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Season 2/Cast Bios
KELSEY GRAMMER (Mayor Tom Kane)
Kelsey Grammer takes on two leading roles in the STARZ Original series “Boss,” in which he stars as
Mayor Tom Kane and serves as an executive producer. For his portrayal of Kane in season one, he
earned a Golden Globe® Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama. “Boss”
also received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Drama Series.
Grammer has excelled to the highest level in theatre, television and film, as an actor, producer, executive
producer and director. An initial role as Dr. Frasier Crane on “Cheers” developed into the cornerstone of
the Juilliard-trained actor’s career. Grammer played the celebrated character in three different television
series (“Cheers,” “Wings” and “Frasier”) over a span of 20 years, tying the record for longest-running
television character.
Portraying Crane, Grammer has won four Emmys®, two Golden Globes and a SAG® Award and has
received an unparalleled 16 Emmy nominations, eight Golden Globe nominations and 16 SAG
nominations.
Almost 20 years ago, Grammer created what is now known as Grammnet NH Productions, a TV
production company which has produced such hit television shows as the Emmy-winning “Medium,” for
NBC and “The Game” and “Girlfriends” for CW. Other producing credits include the NBC productions “The
Innocent,” “Kelsey Grammer Salutes Jack Benny,” “Fired Up,” “In Laws” and “Gary the Rat.” For PAX, he
produced “World Cup Comedy.” For FOX, he starred in and produced “Kelsey Grammer Presents: The
Sketch Show.” He also took on the roles of director and executive producer on the comedy pilot “Alligator
Point,” for Lifetime.
Grammer has directed single episodes of “Everybody Hates Chris,” “My Ex Life” and “Out of Practice.” He
has also directed several episodes of “Frasier,” one of which earned him a DGA nomination.
Grammer also starred in and served as executive producer of the ABC comedy “Hank.”
Also accomplished as a voice-over artist, Grammer plays the character Sideshow Bob on “The
Simpsons,” for which he won an Emmy in 2006. He has also lent his voice to the feature films Toy Story
2, Anastasia and Teacher’s Pet, to the television series “Father of the Pride” and “Gary the Rat,” and to
the Emmy-nominated “Animal Farm” for TNT.
Grammer’s other acting credits include MGM’s remake of Fame, Paramount Pictures’ Middle Men,
Vivendi Universal’s An American Carol, Disney’s Swing Vote, FOX’s blockbuster hit X-Men: The Last
Stand, FOX’s “Back To You” for which he also served as executive producer, “A Christmas Carol” for
NBC, “Benedict Arnold” for A&E, “Mr. St. Nick” for ABC’s Hallmark Hall of Fame, 15 Minutes for New Line
Cinema, Down Periscope for 20th Century Fox and Even Money for Yari Film Group.
Grammer began acting in plays at Pine Crest Preparatory School in Fort Lauderdale, where his teenage
stage success inspired him to apply to Juilliard. He developed an interest in Shakespeare and began his
professional acting career at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego. Reminiscing, Grammer says, “When I
was 21, I was painting offices for a famous director. As I stood at the top of the ladder, the casting director
of the San Diego Shakespeare Festival looked up at me and said, ‘You’re an actor, aren’t you?’ - I don’t
know how he got this from my butt!” The director offered him the chance to audition, and he spent three
years performing Shakespeare and Shaw. He continued in regional theatre, and finally made his way to
New York with roles in the off-Broadway productions “Sunday in the Park with George,” “A Month in the
Country” and the Obie Award-winning “Quartermaine’s Terms.” He scored on Broadway in “Macbeth” and
“Othello.”
Before long he appeared in two TV miniseries: first as Stephen Smith in “Kennedy” (NBC, 1983), and next
as Lieutenant Stewart in “George Washington” (CBS, 1984). Grammer then landed the role of Dr. Frasier
Season 2/Cast Bios
Crane in “Cheers.” Originally, the show’s creators wanted John Lithgow for a brief recurring role, but the
actor was unavailable. Grammer’s former Juilliard classmate Mandy Patinkin suggested him to the New
York casting director and he got the job, parlaying six episodes into a career that would span two
decades, after which he would return to the stage and receive critical acclaim as Professor Higgins in “My
Fair Lady.” He also performed the title role in “Richard II” and Lucio in “Measure for Measure” at the Mark
Taper Forum in Los Angeles.
In 2010, Grammer starred in “La Cage aux Folles” on Broadway for which he received rave reviews as
nightclub owner Georges. His performance earned him a Tony® nomination for Best Performance by a
Leading Actor in a Musical.
Grammer was born in St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands and was raised in New Jersey and Florida.
CONNIE NIELSEN (Meredith Kane)
Danish beauty Connie Nielsen consistently lights up the screen with an eclectic mix of film and television
roles. She currently stars opposite Kelsey Grammer as Mayor Tom Kane’s wife, Meredith Kane, in the
STARZ Original series “Boss,” which earned a Golden Globe® nomination for Best Drama Series in its
debut season.
Nielsen first won hearts with her portrayal of Princess Lucilla, opposite Russell Crowe's Maximus in
Ridley Scott's Academy Award®-winning film Gladiator. For her performance, she received a Best
Actress Award from the Empire Awards.
She next received critical acclaim for her role in the award-winning Danish drama Brothers, winning the
Best Actress Awards from the Danish Academy Awards and the San Sebastian Film Festival, among
many other nominations that year.
Throughout her career, Nielsen has built on her impressive body of work with a diverse line-up of roles
with acclaimed directors including Harold Ramis in Ice Harvest (opposite John Cusack and Billy Bob
Thornton); John Dahl in The Great Raid (opposite Benjamin Bratt, Joseph Fiennes and James Franco);
Billie August in Return to Sender; John McTiernan in Basic (opposite John Travolta and Samuel L.
Jackson); William Friedkin in The Hunted (opposite Tommy Lee Jones and Benicio Del Toro); Mark
Romanek in One Hour Photo (opposite Robin Williams); Brian DePalma in Mission to Mars; Taylor
Hackford in Devil's Advocate (opposite Al Pacino and Keanu Reeves) and Wes Anderson in Rushmore
(opposite Bill Murray).
She has also captivated audiences with her real-life portrayals and enduring stories in several
independent films, including David Mackenize’s Perfect Sense (opposite Eva Green and Ewan
McGregor); Vibeke Musasya’s Lost in Africa; Philip Haas’ The Situation; Olivier Assayas’ Demonlover;
and Vic Sarin’s A Shine of Rainbows (opposite Aidan Quinn).
Nielsen is very active in several charity organizations and serves as president of the board and project
leader of the Human Needs Project, which she also co-founded. The Human Needs Project is an
organization that brings clean technology, water and infrastructure of opportunity to slums around the
world. She also founded the Road to Freedom Scholarships program which provides scholarships to
young girls in Kibera, Nairobi so they can attend boarding schools in Kenya and receive the education,
care and guidance necessary to succeed.
In addition to being an accomplished actress, Nielsen is also a trained singer, dancer and is fluent in
English, German, Danish, Swedish, French and Italian. She currently resides in San Francisco and New
York.
Season 2/Cast Bios
HANNAH WARE (Emma Kane)
Ware plays the emotionally distant daughter of Mayor Tom Kane in “Boss,” the critically-acclaimed
STARZ Original series.
Born and raised in South London to a Panorama journalist father and a social worker mother, Ware
attended Alleyn’s school in Dulwich, named after Edward Alleyn who was a major figure of Elizabethan
theater. Around this time, at the age of 12 she was picked up by Storm Modeling Agency as the youngest
girl they had ever taken on and proceeded to have a successful modeling career.
Ware always concentrated on academia, however, and never entertained the thought of being a full-time
model. She obtained high honors in history of art and had hopes of pursuing architecture, earning
acceptance to some of the world’s most prestigious schools, including The Architectural Association and
The Bartlett. However, by this time, Ware had been regularly attending various acting classes in New
York and had fallen in love with the craft.
She then decided to move to New York permanently and spent two years at the Lee Strasberg Institute.
Her first break came when she was cast opposite Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan in the Warner Bros. film
Cop Out directed by Kevin Smith. Most recently, Hannah appeared in the independent film Shame
directed by Steve McQueen and starring Michael Fassbender.
JEFF HEPHNER (Ben Zajac)
Jeff Hephner stars as State Treasurer Ben Zajac in the STARZ Original series “Boss,” who is motivated to
become the next governor of Illinois with Mayor Tom Kane’s support despite his aversion to being
beholden to the Mayor.
Hephner most recently appeared as football coach Red Raymond on the CW series “Hellcats.” He is wellknown for his role as Matt Ramsey on “The O.C.,” as well as for the lead role of Morgan Buffkin in the
series “Easy Money” (2008).
Hephner’s career began with a lead role on Barry Levinson and Tom Fontana’s acclaimed series “The
Jury.” His additional television credits include appearances on “Private Practice,” “NCIS,” and Hallmark’s
2006 movie “The Water is Wide,” in which he starred opposite Alfre Woodard.
Hephner is a native of Sand Creek, Michigan.
KATHLEEN ROBERTSON (Kitty O’Neil)
Kathleen Robertson’s diverse film and television projects and chameleon-like performances continue to
impress audiences and critics alike.
Robertson stars as Kitty O’Neil, Mayor Tom Kane’s former aide in the STARZ Original series “Boss,”
featuring Kelsey Grammer as the Mayor of Chicago who has been diagnosed with a degenerative
neurological disorder.
Robertson is also set to write, produce, and star in the dramedy series “Your Time Is Up,” about a wildly
successful, yet deeply troubled psychologist. This marks Robertson’s second produced script, her first
being indie feature Gravity Pulls, which she stars in and co-wrote. Her next film, Code Name: Geronimo,
Season 2/Cast Bios
from the producers of The Hurt Locker, is slated for a September release from The Weinstein Co. and
follows the demise of Bin Laden.
In television, Robertson both headlined and served as executive producer for IFC’s Gemini Awardwinning mockumentary style comedy series “The Business.” Additionally, she starred as the wicked
sorceress sister to Zooey Deschanel in “Tin Man,” the six-hour, mini-series version of The Wizard of Oz,
which recently garnered the SyFy Channel’s highest ratings in the network’s history and multiple Emmy®
nominations.
In film, Robertson recently starred in the drama A Night for Dying Tigers, which premiered at the Toronto
International Film Festival, and she has finished filming Down the Road Again, the anticipated sequel to
Don Shebib’s 1970 Canadian classic Goin’ Down the Road. Upcoming films include her starring roles in
Static, Not Since You and Losing Control.
Robertson starred alongside Academy Award®-winning actors Ben Affleck and Adrien Brody in the
dramatic thriller Hollywoodland, and starred opposite Mark Ruffalo in IFC Films’ sexual drama XX/XY.
She can also be seen in Scary Movie, as well as Gregg Araki’s Splendor and Nowhere.
Robertson’s additional film credits include Last Exit, which earned her second Gemini Award (Canadian
Emmy) nomination, Player 5150, The Hill, In the Dark (opposite Charlotte Rampling), Until the Night
(Norman Reedus), Control (directed by Tim Hunter, acting alongside Willem Dafoe and Ray Liotta), and
Mall Cop. Further feature film credits include roles in Beautiful (with Minnie Driver for director Sally Field),
Bruce McCulloch’s Dog Park, Sundance Film Festival favorite Psycho Beach Party, Speaking of Sex (costarring with Bill Murray, directed by John McNaughton), I Love Your Work (with Giovanni Ribisi and
Franke Potente), and I Am Sam (Sean Penn).
Robertson garnered her third Best Actress Gemini Award nomination for Torso, in which she starred as
notorious Canadian murderer Evelyn Dick in the grizzly 1946 true story.
Her early television career includes the role of Clare Arnold on “Beverly Hills, 90210” (FOX) and her role
in the David E. Kelley drama “Girls Club.”
A native of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, Robertson currently resides in Los Angeles.
TROY GARITY (Sam Miller)
Troy Garity returns for the second season of “Boss,” the critically-acclaimed STARZ Original series, as
Sam Miller – the tenacious reporter-turned-editor determined to expose Mayor Tom Kane’s nefarious
political maneuvering and illusive illness.
During the first season of “Boss,” Garity simultaneously juggled an arc on NBC’s “The Playboy Club”
which conveniently filmed at the same Chicago studio. He previously was there while filming the
successful Barbershop franchise with Ice Cube and Cedric the Entertainer. Amidst this recent foray into
television, Garity will appear with the likes of Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, and Sean Penn in Warner
Bros.’ Gangster Squad.
While "Boss" marks Garity's first full season on television, it is not his first time working in the medium.
Garity starred in the critically acclaimed Showtime original film "Soldiers Girl." Based on the true story of
Private Barry Winchell, his performance earned him both Golden Globe® and Independent Spirit Award
nominations for Best Actor.
Following in the success of his iconic film acting family, Garity has gone on to work with some of the best
actors and directors in his field. Some of his film credits include Barry Levinson's Bandits with Bruce
Season 2/Cast Bios
Willis, Cate Blanchett & Billy Bob Thornton; Danny Boyle's Sunshine with Cillian Murphy and Chris
Evans; Brett Ratner's After the Sunset with Pierce Brosnan, Salma Hayek and Woody Harrelson; and
Lake City in which he starred opposite Sissy Spacek. Garity also had the opportunity to portray his father,
Senator Tom Hayden, in the Abbie Hoffman biopic Steal This Movie alongside Vincent D’Onofrio and
Janeane Garofalo.
ROTIMI (Darius Morrison)
Rotimi made his acting debut portraying Darius, an enterprising and ambitious young man, in the STARZ
Original series “Boss.”
He came to an open audition in March 2011 in Chicago for the role and from his first reading, captivated
Farhad Safinia and Gus Van Sant with his inherent comfort in front of the camera and his ease with
complex dialogue. The directors were startled to learn that his “Boss” audition was Rotimi’s first acting
audition.
Born and raised in New Jersey, 23-year-old Rotimi is driven by his passion for music. By the age of 15,
Rotimi wowed the historically brutal Apollo Theatre crowd, singing his way to first place on “Amateur
Night.”
With academic ambitions, Rotimi moved to the Midwest where he studied at Chicago’s prestigious
Northwestern University and graduated in June 2010 with a Bachelor of Science in communications and a
minor in business.
Armed with his promising talent and tireless work ethic, the budding artist was set to stake his claim in the
music industry. To date, Rotimi has performed on BET’s hit show “106 & Park” as a spotlight act, and he
has shared the stage with America’s Best Dance Crew popular dance team, Jabbawockies. He has
opened for artists such as T.I., Estelle and N.E.R.D. He also performed at the 2010 BET Awards PreParty in Los Angeles.
JONATHAN GROFF (Ian Todd)
Equally versatile on stage and screen, Jonathan Groff is steadily emerging as one of the most exciting
talents in the industry. Groff most recently joined the cast of the critically-acclaimed STARZ Original
series, “Boss,” featuring Kelsey Grammer as Tom Kane, the mayor of Chicago, who has been diagnosed
with a degenerative neurological disorder. In the series’ upcoming second season, Groff stars as Ian
Todd, a smart and ambitious staffer in Kane’s office.
Arguably best known to audiences as Jesse St. James in FOX’s hit musical comedy series “Glee,” Groff
will soon reprise his popular guest-starring role on the show, where he will assume the duties as coach of
his former glee club, Vocal Adrenaline. Among Groff’s other television credits are a recent guest-starring
role on the lauded CBS legal drama, “The Good Wife.”
Groff made his big screen debut in Ang Lee’s Taking Woodstock. The movie, adapted by James
Schamus from the autobiography by Eliot Tibor and Tom Monte, tells the true story of a young man
working at his parents’ motel in the Catskills, who inadvertently sets in motion the generation-defining
concert in the summer of 1969. In the film, Groff plays Michael Lang, the legendary concert promoter and
co-creator of the famed Woodstock Music and Art Festival.
Groff was most recently seen on screen in The Conspirator, directed by Robert Redford and starring
James McAvoy and Robin Wright. The film tells the story of Mary Surratt, the lone female charged as a
co-conspirator in the assassination trial of Abraham Lincoln. Additionally, Groff starred in the independent
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drama, Twelve-Thirty. Written and directed by Jeff Lipsky and co-starring Mamie Gummer, the film
depicts a broken family and the young man who, in the span of a week, becomes entangled in each of
their lives.
A young veteran of the theater, Groff originated the role of Melchior Gabor in the Tony® Award-winning
musical, “Spring Awakening.” With music by Duncan Sheik and book & lyrics by Steven Sater, “Spring
Awakening,” based on Frank Wedekind’s controversial 1891 play of the same name, concerns a group of
teenagers who are discovering the inner and outer tumult of their sexuality. Jonathan’s role as Melchior
Gabor, the sharp, searching teen, earned him a 2007 Theatre World Award, in addition to Tony, Drama
Desk, and Drama League Award nominations. Groff created the role off-Broadway at the Atlantic Theatre
Company, prior to reprising the role on Broadway at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre.
Following his acclaimed run in “Spring Awakening,” Groff transitioned into the famed role of Claude in The
Public Theater’s heralded revival of “Hair,” the seminal rock musical of the 1960’s. The show, about a
tribe of politically active hippies fighting against the Vietnam War draft and living a bohemian life together
in New York City, ran as part of The Public Theater’s “Shakespeare in the Park” series at the Delacorte
Theatre, and introduced an entirely new generation of fans to the beloved musical.
Groff also tackled difficult roles in two off-Broadway plays by acclaimed playwright/screenwriter Craig
Lucas, for which he was the recipient of a Village Voice Obie Award for Outstanding Performance –
“Prayer for My Enemy,” directed by Bartlett Sher, at Playwrights Horizons, and “The Singing Forest,” costarring Olympia Dukakis, at the Public Theatre.
Prior to making his West End debut at the Noel Coward Theatre in the heralded revival of Ira Levin's
“Deathtrap,” directed by Matthew Warchus and co-starring legendary stage actor Simon Russell Beale,
Groff starred as Dionysus, the god of wine, in the Public Theater’s summer staging of Euripides’ “The
Bacchae,” helmed by Obie Award-winning director JoAnne Akalaitis and featuring original music by Philip
Glass.
Most recently, Groff starred on stage opposite Rutina Wesley and Eddie Kaye Thomas in the MCC
Theater production of Jeff Talbot’s provocative off-Broadway drama, “The Submission,” directed by
Walter Bobbie.
Groff’s additional theatre credits include roles in the Broadway musical, “In My Life,” and regional tours of
“The Sound of Music,” “Fame,” “Bat Boy,” and “Honk!”
Jonathan Groff is a native of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
SANAA LATHAN (Mona Fredricks)
Tony® Award nominated actress, Sanaa Lathan delivers a striking presence and undeniable energy to
each project she takes on and continues to build on an already impressive career. Lathan has recently
joined the cast of the STARZ Original series, “Boss,” featuring Kelsey Grammer as Tom Kane, the mayor
of Chicago, who has been diagnosed with a degenerative neurological disorder. In the series’ second
season, Lathan will play Mona Fredricks, Kane’s incorruptible new chief of staff.
Lathan was recently seen opposite Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Marion Cotillard and Lawrence Fishburne
in the Warner Bros. feature film Contagion, directed by Steven Soderbergh. She was also recently starred
as the title role of Vera Stark in the limited engagement comedy play “By The Way, Meet Vera Stark” at
the 2econd Stage Theatre in Manhattan. She was awarded the Lucille Lortell Award for Best Actress and
nominated for a Drama Desk Award for her performance. Lynn Nottage, the Pulitzer Prize-winning
playwright of “Ruined,” the play is a seventy-year journey through the life of Vera Stark, a headstrong
African-American maid and budding actress, and her tangled relationship with her boss, a white
Hollywood star desperately grasping to hold onto her career.
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Prior to that, Lathan was seen on stage in the West End (London) in the critically-acclaimed and awardwinning revival of “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” playing the role of Maggie. Currently she is lending her voice
to the FOX animated show “The Cleveland Show.” Recent credits include director Tyler Perry’s feature,
The Family that Preys, in which she starred with Perry, Kathy Bates and Alfre Woodard.
Lathan reprised her role as Beneatha Younger in the highly rated and critically acclaimed ABC Network
production of “A Raisin in the Sun” alongside Sean Combs, a role she performed on Broadway that
earned her a Tony Award nomination for Best Performance by a Featured Actress.
Lathan’s credits include A Wonderful World opposite Matthew Broderick and the Focus Features’ film
Something New, for which she received an NAACP nomination for Best Actress, as well as a role on the
FX Network series “Nip/Tuck,” for which she also received an NAACP nomination.
Her additional feature credits include FOX Searchlight’s romantic comedy Brown Sugar, alongside Taye
Diggs, Queen Latifah and Mos Def, which reunited her with The Wood director, Rick Famuyiwa. Lathan
wowed audiences and critics in Gina Prince-Blythewood’s romantic drama Love and Basketball with
Omar Epps.
Lathan also received an NAACP Image Award nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture for the
romantic comedy, The Best Man. The film, co-starring Morris Chestnut and Harold Perrineau Jr., received
rave reviews and is one of the top ten highest grossing African-American films in history. Lathan also
starred in Alien vs. Predator, a box office success for director Paul W.S. Anderson, and the thriller Out of
Time, with Denzel Washington.
Lathan is also the brand ambassador for Pantene Pro-V’s NatureFusion line.
TIP “T.I.” HARRIS (Trey Rogers)
Clifford “Tip” Harris, better known as T.I., is a recording artist, business executive, author, producer and
actor. He is also the founder and co-chief executive officer of Grand Hustle Records. He stars as Trey in
the second season of the STARZ Original series “Boss.”
T.I. has grown to truly be one of his generation’s most captivating artists. Whether he's speaking with
youth about staying in school, or moving tens of thousands at one of his concerts, audiences are
engrossed by the King of the South’s words.
As one of the most successful artists in his genre, T.I. racks up millions in album sales and has won a
myriad of awards, including three Grammys®. His discography includes seven studio albums, 20 singles
and 33 music videos. In 2006, T.I. received two Grammy Award nominations for Best Song Collaboration
("Soldier" w/ Destiny's Child & Lil Wayne) and Best Rap Solo Performance for "U Don't Know Me" at The
48th Grammy Awards. T.I.'s fourth album, “King,” debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart in the
first half of 2006, selling an astounding 522,000 copies in its first week. “King” earned numerous awards
and nominations including a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rap Album. T.I. won a Grammy Award
for Best Rap Solo Performance for his single "What You Know," which was also nominated for Best Rap
Song at the 49th Grammy Awards. Also that year, T.I. collaborated with Justin Timberlake for "My Love,"
which proved to be a worldwide hit, and won a Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration with
Justin Timberlake at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards. During the 51st Grammy Awards, he was
nominated for four Grammy Awards, eventually winning Best Rap Performance by a Duo or a Group for
"Swagga Like Us." At the 53rd Grammy Awards, T.I. was nominated for two Grammy Awards for Best
Rap Solo Performance for "I'm Back" and a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group
(Fancy with Drake and Swizz Beatz).
Music is just the tip of T.I.’s entertainment conglomerate. In 2006, T.I. landed the leading actor role in the
Warner Bros. film ATL, which was produced by Will Smith. Smith hand-picked T.I. to star, and critics
around the country gave him rave reviews as an actor. He followed up that role in 2008 by acting
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alongside Oscar winners Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe in Ridley Scott's blockbuster drama
American Gangster for Universal. In 2010, T.I. starred in and produced the crime heist film Takers for
Sony Screen Gems, the first in a three-picture-deal T.I made with Sony. Takers debuted at number one
at the U.S. box office, grossing $20.5 million in its opening weekend.
T.I. has also starred in and produced two highly rated television series: In 2009, he created a
documentary show on MTV called "T.I.'s Road to Redemption,” and in 2012, he created "Family Hustle"
for VH1, which the network recently renewed for a second season.
T.I. and Grand Hustle partner Jason Geter founded A.K.O.O. clothing line in 2008. A.K.O.O. is an
acronym that stands for "A King Of Oneself." The clothing line features upscale urban apparel for men
including premium T-Shirts, cardigans, sweaters, leather jackets and denim, among a variety of other
clothing.
Further expanding his work in music, film and business, T.I. recently became an author. He co-wrote a
fictional novel "Power & Beauty: A Love Story of Life on the Streets," published by Harper Collins.
T.I. maintains active involvement in the community. In addition to helping with Hurricane Katrina relief
efforts, T.I. works with troubled youths, provides scholarships for single-parent families at Boys and Girls
Clubs, and visits middle and high schools encouraging students to succeed.
FRANCIS GUINAN (Governor McCall Cullen)
Francis Guinan portrays Illinois Governor “Mac” Cullen in the STARZ Original series “Boss.”
Guinan was born in Omaha, Nebraska and grew up in Council Bluffs, Iowa. He graduated in 1976 with a
master’s degree in theatre from Illinois State University where he met and studied with many of the
original members of Chicago’s world-renowned Steppenwolf Theatre. Guinan moved to Chicago in 1979,
where he helped establish Steppenwolf in the city. With Steppenwolf, he has appeared in more than
productions including the Tony® Award-winning Broadway productions of “The Grapes of Wrath” and
“August: Osage County” which also won the Pulitzer Prize in 2008.
Other Steppenwolf productions include: “Balm in Gilead,” “A Nightingale Sang,” and “True West,” roles he
reprised when the shows later moved to New York City. From 1983 to 1989, Guinan lived in New York
working mostly onstage and frequently on television and in small film roles. He also returned occasionally
to Chicago to appear on the Steppenwolf stage.
In 1989, Guinan made the move to Los Angeles. He remained based there for 17 years, appearing most
notably as Edgar in NBC’s Eerie, Indiana and as Dan in The Mighty Jungle. His many TV roles include
“Murder She Wrote” (once as killer, once as victim), and “Star Trek” (three roles as various aliens), as well
as assorted doctors, businessmen and lawyers. Film work includes roles in The Last Airbender, High
Tide, Typing, Speed III, Constantine, Shining Through and Hannibal.
Guinan currently resides with his family in the Chicago area. He continues to work at Steppenwolf and
various other Chicago theatres.
AMY MORTON (State Senator Catherine Walsh)
Amy Morton is best known for her work in theater and joins the cast of “Boss,” the critically-acclaimed
STARZ Original series, in the second season as State Senator Catherine Walsh, a seasoned politician
determined to claim victory in the next gubernatorial race.
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Morton is an actress, director and member of the Steppenwolf Theatre Ensemble. As an actress, she has
appeared in more than 30 productions for the theatre, and has appeared on Broadway in “August: Osage
County,” (receiving a Tony® Nomination for Best Actress), as well as “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s
Nest.” Her film credits include Up In The Air, The Dilemma, Rookie Of The Year, 8MM, Falling Down, and
she has recently starred in the independent feature film, Bluebird for KILLER Films. Amy is also slated to
perform on Broadway in the 50th Anniversary production of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
KAREN ALDRIDGE (Dr. Ella Harris)
Karen Aldridge returns to the second season of the critically-acclaimed STARZ Original series "Boss"
featuring Kelsey Grammer who plays Tom Kane, the mayor of Chicago battling a degenerative
neurological disorder. Aldridge continues her role as Dr. Ella Harris, Kane's trusted doctor.
Aldridge has a prolific theatrical resume including work at Goodman Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare
Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, Next Theatre, and Writers' Theatre.
Aldridge was most recently seen in The Dilemma starring Vince Vaughn and Kevin James, directed by
Ron Howard. As a Chicago resident, Aldridge has garnered Joseph Jefferson Award nominations for "The
Cook" and "The Trinity River Plays" both at Goodman Theatre and "In the Blood" at Next Theatre.
Internationally, she played the lead role in the French language production of “Le Costume,” directed by
the famed Peter Brook.
JAMES VINCENT MEREDITH (Alderman William Ross)
James Vincent Meredith returns in the second season of the critically-acclaimed STARZ Original series,
"Boss," as Alderman William Ross.
A native of Evanston, Illinois, James Vincent Meredith began studying acting from a young age, working
with Byrne and Joyce Piven at Piven Theatre workshop in Evanston, the artistic home for many notable
actors including John Cusack, Aidan Quinn and Kate Walsh. He joined Steppenwolf Theatre Company in
Chicago in 2007. Since then, he has worked on several noteworthy productions, including Tracy Letts'
play “Superior Donuts,” which later enjoyed a run on Broadway, and Bruce Norris' Pulitzer® Prize-winning
“Clybourne Park,” directed by fellow Steppenwolf ensemble member and current “Boss” co-star Amy
Morton. While Alderman Ross is James' first full season role on television, he's also done work on series
that include “E.R.,” “Prison Break,” “The Beast,” “Law & Order: SVU,” “Detroit187” and recently, “Chicago
Code.” He is also a veteran voiceover artist, and is currently at work reprising his role as Prophet on the
Crytek video game “Crysis.”
NICOLE FORESTER (Maggie Zajac)
Nicole Forester stars as Maggie Zajac, the gubernatorial hopeful’s wife, in the STARZ Original series
“Boss” starring Kelsey Grammer as Tom Kane, the mayor of Chicago who is diagnosed with a
degenerative neurological disorder.
Forester is a model and Emmy®-nominated actress whose recent work includes roles in the feature films
One Shot (starring Tom Cruise and directed by Academy Award® winner Christopher McQuarrie,
scheduled for release in 2013), 2011’s The Double (starring Richard Gere, Topher Grace, Martin Sheen
and directed by Michael Brandt), and David Schwimmer’s 2010 film, Trust (starring Clive Owen and
Catherine Keener).
Season 2/Cast Bios
Forester began dance training at the age of five and began working locally in professional musical theatre
at the age of 12. Forester majored in drama at the Creative and Performing Arts High School in Livonia,
Michigan and majored in Musical Theatre Performance at Western Michigan University before moving to
Los Angeles at 19. There, she graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and quickly
established herself in the industry.
Her acting work in Los Angeles includes roles in the television series “Two and a Half Men,” “Monk,” “Will
& Grace,” “The Single Guy,” “Beverly Hills 90210,” and “Mister Sterling,” among others. Forester guest
starred in two of the “Star Trek” spin-offs, playing a Dabo Girl in the “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine”
episode “Distant Voices,” and Nora in the “Star Trek: Enterprise” episode “Horizon.”
After leaving Los Angeles for New York City in 2005, Forester booked the coveted role of Cassie Layne
Winslow on the longest running show in broadcast history, CBS soap opera “Guiding Light.” In her three
years on the show, Forester performed in nearly 300 episodes and received a Lead Actress Daytime
Emmy Award nomination for her work in 2008.
Of French and German descent, Forester spent three years studying German at UCLA, and an immersion
term at the Goethe Institute in Schwaebisch Hall, Germany.
An avid knitter, Forester is the cover model for the book “Greetings from the Knit Café” by former CBS
vice president, Suzan Mischer.
Forester is a native of Michigan.
JOHN HOOGENAKKER (State’s Attorney Jeff Doyle)
John Hoogenakker recently joined the cast of the STARZ Original series “Boss,” featuring Kelsey
Grammer as Tom Kane, the mayor of Chicago who has been diagnosed with a degenerative neurological
disorder. In the series’ second season, Hoogenakker will play State’s Attorney Jeff Doyle, a family man
assigned to a case that forces him to work with Kane despite their history of opposing interests.
Originally from Charlotte, North Carolina, Hoogenakker was a Forensics champion while in his teens,
winning the district and state championships in Humorous Interpretation twice before graduating from
South Mecklenburg High School. At 18, he moved to Chicago to pursue an acting degree at DePaul
University.
His work on stage includes productions at The Goodman Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre,
Writers’ Theatre, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre and the Steppenwolf Garage. In film, John’s work can be
seen in projects running the full breadth of the artistic spectrum, including Clint Eastwood’s Flags of Our
Fathers and Michael Mann’s Public Enemies to A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas, in which he played
the ill‐fated Ukrainian mobster, Gustav, who meets his untimely demise at the unforgiving hands of
Kumar’s faithful Wafflebot. On television, he has appeared in “The Beast” (A&E), opposite Patrick
Swayze; “The Ben Carson Story” (TNT), opposite Kimberly Elise; and the short lived NBC series “The
Playboy Club,” opposite Amber Heard, as another well intentioned though somewhat misunderstood,
mobster, this time named Leo. Also a voice actor, John’s work can be heard on radio, television and on
video games.