Ben Spader
Although many of Spader’s Brat Pack colleagues – like Mannequin and Less Than Zero – flopped at cinema, he has managed to remain relevant by remaining predominantly focused on television roles. He received three prime time Emmy nominations for playing attorney Alan Shore on The Practice/Boston Legal franchise.
Early Life and Education
Spader was born February 7th 1960 in Boston Massachusetts to Jean (Fraser) and Stoddard Greenwood Spader, both teachers. He describes his upbringing as progressive and dominated by influential women. After attending several private schools before enrolling at Phillips Academy where he befriended John F Kennedy’s son before dropping out at 17 to pursue acting full time and work various odd jobs such as bartending, teaching yoga classes and loading railroad cars during this period while honing his craft.
He made his film debut in 1989’s Sex, Lies and Videotape with Steven Soderbergh as a sexual voyeur – for which he received the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor. Subsequent roles included White Palace, Bad Influence True Colors 2 Days in the Valley.
Professional Career
Spader first rose to fame as Steff in Pretty in Pink alongside co-star Andrew McCarthy in 1986, before going on to appear in more explicit dramas such as Bad Influence, White Palace and Storyville.
Spader was then able to explore more daring material, such as 1996’s Crash which caused worldwide outrage for depicting a subculture that finds car crashes sexually appealing. Later starring in several blockbuster movies but finding good work harder and harder to come by led him into television more regularly.
In 2013, he secured his most notable role to date – Raymond “Red” Reddington on The Blacklist – while guest starring on other popular series including The Office.
Achievement and Honors
In 2004, he earned three Emmy nominations in the best actor category for his portrayal of Alan Shore on TV shows ‘The Practice’ and ‘Boston Legal.’ Additionally, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Awards nominated him in recognition of this role.
He has also made appearances in several acclaimed independent films and is an accomplished voice artist, having provided the voice for Ultron in both Avengers: Age of Ultron and Inhumans films.
Student Autumn Anderson stars as James Spader’s daughter on THE BLACKLIST and in the TV series MILDRED AND THE DYING PARLOR. In addition, she participated in both FINDING NEVERLAND and LES MISERABLES Broadway National Tours as an actress! Kayla Erickson voices Pinkalicious and Peerrific for PBS kids!
Personal Life
His mother Jean (Fraser) and father Stoddard Greenwood Spader both served as educators. Both schools sent their son to top private schools such as Phillips Academy in Andover; however, in eleventh grade he dropped out and bussed tables, shoveled manure, taught yoga before landing his first acting jobs.
In the 1990s, he appeared in various roles, from a buttoned-up square befriended by con artist Rob Lowe in Bad Influence to more erotic roles such as White Palace and Storyville. Additionally he played car crash fetishist Crash and Egyptologist Daniel Jackson in sci-fi cult film Stargate.
Spader first gained fame through his appearances on The Office and, two years later, The Blacklist on NBC, which earned him critical acclaim and gained him an enormous following.
Net Worth
Spader made his cinematic debut in 1990s movies such as White Palace, Bad Influence, True Colors, Stargate and The Watcher. By 2013, he had made yet another breakthrough when he took on Raymond “Red” Reddington on NBC crime thriller The Blacklist which garnered critical acclaim and introduced him to an entirely new audience.
His role on the show includes both being a producer and having creative control of production. Furthermore, he serves as a voiceover artist for Acura commercials.
He is currently married to Leslie Stefanson and has two children. Additionally, he is an accomplished director, having produced movies like Slice (2007) and Ridden (2008) as well as being an avid photographer whose photos have been featured in art exhibits. Prior to meeting Leslie Stefanson he had two long-term relationships.