Sam Waterston

Sam Waterston was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the third of four children of George Chychele Waterston, a semanticist and language teacher, and Alice Tucker (née Atkinson), a landscape painter. Waterston's mother was of English ancestry, and a descendant of passengers on the Mayflower; his father emigrated to the U.S. from Scotland via England. His siblings are Roberta, George, and Ellen Waterston.{{Cite web|url=https://www.monticello.org/thomas-jefferson-foundation/thomas-jefferson-foundation-an-overview/july-4th-speakers-at-monticello/sam-waterston/|title=Sam Waterston Welcomes New Citizens at Monticello|website=Monticello.org |date=July 4, 2007}}{{Cite web|url=https://parade.com/tv/sam-waterston-law-and-order-2022|title=Sam Waterston Reveals Why He Almost Didn't Take Role on 'Law and Order'|first=Mara|last=Reinstein|date=November 25, 2022|website=Parade.com}}{{cite web|author= Staff|url= http://www.biography.com/articles/Sam-Waterston-9542268|title= Sam Waterston|website= Biography.com|access-date= July 30, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110610033803/http://www.biography.com/articles/Sam-Waterston-9542268|archive-date= June 10, 2011|df= mdy-all}}

Waterston attended high school at the Groton School, graduating in the class of 1958.{{Cite web |title=Sam Waterston '58 |url=https://www.groton.org/news-detail?pk=703296 |access-date=May 20, 2022 |website=Groton School| date=March 3, 2014 }} He earned a BA from Yale College, class of 1962.{{Cite news |date=November 3, 2000 |title=Actor extols Yale experience and the power of words |work=Yale Bulletin & Calendar |url=http://archives.news.yale.edu/v29.n9/story14.html |access-date=May 20, 2022}}

File:Sam Waterston 1972.jpg

The classically trained Waterston has numerous stage credits to his name. In 1962, he made his Broadway debut playing Jonathan in the Arthur Kopit play Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feelin' So Sad at the Morosco Theatre. The following year, he made his debut at the Delacorte Theatre playing Silvius in a production of William Shakespeare's As You Like It (1963).

He made his film debut in the 1965 drama movie The Plastic Dome of Norma Jean.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/sam-waterston/2/|title=Sam Waterston|date=16 April 2010 |publisher=CBS News|access-date=March 30, 2016}} He returned to Broadway playing David in First One Asleep, Whistle (1966), and Robert in the Peter Ustinov play Halfway Up the Tree (1967). On October 13, 1969, he starred in Arthur Kopit's play Indians on Broadway at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre. The play was directed by Gene Frankel, and he acted alongside Stacy Keach as Buffalo Bill, Manu Tupou as Sitting Bull, and other actors such as Tom Aldredge, Kevin Conway, Charles Durning, and Raul Julia. The play ran for 96 performances and 16 previews.[http://www.ibdb.com/production.php?id=3465 Indians] ibdb.com{{cite magazine|url=http://www.playbill.com/production/indians-brooks-atkinson-theatre-vault-0000008045|title=Indians|magazine=Playbill|date=October 13, 1969}}

During this time, Waterston acted in supporting roles in numerous films including Delbert Mann's romantic comedy Fitzwilly (1967) starring Dick Van Dyke, and the comedy film Generation (1969). He had a leading role in the British romantic drama Three acting opposite Charlotte Rampling and Robie Porter. He acted in the Merchant Ivory film Savages based loosely on the Luis Buñuel film The Exterminating Angel (1962). Waterston continued acting in plays at the Public Theatre including portraying Benedick in Joseph Papp's production of William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing (1972) and played the title role in Hamlet (1975), the former earned him a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Performance.

=== 1974–1993: Rise to prominence ===

Waterston has a history of doing theater work in the summer, often seen acting in such venues as Long Wharf Theatre and the Yale Repertory Theatre in New Haven.{{cite magazine|first=Ernio|last=Hernandez|date=11 May 2005|url=http://www.playbill.com/news/article/92893-Sam-Waterston-Travesties-Opens-at-Long-Wharf-Theatre-May-11|title=Sam Waterston Travesties Opens at Long Wharf Theatre May 11|magazine=Playbill|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017080745/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/92893-Sam-Waterston-Travesties-Opens-at-Long-Wharf-Theatre-May-11 |archive-date=October 17, 2012 }}{{cite news|first=Celia|last=Wren|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/18/theater/theater-when-chekhov-had-a-bad-dream.html|title=When Chekov had a Bad Dream|newspaper=The New York Times|date=May 18, 2003}} In 1973, acting opposite Katharine Hepburn, he played a shoe salesman in the television drama film The Glass Menagerie (1973), receiving a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his work in the film.{{cite web |url=http://www.emmys.com/bios/sam-waterston |title=Sam Waterston |publisher=Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS) |access-date=February 3, 2016}}{{cite news |first=William |last=Glover |title=Sunday: The Glass Menagerie |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1310&dat=19731215&id=nKtVAAAAIBAJ&pg=5245,3981537&hl=sv |newspaper=Eugene Register-Guard |agency=Associated Press |date=December 15, 1973 |access-date=February 3, 2016}} He went on to appear as bond salesman Nick Carraway in the 1974 feature film version of The Great Gatsby acting alongside Robert Redford, Mia Farrow, and Bruce Dern. For his performance he earned two Golden Globe nominations: Best Supporting Actor and New Star of the Year.{{cite web |url=http://www.goldenglobes.com/person/sam-waterston |title=Sam Waterston |publisher=Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) |access-date=February 3, 2016}}

The following year, Waterston acted in the neo-Western comedy film Rancho Deluxe (1975) starring Jeff Bridges, Elizabeth Ashley, and Harry Dean Stanton. That same year, he acted in the Canadian thriller Journey into Fear with Zero Mostel, Vincent Price and Shelley Winters. In 1976, he acted in the thriller Sweet Revenge opposite Stockard Channing. The following year, he acted in the British-American thriller Capricorn One playing Lieutenant Colonel Peter Willis. The film had an ensemble cast which included Elliott Gould, James Brolin, O. J. Simpson, and Hal Holbrook. Also in 1977, he starred in an Off-Broadway production of William Shakespeare's Measure for Measure as Duke Vincentio alongside Meryl Streep and John Cazale at the Delacorte Theatre.{{cite news|url= https://www.nytimes.com/1976/08/13/archives/stage-a-measure-to-test-the-mettle-of-actors.html|title= Stage: A 'Measure' to Test The Mettle of Actors|work= The New York Times|date= August 13, 1976|accessdate= November 28, 2023|last1= Gussow|first1= Mel}}

Waterston made his first collaboration with Woody Allen playing Mike in the drama Interiors (1978) starring Diane Keaton, Geraldine Page, Maureen Stapleton, and E.G. Marshall. The film was a departure from comedy from Allen and received critical acclaim as well as nominations for five Academy Awards. In 1980, he starred in Benefactors alongside Glenn Close, Mary Beth Hurt, and Simon Jones at The Brooks Atkinson Theatre on Broadway.{{cite web|url=https://www.playbill.com/personrolespage/person-role-page?person=00000150-ac81-d16d-a550-ecbf68430001|title= Sam Waterston Broadway Credits|website= Playbill|access-date= May 12, 2020}} Also in 1980, he portrayed Old West figure Frank Canton in Heaven's Gate{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/04/24/movies/screen-shorter-heaven-s-gate-with-voice-overs-tries-again.html |title=SCREEN: SHORTER 'HEAVEN'S GATE,' WITH VOICE-OVERS, TRIES AGAIN |work=The New York Times |last=Canby |first=Vincent|date=April 24, 1981}} and theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer in the miniseries Oppenheimer (1980) earned him nominations for a BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Television Series and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film.

File:SamWaterstonJan10.jpg in 2010]]

In 1984, Waterston played American journalist Sydney Schanberg in the British drama The Killing Fields, opposite Haing S. Ngor and John Malkovich. For his performance, Waterston received an Academy Award for Best Actor nomination.{{cite news|title=Polls shows Waterston, Field, 'Killing Fields' as Oscar picks |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1356&dat=19850323&id=rO80AAAAIBAJ&pg=3755,4636688&hl=sv |newspaper=Ocala Star-Banner |date=March 23, 1985 |access-date=February 3, 2016}}{{cite news |title=Historical pictures lead nominations for coveted Oscars |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=943&dat=19850207&id=nbpPAAAAIBAJ&pg=6458,2885944&hl=sv |agency=United Press International (UPI) |newspaper=Mohave Daily Miner |date=February 7, 1985 |access-date=February 3, 2016}} Waterston reunited with Woody Allen playing David, a romantic interest for Dianne Wiest and Mia Farrow in Hannah and Her Sisters (1986), Peter in September (1987), and Ben, a rabbi who is losing his eyesight Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989). He also took a supporting role in the coming of age film The Man in the Moon (1991) starring Reese Witherspoon in her feature film debut, the John Waters satirical black comedy film Serial Mom (1994) and played President Abraham Lincoln in the miniseries Lincoln (1988).

Waterston voiced Lincoln in the 1990 Ken Burns documentary miniseries The Civil War. Waterston portrayed a district attorney in drama television series I'll Fly Away (1991–93), winning the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama.{{cite news |first=Bob |last=Thomas |author-link=Bob Thomas (reporter) |title='Scent' film surprise winner at Golden Globe Awards |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=266&dat=19930125&id=pNsrAAAAIBAJ&pg=5792,1965644&hl=sv |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=Kentucky New Era |date=January 25, 1993 |access-date=February 3, 2016}} In 1993, he portrayed Abraham Lincoln onstage in Abe Lincoln in Illinois and received Tony Award, Drama Desk Award, and Outer Critics Circle Award nominations for his performance.{{cite web|url=https://www.playbill.com/person/sam-waterston-vault-0000070066|title= Sam Waterston - Performer|website= Playbill|access-date= May 12, 2020}}

In 1994, Waterston debuted as Executive Assistant District Attorney Jack McCoy in the fifth season of the NBC television series Law & Order created by Dick Wolf. He played the role of John James "Jack" McCoy, who would eventually become Manhattan District Attorney, through the series finale in 2010. The role won him a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series, as well as several Emmy and Golden Globe nominations.{{cite news|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/sam-waterston-law-order-revival-793869|title=Sam Waterston on 'Law & Order' Revival: Let's "Break the Record"|work=Variety|access-date=March 30, 2016|last=Stanhope|first=Kate|date=May 6, 2015}} Upon the show's cancellation, Waterston was the second longest-serving cast member (behind S. Epatha Merkerson), having reprised his role through 16 seasons.{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098844/trivia |title=Law & Order (TV Series 1990–2010) |website=IMDb |access-date=2016-02-07 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160218144936/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098844/trivia |archive-date=February 18, 2016 |df=mdy }}. Internet Movie Database.{{cite web|url=http://www.nbc.com/Law_and_Order/bios/bios_sam.shtml |title=Law & Order TV Show Series on NBC: Find Cast Info and Episode Guide . NBC Official Site |access-date=2016-02-07 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130511050930/http://www.nbc.com/Law_and_Order/bios/bios_sam.shtml |archive-date=May 11, 2013 |df=mdy }}. NBC. He has also made guest appearances as McCoy on other crime shows, such as Homicide: Life on the Street (1997, 99), Exiled: A Law & Order Movie (1998), and spin-offs Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2000, 07, 10, 18) and Law & Order: Trial by Jury (2005).{{cite web |url=http://www.hollywood.com/celebrities/sam-waterston-57289932/ |title=Sam Waterston |date=May 12, 2015 |publisher=Hollywood.com |access-date=February 3, 2016}} Due to the success of the New York–based TV series, Waterston and his fellow longtime Law & Order castmate Jerry Orbach were declared "Living Landmarks" by the New York Landmarks Conservancy.{{cite web|url=http://www.nylandmarks.org/events/living_landmarks_gala/honoree_list/ |title=Archives: Events |access-date=2016-06-26 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916013409/http://www.nylandmarks.org/events/living_landmarks_gala/honoree_list/ |archive-date=September 16, 2016 |df=mdy }}. New York Landmarks Conservancy.

Waterston has appeared as a celebrity contestant on Jeopardy! twice. He made a popular cameo appearance on a 1995 episode of Saturday Night Live as himself, extolling the virtues of Old Glory Insurance, meant to protect the elderly from robot attacks.{{cite web |url=http://www.hulu.com/watch/2340/saturday-night-live-old-glory |title=Hulu - Saturday Night Live: Old Glory |access-date=2016-02-07 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120127010105/http://www.hulu.com/watch/2340/saturday-night-live-old-glory |archive-date=January 27, 2012 |df=mdy }}. Hulu. Retrieved June 9, 2009. During this time, he portrayed Richard Helms in Oliver Stone's political drama Nixon (1995) but his scenes were ultimately cut and remain in the Director's cut version of the film. The following year, he reunited with Merchant Ivory for The Proprietor (1996) starring Jeanne Moreau. He portrayed a fictional president of the United States in the thriller Shadow Conspiracy starring Charlie Sheen and Donald Sutherland. He acted in his third Merchant Ivory film Le Divorce (2003) starring Kate Hudson and Naomi Watts.

File:Dan Maffei and Sam Waterston.jpg and Waterston]]

Waterston appeared as Polonius in the 2008 Shakespeare in the Park production of Hamlet.{{cite web |url=http://www.publictheater.org/content/view/126/219/ |title=Public Theater – Shakespeare in the Park |website=Publictheater.org |date=August 22, 2006 |access-date=November 17, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080509165116/http://www.publictheater.org/content/view/126/219/ |archive-date=May 9, 2008 |df=mdy-all }} His performance received a positive review in The New York Times.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/18/theater/reviews/18hamlet.html|title=Whips and Scorns of Time, Stinging All They Touch|first=Ben|last=Brantley|work=The New York Times |date=June 18, 2008|via=NYTimes.com}} On February 12, 2009, Waterston portrayed Abraham Lincoln in Earl Robinson's "The Lonesome Train: A Music Legend for Actors, Folk Singers, Choirs, and Orchestra" at the Riverside Church in New York City. The concert was performed to celebrate Lincoln's 200th birthday.{{cite web |url=http://www.theriversidechurchny.org/news/article.php?id=270 |title=Theriversdechurchny.org |publisher=Theriversidechurchny.org |date=February 1, 2009 |access-date=November 17, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121027133547/http://www.theriversidechurchny.org/news/article.php?id=270 |archive-date=October 27, 2012 |df=mdy-all }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.villagevoice.com/qa-director-lorca-peress-on-the-world-premie-of-the-image-maker-at-queens-college/|title=Q&A: Director Lorca Peress On the World Premie of The Image Maker At Queens College|first=Steven|last=Thrasher|date=May 5, 2012|website=The Village Voice}}

Waterston has had several other high profile television roles, including his portrayal of cable news president Charlie Skinner in The Newsroom, an HBO series by Aaron Sorkin.{{cite web|title=Greg Mottola Tapped to Direct Aaron Sorkin's HBO Pilot|url=https://www.thewrap.com/tv/column-post/greg-mottola-tapped-direct-aaron-sorkin-hbo-pilot-25916|work=The Wrap|date=March 28, 2011|first=Tim|last=Kenneally|access-date=December 22, 2011|archive-date=October 30, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181030205902/https://www.thewrap.com/tv/column-post/greg-mottola-tapped-direct-aaron-sorkin-hbo-pilot-25916/|url-status=dead}} Waterston acted opposite Jeff Daniels, Emily Mortimer, Dev Patel, Olivia Munn, and Jane Fonda. The series ran from 2012 to 2014. In 2015, Waterston appeared as Prospero in a Shakespeare in the Park production of The Tempest, directed by Michael Greif.{{cite web|url=http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/01/29/sam-waterston-to-star-in-the-tempest-in-central-park/|title=Sam Waterston to Star in 'The Tempest' in Central Park|first=Patrick|last=Healy|newspaper=The New York Times|date=January 29, 2015}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/17/theater/review-the-tempest-stars-sam-waterston-and-the-weather-at-delacorte-theater.html|title=Review: 'The Tempest' Stars Sam Waterston and the Weather at Delacorte Theater|first=Ben|last=Brantley|work=The New York Times |date=June 17, 2015|via=NYTimes.com}} In 2015, Waterston joined the cast of the Netflix series Grace and Frankie, starring alongside Martin Sheen, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. In an interview with the New York Daily News, Waterston supported Tomlin and Fonda in demanding higher salaries than the supporting actors, saying, "I think they're being cheated."{{cite web|last1=Vanmetre|first1=Elizabeth|title=Martin Sheen, Sam Waterston agree 'Grace and Frankie' stars Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin deserve pay raise|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/martin-sheen-sam-waterston-female-stars-pay-raise-article-1.2218513|website=The New York Daily News|date=May 12, 2015|access-date=June 10, 2015}} His character Sol appeared on all seven seasons of the show, which concluded in 2022.{{cn|date=September 2023}}

In 2017, he played Marshal John Cook in the Netflix western limited series Godless opposite Jeff Daniels and Michelle Dockery. Waterston portrayed George DuPont in the political thriller Miss Sloane starring Jessica Chastain and played Erwin Griswold in the biographical drama On the Basis of Sex starring Felicity Jones as Ruth Bader Ginsburg. In 2021, Waterston was cast in the revival of Law & Order, reprising his role as District Attorney Jack McCoy. He appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to promote the show.{{cite web|url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37K1zV-93xc|title= "Like Time Travel" - Sam Waterston On Becoming Jack McCoy Again For "Law & Order"|website= YouTube|date= February 26, 2022|accessdate= February 27, 2022}} In 2022, he portrayed George Shultz in the Hulu limited series The Dropout starring Amanda Seyfried as Elizabeth Holmes.

On February 2, 2024, it was revealed that Waterson would be leaving Law & Order after 20 seasons, with his renowned character Jack McCoy, who he also played for 405 episodes being replaced by a new D.A. who will be portrayed by Tony Goldwyn.{{cite news|url=https://people.com/law-and-order-sam-waterston-exits-tony-goldwyn-joins-new-district-attorney-7501901|title=Sam Waterston to Exit Law & Order as Tony Goldwyn Joins as New District Attorney|first=Anna Lazarus|last=Caplan|publisher=People|date=February 2, 2024|accessdate=February 2, 2024}}

File:Sam with gifts.png

Waterston married his first wife, Barbara Johns, in 1964.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1972/12/03/archives/much-ado-about-waterston-much-ado-about-sam-waterston.html|title=Much Ado About Waterston|first=Chris|last=Chase|work=The New York Times |date=December 3, 1972|via=NYTimes.com}} The couple had one son, actor James Waterston, before divorcing in 1975. Waterston married his second wife, former model Lynn Louisa Woodruff, in 1976.{{cite web | url = http://www.tv.com/sam-waterston/person/1373/trivia.html | title = Sam Waterston Trivia and Quotes on TV.com | publisher = CBS Interactive Inc. | access-date = May 21, 2010 | url-status=dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090209155512/http://www.tv.com/sam-waterston/person/1373/trivia.html | archive-date = February 9, 2009 | df = mdy-all }} They have three children, including Katherine Waterston.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/15/theater/newsandfeatures/15sam.html?pagewanted=1?pagewanted=1 |title=Father and Daughter, in Life and in Shakespeare |first=Dinittia |last=Smith |date=July 15, 2004 |work=The New York Times |access-date=May 21, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130517023152/http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/15/theater/newsandfeatures/15sam.html?pagewanted=1%3Fpagewanted%3D1 |archive-date=May 17, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}

Waterston is a board member of Oceana.{{cite web | url =http://www.shakespeareinamericanlife.org/documentary/players/waterston.cfm | title =Sam Waterston in Shakespeare in American Life | access-date =March 2, 2013 | archive-date =April 29, 2012 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20120429175430/http://www.shakespeareinamericanlife.org/documentary/players/waterston.cfm | url-status =dead }} Waterston received the Goodermote Humanitarian Award from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in 2012 for his longtime support of refugees around the world.{{cite web|url=http://www.jhsph.edu/publichealthnews/press_releases/2012/waterston_goodermote_award.html |title=Actor Sam Waterston Receives Goodermote Humanitarian Award |publisher=Jhsph.edu |date= May 8, 2012 |access-date= November 17, 2012}} Waterston is a longtime friend and fan of the Mark Morris Dance Group and hosted the television presentation of Mozart Dances on PBS's Live from Lincoln Center on August 16, 2007.{{Cite web|title=Second Thoughts {{!}} Seeing Things |url=https://www.artsjournal.com/tobias/2007/08/second_thoughts.html|website=www.artsjournal.com|date=August 21, 2007 |access-date=2020-05-21}}

Waterston is a practicing Episcopalian.{{cite web|url=http://gts.edu/news_view.asp?langdisp=&id=115 |title=The General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church |date=September 28, 2007 |access-date=November 17, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090429103740/http://www.gts.edu/news_view.asp?langdisp=&id=115 |archive-date=April 29, 2009 }}

He was a spokesman for the Unity08 movement, which unsuccessfully sought to run a non- or bipartisan presidential ticket in the 2008 presidential election.Unity08.org: {{cite web |url=http://unity08.com/news/pr_120506 |title=Actor Sam Waterston Calls on Americans to Join Growing 2008 Political Movement, Unity08 |access-date=2010-07-28 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071103170540/http://unity08.com/news/pr_120506 |archive-date=November 3, 2007 |df=mdy-all }}. Retrieved January 4, 2008. Waterston stated in 2007 that he had been a Democrat until leaving the party in disgust following the airing of Lyndon B. Johnson's "Daisy" election advertisement in 1964.{{cite web|author= Alston, Joshua |url=http://www.newsweek.com/2007/12/15/the-real-mccoy.html |title=The Real McCoy | work = Newsweek |via=The Daily Beast |date= December 15, 2007|access-date= July 30, 2013}} However, he endorsed Democratic President Barack Obama for re-election in 2012.{{cite news |url=http://www.thedenverchannel.com/politics/31298734/detail.html |work=The Denver Channel |first=Robert |last=Yoon |title=Celebs Open Wallets in WH Race, Mostly for Obama|date=2012-07-24|access-date=2012-07-31|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120831192115/http://www.thedenverchannel.com/politics/31298734/detail.html|archive-date=August 31, 2012|df=mdy-all}} As of 2016, Waterston is a registered Democrat.{{cite web |url=http://www.dir.ct.gov/sots/LookUp.aspx |title=Connecticut Office of the Secretary of State Voter Registration Lookup |access-date=July 19, 2016}} On October 18, 2019, Waterston was arrested outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., with Grace and Frankie co-star Jane Fonda, for protesting the Trump administration's policies concerning climate change.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/jane-fonda-sam-waterston-detained-by-police-protesting-dc-1248693 |title=Jane Fonda and Sam Waterston Arrested While Protesting in D.C. |last=Parker |first=Ryan |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter |date=October 18, 2019 |access-date=October 27, 2019}}

{{main|Sam Waterston on screen and stage}}

{{main|List of awards and nominations received by Sam Waterston}}

Waterston received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his performance in The Killing Fields (1984), losing to F. Murray Abraham for his role in Amadeus (1984). Waterston also received three Primetime Emmy Award nominations and two Golden Globe Award nominations for I'll Fly Away, winning a Golden Globe in 1994. He received a 1994 Tony Award nomination for Best Actor in a Play for his performance in the Broadway revival of Abe Lincoln in Illinois. For his portrayal of Jack McCoy in Law & Order, Waterston has received three Primetime Emmy Award nominations and a Golden Globe Award nomination; in addition, he has received 11 Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for his work on Law & Order, winning the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series in 1999.

In 2003, Waterston received The Lincoln Forum's Richard Nelson Current Award of Achievement.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thelincolnforum.org/richard-nelson-current-award-of-achievement|title=Richard Nelson Current Award of Achievement|website=The Lincoln Forum}} AllMovie historian Hal Erickson characterized Waterston as having "cultivated a loyal following with his quietly charismatic, unfailingly solid performances."{{cite web|first=Hal|last=Erickson| url=http://www.allmovie.com/artist/sam-waterston-74941 |title=Biography at AllMovie |publisher=AllMovie.com |date=n.d. |access-date= July 30, 2013}}

On January 7, 2010, Waterston received the 2,397th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.{{cite web|url=http://www.walkoffame.com/sam-waterston|title=Sam Waterston on the Hollywood Walk of Fame|date=October 25, 2019}} In 2012, he was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame.{{cite web|url=http://www.playbill.com/news/article/170377-EXCLUSIVE-Betty-Buckley-Sam-Waterston-Trevor-Nunn-Christopher-Durang-Andre-Bishop-Among-Theater-Hall-of-Fame-Inductees|title=EXCLUSIVE: Betty Buckley, Sam Waterston, Trevor Nunn, Christopher Durang, Andre Bishop Among Theater Hall of Fame Inductees|access-date=February 17, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131220091957/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/170377-EXCLUSIVE-Betty-Buckley-Sam-Waterston-Trevor-Nunn-Christopher-Durang-Andre-Bishop-Among-Theater-Hall-of-Fame-Inductees|archive-date=December 20, 2013|df=mdy-all}}

On May 27, 2024, Waterston was inducted as an honorary class member of Princeton University.{{cite web|url=https://www.princeton.edu/news/2024/05/27/actor-sam-waterston-seniors-class-day-2024-its-your-turn|title= Actor Sam Waterston to seniors on Class Day 2024: ‘It’s your turn.'|date=May 27, 2024}}

{{reflist}}

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• {{IBDB name|69015}}
• {{iobdb name|5570}}
• {{Playbill person}}
• {{C-SPAN|22546}}
• {{NYTtopic|people/w/sam_waterston}}
• {{Charlie Rose guest|27}}
• [http://www.mlfilms.com/productions/m_and_i Memory and Imagination: New Pathways to the Library of Congress]—Documentary

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Category:20th-century American Episcopalians

Category:21st-century American male actors

Category:21st-century American Episcopalians

Category:Male actors from Cambridge, Massachusetts

Category:American male film actors

Category:American male television actors

Category:American male voice actors

Category:American people of English descent

Category:American people of Scottish descent

Category:American male Shakespearean actors

Category:American male stage actors

Category:Best Drama Actor Golden Globe (television) winners

Category:Primetime Emmy Award winners

Category:Best Supporting Actor in a Television Film or Miniseries Canadian Screen Award winners

Category:Groton School alumni

Category:Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series Screen Actors Guild Award winners

Category:University of Paris alumni

Category:Yale College alumni

Category:People from Mattapoisett, Massachusetts

Category:Brooks School alumni

Category:Massachusetts Democrats