Richard Schiff is an award-winning American actor who has appeared in numerous films, television shows, and theatre productions.
He is best known for his role as White House Communications Director Toby Ziegler on the critically acclaimed political drama The West Wing, for which he won a 2000 Emmy Award.
He also starred in The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Doctor Dolittle, The Good Doctor, and Ballersetc.
He is considered a versatile and talented actor who can play complex and nuanced roles with ease.
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- Full name: Richard Schiff
- Date of Birth: May 27, 1955
- Age: 69
- Gender: Male
- Birthplace: Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- Country: United States
- Occupation: Actor
- Height: 5 feet 10 inches (178 cm)
- Parents: Edward Schiff (father), Charlotte Schiff (mother), Clarence B. Jones (stepfather)
- Siblings: Paul Schiff (younger brother), David Schiff (younger brother)
- Spouse: Sheila Kelly (wife)
- Children: Gus Schiff (son), Ruby Schiff (daughter)
- Marital status: Married
- Net worth: $5 million
Early life and education
Richard Schiff was born on May 27, 1955, in Bethesda, Maryland, the son of Edward, a real estate lawyer, and Charlotte, a cable television and publishing executive. He has two brothers, Paul and David, who both work in the entertainment industry.
Schiff’s parents divorced when he was 12, and his mother later married Clarence B. Jones, an attorney for Martin Luther King Jr. Schiff grew up in a Jewish family and attended North Bethesda Junior High School and Charles W. Woodward High School.
After graduating from high school, Schiff moved to Colorado and attended the University of Colorado at Boulder for a year.
He then transferred to the City University of New York, where he majored in directing. He also studied acting at the Stella Adler Acting Studio and HB Studio in New York City.
He made his professional stage debut in 1983, playing a messenger in the Off-Broadway play Antigone. He subsequently appeared in several Off-Broadway and regional theater productions such as The Cherry Orchard, Three Sisters, and Hamlet.
Personal life
Richard Schiff met actress Sheila Kelly on the set of “Single Men and Women” in 1992 and married her in 1996. They have two children, Gus and Ruby, who are also actors.
The family lives in Los Angeles, California. Schiff and Kelly are advocates of “S Factor,” a fitness and lifestyle program that blends pole dancing and sexy exercise.
They have also worked together on several projects, such as the film The West Wing special, where they reprised their roles as Toby and Nancy.
Schiff supports various charities, such as the Alzheimer’s Association, Creative Alliance, and the Innocence Project. He is also a political activist and outspoken critic of former President Donald Trump.
He supported Bernie Sanders in the 2016 and 2020 Democratic presidential primaries and Joe Biden in the 2020 general election. He likes the New York Yankees and the New York Knicks.
Schiff, his wife, and son tested positive for COVID-19 in November 2020. He was hospitalized for a week and received oxygen and remdesivir.
He recovered and was released from hospital in December 2020. He later thanked fans and medical staff for their support and urged people to wear masks and follow social distancing guidelines.
Profession
Richard Schiff’s career spans more than four decades and includes roles in film, television and theatre. He made his film debut in 1988, playing a stockbroker in The Boost.
He then played supporting roles in many films. Young Guns II, The Hoffa Story, Malcolm X, Speed, The Lost World of Jurassic Park, Crash, Doctor Dolittle, and The force of nature.
He gained recognition and acclaim for his role as Toby Ziegler in The West Wing, a role he played from 1999 to 2006. In 2000, he won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series and was nominated three more times. He also received two Screen Actors Guild Awards and a Golden Globe nomination for his performance.
After filming The West Wing, Schiff continued to work in film and television, appearing in films such as Soul, The Infidel, Man of Steel and The Post, and in TV series such as Entourage, Burnout, House of Lies, The Affair and Ballers.
He also played Dr. Aaron Glassman in the medical drama Good Doctorwho joined the company in 2017.
He also returned to the stage, starring in plays such as Under the Lintel, Moneyball, The Price, and To Kill a Mockingbird.
Awards
Some of the awards Richard Schiff has received or been nominated for during his career include:
- In 2000, he won the Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his performance in The West Wing
- Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for The West Wing (2001, 2002, 2003) (nominated)
- Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – TV Series, Miniseries or Television Movie (2001) for The West Wing (nominated)
- The West Wing (winner) Won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Ensemble Performance in a Drama Series (2001, 2002)
- Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama Series (2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006), The West Wing (nominated)
- Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series (2001, 2002, 2003), The West Wing (nominated)
- Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor – TV Series, Miniseries or Television Movie (2000) for The West Wing (nominated)
- 2018 Critics’ Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for The Good Doctor (nominated)
Social Media
- Instagram: @therichardschiff
- Twitter: @Richard_Schiff
Filmography
- driving force
- Young Guns II
- Hoffa
- Malcolm X
- speed
- The Lost World: Jurassic Park
- Deep Impact
- Doctor Dolittle
- The West Wing
- ray
- pagan
- man of Steel
- The Washington Post
- Good Doctor
- When We Vote, The West Wing Special Will Benefit
net worth
Richard Schiff’s net worth is estimated to be around $5 million.
His wealth comes from his acting career as well as producing and directing some projects.
