |
| 2017 | Satellite Awards | Special Achievement Award for Best First Feature | Lucky | Won |
| 2017 | Los Angeles Film Festival | Special Mention for Acting | Anything | Won |
| 2021 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture | The Trial of the Chicago 7 | Won |