Stephen Fisher (born November 27, 1963), known professionally as Fisher Stevens, is an American actor, director, producer and writer. As an actor, he is best known for his portrayals of Ben Jabituya/Jahveri in Short Circuit (1986) and Short Circuit 2 (1988). He is also a documentary filmmaker, having won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature as one of the producers of The Cove (2009). He also directed the documentaries Crazy Love (2007) and Before the Flood (2016).
Stevens is known for his roles in films such as Reversal of Fortune (1990), Bob Roberts (1992), Hackers (1995), Anything Else (2003), and Hail, Caesar! (2016). He has acted in the Wes Anderson films The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014), Isle of Dogs (2018), The French Dispatch (2021), and Asteroid City (2023).
In television he portrayed Chuck Fishman in the CBS series Early Edition (1996–2000), Marvin Gerard on NBC's The Blacklist (2015–2022), Gabriel Kovac in CBS's The Good Fight (2017–2020), and Hugo Baker in the HBO drama series Succession (2019–2023).
Early life
Stevens was born in Chicago, the son of Jewish parents Sally and Norman Fisher. Stevens grew up in the Chicago area, living in Hyde Park, Highland Park, and Evanston and describes himself as a "white Jewish kid from Chicago".
His parents divorced when he was 13, after which he moved to New York with his mother. At age 16, Stevens landed his first film role, acting in the horror film The Burning. He completed one year at New York University before deciding to pursue acting full time. He adopted the stage name "Fisher Stevens" upon joining the Screen Actors Guild because the Guild had several existing actors named "Steven Fisher".
Career
As an actor, Stevens is known for his roles as Chuck Fishman on Early Edition, Seamus O'Neill on Key West, Eugene "The Plague" Belford in Hackers, Iggy Koopa in Super Mario Bros., Hawk Ganz in The Flamingo Kid, and his role as the Indian robotics scientist Ben Jabituya/Jahveri in Short Circuit and Short Circuit 2, respectively.
Stevens has a Broadway and Off-Broadway career spanning nearly three decades. In 1988, he and John Leguizamo appeared in a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream where he played Demetrius.
In June 2010, Stevens made his major theatrical directing debut with John Leguizamo's one-man show, Ghetto Klown (originally called Klass Klown), which eventually ran on Broadway from March to July 2011. On July 13, 2012, PBS debuted Tales From a Ghetto Klown, a documentary about the development of the show which prominently features Stevens.
In 2010, Stevens and director Louie Psihoyos won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature at the 82nd Academy Awards for co-producing The Cove.
He is a signatory of the Film Workers for Palestine boycott pledge that was published in September 2025.
Personal life Stevens dated actress Michelle Pfeiffer from 1989 until 1992. Their relationship ended when Stevens, 28, was caught cheating with aspiring actress and high school senior Jamie Golightly, 17. Stevens later dated longtime filmmaking partner and producer Alexis Bloom. The couple married in 2017 in a private ceremony. They have two children.
Stevens is a survivor of Hodgkin lymphoma.
Filmography
Actor Film Year Title Role Notes 1981 The Burning Woodstock 1983 Baby It's You Stage Manager 1984 The Brother from Another Planet Card Trickster The Flamingo Kid Henry "Hawk" Ganz 1985 My Science Project Vince Latello 1986 Short Circuit Ben Jahveri The Boss' Wife Carlos Delgado 1988 Short Circuit 2 Ben Jahveri 1989 Bloodhounds of Broadway "Hotfoot" Harry 1990 Point of View Performer Reversal of Fortune David Marriott 1991 The Marrying Man Sammy Mystery Date Dwight 1992 Lift Joe Short Bob Roberts Rock Bork Hero Director of Channel 4 Crash Feature Cameo 1993 When the Party's Over Alexander Midnight Super Mario Bros. Iggy Koopa 1994 Nina Takes a Lover Paulie Only You Larry Corvatch 1995 Cold Fever Jack Hackers Eugene "The Plague" Belford 1996 The Pompatus of Love Sitcom Star 1997 Four Days in September Mowinkel 1999 Taxman Kenneth Green The Tic Code Morris 2000 Sam the Man Sam Manning Lisa Picard Is Famous Himself 2001 3 A.M. Haplin Prison Song Prosecutor Piñero Public Theatre Cashier 2002 Undisputed James "Ratbag" Kroycek 2003 Kill the Poor Stuffed Shirt Uptown Girls Himself Anything Else Manager Easy Six Officer Donny Reply Blu (voice) 2004 On the Couch Gary Short 2005 Factotum Manny Undiscovered Garret Schweck Slow Burn Alan Turlock 2006 Kettle of Fish Bruce 2007 Red Angel David Short Awake Dr. Puttnam 2010 Fake Tom Kozinski Rio Sex Comedy Fish Rising Stars Mo The Experiment Dr. Archaleta Henry's Crime Eddie's Vibes 2012 One for the Money Morty Beyers LOL Roman 2013 Movie 43 Vrankovich / Minotaur Alternate version 2014 The Grand Budapest Hotel M. Robin Mission Blue Himself Documentary United Passions Carl Hirschmann 2016 Hail, Caesar! Communist Writer 2018 Isle of Dogs Scrap (voice) 2019 Motherless Brooklyn Lou 2021 Palmer Additional voices The French Dispatch Story Editor Sing 2 Additional voice 2023 Asteroid City Detective 1 Coup! Upton Sinclair 2025 Song Sung Blue Dave Watson 2026 In the Grey Mr. Horowitz
Television Year Title Role Notes 1980 One Life to Live Unknown 1983 Ryan's Hope Henry Popkin 1984 CBS Schoolbreak Special Gary Gordon Episode: "The Alfred G. Graebner Memorial High School Handbook of Rules and Regulations" 1986 Tall Tales & Legends Indian Chief Episode: "Ponce de Leon" Saturday Night LiveSmokerEpisode: "Steve Guttenberg/The Pretenders" 1989 Columbo Alex Brady Episode: "Murder, Smoke and Shadows" 1990 The Young Riders "Bulldog" Episode: "Bull Dog" 1991 General Motors Theatre Wally Zuckerman Episode: "It's Called the Sugar Plum" 1993 Key West Seamus O'Neill 13 episodes 1995 Friends Roger Episode: "The One with the Boobies" Homicide: Life on the Street Jonathan Heine Episode: "Autofocus" Law & Order Ross Fineman Episode: "Angel" 1996 The Right to Remain Silent Dale Meyerson Television movie 1996–2000 Early Edition Chuck Fishman 48 episodes 2000 The Hunger Max Armstrong Episode: "The Suction Method" 2001 Frasier Dr. Sheldon Morey Episode: "The Wizard and Roz" 100 Centre Street Ben Berkowitz Episode: "Queenie's Running" Jenifer Dr. Aaron Sanders Television movie 2002 Is It College Yet? (voice) Television movie Hack Donnie Franco Episode: "Favors" 2003 The Lives They Lived Narrator Television movie 2004 Hope & Faith Nick Spinelli Episode: "The Diner Show" Dr. Vegas Charlie Episode: "Dead Man, Live Bet" 2004–2007 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Performer 2 episodes 2008 It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Lyle Korman Episode: "Paddy's Pub: The Worst Bar in Philadelphia" 2008–2010 Lost George Minkowski 6 episodes 2009 Medium Neal Greybridge Episode: "Medium is the Message" Numb3rs John Buckley 2 episodes The Grean Teem Jack Fisher Television movie 2010 Ugly Betty Mr. Z Episode: "Back in her Place" The Mentalist Tolman Bunting Episode: "Season 2 Episode 21" 2011 Californication "Zig" Semetauer Episode: "Monkey Business" Damages Therapist 4 episodes 2012–2016 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Alvin Gilbert / Ted Scott 2 episodes 2015 Elementary Marty Ward Episode: "Under My Skin" 2015–2022 The Blacklist Marvin Gerard 15 episodes 2016 The Night Of Saul 3 episodes 2017 Red Oaks Jerry Episode: "Summer in the City" Vice Principals Brian Biehn 4 episodes 2017–2020 The Good Fight Gabriel Kovac 3 episodes 2019–2023 Succession Hugo Baker 19 episodes 2022 Would I Lie to You? Himself Episode: "Banana Bread" 2024 Ripley Edward T. Cavanagh Episode: "VII Macabre Entertainment"EvilDemon of Grief (voice)Episode: "How to Build a Coffin" Sing: Thriller Police Officer Television short
Director Year Title Notes 1995 Call of the Wylie 1996 Phinehas 1998–1999 Early Edition 2 episodes 2002 Just a Kiss 2007 Crazy Love Co-directed with Dan Klores 2010–2011 John Leguizamo - Ghetto Klown Opened on Broadway March 2011 2012 Stand Up Guys 2016 Before the Flood Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds 2019 And We Go Green 2021 Palmer 2023 Beckham
Producer Year Title Notes 2000 Sam the Man 2001 The Château Piñero 2002 Swimfan 2003 Uptown Girls 2004 Yes 2005 Slow Burn 2006 A Prairie Home Companion Once in a Lifetime: The Extraordinary Story of the New York Cosmos Wedding Daze 2007 Crazy Love Meet Bill Feast of Love Awake 2008 The Midnight Meat Train 2009 The Grean Teem Balls Out: Gary the Tennis Coach Tenderness The CoveAcademy Award for Best Documentary 2011 Blank City Hollywood Renegade Bad Trip Mission Blue 2012 Beware of Mr. Baker 2015 Racing Extinction 2016 Sky Ladder: The Art of Cai Guo-Qiang Before the Flood 2020 Tiger King 2023Beckham We Are Guardians
Writer Sam the Man (2000, story) The Grean Teem (2009, story)
Narrator Secondhand Souls: A Novel by Christopher Moore A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore The Highest Tide: A Novel by Jim Lynch
Awards and nominations
Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref. Academy Award Best Documentary Feature The Cove Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Documentary Series American Masters Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking Racing Extinction Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds Outstanding Directing for a Documentary Program Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series Tiger King Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series Beckham Outstanding Directing for a Documentary Program Beckham: What Makes David Run Cannes Film Festival Golden Eye Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds Toronto International Film Festival People's Choice Award Before the Flood Saturn Award Best Guest-Starring Performance in a Network or Cable Television Series The Blacklist 2022 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama Series Succession 2024
References
External links