David Costabile (; born January 9, 1967) is an American actor. He is best known for his television work, having appeared in supporting roles in several television series such as Billions, Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, Damages, Flight of the Conchords, Suits, and The Wire, as well as the film The Dirt. He has also acted on film and in Broadway theatre.
Early life and education Costabile was born in Washington, D.C., and is of Italian descent. Costabile earned his undergraduate degree from Tufts University in 1989 and an MFA from New York University in 1998.
Career Stage Costabile has appeared on Broadway in Manhattan Theatre Club's revival of Translations in 2007, the musical Titanic in 1997, and The Tempest in 1995. In 2005, he appeared as Launce in The Two Gentlemen of Verona as part of the Public Theater's Shakespeare in the Park. For Caroline, or Change, the Drama Desk Award–winning musical by Tony Kushner and Jeanine Tesori (2003–2004), Costabile workshopped and performed in the original production and its Broadway transfer.
Television Costabile is best known for his recurring television roles on The Wire (as Thomas Klebanow, managing editor of The Baltimore Sun), Flight of the Conchords (as Doug), Damages (as Detective Rick Messer), Suits (as Daniel Hardman, former senior partner of the law firm of Pearson Hardman), Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul (as Gale Boetticher), and the Showtime production Billions (as Mike "Wags" Wagner).
Costabile also appeared in season six of The Office, as a banker sent from Sabre to evaluate Dunder Mifflin, and in the House episode "Changes" as a limousine driver. During the second series of Franklin & Bash, he guest-starred as a senior partner of the Infeld Daniels New York office, investigating Franklin and Bash because of a complaint filed against them by a former client. He had a minor guest star role in a season 3 episode of The Good Wife, playing the defendant's lawyer in a lawsuit against Lockhart and Gardner, and in a two episode story arc on BBC One's Ripper Street. Costabile also played Mr. Braddock, an attorney to the primary suspect in an episode of The Closer titled "Unknown Trouble", the first episode of season 7.
He has appeared in several television commercials, including ads for Microsoft and FedEx. In 2011, he appeared in Lie to Me as Dr. Mitch Grandon, the head doctor of a psychiatric institution in the Season 3 episode "Funhouse". In 2013, he appeared in Elementary as Danilo Gura, a custodian of a hospital in the Season 1 episode "Lesser Evils". Costabile appeared as Internal Affairs investigator Simon Boyd in the 2013 TV show Low Winter Sun. He appeared in Person of Interest in Season 1 as Samuel Gates. He appeared in The Blacklist in Season 2 as Dr. Linus Creel. He starred in the television series Dig.
In 2025, Costabile reprised his role as Daniel Hardman in an episode of NBC's spinoff series Suits LA. Hardman, a co-founder of the fictional firm Pearson Hardman, previously appeared as a recurring character in Suits seasons 2, 4, 5, and 8, often serving as an antagonist to lead character Harvey Specter. As of early 2025, it is not confirmed whether his return will coincide with appearances by other original cast members, including Gabriel Macht or Rick Hoffman.
In an April 2013 article about television, Wired magazine called Costabile "a performer who inhabits his characters so perfectly as to consistently be a fan favorite" and "one of the best things about" every television show in which he has appeared.
Film Costabile appeared in 2009's Solitary Man as Gary, the husband of Jenna Fischer's character. He played Jennifer Aniston's attorney in the 2010 film The Bounty Hunter. In 2012, he appeared in the film Lincoln as Republican representative James Ashley. In 2013, he appeared in Steven Soderbergh's film Side Effects as Carl Millbank and as Professor Horstein in Runner Runner. In 2016, he appeared as the Chief in 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi. In 2019 he appeared in The Dirt as Doc McGhee.
Personal life In 2012, Costabile married Eliza Baldi in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. They have two children.
Filmography Film YearTitleRoleNotes 1998 The Siege Fingerprint Expert 1999 Cradle Will Rock Federal Theatre – Beaver Man 2000 Isn't She Great Junior editor How the Grinch Stole Christmas Biker Who 2002 Stolen Summer Doctor 2005 Prime Jason 2008 Afterschool Mr. Anderson 2009 Notorious Mr. Webber Solitary Man Gary 2010 The Bounty Hunter Attorney Henry's Crime Arnold 2012 Lincoln James Ashley 2013 Side Effects Carl Millbank Somewhere Slow Robert Thompson Runner Runner Professor Horstein 2016 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi The Chief2017The PostArt Buchwald2019The DirtDoc McGhee2024Snack ShackJudgeTBATobias ThornhillFilming
Television Year Title Role Notes 2007–2009 Damages Detective Rick Messer 16 episodes Flight of the Conchords Doug Recurring role 2008 The Wire Managing Editor Thomas Klebanow Recurring guest role (season 5) 2010 Law & Order Glen Dolan Episode: "Immortal" 2010 The Office Eric Ward Episode: "The Banker" 2010–2011 Breaking Bad Gale Boetticher 7 episodes 2011 Lie to Me Dr. Mitch Grandon Episode: "Funhouse" Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Bruce Clarkson Episode: "Bully" House, M.D. PhilEpisode: "Changes" Person of Interest Samuel Gates Episode: "Judgment" 2012–2019 Suits Daniel Hardman 16 episodes 2012 The Good Wife Zachary Hines Episode: "Gloves Come Off" 2013 Ripper Street Daniel Judge 2 episodes Low Winter Sun Simon Boyd 10 episodes Elementary Danilo Gura Episode: "Lesser Evils" 2014 The Blacklist Dr. Linus Creel Episode: "Dr. Linus Creel" 2015 Dig Tad Billingham Main role 2016–2023 Billions Mike "Wags" Wagner Main role 2018 Better Call Saul Gale Boetticher Episodes: "Something Beautiful" and "Winner" Murphy Brown Ed Shannon Episode: "Three Shirts to the Wind" 2019 Robot Chicken Itzhak Stern, Gandalf (voice) Episode: "Garfield Stockman in: A Voice Like Wet Ham" 2020 Soulmates David Episode: "The Lovers" Little Birds Grant Savage 5 episodes The Gene: An Intimate History Narrator 2 episodes 2023 Waco: The Aftermath Judge Walter Smith 5 episodes Obliterated Maddox 4 episodes 2024 Last Week Tonight with John Oliver Boeing employee Episode: "Airplanes" Interview with the Vampire Leonard Michael Episode: "And That's The End of It. There's Nothing Else" 2025 Suits LA Daniel Hardman Episode: "Bat Signal"2026Chicago MedJames Frost2 episodesPercy Jackson and the OlympiansDr. Thorn / Manticore
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