Sebastian Arcelus
{{Short description|American actor (born 1976)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{use American English|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Sebastian Arcelus
| image = Sebastian Arcelus 2014.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Arcelus in May 2014
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1976|11|5}}
| birth_place = New York City, U.S.
| alma_mater = Williams College
| occupation = Actor
| known_for = House of Cards, Madam Secretary, Rent, Wicked, Elf, Into the Woods
| years_active = 2000–present
| spouse = {{marriage|Stephanie J. Block
|2007}}
| children = 1
| relatives =
}}
Sebastian Arcelus (born November 5, 1976){{cite news |author= |date=2021-11-05 |title=Birthdays |work=The Modesto Bee |agency=The Associated Press |page=2A |quote=Actor Sebastian Arcelus is 45.}} is an American actor, best known for his roles as Lucas Goodwin on the Netflix thriller series House of Cards (2013–2016) and Jay Whitman on the CBS political drama series Madam Secretary (2014–2019). Arcelus began his acting career in the early 2000s and spent the first decade of his career on Broadway, having played Roger in Rent, Fiyero in Wicked, Bob Gaudio in Jersey Boys, and Buddy in Elf, among other roles. He returned to Broadway with the 2022 revival of Into the Woods and its subsequent national tour.
Early life and background
Arcelus was born in New York City and grew up in Port Washington, New York.{{cite web |url=https://www.allmovie.com/artist/sebastian-arcelus-vn15357750 |title=Sebastian Arcelus |author= |website=Allmovie |access-date=2023-11-05}}{{cite web |last=Henderson |first=Kathy |title=Jersey Boy Sebastian Arcelus Find Success (and Love) in Musicals |url=http://www.broadway.com/buzz/133814/jersey-boy-sebastian-arcelus-find-success-and-love-in-musicals/ |date=August 3, 2009 |access-date=February 17, 2016 |website=Broadway.com}} He is a second generation American of Uruguayan, Italian, and Russian descent, and speaks Spanish fluently. He is a graduate of Williams College.
Career
=2000–2011: Early career and Broadway=
Arcelus has made a career in theater on Broadway, regionally, and internationally. He began his career in the early 2000s, and spent three years working at an international business firm while auditioning and performing in amateur theater at night. He performed in a handful of small New York theater productions as well as regional productions like that of The Who's Tommy in Newark, New Jersey in 2000 and Big River in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.{{Cite web |title=Tommy |url=http://www.jeffreyfinnproductions.com/tommy |access-date=2020-09-09 |website=Jeffrey Finn Productions |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=JBB EXCLUSIVE: Interview with Sebastian Arcelus Part One! · Jersey Boys Blog |url=http://jerseyboysblog.com/jbb-exclusive-interview-with-sebastian-arcelus%e2%80%94part-one/2310 |access-date=2020-09-08}} He joined the repertory theater company of Weathervane Theatre in Whitefield, New Hampshire, for their 2001 season; at Weathervane, he performed in productions including Floyd Collins, Cabaret, and I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change.{{Cite web |date=2017 |title=52 Seasons of Shows |url=https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c1038d1365f026f8c4b10c0/t/5c48d01470a6ad721e53c192/1548275736502/52-Seasons-of-Shows.pdf |access-date=August 30, 2020 |website=Weathervane Theatre}} Following this experience he took part in a bilingual production of West Side Story in Guatemala.
Arcelus made his Broadway debut in 2002 in Rent, first as a swing, covering the male ensemble roles as well as Mark and Roger, and then as Roger throughout the first half of 2003. He remained with Rent as a swing until Fall 2004.
Some of his first professional screen acting roles were for English-language dubs of animated TV shows. He continued to do this throughout the 2000s and voiced characters in shows including Winx Club and multiple series within the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise. In 2004, Arcelus appeared in the movie musical Temptation, with Broadway stars Alice Ripley, Adam Pascal, and Zoe Saldaña, among many others.
During the spring of 2005, he starred as Jan in the original cast of the Beach Boys musical, Good Vibrations. He played Fiyero on the first national tour of Wicked from January 3 until October 3, 2006. He then reprised the role of Fiyero in the Broadway production from January 9 to December 16, 2007. Arcelus was featured on iChannel, an interactive 2006 web-series about "a self-conscious young man who finds his life taken over by a video blog."{{cite web |title=View I Channel here |url=http://www.connectwithi.com |access-date=2011-11-12 |website=Connectwithi.com}}
He starred as Bob Gaudio in the Broadway production of Jersey Boys from January 10, 2008, to January 11, 2009. before starring in Happiness, a musical which ran Off-Broadway at Lincoln Center Theater's Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater for fourteen weeks beginning on February 27, 2009.{{cite web |last=Hetrick |first=Adam |url=https://www.playbill.com/article/gleason-arcelus-powers-and-sapp-cast-in-lincoln-center-theaters-happiness-com-156454 |title=Gleason, Arcelus, Powers and Sapp Cast in Lincoln Center Theater's Happiness |date=December 29, 2008 |access-date=May 14, 2022}} He resumed the role of Bob Gaudio in the Broadway production of Jersey Boys on July 14, 2009, and finished the role on October 10, 2010.{{cite web |last=Gans |first=Andrew |url=https://www.playbill.com/article/sebastian-arcelus-plays-final-performance-in-broadways-jersey-boys-oct-10-com-172500 |title=Sebastian Arcelus Plays Final Performance in Broadway's Jersey Boys Oct. 10 |website=Playbill |date=October 10, 2010 |access-date=May 14, 2022}}
He originated the role of Buddy in Elf the Musical for a limited engagement run from November 10, 2010, through January 2, 2011, at Broadway's Al Hirschfeld Theater.{{cite web |last=Hetrick |first=Adam |url=https://www.playbill.com/article/sebastian-arcelus-will-be-broadways-buddy-elf-the-musical-completes-casting-com-171700 |title=Sebastian Arcelus Will Be Broadway's Buddy; Elf – The Musical Completes Casting |website=Playbill |date=September 13, 2010 |access-date=May 14, 2022}}
He assumed the role of Jack Chesney in Where's Charley? in a concert production as part of New York City Center's Encores! series from March 17–20, 2011.[http://www.nycitycenter.org/tickets/productionnew.aspx?performanceNumber=5283 Where's Charley? at New York City Center "Encores!"] Nycitycenter.org From May 6 through June 19, 2011, took part in the original stage production of A Time to Kill, premiering at the Arena Stage in Washington, D.C., based on the John Grisham novel of the same name; Arcelus originated the role of Jake Brigance.{{cite web |date=April 14, 2011 |title=Stage Adaptation of John Grisham Thriller A Time to Kill to Premiere at Arena Stage, Starring Sebastian Arcelus |url=http://www.broadway.com/buzz/156012/stage-adaptation-of-john-grisham-thriller-a-time-to-kill-to-premiere-at-arena-stage-starring-sebastian-arcelus |access-date=2011-11-12 |website=Broadway.com}} Later that summer, Arcelus filmed and helped produce the independent feature film The Last Day of August, which premiered in October 2012.{{cite web |title=NYC Release! - The Last Day of August |url=http://thelastdayofaugustfilm.com/nyc-release/#.WiDnBq3Mzq1 |access-date=January 22, 2018 |website=thelastdayofaugustfilm.com}} In November 2011, Arcelus starred in an off-Broadway limited engagement musical production of The Blue Flower at Second Stage, along with Marc Kudisch and Teal Wicks.{{cite web |last=Jones |first=Kenneth |title=Sebastian Arcelus, Marc Kudisch, Graham Rowat, Teal Wicks Will Help Blue Flower Grow at Second Stage |url=https://www.playbill.com/article/sebastian-arcelus-marc-kudisch-graham-rowat-teal-wicks-will-help-blue-flower-grow-at-second-stage-com-182447 |website=Playbill |access-date=May 14, 2022 |date=September 8, 2011}}
=2012–present: ''Madam Secretary'' and ''Into the Woods''=
In 2012, Arcelus starred in the independent film The Last Day of August. Later that year, he was cast as Lucas Goodwin in the Netflix TV series House of Cards.{{Cite web |last=Patten |first=Dominic |date=July 18, 2012 |title=Netflix's 'House of Cards' Adds Broadway's Sebastian Arcelus To Cast |url=https://deadline.com/2012/07/netflix-house-of-cards-david-fincher-sebastian-arcelus-kevin-spacey-302572/ |access-date=2020-09-09 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}} From 2013 to 2016, he had a recurring role in the show's first, second, and fourth seasons. In 2013, Arcelus reprised his role of Jake Brigance in the Broadway production of A Time To Kill at the Golden Theatre in New York City, which premiered on October 20, 2013.{{cite web |last=Champion |first=Lindsay |date=October 21, 2013 |title=A Time to Kill Stars Sebastian Arcelus, Patrick Page & More Hold Court on a Star-Studded Opening Night |url=http://www.broadway.com/buzz/172478/a-time-to-kill-stars-sebastian-arcelus-patrick-page-more-hold-court-on-a-star-studded-opening-night/ |access-date=2013-10-28 |website=Broadway.com}}
As part of the collective The Grundleshotz, Arcelus co-wrote the musical Gettin' the Band Back Together.{{Cite web |title=Gettin' the Band Back Together Broadway @ Belasco Theatre - Tickets and Discounts |url=http://www.playbill.com/production/gettin-the-band-back-together-belasco-theatre-2018-2019 |access-date=2020-09-09 |website=Playbill |language=en}} Following four years of improvisational rehearsals, the musical debuted regionally in 2013 at the George Street Playhouse in New Jersey before receiving a pre-Broadway workshop in 2014. The musical played on Broadway at the Belasco Theatre during Summer 2018.
In early 2014, he was cast in the Cinemax pilot Blanco.{{Cite web |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |date=February 4, 2014 |title=Franka Potente, Amaury Nolasco & Elizabeth Rodriguez Cast In Cinemax Pilot 'Blanco' |url=https://deadline.com/2014/02/franka-potente-amaury-nolasco-elizabeth-rodriguez-cast-in-cinemax-pilot-blanco-676964/ |access-date=2020-09-09 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}} Soon after, he also joined the cast The Best of Me, based on the Nicholas Sparks novel of the same name.{{Cite web |author= |date=March 12, 2014 |title='The Best Of Me' Adds 'House Of Cards' Sebastian Arcelus & Gerald McRaney |url=https://deadline.com/2014/03/the-best-of-me-adds-house-of-cards-sebastian-arcelus-gerald-mcraney-697720/ |access-date=2020-09-09 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}
In 2014, he began portraying Jay Whitman on the CBS drama Madam Secretary. After having a recurring role during the first two seasons of the show, Arcelus became part of the main cast for the final four seasons of the show; he acted in one hundred episodes before the series concluded in December 2019.
Since 2014, Arcelus has also had small roles in the films Ted 2 (2015) and Split (2016), as well as guest roles in shows including The Leftovers, FBI, and Bull. He joined the cast of the Steve McQueen miniseries Codes of Conduct, which was given a limited series order by HBO in 2015.{{Cite web |last=SkywordNews |title=Paul Dano Cast in HBO Event Series 'Codes of Conduct' |url=https://www.stack.com/a/paul-dano-cast-in-hbo-event-series-codes-of-conduct |access-date=2020-09-09 |website=STACK |date=March 29, 2015 |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |date=March 20, 2015 |title=Steve McQueen's HBO Drama 'Codes Of Conduct' Picked Up As Limited Series |url=https://deadline.com/2015/03/codes-of-conduct-steve-mcqueen-limited-series-order-hbo-1201395794/ |access-date=2020-09-09 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}} The project was ultimately scrapped by the network the following year.{{Cite web |last=Han |first=Angie |date=February 24, 2016 |title=Steve McQueen HBO Drama Codes of Conduct Shut Down |url=https://www.slashfilm.com/steve-mcqueen-hbo/ |access-date=2020-09-09 |website=/Film |language=en-US}} In 2016, Arcelus had a six-episode arc in HBO's The Deuce.
In August 2022, it was announced that Arcelus would return to Broadway by replacing Brian d'Arcy James as the Baker in the revival of Into the Woods beginning September 6 and that he would star alongside his wife Stephanie J. Block who plays the Baker's Wife.{{Cite web|last=Hall|first=Margaret|date=12 August 2022|title=Stephanie J. Block, Sebastian Arcelus, Krysta Rodriguez, Montego Glover, More to Join Broadway's Into the Woods|url=https://www.playbill.com/article/stephanie-j-block-sebastian-arcelus-krysta-rodriguez-more-to-join-into-the-woods|website=Playbill}} He played his final performance on October 23, 2022.{{Cite web|last=Harms|first=Talaura|date=22 September 2022|title=Brian D'Arcy James and Andy Karl Will Return to Broadway's Into the Woods|url=https://www.playbill.com/article/brian-darcy-james-and-andy-karl-will-return-to-broadways-into-the-woods|website=Playbill}} In December 2022, it was announced that Arcelus and Block would reprise their roles in the production's U.S. national tour, which launched in early 2023.{{cite web|url=https://playbill.com/article/broadways-into-the-woods-revival-will-journey-across-the-u-s-on-tour|title=Broadway's Into the Woods Revival Will Journey Across the U.S. On Tour|first=Talaura|last=Harms|work=Playbill|date=December 6, 2022|accessdate=December 8, 2022}} During the same month, it was announced that Arcelus would also return to the Broadway production beginning January 3, 2023, and continue with the show through its final performance on January 8.
Personal life
Arcelus married his Wicked co-star Stephanie J. Block in 2007. Block played Elphaba in Wicked, both on the national tour and on Broadway.{{cite news |last=Gans |first=Andrew |title=DIVA TALK: Chatting with Wicked{{'}}s Stephanie J. Block Plus News of Mason and Kuhn |url=https://www.playbill.com/article/diva-talk-chatting-with-wickeds-stephanie-j-block-plus-news-of-mason-and-kuhn-com-146156 |access-date=August 4, 2014 |newspaper=Playbill |date=December 14, 2007}} Their daughter Vivienne Helena Arcelus was born on January 19, 2015.{{cite news |title=Twitter Watch: Congrats! Stephanie J. Block and Sebastian Arcelus Are Expecting Their First Baby! |url=http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Twitter-Watch-Congrats-Stephanie-J-Block-and-Sebastian-Arcelus-Are-Expecting-Their-First-Baby-20140804#.U-ANsPldV8E |access-date=August 4, 2014 |newspaper=BroadwayWorld.com |date=August 4, 2014}}{{not in citation|date=December 2022}}
Acting credits
=Film=
| class="wikitable sortable" | |||
| Year | Title | Role | class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | The Last Day of August | Mark | Also producer |
| 2014 | The Best of Me | Frank | |
| 2015 | Ted 2 | Dr. Ed Danzer | |
| 2016 | Split | Mr. Cooke |
=Television=
| class="wikitable sortable" | |||
| Year | Title | Role | class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Person of Interest | Matthews | Episode: 1x05 "Judgemet" |
| 2013–14, 2016 | House of Cards | Lucas Goodwin | Recurring (Season 1–2, 4); 17 episodes |
| 2014
|Blanco |Andy Silver | |||
| 2014 | It Could Be Worse | Howard | 2 episodes |
| 2014 | The Leftovers | Doug Durst | 2 episodes |
| 2014–2019 | Madam Secretary | Jay Whitman | Recurring (Season 1-2); Main cast (Season 3-6); 100 episodes |
| 2015
|Simon |TV pilot | |||
| 2018
|Dave Hiller |6 episodes | |||
| 2019 | FBI | Drew Harper | Episode: 2x02 "The Lives of Others" |
| 2019 | Bull | Eric Crawford | Episode: 4x08 "Safe and Sound" |
| 2025 | FBI: Most Wanted | Dr. Conrad Kagan | Episode: 6x15 "Four Bodies" |
=Voiceover and English-language dubbing=
= Theater credits =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
!Year !Title !Role ! class="unsortable" |Venue !Notes |
| 2001
|Homer Collins |Weathervane Theatre: |Regional revival |
| rowspan="3" |2002–2004
| rowspan="3" |Rent |Swing |Nederlander Theatre: | rowspan="3" |Broadway replacement{{Cite web |last=Joy |first=Cara |title=Sebastian Arcelus Replaces Justin Guarini in Good Vibrations |url=https://www.broadway.com/buzz/93890/sebastian-arcelus-replaces-justin-guarini-in-good-vibrations/ |date=November 15, 2004 |access-date=2020-09-09 |website=Broadway.com |language=en}} |
| Roger
|Nederlander Theatre: |
| Swing Understudy: Mark, Roger |Nederlander Theatre: |
| 2004
|Germanicus |Theatre at St. Clements: |New York Musical Theatre Festival production |
| 2004–2005
|Jan / Ensemble |Eugene O'Neill Theatre: |Original Broadway cast |
| 2005
|Ethan Girard |North Shore Music Theatre: |Regional revival |
| rowspan="2" |2006–2007
| rowspan="2" |Wicked | rowspan="2" |Fiyero Tigelaar |National tour: |National tour replacement |
| Gershwin Theatre: Jan. – Dec. 2007 |Broadway replacement |
| rowspan="2" |2008–2010
| rowspan="2" |Jersey Boys | rowspan="2" |Bob Gaudio |August Wilson Theatre: | rowspan="2" |Broadway replacement |
| August Wilson Theatre: Jul. 2009 – Oct. 2010 |
| 2009
|Zach |Newhouse Theater: |Original Off-Broadway cast |
| 2010–2011
|Elf |Buddy |Al Hirschfeld Theatre: |Original Broadway cast |
| rowspan=3|2011
|Jack Chesney |New York City Center: |Encores! Off-Broadway revival |
| A Time to Kill
|Jake Brigance |Arena Stage: |Pre-Broadway Tryout |
| The Blue Flower
|Franz |Second Stage Theater: |Original Off-Broadway cast |
| 2013
|Jake Brigance |John Golden Theatre: |Original Broadway cast |
| rowspan=2|2022–2023
|rowspan=2|Into the Woods |rowspan=2|The Baker |St. James Theatre: Jan. 2023 |Broadway replacement |
| The U.S. National Tour: Feb. – July 2023 |Ten city engagement |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name}}
- {{IBDB name}}
- {{IOBDB name|37053}}
- {{anime News Network|people|21763}}
- {{Playbill person|sebastian-arcelus-vault-0000097206}} ([https://web.archive.org/web/20120113043657/http://www.playbillvault.com/Person/Detail/97206/Sebastian-Arcelus archive])
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Arcelus, Sebastian}}
Category:American male musical theatre actors
Category:American male television actors
Category:American male voice actors
Category:American people of German descent
Category:American people of Italian descent
Category:American people of Russian descent
Category:American people of Serbian descent
Category:American people of Uruguayan descent
Category:Male actors from New York City
Category:Williams College alumni
Category:20th-century American male actors