Bill Irwin
Known for
An American actor and acclaimed physical performer, Bill Irwin is a pioneer of the new vaudeville movement and a Tony Award-winning stage star. Born in Santa Monica in 1950, he trained as a clown and dancer before bringing his gift for movement to film and television, appearing in 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas' (2000) and Christopher Nolan's 'Interstellar' (2014). Widely admired for his Broadway work, including 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?', he blends comedy and pathos. An American actor whose distinctive physical artistry sets him apart across stage and screen.
Bill Irwin
48 Movies
24 Series
An American actor and acclaimed physical performer, Bill Irwin is a pioneer of the new vaudeville movement and a Tony Award-winning stage star. Born in Santa Monica in 1950, he trained as a clown and dancer before bringing his gift for movement to film and television, appearing in 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas' (2000) and Christopher Nolan's 'Interstellar' (2014). Widely admired for his Broadway work, including 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?', he blends comedy and pathos. An American actor whose distinctive physical artistry sets him apart across stage and screen.
Movies
Plays Cyclops
The Odyssey
2026
Plays TARS (voice)
Interstellar
2014
Plays Lou Lou Who
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
2000
Plays Buzz Harley
Hot Shots!
1991
Plays Unnamed Brother #1
Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit
1993
Plays Ham Gravy
Popeye
1980
Plays Scoutmaster
The Manchurian Candidate
2004
Plays Cap'n Andy Hawks
Show Boat
2015
Plays Paul Buchman
Rachel Getting Married
2008
Plays Tom Snout
A Midsummer Night's Dream
1999
Plays Bob
Spoiler Alert
2022
Plays Mr. Leeds
Lady in the Water
2006
Plays Elton Chambers
Irresistible
2020
Plays Lou
4th Dementia
2024
Plays Uncle Teddy
Across the Universe
2007
Plays Kirby
My Blue Heaven
1990
Plays Single Dad
Ricki and the Flash
2015
Plays Eddie Collins
Eight Men Out
1988
Plays A. J. Muste
Rustin
2023
Plays Geoffrey
Stepping Out
1991
Plays Lt. Smith
Igby Goes Down
2002
Plays Pastor Bud
Higher Ground
2011
Plays Scott
High Tide
2024
Plays Richard
Lust Life Love
2021
Plays Hal Silver
Dark Matter
2008
Plays Ray Charles
Just the Ticket
1998
Plays Eric
A New Life
1988
Plays Marco
Illuminata
1998
Plays Comic
Silent Tongue
1994
Plays Mr. Noodle
Sesame Street's 50th Anniversary Celebration
2019
Plays Mime
Scenes from a Mall
1991
Plays Dito
Raving
2007
TV Shows
Plays Cary Loudermilk
Legion
2017
Plays Dr. Peter Lindstrom
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
1999
Plays Hal Brennan
Lights Out
2011
Plays Dr. Buck Tierney
Monday Mornings
2013
Plays Nate Haskell
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
2000
Plays Enos Abascal
South of Hell
2015
Plays Atticus Nevins
Sleepy Hollow
2013
Plays Channing Robertson
The Dropout
2022
Plays Mr. Noodle
Sesame Street
1969
Plays Calvin Bennett
New Amsterdam
2018
Plays Su'Kal
Star Trek: Discovery
2017
Plays Cardinal Brennan
Blue Bloods
2010
Plays Enrico Bellati
Northern Exposure
1990
Plays James Ingram
The Beast in Me
2025
Plays Eddie Bartholomew
The Cosby Show
1984
Plays The Broker
The Adventures of Pete & Pete
1993
Plays Richard Balsille
Elementary
2012
Plays Ellison Conway
Law & Order
1990
Plays Harlowe
Quarry
2016
Plays ER Doctor
This Is Us
2016
Plays Cornelius Eckhard
The Gilded Age
2022
Plays Dr. Schwahn
Life on Mars
2008
Plays Pickles
3rd Rock from the Sun
1996
Plays Nate Royce
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
2001
Plays Fred Medkiff
The Good Wife
2009
Latest Trailers
Watch Trailer
The Odyssey
Full Filmography
The Odyssey
Cyclops
2026
Film
The Beast in Me
James Ingram · 2 episodes
2025–
TV
High Tide
Scott
2024
Film
4th Dementia
Lou
2024
Film
Rustin
A. J. Muste
2023
Film
Endgame
Clov
2023
Film
Spoiler Alert
Bob
2022
Film
The Dropout
Channing Robertson · 4 episodes
2022–
TV
The Gilded Age
Cornelius Eckhard · 1 episode
2022–
TV
Photos
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Bill Irwin and where are they from?
Bill Irwin is 76 years old, born on April 11, 1950 in Santa Monica, California, USA .
What are the most famous roles of Bill Irwin?
Bill Irwin is best known for roles in Interstellar, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Hot Shots!.
How many movies has Bill Irwin been in?
Over a 46-year career (since 1980), Bill Irwin has appeared in 48 movies and 24 TV shows.
What was Bill Irwin's first movie?
The career of Bill Irwin began with Mudflat (1980).
What is Bill Irwin's most recent movie or series?
Bill Irwin's most recent release is The Odyssey, which premiered on July 15, 2026.
What TV shows has Bill Irwin appeared in?
On television, Bill Irwin has appeared in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Star Trek: Discovery, Elementary, This Is Us.
Bill Irwin
1950-04-11 · Santa Monica, California, USA
William Mills Irwin (born April 11, 1950) is an American actor, choreographer, clown, and comedian. He began as a vaudeville-style stage performer and has been noted for his contribution to the renaissance of the American circus during the 1970s. He has made several appearances on film and television. He won a for his role in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? He also worked as a choreographer on Broadway. He was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Choreography in 1989 for Largely New York. He is also known as Mr. Noodle on the Sesame Street segment Elmo's World, and he appeared in the Sesame Street film short Does Air Move Things? He has regularly appeared as Dr. Peter Lindstrom on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and had a recurring role as "The Dick & Jane Killer" on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. From 2017 to 2019, he appeared as Cary Loudermilk on the FX television series Legion.Bill Irwin, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.