Josh Charles
Known for
Knox Overstreet, the lovestruck student of 'Dead Poets Society' (1989), gave Josh Charles his breakthrough while still a teenager. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1971, he found his best material on television: sports anchor Dan Rydell in Aaron Sorkin's 'Sports Night' (1998-2000) and, above all, lawyer Will Gardner in 'The Good Wife' (2009-2014), a role that earned him Emmy nominations and one of the most talked-about exits in modern network drama. Films like 'S.W.A.T.' (2003) and 'Whiskey Tango Foxtrot' (2016) round out a career defined by articulate, quietly wounded professionals.
Josh Charles
32 Movies
18 Series
Knox Overstreet, the lovestruck student of 'Dead Poets Society' (1989), gave Josh Charles his breakthrough while still a teenager. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1971, he found his best material on television: sports anchor Dan Rydell in Aaron Sorkin's 'Sports Night' (1998-2000) and, above all, lawyer Will Gardner in 'The Good Wife' (2009-2014), a role that earned him Emmy nominations and one of the most talked-about exits in modern network drama. Films like 'S.W.A.T.' (2003) and 'Whiskey Tango Foxtrot' (2016) round out a career defined by articulate, quietly wounded professionals.
Movies
Plays Knox Overstreet
Dead Poets Society
1989
Plays Detective Fowler
Four Brothers
2005
Plays Tom Peterson
After.Life
2009
Plays T.J. McCabe
S.W.A.T.
2003
Plays Damian
Mothers' Instinct
2024
Plays Iggy
Hairspray
1988
Plays Chris
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot
2016
Plays Eddy
Threesome
1994
Plays Coach Gaines
Amateur
2018
Plays Bryan
Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead
1991
Plays Isaac
Memory
2023
Plays Agent Barker
Muppets from Space
1999
Plays Bryan Kelder
Freeheld
2015
Plays Forrest Mead
The Ex
2006
Plays Gary Newman
Bird People
2014
Plays Phil
Adult Beginners
2014
Plays Taub
Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer
2016
Plays Subject #2
Brief Interviews with Hideous Men
2009
Plays Peter Silverblatt
Meeting Daddy
2000
Plays Tom Seymour
The Drowning
2016
Plays Lou
Seeing Other People
2004
Plays Adam
Little City
1997
Plays Joe Talbot
Crossworlds
1996
Plays Randy
Coldblooded
1995
Plays Tyn
The Grave
1996
Plays Bruce Brooks
I Smile Back
2015
Plays Bart
Weakness
2010
Plays Mort Golden
Crossing the Bridge
1992
Plays Charlie Dunlap
Pie in the Sky
1996
TV Shows
Director
Plays Will Gardner
The Good Wife
2009
Plays Dan Rydell
Sports Night
1998
Producer
Plays Dr. Martin Best
Best Medicine
2026
Plays Dan Logan
Masters of Sex
2013
Plays Matt Logan
Away
2020
Plays Governor Daniel Dandon
The Power
2023
Plays Gabriel Wharton
The Handmaid's Tale
2017
Plays Blake
Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp
2015
Plays Jake
In Treatment
2008
Plays Blake
Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later
2017
Plays Daniel Hersl
We Own This City
2022
Plays Max Peterson
The Veil
2024
Plays Duke Snyder
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
2015
Plays Joseph Warren / John Peters / David Ramsey (voice)
The American Revolution
2025
Plays Dr. Jerome Oziel
Law & Order True Crime
2017
Plays Casey Close
The Loudest Voice
2019
Plays Ray Jones
Six Degrees
2006
Plays Vince Baldi
Law & Order: Organized Crime
2021
Latest Trailers
Watch Trailer
Mothers' Instinct
Full Filmography
Best Medicine
Dr. Martin Best · 14 episodes
2026–
TV
The American Revolution
Joseph Warren / John Peters / David Ramsey (voice) · 5 episodes
2025–
TV
The Veil
Max Peterson · 6 episodes
2024
TV
Mothers' Instinct
Damian
2024
Film
The Power
Governor Daniel Dandon · 9 episodes
2023
TV
Memory
Isaac
2023
Film
We Own This City
Daniel Hersl · 6 episodes
2022
TV
Law & Order: Organized Crime
Vince Baldi · 1 episode
2021
TV
Away
Matt Logan · 10 episodes
2020
TV
Photos
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Josh Charles and where are they from?
Josh Charles is 54 years old, born on September 15, 1971 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
What are the most famous roles of Josh Charles?
Josh Charles is best known for roles in Dead Poets Society, S.W.A.T., Four Brothers.
How many movies has Josh Charles been in?
Over a 38-year career (since 1988), Josh Charles has appeared in 31 movies and 17 TV shows.
What was Josh Charles's first movie?
The career of Josh Charles began with Hairspray (1988).
What is Josh Charles's most recent movie or series?
Josh Charles's most recent release is Best Medicine, which premiered on January 4, 2026.
What TV shows has Josh Charles appeared in?
On television, Josh Charles has appeared in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, The Handmaid's Tale, The Good Wife, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
Josh Charles
1971-09-15 · Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Joshua Aaron Charles is an American film, television, and theater actor. He is best known for the roles of Dan Rydell on Sports Night, Will Gardner on The Good Wife, which earned him two Primetime Emmy Award nominations, and his early work as Knox Overstreet in Dead Poets Society and Bryan from Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead.