# Dan Bucatinsky

Dan Bucatinsky (/ˌbʊkəˈtɪnski/) is an American actor, writer and producer, best known for his role as James Novak in the Shonda Rhimes drama series Scandal, for which he won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series in 2013. In 2014, Bucatinsky starred on NBC's Marry Me, as well as the revived HBO series The Comeback, which he also executive produced.

## Early life and education

Bucatinsky is the son of Jewish parents Julio and Myriam. Their families moved from Russia and Poland to Argentina. He is a graduate of Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York.

## Career

Bucatinsky was the writer, producer and star of the 2001 romantic comedy All Over the Guy. He has appeared in episodes of many television series, including Curb Your Enthusiasm, Weeds, Friends, NYPD Blue, That '80s Show, Frasier, and Will & Grace, as well as an episode of Grey's Anatomy (where Bucatinsky also serves as a consulting producer). He executive produced and acted in the 2005 HBO series The Comeback along with his producing partner, actress Lisa Kudrow. In 2008, Bucatinsky and Lisa Kudrow again worked as producers for the innovative and largely improvisational web series, Web Therapy, in which Kudrow starred and Bucatinsky also acted; Don Roos, his husband, directed.
Bucatinsky had a recurring role as a journalist and husband of the President's Chief of Staff on the ABC drama series, Scandal, for which he won the 2013 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.
From 2014 to 2015, Bucatinsky co-starred on the short-lived NBC sitcom Marry Me, where he and Tim Meadows play "The Kevins", the gay dads of Annie (played by Casey Wilson) who are both named Kevin. He started out as a recurring guest star, but was promoted to series regular midway through the series.
He also wrote the book Does This Baby Make Me Look Straight?: Confessions of a Gay Dad.

## Personal life

Bucatinsky met his future husband, screenwriter Don Roos, in 1992 when Roos invited him to be his date at the premiere of Love Field. They married in 2008, during the four months same-sex marriage in California was first recognized. The couple have two children, daughter Eliza and son Jonah.

## Filmography

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1994 | Another Midnight Run | Bellhop | TV movie |
| 1996 | Party of Five | Check Out Guy | 1 episode |
| 1997 | Night Stand | Sam | 1 episode |
| 1997 | High Incident | Bootz Brotman | 1 episode |
| 1997 | Jenny | Carl | 1 episode |
| 1997 | Fame L.A. | Drew Douglas | 1 episode |
| 1998 | The Opposite of Sex | Timothy | |
| 1998 | Significant Others | Josh | 1 episode |
| 1998 | Cybill | Troy | 1 episode |
| 1998 | Maggie | Mr. Sampson | 1 episode |
| 1998 | The Pretender | Emery | 1 episode |
| 1998 | Chicago Hope | Politico Man | 1 episode |
| 2000; 2018 | Will & Grace | Neil | 2 episodes |
| 2000 | M.Y.O.B. | Reuben | 2 episodes |
| 2001 | All Over the Guy | Eli Wyckoff | |
| 2001 | The Sky Is Falling | Lab Technician | |
| 2001 | Rocket Power | Sportscaster | 1 episode |
| 2002 | Frasier | Jewelry Clerk | 1 episode |
| 2002 | That '80s Show | Rick | 1 episode |
| 2002 | NYPD Blue | PAA David 'Dave' Moore | 2 episodes |
| 2002 | MDs | Kurt | 1 episode |
| 2002 | Friends | Waiter | Episode: The One with Phoebe's Birthday Dinner |
| 2003 | I Love Your Work | The Director | |
| 2003 | Under the Tuscan Sun | Rodney | |
| 2005 | When Do We Eat? | High Strung Client | |
| 2005; 2014 | The Comeback | Billy Stanton | Also executive producer |
| 2006 | Weeds | Max | 1 episode |
| 2008 | Dirt | Dillon Frawley | 1 episode |
| 2008 | CSI: Miami | | 1 episode |
| 2008–2014 | Web Therapy | Jerome Sokoloff | Web series; also creator and executive producer Nominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Class – Short-Format Live-Action Entertainment Programs (2012) |
| 2010 | Grey's Anatomy | Jeffrey | 1 episode, Consulting producer – 36 episodes, Written by – 1 episode. |
| 2011–2012 | In Plain Sight | Fred Zeitlin | 3 episodes |
| 2011–2015 | Web Therapy | Jerome Sokoloff | TV series; also creator and executive producer Nominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Class – Short-Format Live-Action Entertainment Programs (2012) |
| 2012–2015 | Scandal | James Novak | Recurring role Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series (2013) |
| 2014–2015 | Marry Me | Kevin 2 | Series regular |
| 2015 | The Hotwives of Las Vegas | Maxwell Octavius | 1 episode |
| 2016 | Superstore | Steve | 1 episode |
| 2016 | Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life | Jim Nelson | 1 episode |
| 2017 | 24: Legacy | Andy Shalowitz | |
| 2017 | Hell's Kitchen | Himself | Blue team's VIP guest diner; Episode: "Catch of the Day" |
| 2018 | Second Act | Arthur | |
| 2018 | The Good Doctor | Spence | 1 episode |
| 2018 | Grace & Frankie | Arnold | 1 episode |
| 2020 | The Baker and the Beauty | Lewis | recurring |
| 2021 | Mom | Arthur | Episode: "Vinyl Flooring and a Cartoon Bear" |
| 2022 | How I Met Your Father | Fred | Episode: "The Perfect Shot" |
| 2023 | Air | Richard | |
| 2024 | Our Little Secret | Leonard | |