Robert Gant
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American actor (born 1968)

Robert Gant (born Robert John Gonzalez; July 13, 1968) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Ben Bruckner on the Showtime series Queer as Folk.[1]

Early life and education

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At age ten, Gant began acting in television commercials in Florida and became a member of the Screen Actors Guild at the age of eleven.[2]

Gant studied tap and jazz dance with the American Musical Theatre Company in Tampa, Florida. He performed a soft-shoe routine at MacDill Air Force Base with comedian Bob Hope as part of Hope's USO tour.[3] He attended George D. Chamberlain High School and graduated in 1986.[4]

While attending the University of Pennsylvania, Gant majored in English literature with both Shakespeare and poetry concentrations. At Penn, he was also a performing member of the slightly outlandish, artistically driven all-male a cappella group Pennsylvania Six-5000 and, as part of the school’s acting group Quadramics, played such roles as the sadistic dentist in Little Shop of Horrors .[2] He attended the Georgetown University Law Center, where he obtained his Juris Doctor in 1993. Gant was also a member of the Georgetown Gilbert & Sullivan Society, performing in a number of its productions.[5][6] Gant started a six-man a cappella group, The MetroGnomes, which performed in venues around Washington, D.C.[2]

Gant accepted a position with the Los Angeles office of Chicago-headquartered international law firm Baker McKenzie. When the firm closed its Los Angeles office shortly thereafter, Gant decided to pursue acting and performing.[2]

Career

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From 2002 to 2005, Gant portrayed Professor Ben Bruckner in Showtime's television series Queer as Folk. His character was married in the first legal gay marriage portrayed on American television.[7]

In 2004, Gant starred in the short film Billy's Dad is a Fudgepacker, an homage to 1950s educational films,[8] which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. In 2005,[9] Gant was a series regular in the BBC 3-produced drama Personal Affairs, set in London's financial sector and filmed on location in both London and Scotland. Gant was the sole American in an otherwise all-British cast.[7]

Gant was a producing partner in the production company Mythgarden. Its 2007 feature film Save Me, a drama set against the backdrop of an ex-gay ministry, stars Gant along with Judith Light and Chad Allen and premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.[7] He also co-produced, co-wrote, and starred in the Netflix-distributed period drama Milada, the true story of Czech politician Milada Horáková, who was executed by the Communist government in 1950.[7][10][11]

Gant portrayed television's first gay spy in the film, Kiss Me Deadly, which was shot on location in New Zealand.[12][13] Gant has portrayed Melissa Benoist's Kryptonian father Zor-El on Supergirl,[7] Todd Crimsen on the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why,[14][7] and Jim Hunter on The Fosters and its spin-off series Good Trouble.[15][16][17] Prior to Queer as Folk, Gant recurred as Principal Calvin Krupps in Ryan Murphy's first television series, Popular,[7][18] and a recurring role as Caroline's boyfriend Trevor in Caroline in the City.[19][2]

Gant has had guest roles on the television show Friends, where he played one of two men Phoebe was dating simultaneously. The other man Phoebe dates was played by recurring Queer as Folk actor, Matt Battaglia.[7][19] Gant guest starred in Melrose Place,[13] Becker,[2] several CSI-related shows,[7] Caroline in the City, and Criminal Minds.[18] In 2013, he portrayed Captain Robert Norton in Dead Space 3, the third installment in the Dead Space video game series released by Electronic Arts.[20]

Personal life

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In an interview published by The Advocate magazine, Gant came out as gay in 2002.[21][22][23]

Gant supports such organizations as Services & Advocacy for LGBT Elders (SAGE) and Gay & Lesbian Elder Housing (GLEH).[24]

Partial filmography

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Film

Year Title Role Notes 1996 Cityscrapes: Los Angeles Policeman B Jane Street Jay 1997 Hercules Video reference cast 1999 Teaching Mrs. Tingle Professor The Contract Gene Collins 2002 Fits and Starts Ian 2004 Marie and Bruce Bartender Billy's Dad Is a Fudge-Packer! Billy's Dad Short 2007 Save Me Scott Also producer Live! Casting Director 2012 Joshua Tree, 1951: A Portrait of James Dean Ian 2016 Love Is All You Need? Pete Santilli The Thinning Vince Davi 2017 A Million Happy Nows Dr. Hansen Milada Bohuslav Horák Also writer and producer 2021 The Map of Tiny Perfect Things Weatherman Dave 2023[25] To Catch a Killer Jimmy Kittridge (uncredited)

Television

Year Title Role Notes 1994 Ellen Dr. Garber Episode: "The Dentist" My So-Called Life Gunther Episode: "Pressure" Melrose Place Waiter Episode: "Just Say No" 1995 My Wildest Dreams Stewart Episode: "Sister's Mister" Step by Step Fireman Episode: "The Girls and a Baby" 1996 High Tide Mason Episode: "Old Friends" Melrose Place Deputy Tom Episode: "Moving Violations" 1997 Townies Guy Episode: "Things to Do in Gloucester When You Are Dead" Life with Roger Rod Davis Episode: "The Boxer Rebellion" Friends Jason Episode: "The One with Ross's Thing" Hangin' with Mr. Cooper Bartender Episode: "Party, Party" Silk Stalkings Kevin Episode: "Night of the Parrot" Head Over Heels Blake Episode: "Hot Guy" Night Stand Frank Thatcher Episode: "Leave Your Job or I'm Leaving You" 1997–98 Caroline in the City Trevor 9 episodes 1998 Style & Substance Matthew Episode: "Terry, We Hardly Knew Ye" Fantasy Island Dave Sullivan Episode: "Estrogen" 1999 Becker Doug Episode: "Cyrano De-Beckerac" Rude Awakening Jim Episode: "Abstinence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder" 2000 Linc's Dr. Brad Wheeler Episode: "I Just Want to Testify" Veronica's Closet Bernie Episode: "Veronica Sets Josh Up" 2000–01 Popular Calvin Krupps 11 episodes 2002 V.I.P. Arthur Goodwin Episode: "Val Cubed" Providence Groom Episode: "It's Raining Men" 2002–05 Queer as Folk Prof. Ben Bruckner 55 episodes 2005 The Closer Julian Carver Episode: "Batter Up" 2006 Pepper Dennis Benny Gold Episode: "Celebrity Twin Could Hang" 2007 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Lewis Greyburg Episode: "Empty Eyes" 2008 Nip/Tuck Jeff Morris Episode: "Magda and Jeff" Kiss Me Deadly Jacob Keane Television film Special Delivery Nate Spencer Television film 2009 Rick & Steve: The Happiest Gay Couple in All the World Mayor Mayer Voice; Episode: "The Only Straight in the Village" CSI: NY Felix Redman Episode: "Green Piece" Tracey Ullman's State of the Union Buzz Episode: "Fuzzy Cheeks" Personal Affairs Rock van Gelder 5 episodes Castle Ron Bigby Episode: "Deep in Death" CSI: Miami Lloyd Arrington Episode: "Hostile Takeover" 2010 Bones Jason Hendler Episode: "The Dentist in the Ditch" Hot in Cleveland Steve Episode: "Birthdates" 90210 Dr. Wright Episode: "Catch Me If You Cannon" 2011 Mike & Molly Kyle Episode: "First Valentine's Day" Happily Divorced Marc Episode: "A Kiss Is Just a Kiss" The Secret Life of the American Teenager Mr. Martin Episode: "4-1-1" My Life As an Experiment Craig Rolle Television film 2012 Free Agents Mark Episode: "The Kids Are Probably Alright" Shameless Greg Garvin Episode: "Father's Day" 2013 Vegas Rick Kent Episode: "From This Day Forward" NCIS Mike Dunkel Episode: "Detour" Anger Management Dr. Konner Episode: "Charlie and the Hot Nerd" Baby Daddy Steve Episode: "Christening" Sean Saves the World Chase Episode: "Date Expectations" 2013–17 The Young and the Restless David Sherman 16 episodes 2014 The Tomorrow People Peter MacKenzie Episode: "The Citadel"

Episode: "Sitting Ducks" Hit the Floor Louis Jason Episode: "Full-Court Press" 2015 Criminal Minds Miles Tate Episode: "Lockdown" 2015–16 Supergirl Zor-El 4 episodes 2016 K.C. Undercover Vice President Jackson Cleveland Episode: "Accidents Will Happen"

Episode: "Brainwashed" Summer of Dreams Noah Burns Television film American Housewife Tim Donohue Episode: "Krampus Katie" 2017 Hawaii Five-0 Thomas Stratham Episode: "Huikau na makau a na lawai'a" 2017–20 13 Reasons Why Todd Crimsen 6 episodes 2018 The Fosters Jim Hunter 3 episodes Wedding of Dreams Noah Burns Television film 2019 Why Women Kill Dale Clark Episode: "You Had Me at Homicide"

Episode: "Practically Lethal in Every Way" All Rise Daniel Fox Episode: "Maricela and the Desert" 2019–21 Good Trouble Jim Hunter 3 episodes 2021 NCIS: Los Angeles Ron Lewis Episode: "A Fait Accompli"

Stage

References

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