Christopher Backus

2025-10-17T17:17:41Z

2604:3D09:6E80:8700:705E:23AA:B09:63CB: /* Television */ added a role as I was watching the episode credits role

{{Short description|American actor, director, screenwriter}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{BLP sources|date=June 2012}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Christopher Backus
| image_size =
| occupation = {{flatlist|
* Actor
* director
* screenwriter}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1981|10|30}}
| birth_place = [[Mission Viejo, California]], U.S.
| image =
| birth_name = Christopher Paul Backus
| years_active =
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Mira Sorvino]]|2004}}
| children = 4
}}
'''Christopher Backus'''  is an American actor, director and screenwriter. Backus made his television debut in NBC's ''[[Will & Grace]]'', followed by landing roles in ''[[The O.C.]]'', ''[[Life on Mars (American TV series)|Life on Mars]]'', ''[[It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia]],'' ''[[Sons of Anarchy]]'', ''[[The Mentalist]],'' ''[[Perception (American TV series)|Perception]],'' and ''[[The Last Templar (miniseries)|The Last Templar]]''. He also appeared in films such as ''[[Redline (2007 film)|Redline]]'' starring [[Eddie Griffin]] and ''3 Days Gone'' directed by [[Scott McCullough]].

== Early life and education ==
Backus grew up in [[Kansas City, Kansas]]. His mother, Teryl Backus, is a retired [[colonel]] in the [[United States Marine Corps]], and his father, Terry Backus, was a lawyer who died when Christopher was a child. He has one sister, Michele.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}}

==Career==
Backus moved with friend [[Rob McElhenney]] from [[New York City]] to Los Angeles during pilot season of 2003. Shortly after arriving, Backus landed his first role in ''[[Benjamin Splits]]'', while McElhenney developed the sitcom ''[[It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia]]''. After landing supporting roles in NBC's hit show ''[[Will & Grace]]'' and Fox's ''[[The O.C.]]'', Backus starred opposite [[Dominique Swain]] in Nick Vallelonga's ''All In''. He returned to television in [[Malik Bader]]'s ''HUGE'' in which he portrayed a struggling frontman of an indie rock band. He starred in ''3 Days Gone'' along with [[Patrick J. Adams]], ''Nothing Personal'' with [[Paz de la Huerta]], and ''[[Elevator (2011 film)|Elevator]]'' with [[John Getz]] and [[Anita Briem]].

Backus returned to television to play the leader of the [[Weather Underground]] in ABC's period drama ''[[Life on Mars (American TV series)|Life on Mars]]'', then he reteamed with director Nick Vallelonga on a western with [[Michael Biehn]] and [[James Russo]], ''Yellow Rock''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodrevealed.com/yellow-rock-opens-8th-annual-red-nations-film-festival/|title="Yellow Rock" Opens 8th Annual Red Nations Film Festival|date=November 2, 2011|publisher=Hollywood Revealed}}</ref>

In 2011, the feature film ''Union Square'', co-written and directed by the Sundance Film Festival's Grand Jury Award Winner, Nancy Savoca, was premiered at the Toronto Film Festival. In it, Backus appears alongside [[Mira Sorvino]], Patti Lupone, Tammy Blanchard, Mike Doyle, and Michael Rispoli.

In summer 2011, Backus appeared as [[Marlene Dietrich]] in ''My Fair Lidy''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2011/07/12/my-fair-lidy-film-shoot-showcases-orlandos-drag-scene/|title='My Fair Lidy' film shoot showcases Orlando's drag scene|date=July 12, 2011|publisher=Orlando Sentinel}}</ref>

In 2012, he starred as Marcus in ''Among Friends'', directed by "scream queen" [[Danielle Harris]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ossuary.best-horror-movies.com/m/news/view/82895/Danielle-Harris-Rolls-Out-New-Character-Sheets-for-Directing-Deb|title=Danielle Harris Rolls Out New Character Sheets for Directing Debut, Among Friends|date=June 26, 2012|publisher=The Best Horror Movies|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224105220/http://ossuary.best-horror-movies.com/m/news/view/82895/Danielle-Harris-Rolls-Out-New-Character-Sheets-for-Directing-Deb|archivedate=December 24, 2013}}</ref>

Backus was set to direct a thriller titled ''The Sessionist'', but dropped out of the project due to creative differences.

==Personal life==

Backus met [[Mira Sorvino]] at a friend's [[charades]] party in August 2003. On June 11, 2004, they married in a private civil ceremony at the [[Santa Barbara, California]], courthouse, then later had a hilltop ceremony in [[Capri]], Italy. The couple have four children. He has also starred in films with Sorvino such as [[Indiscretion (2016 film)|''Indiscretion'']] and [[Mothers and Daughters (2016 film)|''Mothers and Daughters'']].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://celebritybabies.people.com/2009/07/13/mira-sorvino-welcomes-son-holden-paul-terry/|title=Mira Sorvino Welcomes Son Holden Paul Terry|date=July 13, 2009|publisher=People|access-date=June 21, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125150811/http://celebritybabies.people.com/2009/07/13/mira-sorvino-welcomes-son-holden-paul-terry/|archive-date=January 25, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== Filmography ==

=== Film ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+
!Year
!Title
!Role
!class="unsortable"|Notes
|-
|2006
|''All In''
|Pete
|
|-
|2007
|[[Redline (2007 film)|''Redline'']]
|Tony Nefuse
|
|-
|2008
|''3 Days Gone''
|Lucas Snow
|Direct-to-video
|-
|rowspan="2"|2010
|''[[Hard Breakers]]''
|Jesse
|
|-
|''Mineville''
|Vince
|
|-
|rowspan="3"|2011
|[[Union Square (film)|''Union Square'']]
|Andy
|
|-
|''Yellow Rock''
|Cobb
|
|-
|[[Elevator (2011 film)|''Elevator'']]
|Don Handley
|
|-
|rowspan="2"|2012
|''Besties''
|Justin
|
|-
|''Among Friends''
|Marcus
|
|-
|rowspan="3"|2015
|''[[The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water]]''
|Burger Beard Senior
|Uncredited
|-
|''[[Chloe and Theo]]''
|Juju Joe
|
|-
|''My Fair Lidy''
|Lidy / [[Marlene Dietrich]]
|
|-
|rowspan="4"|2016
|[[Indiscretion (2016 film)|''Indiscretion'']]
|Victor Bernard
|
|-
|[[Mothers and Daughters (2016 film)|''Mothers and Daughters'']]
|Sebastian
|
|-
|''Displacement''
|Brian Chance
|
|-
|''A Christmas in New York''
|Jack Livingston
|
|-
|rowspan="2"|2018
|''A Dog and Pony Show''
|John
|
|-
|''[[Waterlily Jaguar]]''
|Jackson
|
|-
|rowspan="2"|2019
|''[[Beneath the Leaves]]''
|Matt Tresner
|
|-
|[[Drowning (film)|''Drowning'']]
|Peter
|
|-
|2021
|''[[Rogue Hostage]]''
|Eagan Raize
|
|-
|2024
|''[[Dirty Angels]]''
|Travis
|}

=== Television ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year
!Title
!Role
!class="unsortable"|Notes
|-
|2004
|''[[Will & Grace]]''
|Adam
|Episode: "Looking for Mr. Good Enough"
|-
|2005
|''[[The O.C.]]''
|Curtis
|Episode: "The Brothers Grim"
|-
|2008
|[[Huge (TV series)|''Huge'']]
|Tommy
|1 episode
|-
|rowspan="2"|2009
|[[Life on Mars (American TV series)|''Life on Mars'']]
|Rodney Slaven
|Episode: "Revenge of Broken Jaw"
|-
|[[The Last Templar (miniseries)|''The Last Templar'']]
|Jay CIA Agent
|2 episodes
|-
|2011
|''[[It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia]]''
|Bobby
|Episode: "The Gang Goes to the Jersey Shore"
|-
|rowspan="2"|2012
|''[[The Mentalist]]''
|Vincent
|Episode: "Pink Champagne on Ice"
|-
|[[Perception (American TV series)|''Perception'']]
|Aaron Bauer
|Episode: "Messenger"
|-
|2013
|''[[A Mother's Rage]]''
|Kelly
| rowspan="2"|Television film
|-
|rowspan="2"|2014
|''[[Deliverance Creek]]''
|Jasper Gatlin
|-
|''[[Sons of Anarchy]]''
|Adam 'Greensleeves' Greenblatt
|Episode: "Greensleeves"
|-
|2015
|''[[Workaholics]]''
|Water Guy
|Episode: "Front Yard Wrestling"
|-
|rowspan="3"|2016
|[[Underground (TV series)|''Underground'']]
|Jeremiah Johnson
|4 episodes
|-
|[[Hell on Wheels (TV series)|''Hell on Wheels'']]
|[[George Armstrong Custer]]
|Episode: "Done"
|-
|[[Roadies (TV series)|''Roadies'']]
|Rick Bayless
|8 episodes
|-
|2017
|[[Bosch (TV series)|''Bosch'']]
|Woody Woodrow
|5 episodes
|-
|rowspan="3"|2019
|[[Big Little Lies (TV series)|''Big Little Lies'']]
|Joe
|2 episodes
|-
|[[Jett (TV series)|''Jett'']]
|Bennie
|9 episodes
|-
|[[Mindhunter (TV series)|''Mindhunter'']]
|[[Tex Watson]]
|Episode #2.5
|-
|rowspan="2"|2021
|[[Truth Be Told (2019 TV series)|''Truth Be Told'']]
|Holt Rollins
|Episode #2.1
|-
|''Blackout''
|Danny
|3 episodes
|-
|2022
|''[[Black Bird (miniseries)|Black Bird]]''
|Young Jim Keene
|2 episodes
|-
|2025
|''[[NCIS: Origins (TV series)|NCIS: Origins]]''
|Abe Pruitt
|Season 2 Episode 1 "The Funky Bunch"
|}

==References==
{{Reflist|1}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|1634832}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Backus, Christopher}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:21st-century American male actors]]
[[Category:American male screenwriters]]
[[Category:American male television actors]]
[[Category:American male film actors]]
[[Category:Actors from Mission Viejo, California]]
[[Category:Sorvino family]]
[[Category:Male actors from Kansas City, Kansas]]
[[Category:Male actors from Orange County, California]]
[[Category:Screenwriters from Kansas]]
[[Category:Screenwriters from California]]
[[Category:1981 births]]

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Christopher Backus