Tuc Watkins
Watkins in 2010
Born
Charles Curtis Watkins III

(1966-09-02) September 2, 1966 (age 57)
Kansas City, Kansas, U.S.
EducationIndiana University (BS)
OccupationActor
Years active1990–present
PartnerAndrew Rannells (2019–present)
Children2

Charles Curtis "Tuc" Watkins III (born September 2, 1966) is an American actor, known for his roles as David Vickers on One Life to Live, Mr. Burns in The Mummy, Bob Hunter on Desperate Housewives, Congressman Roger Harris on Black Monday, Hank in The Boys in the Band, Troy on The Other Two, and Colin McKenna on Uncoupled.

Early life and education

Charles Curtis Watkins III was born in Kansas City, Kansas. He attended Indiana University where he majored in communications with a triple minor in theatre, psychology, and French. He has a younger sister, Courtney, born in 1968.[1]

Career

Watkins started his career with guest appearances on various television series including Baywatch, Get a Life, Melrose Place, and Sisters. He portrayed con-man David Vickers on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live from 1994 to 1996,[2][3] next joining the soap opera General Hospital in the recurring role of Dr. Pierce Dorman from 1996 to 1997.[4] Watkins went on to star as Malcolm Laffley on the Showtime series Beggars and Choosers for its two-season run from 1999 to 2001. In 1999, he made his film debut in I Think I Do, a small budget independent screwball romantic comedy, playing Sterling Scott, the soap opera hunk boyfriend of Bob, played by Alexis Arquette. He followed this with his first appearance in a big studio production, The Mummy as the near-sighted glasses-wearing tomb raider Burns, later guest-starring on television series such as NYPD Blue, Six Feet Under, and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. After brief appearances in 2001 and 2002, Watkins rejoined the cast of One Life to Live full-time from 2003 through 2006, with several short term returns to the show in 2007, 2008, and 2009, returning again on a regular basis beginning in June 2010.[3][5] Soap Opera Digest named Watkins's David their "Most Entertaining Male Character" of 2008, noting that "Time and time again, David's harebrained schemes and Tuc Watkins's side-splitting performances provide amusement we're always sorry to see end."[6]

On October 21, 2007, Watkins made his first appearance on ABC's Emmy-winning primetime series Desperate Housewives as Bob Hunter, a new resident of Wisteria Lane who is a gay lawyer with a husband. He was a recurring character in seasons 4-6 and a series regular in seasons 7-8.[7]

On November 4, 2007, Watkins guest-starred on the Cold Case season 5 episode "World's End".

In July 2009, a Funny or Die video called The Sentimentalist starring Watkins was ranked number five on Entertainment Weekly's "The Must List", which notes the magazine's ten weekly choices among film, television, DVDs, books, music, and online entertainment for "The Top 10 Things We Love This Week".[8]

From 2007-2012, he continued his role of Bob Hunter on Desperate Housewives, staying with the show through its series finale on May 13, 2012.

From 2012-2014, he played the recurring role of Pistol Pete on NBC's Emmy-nominated comedy series Parks and Recreation.

In 2012, he guest starred on several TV series, including Franklin & Bash as Lance, The Glades as Dr. Brett Denning, and Baby Daddy as Hank.

In 2013, he guest starred on Maron as Jerry, Warehouse 13 as Nate, and Anger Management as Jeff.

In 2014, he played the recurring role of Joe Miller on the MTV series Awkward.

In 2015, he played the recurring role of Judge Stephen Schaeffer on the TNT series Major Crimes.

In 2016, he guest starred on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia as Scott and on Ballers as Jim.

In 2017, he guest starred on EastSiders as Patrick.

In 2018, he played Hank in the 2018 Broadway revival of The Boys in the Band. It was directed by Joe Mantello and opened in previews at the Booth Theatre on April 30, 2018, officially on May 31, and ran until August 11, 2018. This production, staged for the 50th anniversary of the play's original premiere, starred Matt Bomer, Jim Parsons, Zachary Quinto, Andrew Rannells, Charlie Carver, Robin de Jesús, Brian Hutchison, Michael Benjamin Washington, and Watkins.[9][10] All of the actors who were in the 2018 production are openly gay.[11] This production won the 2019 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play.[12]

In 2020, Watkins reprised his role as Hank in the Netflix film The Boys in the Band. The film stars the full roster of players from the play's 2018 Broadway revival, comprising a cast of exclusively openly-gay actors, including Jim Parsons, Zachary Quinto, Matt Bomer, Andrew Rannells, Charlie Carver, Robin de Jesús, Brian Hutchison, Michael Benjamin Washington, and Watkins. The film was released on September 30, 2020, on Netflix and received positive reviews from critics.

Also in 2020, he began portraying Congressman Roger Harris on season 2 of Showtime's Emmy-nominated comedy series Black Monday. The series stars Don Cheadle, Andrew Rannells, Regina Hall, Casey Wilson, and Paul Scheer, and follows the employees of second-tier Wall Street trading firm the Jammer Group during the year leading up to "Black Monday", the day when international stock markets crashed in 1987.

In 2021, he began portraying Troy on the hit HBO MAX comedy series The Other Two, starring Heléne Yorke, Drew Tarver, Ken Marino, and Molly Shannon.

In 2022, he began portraying Colin McKenna on the Netflix comedy series Uncoupled, created by Darren Star and Jeffrey Richman. Watkins plays Neil Patrick Harris's ex-boyfriend of 17 years. The series premiered on Netflix on July 29, 2022, to critical acclaim.[13][14]

Personal life

Watkins came out as gay on April 26, 2013, in an interview on Marie with Marie Osmond.[15][16] In that same interview, Watkins announced he had become a single father in December 2012 by welcoming twins Catchen and Curtis via surrogacy.[17][18][19]

Since 2019, he has been in a relationship with actor Andrew Rannells.[20] The two met the year before while playing a couple on the Broadway production of The Boys in the Band.[21][19] They reprised their roles for Netflix's film version of the show and also worked together on Black Monday.[21]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1992 Little Sister Ted Armstrong Uncredited
1997 I Think I Do Sterling Scott
1998 The Thin Pink Line Ted
1999 Can't Stop Dancing Reuben Clairmont
The Mummy Mr. Burns
2000 Miracle in Lane 2 God/Bobby Wade TV movie
2002 Infested Carl
2003 The Free House Harry Cook
2004 The Free House 2 God/Harry Cook
2006 The Good Shepherd Sound Technical Officer
2009 Moon Lake Casino Skipper Short Film
2016 Retake Jonathan
2020 The Boys in the Band Hank

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1990 Get a Life Sapphire Episode: "The Prettiest Week of My Life"
1990 Growing Pains Trainer Episode: "Jason Flirts, Maggie Hurts"
1991 Harry and the Hendersons Marcel Episode: "When Harry Met Sammy"
1991–1992 Sisters Brad 2 episodes
1992 Sibs — Episode: "The In Crowd"
1992 Baywatch Gary Episode: "Game of Chance"
1992 Santa Barbara Reggie Episode 2040
1992 The Edge — Episode: 1.1
1993 Melrose Place Tom Brooks Episode: "Single White Sister"
1994–1996,
2001–2013 		One Life to Live David Vickers Role held: 1994–96; October 2001; January 2002; August 19, 2003 – November 21, 2006; May – July 26, 2007; November 2007; May 7 – August 6, 2008; December 26, 2008 – March 2, 2009; April 7, 2009; April 22, 23, and 27, 2009; August 10 – November 30, 2009; January 12 – April 2, 2010; June 3 – August 26, 2010; January 4–6, 2011; March 15, 2011 – January 12, 2012; April 29 – August 19, 2013
1996 High Tide Shane Wilson 2 episodes
1996–1997 General Hospital Dr. Pierce Dorman Unknown episodes
1997 Silk Stalkings Special Agent Sidley Episode: "Ladies Man"
1997–1998 C-16: FBI Jimmy Rooney 3 episodes
1999–2001 Beggars and Choosers Malcolm Laffley Main cast; 42 episodes
2000 NYPD Blue Derrick Episode: "The Irvin Files"
2001 Family Law Sean Santoro Episode: "The Gay Divorcee"
2002 Six Feet Under Trevor Episode: "Out, Out, Brief Candle"
2002 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Marcus Remmick Episode: "Cats in the Cradle"
2005 All My Children David Vickers 2 episodes
2007 The Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman Josh Episode: "Jackie Meets Her Match"
2007–2012 Desperate Housewives Bob Hunter Recurring, seasons 4–6; main cast, seasons 7–8; 42 episodes
2007 Cold Case Felton Metz '38 Episode: "World's End"
2012–2014 Parks and Recreation Pistol Pete 3 episodes
2012 Franklin & Bash Lance Episode: L'affaire Du Coeur
2012 The Glades Dr. Brett Denning Episode: "Old Times"
2012 Baby Daddy Hank Episode: "Take Her Out of the Ballgame"
2013 Maron Jerry Episode: "Internet Troll"
2013 Warehouse 13 Nate Episode: "Instinct"
2013 Anger Management Jeff Episode: "Charlie and the Devil"
2013 Bob's Burgers Butcher Voice; episode: "Turkey in a Can"
2014 Awkward Joe Miller 4 episodes
2015 Major Crimes Judge Stephen Schaeffer 2 episodes
2016 It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Scott Episode: "The Gang Goes to Hell"
2016 Ballers Jim Episode: "Enter the Temple"
2016 Castle Roger Masters Episode: Witness for the Prosecution
2017 EastSiders Patrick Episode: "East of Eden"
2020–2021 Black Monday Congressman Roger Harris 7 episodes
2021 The Other Two Troy 2 episodes
2022 The Great North Danny Vroom, Cabbie Voice; episode: "Say It Again, Ham Adventure" (Danny Vroom) Episode: "Great Bus of Choir Adventure" (Cabbie)
2022 Uncoupled Colin McKenna Recurring role[22]

Web

Year Title Role Notes
2010 Proposition 8 Trial Re-Enactment Terry Thompson
2012–15 Where the Bears Are Dick Calloway 6 episodes + current year

Stage

Year Title Role Notes
2018 The Boys in The Band Hank Broadway

References

  1. ^ "Tuc Watkins Biography". Tuc Watkins. Archived from the original on 2010-03-29. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
  2. ^ Waggett, Gerard J. (November 1997). "One Life to Live". The Soap Opera Encyclopedia. New York: Harper Paperbacks. pp. 163–188. ISBN 0-06-101157-6.
  3. ^ a b "Soap Star Stats: Tuc Watkins (David, OLTL)". Soap Opera Digest. Retrieved July 11, 2009.
  4. ^ Waggett (1997). "General Hospital". Soap Opera Encyclopedia. New York: HarperPaperback. pp. 124–134. ISBN 0-06-101157-6.
  5. ^ "David Vickers profile". Soaps.com. Archived from the original on July 26, 2009. Retrieved July 11, 2009.
  6. ^ Genovese, John Kelly (December 16, 2008). "The Best & Worst of 2008". Soap Opera Digest. Vol. 33. Contemporary Books. p. 84. ISBN 978-0-8092-5385-2.
  7. ^ "Tuc Watkins Talks "Desperate Housewives" & Playing a Rogue Off Broadway". Access Hollywood. 3 June 2010. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
  8. ^ "The Must List". Entertainment Weekly. No. 1056. July 17, 2009. p. 4.
  9. ^ Clement, Olivia (November 1, 2017). "Jim Parsons, Zachary Quinto, Andrew Rannells, and Matt Bomer to Lead The Boys in the Band on Broadway". Playbill. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
  10. ^ "Introducing the First-Ever Broadway Cast of The Boys in the Band". TheaterMania.com. January 23, 2018. Archived from the original on January 26, 2018.
  11. ^ Singh, Shane Michael (May 1, 2018). "Jim Parsons, Zachary Quinto, Andrew Rannells and Matt Bomer hit Broadway". TimeOut. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
  12. ^ Forstadt, Jillian (June 9, 2019). "Tonys: The Boys in the Band Wins Best Revival of a Play". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on June 10, 2019. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
  13. ^ Brathwaite, Lester Fabian. "Neil Patrick Harris is a gay man dumped after 17 years in 'Uncoupled' trailer". EW.com.
  14. ^ White, Peter (July 13, 2022). "'Uncoupled' Trailer: Neil Patrick Harris Gets Unceremoniously Dumped In Netflix Series – Update".
  15. ^ Michael Logan (26 April 2013). "Exclusive: One Life to Live's Tuc Watkins Opens Up to Marie Osmond About Being a Gay Dad". TV Guide. Retrieved 2 April 2013.
  16. ^ Matthew Jacobs (July 28, 2022). "Tuc Watkins Is the Gay Character Actor of His Generation". thrillist. Retrieved July 29, 2022.
  17. ^ Staff writers (28 April 2013). "'Desperate Housewives' Star Tuc Watkins Comes Out, Announces He's A Dad". Starpulse. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
  18. ^ Soap Opera Digest June 3, 2013 issue. Vol. 38, No. 22. Pgs. 44-47.
  19. ^ a b "How Andrew Rannells and Tuc Watkins Fell in Love While Making 'The Boys in the Band'". The Daily Beast. 2020-10-22. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  20. ^ "Andrew Rannells and Tuc Watkins Make Their Relationship 'Instagram Official'". Towleroad Gay News. 2019-09-22. Retrieved 2020-01-12.
  21. ^ a b "Andrew Rannells and Tuc Watkins: The Couple That Plays Together". www.out.com. 2020-10-01. Retrieved 2020-10-16.
  22. ^ Schwartz, Ryan (October 25, 2021). "Neil Patrick Harris' Uncoupled Comedy Adds Tuc Watkins as Ex-Hubby; Tisha Campbell, Marcia Gay Harden Also Cast". TVLine. Retrieved May 13, 2022.

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