Stephen Ellis

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Biography

Stephen Ellis is an award-winning character actor and producer whose 15+ year career spans Lincoln Center stages to Coen Brothers films. A Fort Worth, Texas native and Paul Newman Award winner, Stephen has built a body of work defined by range, resilience, and a commitment to compelling storytelling.

After graduating from Kenyon College and studying at the National Theater Institute, Stephen launched his career in New York with an acclaimed Lincoln Center debut in the Obie-winning production of The Coward (opposite Jeremy Strong, directed by Sam Gold). His theater work continued to earn critical praise across venues including LAByrinth Theater, Center Theater Group, and South Coast Repertory.

Stephen’s screen career has been equally distinctive. In 2016, he starred in the explosive Sundance and SXSW short film A Reasonable Request, earning two Best Actor awards. The film continues to appear on “best short films of all time” lists worldwide and is taught in film schools internationally. His film credits include the Coen Brothers’ Hail Caesar! (opposite George Clooney), DreamWorks’ Delivery Man (with Vince Vaughn), and The Lears (opposite Bruce Dern). On television, he’s had recurring roles on FX’s You’re the Worst and guest appearances on Abbott Elementary, General Hospital, and Apple TV’s Sugar.

As a producer, Stephen co-produced the Grand Prize-winning feature As Far As the Eye Can See (Lone Star Film Festival) and produced and starred in the short film The Curse (with Jimmi Simpson and Ali Ahn). He is currently developing a slate of projects for TV and film based on historically relevant IP, including adaptations of Barney Hoskyns’ Small Town Talk, Jon Wilkman’s Floodpath: The Deadliest Disaster of the 20th Century, and Rachel Nuwer’s viral BBC article “How a Dose of MDMA Transformed a White Supremacist.”

Stephen has been featured in national commercials including three Super Bowl spots and maintains an active voiceover career. He lives in Los Angeles’ Highland Park neighborhood with his wife and their dog Birdie.