13 Best Shea Whigham Characters to Watch Before 'Gaslit'
Even if you don’t know his name, you’ve probably seen Shea Whigham’s face just about everywhere. The film and television actor has appeared in a multitude of projects, and you’ve likely already seen a significant amount of his filmography. Whether it's blockbusters like Joker, prestige television shows like True Detective, or indie films like Silver Linings Playbook, you can count on Whigham to be a menacing sense of authority. He’s one of the best character actors working today.
The term “character actor” is often misconstrued; it's easy to just think of idiosyncratic guys that often appear in quirky side roles, such as Steve Buscemi or John Goodman. Whigham is the sort of actor who is often cast as cops, agents, detectives, mafia figures, and other intimidating roles. These parts are often small, but critical, and it takes a talented actor to make them effective.
Hopefully Whigham gets the chance to play the lead at some point, but for now we can’t complain about how often we see him. Here are Shea Whigham’s thirteen best appearances.
Dwayne Jeffrey Corliss in The Lincoln Lawyer (2011)
Although he’s often known for playing the cop, The Lincoln Lawyer showed that Whigham could play those on the other side of the law as well. He briefly appears as Dwayne Jeffrey Corliss, an addict who falsely testifies before Matthew McConaughey’s titular attorney. The Lincoln Lawyer’s courtroom scenes feel very authentic, and Whigham sold the legitimacy of the case against Corliss.
Eli Thompson in Boardwalk Empire (2010-2014)
Boardwalk Empire is one of the most beloved dramas of HBO’s “golden years,” and it would hardly be the first time that Whigham worked with Martin Scorsese. He appeared throughout the series’ run as Eli, the brother of Steve Buscemi’s notorious gangster Enoch Thompson. Enoch’s younger brother showed a different side of corruption, as he helps the bootlegging business through his position as Sheriff of Atlantic County.
Dewart in Take Shelter (2011)
Whigham has a great relationship with indie auteur Jeff Nichols, as he perfectly fits within the writer/director’s emotionally authentic stories of America’s heartland. The arthouse disaster drama Take Shelter questions the norms of masculinity through the story of the sensitive father Curtis (Michael Shannon). Whigham plays the alternative, a pessimistic dude bro who questions Curtis’ vulnerable nature.
Carl Elway in American Hustle (2013)
American Hustle is the sort of true crime comedy that is equally authentic to the period detail, yet totally satirical in its approach. The scenes featuring the Rosenfelds’ clients hint at the inherently ridiculous ways in which the film loosely tells real events. Whigham adds just the right amount of legitimacy with his performance as Carl Elway.
Captain Ted Beecham in The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
The victims of the cons in The Wolf of Wall Street come off as the clueless, boring fools that are helpless to stop Jordan Belfort’s (Leonardo DiCaprio) wild lifestyle or resist his charisma. Whigham memorably appears as the yacht owner Ted Beecham, whose life is destroyed in a moment the film plays as a dark joke.
Jim in Knight of Cups (2015)
It’s hard to keep track of how many actors pass in and out of Knight of Cups, which Terrence Malick reportedly shot without a completed script. Whigham humorously recalled his experiences working with Christian Bale on set, telling The Hollywood Reporter that Malick advised him that Bale “went off to become a writer, and you work with your hands.”
Moe Dammick in Fargo (2017)
Carrie Coon’s performance as the rare “good cop” Gloria Burgle is one of the best performances in the entire run of Fargo. Burgle is empathetic, as her local department is overwhelmed when it falls under the corrupt hands of the county investigation. Whigham is wholly unlikeable as her new boss, Moe Dammick.
Agent Duffy in Narcos (2017)
While the first two seasons of Narcos are mostly an examination of the inner workings of Pablo Escobar’s crime syndicate, the third season transformed into more of a spy series. Pedro Pascal’s Javier Pena is hot on the trail of the Cali cartel. Whigham shows up as a loyal DEA Agent who has been tracking the Cali from the beginning, even when the rest of the government’s forces have been focused on the Medellín cartel.
Gary Ruzak in Beirut (2018)
Beirut is the type of old-fashioned spy thriller that Hollywood simply doesn’t make anymore. It’s the type of espionage thriller that benefits from taking itself seriously, and not catering to the masses with crowd pleasing moments. Whigham is memorable with his role as Gary Ruzack, a CIA agent who reluctantly agrees to pulling off a dangerous hostage situation during the Lebanese Civil War.
Thomas Carrasco in Homecoming (2018)
Homecoming was the closest that Whigham got to an Emmy nomination, and he was unfortunately overlooked for Best Supporting Actor despite being favored by critics’ groups. Thomas Carrasco is a bit of a Hitchcockian protagonist; he’s an average working man who is caught up in the mysterious Homecoming Transitional Support Center conspiracy.
Mitch Decker in Waco (2018)
Who would have guessed that Whigham would play a corrupt law enforcement character? Waco is actually pretty infuriating, as it shows the lengths that Michael Shannon’s character Gary Noesner went to try and avoid violence before the FBI got involved. Whigham, as always, makes a lying FBI agent imminently detestable.
Gus Grissom in First Man (2018)
First Man is more than just a standard recreation of events; it shows the terrifying danger of launching into space using new, and sometimes unreliable technology. Neil Armstrong (Ryan Gosling) has to reckon with potentially losing his life during the mission when the crew of the Apollo 1 perish in a test accident. Whigham makes the emotional death of the astronaut Gus Grissom a moment that raises the stakes.
Pete Strickland in Perry Mason (2020)
Although he only briefly appears in the first season, Whigham is set to play a bigger part in season two of Perry Mason. It will be fascinating to see how Mason’s (Matthew Rhys) investigations change after his big courtroom victory in the season one finale; his partner Pete Strickland will have to reckon with a more confident, yet just as unpredictable approach to solving crimes.
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