Ben Shenkman

**Ben Shenkman**, a highly regarded American actor, was born on September 26, 1968, and started his professional acting journey in 1993. Widely recognized for his roles in the comedy-drama series *Royal Pains* and the acclaimed HBO miniseries *Angels in America*, he received both Primetime Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award nominations for his acting prowess. Shenkman's life and artistry commenced in *New York City*, where he was born to a Jewish family. He is the son of Katherine, an associate at a law firm, and Shepard A. Sheinkman, who served in a consulting firm. After completing his education at *Brown University*, Shenkman pursued a Master of Fine Arts degree from *New York University's Graduate Acting Program* at the Tisch School of the Arts in 1993. His early career propelled with notable roles in the film *Quiz Show* and a guest-starring role on *Law & Order*. He also displayed his love for theatre with his spellbinding performance as Louis Ironson in *Angels in America* at San Francisco's American Conservatory Theater. His acting versatility soon led to diverse roles in studio films and independent movies, including *Must Love Dogs*, *Just Like Heaven* and *Then She Found Me*. He continued to leave his mark on television with remarkable roles in TV series like the *Canterbury's Law*, *Grey's Anatomy*, *Burn Notice*, and *Damages*. Since 2016, Shenkman has been astounding audiences with his recurring role of Ira Schirmer on the Showtime series *Billions*. In addition to his successful acting career, Shenkman is also featured in the tenth season of HBO's *Curb Your Enthusiasm* and cast as defense counsel Leonard Weinglass in Aaron Sorkin's film *The Trial of the Chicago 7*.