Justin Bartha
{{short description|American actor|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2011}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Justin Bartha
| image = Justin Bartha (29222848092).jpg
| caption = Bartha in 2016
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1978|7|21}}
| birth_place = Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S.
| occupation = Actor
| years_active = 1998–present
| spouse = {{marriage|Lia Smith|2014}}
| children = 2
| alma_mater = Tisch School of the Arts
}}
Justin Lee Bartha (born July 21, 1978) is an American actor. In film, Bartha has played Riley Poole in the National Treasure film series and Doug Billings in The Hangover trilogy. His television roles include David Sawyer in the NBC comedy series The New Normal as well as Colin Morrello in the CBS All Access (later Paramount+) legal and political drama The Good Fight.
Early life
Bartha was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and moved to West Bloomfield, Michigan when he was eight.{{cite web |url= http://www.justinbartha.splinder.com/ |title=Double Take |access-date=July 4, 2009 |quote= Bartha, 27, whose family belonged to Temple Israel, where he had his bar mitzvah. }} His father, Stephen, is a commercial real estate agent while his mother, Betty, is a school teacher. He has one older brother, Jeffrey. Bartha was raised in a Reform Jewish family.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thejc.com/culture/interviews/interview-justin-bartha-1.16953|title=Interview: Justin Bartha|access-date=May 21, 2018|date=July 22, 2010|last=Applebaum|first=Stephen|work=The Jewish Chronicle}}{{Cite news|url=http://atlantajewishtimes.timesofisrael.com/jews-making-news-bartha-and-segel/|title=Jews Making News: Bartha and Segel|date=September 11, 2013|newspaper=Atlanta Jewish Times|access-date=May 21, 2018}}{{cite news|title=Exclusive: Jesse Eisenberg and Justin Bartha Take Flight in Holy Rollers|publisher=MovieWeb|date=May 21, 2010|url=https://movieweb.com/exclusive-jesse-eisenberg-and-justin-bartha-take-flight-in-holy-rollers/|access-date=April 6, 2022}}{{cite web|url=http://www.thecinemasource.com/blog/interviews/justin-bartha-interview-for-holy-rollers/ |title=Justin Bartha Interview for Holy Rollers |publisher=The Cinema Source |date=May 20, 2010 |access-date=August 11, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120915031933/http://www.thecinemasource.com/blog/interviews/justin-bartha-interview-for-holy-rollers/ |archive-date=September 15, 2012 }}{{cite web
|last=Mester
|first=Ilan
|url=http://www.shalomlife.com/culture/12937/justin-bartha-talks-holy-rollers-hangover-2/
|title=Justin Bartha Talks Holy Rollers, Hangover 2
|work=Shalom Life
|quote=To prepare for the part, Bartha – who is Jewish – ...
|date=June 10, 2010
|access-date=June 26, 2010
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716051245/http://www.shalomlife.com/culture/12937/justin-bartha-talks-holy-rollers-hangover-2/
|archive-date=July 16, 2011
}}
After he graduated from West Bloomfield High School in 1996, he moved to New York City and studied filmmaking and theatre at New York University's Tisch School of Arts.{{cite news |last= Wigney |first= James |title= The Rebound Ace |publisher= Sunday Herald Sun |date= March 13, 2010 |url= http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/sunday-heraldsun/the-rebound-ace/story-fn52nri7-1225840392677 |access-date= May 21, 2010 |url-status= dead |archive-date= October 6, 2011 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20111006094507/http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/sunday-heraldsun/the-rebound-ace/story-fn52nri7-1225840392677 }}
Career
{{BLP sources section|date = February 2020}}
Bartha began his film career behind the camera as a production assistant on the film Analyze This. His acting debut came with his first film, 54, as a clubgoer. He wrote and directed a short film, Highs and Lows, which was shown at the South by Southwest Film Festival in 2003.{{cite web |url= http://movies.about.com/od/nationaltreasure/p/bartha111804.htm |title= Justin Bartha Biography |access-date= September 16, 2006 |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20051222013122/http://movies.about.com/od/nationaltreasure/p/bartha111804.htm |archive-date= December 22, 2005 |df= mdy-all }} Additionally, he wrote, produced, and starred in an MTV pilot called The Dustin and Justin Show.
Bartha co-starred opposite Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez, Christopher Walken and Al Pacino in the critically bashed Gigli in 2003, before his co-starring role in the National Treasure franchise (2004; 2007) as Riley Poole.{{cite web|title=Justin Bartha Interview, National Treasure 2|url=http://www.moviesonline.ca/movienews_13757.html |publisher=MoviesOnline |access-date=July 4, 2009 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081226133030/http://www.moviesonline.ca/movienews_13757.html|archive-date=December 26, 2008}} He reprised the role in the series continuation for Disney+.{{cite web |last1=Porter |first1=Rick |title=Justin Bartha to Reprise 'National Treasure' Role in Disney+ Series |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/disney-plus-national-treasure-justin-bartha-1235128436/ |website=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=April 11, 2022 |date=April 11, 2022}}
In 2006, Bartha co-starred in the film Failure to Launch{{Citation |last=Dey |first=Tom |title=Failure to Launch |date=2006-03-10 |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0427229/ |type=Comedy, Romance |publisher=Paramount Pictures, Scott Rudin Productions, Failure to Launch Productions |access-date=2022-09-11}} and NBC's sitcom Teachers which only aired six episodes.{{Citation |title=Teachers. (TV Series 2006) - IMDb |url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0494188/episodes |access-date=2022-09-11}}
In November 2007, Bartha was cast in an indie drama, Holy Rollers. His character lures a young Hasidic Jew (Jesse Eisenberg) into becoming an ecstasy dealer. Filming began in New York in the spring of 2008, and the film was released in 2010.{{cite news
| date= November 18, 2007
| last= Goldstein |first= Gregg
| title= Drug-dealing Jews inspire comic drama
| url= https://www.reuters.com/article/film-jews-dc/drug-dealing-jews-inspire-comic-drama-idUSN1824665220071118
| publisher= Reuters
| access-date=April 6, 2022
}} Bartha re-teamed with Eisenberg for Eisenberg's critically acclaimed play, Asuncion.{{cite web |last1=Hetrick |first1=Adam |title=Asuncion, With Jesse Eisenberg and Justin Bartha, Begins Off-Broadway Run Oct. 12 |url=https://www.playbill.com/article/asuncion-with-jesse-eisenberg-and-justin-bartha-begins-off-broadway-run-oct-12-com-183474 |website=Playbill |access-date=April 6, 2022 |date=October 12, 2011}} Bartha also starred alongside Catherine Zeta-Jones in the Bart Freundlich film, The Rebound which is about a 25-year-old man who starts a romance with his older single mother neighbor, the film began shooting in April 2008 in New York and finished in June. In The Hangover comedy film series, he played Doug Billings, one of the "Wolfpack" members who goes on weekend trips with the trio. After a wild nights of partying, he goes missing and his friends frantically search everywhere for him.
Bartha starred as Max in the Broadway revival of the play Lend Me a Tenor by Ken Ludwig. He performed alongside Tony Shalhoub, Anthony LaPaglia, Brooke Adams, and Jan Maxwell. A farcical comedy, it was directed by Stanley Tucci and started previews at the Music Box Theatre on March 11, 2010, with the official opening date on April 4, 2010. It was nominated for a Tony award for best revival of a play. In 2011, Bartha signed on to star in the premiere of Zach Braff's play All New People at Second Stage Theatre. All New People began June 28 and ran through mid-August. Anna Camp, David Wilson Barnes and Krysten Ritter co-starred in this production under the direction of Peter DuBois.{{cite news|url=http://broadway.me/justin-bartha-anna-camp-sign-on-for-zach-braffs-off-broadway-play|title=Justin Bartha, Anna Camp Sign On for Zach Braff's Off-Broadway Play|work=Broadway.me|access-date=May 31, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111012210426/http://broadway.me/justin-bartha-anna-camp-sign-on-for-zach-braffs-off-broadway-play|archive-date=October 12, 2011|url-status=dead}} In February 2012, Bartha signed on to co-star on the NBC comedy pilot The New Normal.{{cite web|url=http://tvline.com/2012/02/22/justin-bartha-the-new-normal-ryan-murphy/|title=Scoop: Hangover's Justin Bartha Joins Ryan Murphy's NBC Comedy Pilot The New Normal|first=Michael|last=Ausiello|work=TVLine|date=February 22, 2012|access-date=August 11, 2012|archive-date=May 25, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160525214606/http://tvline.com/2012/02/22/justin-bartha-the-new-normal-ryan-murphy/|url-status=dead}} On May 7, 2012, NBC ordered the project to series.{{cite web|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-new-normal-nbc-ryan-murphy_n_1498096|title='The New Normal': NBC Orders Ryan Murphy Comedy And J.J. Abrams Drama To Series|work=HuffPost|date=May 7, 2012|access-date=April 6, 2022}} The show was centered around a gay couple (played by Bartha and Andrew Rannells) and the surrogate mother (Georgia King) they selected to bear their child. It premiered on September 11, 2012,{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/06/14/nbc-sets-fall-premiere-dates-community-the-office-and-more|title=NBC Sets Fall Premiere Dates: Community, The Office and More|first=Eric|last=Goldman|work=IGN|date=June 14, 2012|access-date=August 11, 2012}} but was officially canceled the next year on May 10, 2013.{{cite web|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/justin-bartha-the-new-normal-cancellation_n_3266354|title='The New Normal' Star Justin Bartha Talks About The Show's Cancellation|first=Gustavo|last=Heredia|work=HuffPost|date=May 13, 2013|access-date=April 6, 2022}}
In 2014, Bartha starred in another of Jesse Eisenberg's plays, A Little Part of All Of Us, alongside Eisenberg, for Playing On Air, a non-profit organization that "records short plays [for public radio and podcast] written by top playwrights and performed by outstanding actors."{{Cite web|url=http://broadwaydirect.com/feature/playing-on-air-top-talent|title=Broadway Direct|last=Mogol|first=Allen|date=2015-02-23|website=broadwaydirect.com|access-date=2016-08-04}}{{Cite web|url=https://playingonair.org/2015/09/14/new-podcast-a-little-part-of-all-of-us-by-jesse-eisenberg/|title=New Podcast! A LITTLE PART OF ALL OF US by Jesse Eisenberg|date=2015-09-14|website=Playing On Air|access-date=2016-08-04|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160617082209/https://playingonair.org/2015/09/14/new-podcast-a-little-part-of-all-of-us-by-jesse-eisenberg/|archive-date=June 17, 2016|df=mdy-all}}
Bartha has worked with the Matrix Theatre Company, guest directing their Teen Company in Are You Passing?, a play on the state of education in Detroit.
In 2018, Bartha co-starred as Colin Morrello in the first two seasons of the critically acclaimed CBS all-access drama, The Good Fight. In 2021, Bartha signed on to play Robert Morgenthau in the second season of the critically acclaimed EPIX hit drama, Godfather of Harlem and co-starred opposite Jason Momoa in the Netflix movie Sweet Girl. In 2022, Bartha starred in the controversial and critically acclaimed standalone episode in the third season of Atlanta called, The Big Payback. Bartha plays a man named Marshall Johnson who finds out he must pay slavery reparations.
Personal life
Bartha married Pilates instructor and creator of B The Method{{Cite news |last=Krueger |first=Alyson |date=2021-12-17 |title=She Became a Fitness Guru During the Pandemic |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/17/style/lia-bartha-instagram-fitness-pandemic.html |access-date=2023-01-15 |issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.seattlepi.com/entertainment/heavy/article/Justin-Bartha-s-New-Wife-Lia-Smith-5-Fast-5116173.php|title=Justin Bartha's New Wife, Lia Smith: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know|first=Angela|last=Barbuti|date=January 5, 2014|website=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}} Lia Smith in Oahu, Hawaii, on January 4, 2014.{{cite news|title=Justin Bartha Marries Lia Smith|work=People|date=January 5, 2014|url=https://people.com/celebrity/justin-bartha-marries-lia-smith/|access-date=April 6, 2022}} On April 13, 2014, she gave birth to their daughter.{{cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/justin-bartha-wife-lia-smith-baby-girl-article-1.1763329|title=Justin Bartha, wife Lia Smith welcome first child together: report|work=NEW YORK DAILY NEWS|first=Chiderah |last=Monde|date=April 21, 2014|access-date=June 4, 2014}} On April 16, 2016, she gave birth to their second daughter.{{cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/BwURlhtgY9t/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/BwURlhtgY9t |archive-date=December 24, 2021 |url-access=registration|title=Lia Bartha в Instagram: "It's my second born spunky nuggets 3rd birthday today! We have two kids with almost identical birthdays. This hunky dudes birthday is 7/21.…"|date=April 16, 2019}}{{cbignore}}
Acting credits
= Film =
| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Film |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 1998
| 54 | Clubgoer | Uncredited |
| 1999
| Tag | Kip Woffard | Short film |
| rowspan="2" | 2003
| Gigli | Brian | |
| Carnival Sun
| Brian | Short film |
| 2004
| Riley Poole | |
| 2005
| Jasper Bernard | |
| 2006
| Philip "Ace" | |
| 2007
| National Treasure: Book of Secrets | Riley Poole | |
| 2008
| Justin | Segment: "Randy Balsmeyer" |
| rowspan="3" | 2009
| {{sortname|The|Hangover}} | Doug Billings | |
| Jusqu'à toi
| Jack | Aka Shoe at Your Foot; also executive producer |
| {{sortname|The|Rebound}}
| Aram Finkelstein | |
| 2010
| Yosef Zimmerman | |
| rowspan="2" | 2011
| {{sortname|The|Hangover Part II}} | Doug Billings | |
| Dark Horse
| Richard | |
| rowspan="2" | 2013
| {{sortname|The|Hangover Part III}} | Doug Billings | |
| CBGB
| |
| 2014
| ''Brahmin Bulls | Alex | |
| rowspan="2" | 2016
| Kelly | |
| Sticky Notes
| Bryan |Also known as The Backup Dancer |
| rowspan="2" | 2018
| Driven | |
| Sorry for Your Loss
| Ken | |
| 2019
| Peter Hobbs |Also known as Headlock and Transference |
| 2021
| Simon Keeley | |
| 2022
| Dear Zoe | David Gladstone | |
| 2024
|Nuked | |
= Television =
| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Television |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 2004
| {{n/a}} | Television film |
| 2006
| Teachers | Jeff Cahill | Main cast; 6 episodes |
| 2009
| Jack Werner (voice) | Miniseries; 5 episodes |
| 2012–2013
| {{sortname|The|New Normal|dab=TV series}} | David Sawyer | Main cast; 22 episodes |
| 2016
|Cooper Barrett's Guide to Surviving Life | Josh Barrett | Main cast; 13 episodes |
| 2017–2018
| Colin Morrello | Main cast; 17 episodes |
| 2019
| Episode: "Drunk Mystery II" |
| 2020; 2022
|The Accidental Wolf |{{N/a}} | |
| 2021; 2023
| Recurring; 7 episodes |
| 2021
|Himself |Episode: "Brooke & Cary Go to a Fashion Show" |
| rowspan="2" |2022
|Marshall Johnson |Episode: "The Big Payback" |
| National Treasure: Edge of History
| Riley Poole | Episode: "Charlotte" |
= Music videos =
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
! Title ! Artist ! Role ! {{Abbr|Ref.|References}} |
|---|
| 2014
| "Imagine" {{small|(UNICEF: World version)}} | Various | Himself | style="text-align: center;" | {{cite web|last=Rowles|first=Dustin|date=2014-11-21|title='Imagine' Gets the Star-Studded 'We Are The World' Treatment for UNICEF|url=https://www.pajiba.com/videos/imagine-gets-the-starstudded-we-are-the-world-treatment-for-unicef.php|access-date=2021-05-24|website=Pajiba}} |
= Theatre =
| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Theatre |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| rowspan="2" |2010
|Performing Artist | |
| Lend Me a Tenor
|Max |Broadway revival |
| rowspan="2" |2011
|Charlie |
| Asuncion
|Vinny | Off-Broadway |
| 2013
|Ben |
| 2015
|Permission |Eric |MCC Theater |
= Awards and nominations =
| class="wikitable"
|+ !Year !Award !Category !Nominated work !Result |
| rowspan="2" |2003
| rowspan="2" |Stinkers Bad Movie Awards |Worst Supporting Actor | rowspan="2" |Gigli |{{Nominated}} |
| Worst Song {{Small|(for "Baby Got Back")}}
|{{Nominated}} |
| 2009
|Awards Circuit Community Awards |{{Nominated}} |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commonscatinline}}
- {{IMDb name|nm0058581}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bartha, Justin}}
Category:20th-century American male actors
Category:21st-century American male actors
Category:American male film actors
Category:American male stage actors
Category:American male television actors
Category:Jewish American male actors
Category:Male actors from Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Category:Male actors from Michigan