# Bryan Greenberg

Bryan Greenberg (born May 24, 1978) is an American actor. He is known for his starring role as Ben Epstein in the HBO original series How to Make It in America as well as a recurring role in The Mindy Project. He also had a recurring role as Jake Jagielski in the WB series One Tree Hill and as Nick Garrett on the ABC drama October Road. His film work includes The Perfect Score, Prime, Bride Wars, and Friends with Benefits. He made his directorial debut with his film Junction.

## Early life

Greenberg was born May 24, 1978, in Omaha, Nebraska, U.S. the son of psychologists Denise "Denny" (b.1951) and Carl Greenberg (b.1950). He is Jewish and was raised in Conservative Judaism. Growing up, he attended Beth El Synagogue in Omaha. He had a Bar Mitzvah ceremony, belonged to Jewish youth groups, went to Jewish summer camps where he acted in theater productions, and traveled to Israel.
At seven years old, Greenberg appeared in the lead role in the Omaha Ballet production of The Nutcracker. He toured with the show for two months and later joined a children's theater company in Omaha. At age 12, Greenberg and his family moved to St. Louis, Missouri, where he got his first major role in a nationally-broadcast Cookie Crisp cereal commercial.
He graduated from Parkway Central High School in Chesterfield, Missouri in 1996 and moved to New York City after high school.
Greenberg earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre at New York University in 2000.

## Acting career

While at NYU, Greenberg auditioned and worked as a waiter, bartender, caterer and assistant to a mortgage broker. He was cast as Romeo in NYU's performance of Romeo and Juliet and performed with the Experimental Theater Workshop, the Atlantic Theater Company and the Amsterdam Experimental Workshop.
In 1997, he got a small role on the television series Law & Order. Soon after this appearance, Greenberg got an agent and one year later made his big screen debut in A Civil Action.
After landing small roles on several TV series (Boston Public, The Sopranos, and Third Watch among others), Greenberg was cast as Matty Matthews, a high school student trying to pass the SAT exam, in the film The Perfect Score. After graduating from NYU, Bryan moved to California. While he was still appearing in One Tree Hill, he began shooting another television show produced by George Clooney for HBO called Unscripted.
Greenberg's first starring role was in the Ben Younger film Prime (2005). He played David Bloomberg, a young artist who falls in love with one of his mother Meryl Streep's therapy patients, played by Uma Thurman. Greenberg then starred in October Road on ABC and appeared with Alan Rickman in the film Nobel Son in 2008. In 2009, Greenberg appeared in the film Bride Wars with Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway and starred opposite Alexis Bledel and Scott Porter in the indie film The Good Guy, which was released in February 2010.
His series How to Make It in America premiered on HBO on February 14, 2010. The Washington Post called it "The New Yorkiest thing you could find on television, which is saying something," and praised its "portrayal of a dirty, scrappy, multi-ethnic New York culture." The New York Times said the "series has great music (the theme song is Aloe Blacc’s 'I Need a Dollar') and there are some snarky asides about hipster New York." Season 2 premiered on October 2, 2011. On December 20, 2011, HBO announced the cancellation of the show.
In 2012, Greenberg co-starred with Laura Prepon in the independent comedy film The Kitchen. That same year, Greenberg starred in the dark comedy film The Normals, which follows a young man who enters a two-week clinical trial of an anti-psychotic treatment at a drug-testing center in Queens.
In 2013, Greenberg began shooting the untitled Lance Armstrong biopic alongside Ben Foster, who will play Armstrong.
In 2015, Greenberg and his wife Jamie Chung co-starred together in the romantic drama Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong.
In 2024, Greenberg joined the cast of Suits LA opposite Stephen Amell.

## Music

In 2007, Greenberg released his debut album, Waiting for Now. He has toured with Gavin DeGraw, Michael Tolcher, Ari Hest, and Graham Colton. At his New York City Show at the High Line Ballroom, Greenberg was joined by How to Make it in America co-star Kid Cudi. Greenberg's songs have been featured in many of his film and television work, including One Tree Hill, October Road, and Nobel Son.
In 2011, Greenberg released his second album, We Don't Have Forever, produced by Thom Monahan (Vetiver, Devendra Banhart, Gary Louris), which included the single "Walk Away". The album also included "You Can Run", a collaboration with How to Make It in America co-star and rapper Kid Cudi. Greenberg said he wrote the record over a period of two years when he was experiencing many changes in his life and decided to title the record We Don't Have Forever to reflect that.

## Personal life

In 2012, Greenberg began dating actress Jamie Chung. They became engaged in December 2013 and were married on October 31, 2015, in Santa Barbara, California. Their twin sons were born via surrogacy in October 2021.
In January 2025, Greenberg and Chung's house in Los Angeles was destroyed by a wildfire.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1998 | A Civil Action | Firecracker kid | Uncredited |
| 2004 | The Perfect Score | Matty Matthews | |
| 2005 | Prime | David Bloomberg | |
| 2006 | Escape | Bryan | Short film |
| 2006 | Love & Debate | Chris | |
| 2007 | Nobel Son | Barkley Michaelson | |
| 2009 | Bride Wars | Nathan "Nate" Lerner | |
| 2009 | The Good Guy | Daniel Seaver | |
| 2011 | Friends with Benefits | Parker | |
| 2012 | The Kitchen | Paul | |
| 2012 | The Normals | Billy Schine | |
| 2014 | A Short History of Decay | Nathan Fisher | |
| 2015 | Vice | Evan | |
| 2015 | A Year and Change | Owen | |
| 2015 | Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong | Josh | |
| 2015 | The Program | Floyd's buddy | Uncredited |
| 2016 | Flock of Dudes | Barrett | |
| 2017 | Random Tropical Paradise | Harry Fluder | |
| 2018 | Fourplay | Tom | |
| 2022 | The Mental State | Dylan Cady | |
| 2023 | You People | Issac | |
| 2024 | Junction | Michael | Also writer and director |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1997 | Law & Order | Matt Wheeler | Episode: "Thrill" |
| 2000 | The Sopranos | Peter McClure | Episode: "Guy Walks into a Psychiatrist's Office..." |
| 2000 | Third Watch | Francis DeSilva | Episode: "Journey to the Himalayas" |
| 2000, 2003 | Boston Public | Mr. Freeman | 2 episodes |
| 2001 | Three Sisters | Roy | Episode: "A Date with Destiny" |
| 2002 | Strong Medicine | Kent | Episode: "Rape Kit" |
| 2002 | The Chronicle | Damon Furberg | Episode: "The Stepford Cheerleaders" |
| 2002 | Providence | Neal | Episode: "Great Expectations" |
| 2003–2006 | One Tree Hill | Jake Jagielski | 26 episodes |
| 2004 | Life with Bonnie | Timmy | Episode: "Nip, Tuck and Role" |
| 2005–2006 | Unscripted | Himself | Main role; 10 episodes |
| 2007–2008 | October Road | Nicholson "Nick" Garrett | Main role; 19 episodes |
| 2010–2011 | How to Make It in America | Ben Epstein | Main cast; 16 episodes |
| 2013 | The Arrangement | Billy Whitley | Television film |
| 2015 | Bessie | John Hammond | Television film |
| 2016–2017 | The Mindy Project | Ben | 13 episodes |
| 2017–2018 | The Tick | Derek | 4 episodes |
| 2018 | Sideswiped | Ryan | Episode: "The Ex" |
| 2019 | God Friended Me | Teddy Preston | Episode: "The Lady" |
| 2019 | Same Time, Next Christmas | Gregg Harris | Television film |
| 2023 | Round and Round | Zach | Television film |
| 2024 | The Vince Staples Show | Officer | Episode: "Pink House" |
| 2024 | The Emperor of Ocean Park | Howard Denton | |
| 2025 - | Suits LA | Rick Dodsen | Main Role |

## Discography
### Albums

* Waiting for Now (2007)
* We Don't Have Forever (2011)
* Everything Changes (2015)
* The 36 Hour - EP (2019)

## Other activities

* In 2008, Greenberg appeared in will.i.am's song "Yes We Can."
* In 2010, Greenberg made a public service announcement about the Gulf Oil Spill for Natural Resources Defense Council calling for Clean Energy Legislation. It was released July 20, 2010.