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, Bernard 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 graduated from Parkway West High School in 1985. He then attended Indiana University Bloomington where he majored in communications with a triple minor in theatre, psychology, and French. He has a younger sister, Courtney, born in 1968.
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, next joining the soap opera General Hospital in the recurring role of Dr. Pierce Dorman from 1996 to 1997. That same year, he made his film debut in the independent romantic screwball comedy I Think I Do playing Sterling Scott, the soap opera hunk boyfriend of Bob, played by Alexis Arquette.
In 1999, Watkins made his first major appearance in a big studio production, The Mummy as the near-sighted glasses-wearing tomb raider Burns. That same year, he began starring as network executive Malcolm Laffley on the Showtime series Beggars and Choosers. He remained on the series for its entire two-season run until Showtime cancelled the series in 2001. That same year, he returned to One Life to Live with a brief appearance as Vickers. After making another brief reappearance the next year, Watkins rejoined the cast of One Life to Live full-time from 2003 through 2006. He made several short-term returns to the show from 2007 to 2009, returning again on a regular basis beginning in June 2010. 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." He also made guest appearances on television series such as NYPD Blue, Six Feet Under, Cold Case, and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.
On October 21, 2007, Watkins made his first appearance on ABC's Emmy-winning primetime series Desperate Housewives as Bob Hunter, an attorney who moves to Wisteria Lane with his husband Lee, played by Kevin Rahm. The role attracted media attention for presenting the first recurring gay couple on the series. He was a recurring character in seasons 4–6, and a series regular in seasons 7–8, staying on the series through its series finale on May 13, 2012. In July 2009, a Funny or Die video called The Sentimentalist starring Watkins was ranked number five on Entertainment Weekly "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". From 2012 to 2014, he played the recurring role of Pistol Pete on NBC's Emmy-nominated comedy series Parks and Recreation.
In 2017, Watkins was cast as Hank in a revival of the 1968 play The Boys in the Band, debuting on Broadway for the first time to coincide with the 50th anniversary of its premiere. Directed by Joe Mantello, he co-starred among the ensemble cast of Matt Bomer, Jim Parsons, Zachary Quinto, Andrew Rannells, Charlie Carver, Robin de Jesús, Brian Hutchison, and Michael Benjamin Washington. All of the actors who were in the 2018 production are openly gay. The production opened in previews at the Booth Theatre on April 30, 2018, before officially opening on May 31, and ran until August 11, 2018. The revival received acclaim from critics and audiences, winning the 2019 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play. Watkins and the entire cast reprised their roles for a 2020 Netflix adaption, which also received positive reviewes. That same year, he recurred in the second season of Showtime's Emmy-nominated comedy series Black Monday, reuniting with his Boys in the Band co-star Rannells.
In 2022, Watkins starred on the Netflix comedy series Uncoupled as Colin McKenna, the ex-boyfriend to Neil Patrick Harris' character who leaves him after a 17-year relationship. The series premiered to critical acclaim on Netflix on July 29, 2022. Although Showtime picked up a second season of the series, it was eventually cancelled after being delayed by the 2023 Hollywood strikes.
In August 2026, Deadline reported that Watkins will star in the television Prime Video romantic comedy series Escorted, produced by Brett Goldstein.
Personal life Watkins came out as gay on April 26, 2013, in an interview on Marie with Marie Osmond. In that same interview, Watkins announced he had become a single father in December 2012 by welcoming twins via surrogacy.Soap Opera Digest June 3, 2013 issue. Vol. 38, No. 22. Pgs. 44-47.
Since 2019, he has been in a relationship with actor Andrew Rannells. The two had met the prior year while playing a couple in the Broadway production of The Boys in the Band. They reprised their roles for Netflix's film version, and also portrayed a couple on Black Monday.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1992 Little Sister Ted Armstrong Uncredited 1997 I Think I Do Sterling Scott 1998 Ted1999 Can't Stop Dancing Reuben Clairmont Bernard Burns 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 2025 Exit Interviews Robert 2026 Death on the Brandywine Sean Riley
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 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 Recurring role; 3 episodes 1999–2001 Beggars and Choosers Malcolm Laffley Main cast; 42 episodes 2000 NYPD Blue Derrick Episode: "The Irvin Files" 2000 Miracle in Lane 2 God/Bobby Wade Television film 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 2006 13 Graves Lawrence Television film 2007 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" 2008 Point View Terrace Freddy Hayes Unsold pilot; also producer 2012–2014 Parks and Recreation "Pistol Pete" Disellio 3 episodes 2012 Franklin & Bash Lance Dillon Episode: L'affaire Du Coeur 2012 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 Episode: "Special Master: Part One"Episode: Special Master: Part Two" 2015 Tim and Eric's Bedtime Stories Boss Episode: "Tornado" 2016 Telenovela Ana's date Episode: "The Kiss" 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" 2020–21 Black Monday Congressman Roger Harris 7 episodes 2021 The Other Two Troy 2 episodes 2022–25 The Great North Various roles Voice; 6 episodes 2022 Uncoupled Colin McKenna Recurring role 2022 The Sex Lives of College Girls Eric's Dad Episode: "The Essex College Food Workers Strike" 2024 Criminal Minds: Evolution Frank Church Episode: "Stars & Stripes"Episode: "Save the Children" 2025 – present Paradise Tim Redmond Recurring role; 5 episodes 2026 Shifting Gears Pete Holterman Episode: "Friend" 2026 The Rookie Russell Wilkes Episode: "Cut and Run"
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 2022–25 Unconventional Dr. Trip Howell 6 episodes
Stage Year Title Role Notes 2018 The Boys in The Band Hank Broadway
See also LGBT culture in New York City List of LGBT people from New York City
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