Richard Jenkins

Richard Jenkins Bio

Richard Dale Jenkins (born May 4, 1947) is an American actor known for his extensive work across film and television. He began his career in theater, initially at the Trinity Repertory Company, before making his film debut in 1974. Over the decades, Jenkins has established a reputation for his diverse roles in acclaimed films and series, including his notable role in Six Feet Under and in films like The Shape of Water and The Visitor, for which he garnered multiple award nominations.

Early Life and Background

Richard Dale Jenkins was born on May 4, 1947, in DeKalb, Illinois, where he was also raised. His mother, Mary Elizabeth Wheeler, was a housewife, and his father, Dale Stevens Jenkins, was a dentist. He attended DeKalb High School, growing up in a Midwestern household that valued steady work and community ties.

Before becoming a professional actor, Jenkins drove a linen truck. His boss during that job was the father of actor John C. Reilly, an early connection that reflected the tight-knit networks of the region. The experience gave him a grounded perspective that he would later draw upon in his performances.

He earned a degree in drama from Illinois Wesleyan University, an academic foundation that prepared him for a professional life on the stage. After completing his studies, Jenkins relocated to Rhode Island, where he began his formal theater training at the Trinity Repertory Company in Providence.

Path to Acting

Jenkins worked with the Trinity Repertory Company in Providence, Rhode Island, while breaking into film with a small part in Feasting with Panthers (1974), a television film about Oscar Wilde. When given the option of joining the Screen Actors Guild, he accepted immediately, marking his commitment to a professional career in acting.

He continued as a member of Trinity’s resident acting company and served as its artistic director from 1990 to 1994. This period allowed him to refine his craft in repertory theater, taking on a wide range of stage roles that built his reputation as a versatile and reliable performer.

His early film work included small parts in features such as Silverado (1985) and Hannah and Her Sisters (1986), followed by a memorable turn in The Witches of Eastwick (1987). These supporting roles gradually introduced him to larger audiences and to directors who would return to him for future projects.

Richard Jenkins Career

Early Career (1974–2000)

Since his debut in the television movie Feasting with Panthers (1974), Richard Dale Jenkins worked steadily in film, often in supporting parts. His earlier film credits include Silverado (1985), Hannah and Her Sisters (1986), The Witches of Eastwick (1987), Sea of Love (1989), Blue Steel (1990), How to Make an American Quilt (1995), Flirting with Disaster (1996), and Snow Falling on Cedars (1999).

He worked with the Farrelly brothers in There’s Something About Mary (1998), Outside Providence (1999), Me, Myself & Irene (2000), Say It Isn’t So (2001), and Hall Pass (2011). He also appeared in three Coen Brothers films: The Man Who Wasn’t There (2001), Intolerable Cruelty (2003), and Burn After Reading (2008). On television, he played Nathaniel Fisher in the HBO drama series Six Feet Under (2001–2005), a role he held for the show’s entire run, and he and his castmates won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in 2002.

Breakthrough (2007–2022)

Although primarily known for supporting parts, Richard Dale Jenkins took on a lead role in The Visitor (2007), for which he was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award and an Academy Award for Best Actor. Jenkins also won the International Press Academy’s Satellite Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture for the same performance, signaling his arrival as a leading dramatic actor.

In 2010, he co-starred in Dear John as the father of John Tyree, and appeared alongside Julia Roberts and Javier Bardem in Eat Pray Love. In 2012, he appeared in the Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard horror film The Cabin in the Woods and the action film Jack Reacher, followed by the action films White House Down (2013) and Kong: Skull Island (2017).

Jenkins co-starred in Guillermo del Toro’s fantasy romance drama film The Shape of Water (2017), receiving critical acclaim and earning Academy Award, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor. In 2015, he won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie for his performance as Henry Kitteridge in the HBO miniseries Olive Kitteridge.

In 2022, Jenkins portrayed Lionel Dahmer, father of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, in Netflix’s limited series Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. Starring alongside Evan Peters and Molly Ringwald, Jenkins appeared in all ten episodes of the series created by Ryan Murphy. His performance was nominated for the 2023 Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie, with The New Yorker describing his work as brilliant.

Notable Works and Milestones

Jenkins’s signature works include his Emmy-winning performance in Olive Kitteridge, his Academy Award–nominated role in The Visitor, and his supporting turn in The Shape of Water. His long association with Trinity Repertory Company, where he also served as artistic director from 1990 to 1994, remains a defining chapter of his artistic life.

Richard Jenkins Award Nominations

Richard Dale Jenkins has earned recognition from the industry’s most respected organizations throughout his career. He received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor for the drama film The Visitor (2007), along with a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for the same performance. For his work in The Shape of Water (2017), he was nominated for the Academy Award, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Supporting Actor. His portrayal in the Netflix miniseries Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (2022) brought him both Golden Globe and Emmy nominations for Best Supporting Actor, as well as an additional Emmy nomination for producing the series.

Richard Jenkins Awards Won

Richard Dale Jenkins has taken home several major honors across film and television. In 2015, he won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie for the limited drama series Olive Kitteridge. He also won the International Press Academy’s Satellite Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture for The Visitor. With his Six Feet Under castmates, he shared the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in 2002. In 2014, Jenkins and his wife Sharon received the Pell Award for Lifetime Achievement from Trinity Repertory Company in Providence.

Richard Jenkins Family

Richard Dale Jenkins was born to Dale Stevens Jenkins, a dentist, and Mary Elizabeth Wheeler, a housewife. He grew up in DeKalb, Illinois, alongside siblings within a close-knit Midwestern family. Before becoming a professional actor, Jenkins worked for a linen company whose owner was the father of fellow actor John C. Reilly, an early link to the world of film performance.

Personal Life

Richard Dale Jenkins is married to choreographer Sharon R. Friedrick. The couple wed in 1969 and have two children together. In 2014, Jenkins and his wife Sharon received the Pell Award for Lifetime Achievement from Trinity Repertory Company in Providence, recognizing their shared contribution to the arts community.