John Shea

Became the first Hollywood actor to star in a Tamil-language film after being cast in the Indian thriller Achchamundu! Achchamundu! (2009).

He also appears in a recurring role on Gossip Girl (2007) and had a regular part in the action drama series Agent X (2015) starring Sharon Stone.

Made his Carnegie Hall debut playing the Soldier in Igor Stravinsky's "The Soldier's Tale" in 2002.

Into the millennium, John found popularity on the Mutant X (2001) sci-fi series playing the role of "Adam Kane". Based on Marvel Comic's "X-Men", he received a nomination for Canada's prestigious Gemini Award as Best Actor.

He has kept his face alive in guest parts over the years on such well-received series as Sex and the City (1998), Tales from the Crypt (1989), The Hitchhiker (1983), Law & Order (1990) and Medium (2005).

A budding Irish-American filmmaker, John co-wrote, directed and appeared in the low-budget film Southie (1998), a drama set in the Irish-American section of Boston.

The film won the Jury Award for Best Independent Film at the 1998 Seattle International Film Festival.

Handsome, slim-faced, curly-haired actor John Shea is primarily known to TV audiences for his recurring role as the evil Lex Luthor in the early '90s TV series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993).

Appeared opposite Bianca Jagger in the play "Daniella Frank," then later appeared with her ex-husband, Mick Jagger, in the movie Freejack (1992).

On television, John was awarded the coveted Emmy for his depiction of the distressed husband and father wannabe who touches off a legal landmark case in the miniseries, Baby M (1988). In a career pocked with remarkable versatility, interesting choices and challenging parts, John has played everything from a young Nazi in the miniseries Hitler's S. S.

Children: Jake (born 1987), Miranda (born 2000) and Caiden (born 2004).

: Portrait in Evil (1985) to 'Robert F.

In the film Windy City (1984) opposite Kate Capshaw, he earned the Best Actor Award at the Montreal Film Festival.

The role was later portrayed by Mandy Patinkin in Barbra Streisand's 1983 film adaptation.

Kennedy' in the epic-styled Kennedy (1983).

A few years later on film he appeared in the small but memorable role of the impassioned, ill-fated American idealist who becomes a casualty to Chilean war-torn politics in Costa-Gavras' Academy Award-winning thriller Missing (1982). Although Jack Lemmon and Sissy Spacek, who respectively played his despairing father and wife, were nominated for Oscars for their starring performances, John's role was central to the heart of the film and he made quite an impact. The actor was later honored by Amnesty International for his political work following the film's release. Critical kudos, as well as awards, have come in John's direction over the years on stage, film and TV.

During the first rehearsal of the TV movie Family Reunion (1981), the legendary Bette Davis asked John, who was playing her grandson, whether he smoked or not. A very nervous John lied and said he did. The star then responded, "Good, I can't stand men who don't smoke." The young actor proceeded to light up two cigarettes at once, a la Paul Henreid in the Davis film Now, Voyager (1942), and gave one to Ms. Davis.

In preparation for an explicit nude scene in the British film Hussy (1980), in which John was making his film debut, the newcomer and his co-star Helen Mirren shared a bottle of red wine.

Following New York stage work, including his portrayal of Paris in a production of "Romeo and Juliet" (1977), initial on-camera notice came on TV with his reverential portrayal of Joseph in the mini-movie The Nativity (1978).

On stage, he received a Drama Desk Award for "American Days", an Obie Award for "The Dining Room" and a 1976 Theatre World Award for his portrayal of the Jewish student "Avigdor" in "Yentl".

John Victor Shea III was born in 1949 in North Conway, New Hampshire, to Elizabeth Mary (Fuller) and Dr. John Victor Shea, a teacher, coach, and assistant Superintendent of Schools. He is of Irish and German descent. John was raised in Massachusetts, and received his BA from Bates College, which he achieved on debating and football scholarships. He then attended Yale University and earned an MFA in directing from its School of Drama.