Robert Lyle Knepper (born July 8, 1959) is an American actor best known for his role as Theodore "T-Bag" Bagwell in the Fox drama series Prison Break (2005–2009, 2017), Samuel Sullivan in the final season of the NBC series Heroes (2009–2010), Angus McDonough in The CW series iZombie (2015–2018) and Rodney Mitchum in Showtime's revival of Twin Peaks (2017). He has appeared in films such as Hitman (2007), Transporter 3 (2008) and Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (2016).
Early life Robert Lyle Knepper was born July 8, 1959, in Fremont, Ohio, and raised in Maumee, Ohio, the son of Pat Deck and Donald Knepper, a veterinarian. He was interested in acting from an early age, due to his mother's involvement as a props-handler at a community theater. After graduating from Maumee High School in 1977, he attended Northwestern University; during this time, Knepper obtained professional roles in plays in Chicago. Nearing the completion of his degree, Knepper quit Northwestern and went to New York City, where he continued to work in theater.
Career Although Knepper did not intend to work in film and television projects, he began his television and film career in 1986 with The Paper Chase and That's Life!. Knepper went on to have larger roles in such films as Wild Thing, Young Guns II, When the Bough Breaks and Everyone Says I Love You. He made appearances on such television series as The Twilight Zone, Star Trek: The Next Generation, ER and Law & Order. In 2005, after a recurring role on the HBO series Carnivàle, Knepper was cast in his best-known role, as Theodore "T-Bag" Bagwell in Prison Break. The series received positive reviews upon release, and "T-Bag" is often considered to be one of the greatest television villains of all time.". TV Guide. November 28, 2006; retrieved on March 2, 2007. During his time on Prison Break, Knepper starred in a number of films; Good Night, and Good Luck, Hitman, Transporter 3 and The Day the Earth Stood Still.
After Prison Break ended in 2009, Knepper was cast as villain Samuel Sullivan in the fourth and final season of Heroes. After this, he went on to have a recurring role in Stargate Universe in 2010. He guest-starred on season six of Criminal Minds as Rhett Walden, a serial killer. The same year he played the titular character in the film adaptation of Burning Daylight.
In addition, Knepper appeared as Honolulu Police Internal Affairs detective Rex Coughlin in two episodes of Hawaii Five-0.
In 2011, he reprised his role of T-Bag in one episode of the A&E series Breakout Kings. The next year, he played Frank Sinatra in My Way, a biopic of Claude François, a French pop singer who wrote the song "Comme d'habitude", the original version of Sinatra's song "My Way".
Knepper was cast in the 2013 television series Cult as Roger Reeves, an actor playing Billy Grimm on a show called Cult. The show was canceled after only one season. The same year, he appeared in R.I.P.D., Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters and guest starred on the television series The Blacklist (episode: "The Courier"). At the end of 2013, the TNT series Mob City premiered, in which Knepper played gangster Sid Rothman. In 2014, Knepper guest starred in episodes of Arrow and The Flash as master hacker and time-and-motion study expert William Tockman / Clock King.
Beginning in 2015, Knepper had a recurring role on iZombie as Angus McDonough, the estranged and abusive father of Blaine DeBeers (David Anders). It was announced in July 2017 that Knepper would be promoted to the show's main cast for season 4.
Knepper was cast in the reboot of David Lynch's Twin Peaks as gangster Rodney Mitchum. He later voiced the audiobook adaptation for the tie-in epistolary novel of the show called The Secret History of Twin Peaks.
Personal life Knepper has a son, Benjamin Peter (born 2002), with his first wife, Tory Herald. He married his second wife, Nadine Kary, in 2013.
Sexual assault allegations On November 8, 2017, costume designer Susan Bertram accused Knepper of sexual assault on the set of the film Gas Food Lodging in 1991. Knepper denied the allegations in a since-deleted Instagram post. On February 28, 2018, Bertram's lawyers announced she was filing a defamation lawsuit against Knepper in Los Angeles County Superior Court in the wake of his denials, seeking damages in a jury trial. Knepper's lawyers denied that he defamed Bertram. On June 1, 2021, Bertram's attorney announced that the lawsuit had been settled; the terms have not been publicized.
Four additional allegations taking place between 1983 and 2014 were made by women against Knepper on December 5, 2017, including an accusation of rape in Vancouver, Canada in 2010. All of the allegations were denied by Knepper.
Late in 2017, in the wake of these accusations, The CW Network conducted an internal inquiry. Finding no evidence of misconduct transpiring on the set, it was announced he would be remaining on iZombie. On January 12, 2018, it was announced that the studio had conducted a second investigation. The CW Network president Mark Pedowitz stated, "Again, the investigation related to the set and his behavior on the set. They found no wrongdoing on the set." Pedowitz elaborated that Knepper had signed on for a single season and that his exit from the series had already been planned.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes 1986 That's Life! Steve Larwin 1987 Wild Thing Wild Thing Made in Heaven Orrin 1988 D.O.A. Nicholas Lang 1989 Renegades Marino 1990 Arduous Moon Andrew Short film Young Guns II Deputy Carlyle 1991 Session Man Torrey Cole Short film Where the Day Takes You Rock Singer 1992 Gas Food Lodging Dank 1994 When the Bough Breaks Lt. Jimmy Creedmore 1994 Under the Heat Milo 1995 Search and Destroy Daniel Strong 1996 Dead of Night Christian MugShot Joe Everyone Says I Love You Greg The Undercover Kid Bo the Dog (voice) The Hunchback of Notre Dame Frollo's Soldiers (voice) 1997 You Are Here Jack 1998 Phantoms Agent Wilson The Stringer John Jaded Freddy 2000 Love & Sex Gerard Boussard 2001 Lady in the Box Chris Stark 2002 Topa Topa Bluffs Frank Swatters Daniel Steinberg 2004 Species III Dr. Bruce Abbot 2005 Good Night, and Good Luck Don Surine Hostage Will Bechler 2007 Hitman Yuri Marklov 2008 Turok: Son of Stone Chickak (voice) Direct-to-DVD Transporter 3 Johnson The Day the Earth Stood Still Colonel 2010 Burning Daylight Elam "Burning Daylight" Harnish 2011 Earth's Final Hours John Streich 2012 My Way Frank Sinatra 2012 Seal Team Six: The Raid on Osama Bin Laden Lieutenant commander 2013 R.I.P.D. Stanley Nawlicki Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters Kronos (voice) 2014 Ride Peter The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 Minister Antonius 2015 The Hoarder Vince The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 Minister Antonius Cold Deck Turk 2016 Hard Target 2 Aldrich Direct-to-DVD Jack Reacher: Never Go Back General Harkness 2017 Badsville Mr. Gavin2018 Frat Pack Kush Edge of Fear Victor Novak2019 1st Born Joe Defended War Voice of the Nation S.W.A.T. Sam The Trapped Victor 2020 Battle of Defense2021 Lena and Snowball Percy Redemption Day Mr. K The Retaliators Otto2022 Warhunt Sgt. Brewer The Moderator Agent John Ross Mindcage Lt. Owings 2025The Last SupperJudas Iscariot The Lost Princess Robert Goodman Al Zarfa (Arabic Film) Himself Filming
Television Year Title Role Notes1986The Paper ChaseHowardEpisode: "Graduation"1986–1993L.A. LawGeorge 'Georgia' Buckner / David Orcott3 episodes 1987Tour of DutyRacist SoldierEpisode: "Burn, Baby, Burn"The Twilight ZoneAlonzoEpisode: "Joy Ride"Tour of DutyPV2 AllenEpisode: "Burn Baby, Burn"Star Trek: The Next GenerationWyatt MillerEpisode: "Haven"1989Gideon OliverPaul HechtEpisode: "Kennonite"1990E.A.R.T.H. ForceDr. Peter Roland3 episodes1990–1991China BeachLong / Vietnam Vet2 episodes 1991Perry Mason: The Case of the Fatal FashionKim WeatherlyTelevision filmCivil WarsJoey D'AmatoEpisode: "Have Gun, Will Unravel" 1992Tequila and BonettiRen PhilipsEpisode: "Runt of the Litter"Red Shoe DiariesNick WillardEpisode: "You Have the Right to Remain Silent" 1993ZeldaWilsonTelevision filmDoorwaysThanePilot1993–1996Murder, She WroteCharles George Drexler / Owen McLaglen / Robbie Dorow3 episodes 1994PointmanJohnnyTelevision filmGetting OutCarlTelevision film 1995Law & OrderIgor SmithEpisode: "Rebels"New York UndercoverDavid CarsonEpisode: "Buster and Claudia"New York NewsEx-ConEpisode: "Fun City"PointmanRonnie McCusakEpisode: "Here She Comes, Miss Murder" 1996Voice from the GraveMiloshTelevision filmCentral Park WestRandy BoydEpisode: "Guess Who's Come to Annoy You?"The Big EasyJack GentryEpisode: "The Gambler"Desert BreezePilot1997The VisitorAlex BurtonEpisode: "Dreams" 1998ERKeith ReynoldsEpisode: "My Brother's Keeper" BrimstoneAssistant D.A. Stewart LambertEpisode: "Executioner" 1999Strange WorldGil SandiferEpisode: "Azrael's Breed"Kidnapped in ParadiseRenardTelevision filmAbsence of the GoodGlenn DwyerTelevision filmStar Trek: VoyagerGaulEpisode: "Dragon's Teeth" 2000Harsh RealmPriestEpisode: "Camera Obscura"ProfilerMartin LewisEpisode: "Tsuris"Seven DaysMajor Gene HastingsEpisode: "Space Station Down"La Femme NikitaHenry CollinsEpisode: "Toys in the Basement" 2001The West WingMorgan RossEpisode: "Ellie"Jackie, Ethel, Joan: The Women of CamelotRobert F. KennedyTelevision filmLaw & Order: Criminal IntentDr. Peter KelmerEpisode: "The Good Doctor"2001ThievesSpecial Agent Shue10 episodes 2002HauntedHenryEpisode: "Pilot"The Pennsylvania Miners' StoryMark PopernackTelevision film2002–2003Presidio MedSean5 episodes2003–2005CarnivàleTommy Dolan13 episodes 2004Species IIIDr. Bruce AbbotTelevision filmCSI: MiamiFreddy ColemanEpisode: "Addiction"2005Point PleasantDemon Dance HostEpisode: "Last Dance"2005–2009; 2017Prison Break Theodore "T-Bag" Bagwell75 episodes2009Prison Break: The Final BreakTelevision film2009–2010HeroesSamuel Sullivan19 episodes 2010Stargate UniverseSimeon6 episodesChaseJack DrugganEpisode: "The Comeback Kid"Criminal MindsRhett WaldenEpisode: "Reflection of Desire" 2011ShamelessRod2 episodesBreakout KingsTheodore "T-Bag" BagwellEpisode: "The Bag Man"2012Seal Team Six: The Raid on Osama Bin LadenLieutenant CommanderTelevision film 2013CultRoger Reeves /Billy Grimm13 episodesThe BlacklistThe CourierEpisode: "The Courier"Mob CitySid Rothman6 episodes2014–2015Hawaii Five-0Internal Affairs Officer Coughlin2 episodes 2014Arrow William Tockman / Clock KingEpisode: "Time of Death"The FlashEpisode: "Power Outage" 2015Chicago Fire Adrian Gish / Trenton Lamont Episode: "Three Bells"Chicago P.D.Episode: "A Little Devil Complex"Texas RisingEmpresario Buckley3 episodesPublic MoralsCaptain Johanson4 episodesNCISBenson LongEpisode: "Personal Day"American Horror Story: HotelLieutenantEpisode: "Room Service"2015–2018iZombieAngus McDonough17 episodes2016From Dusk till Dawn: The SeriesRanger Gary Willet2 episodes2016–2018HomelandGeneral Jamie McClendon5 episodes 2017Twin PeaksRodney Mitchum6 episodesThe OrvilleHamelacEpisode: "If the Stars Should Appear"Spirit Riding FreeHarlan GraysonVoice2 episodesDating Game KillerDetective Jim HamellTelevision film2021Nova VitaMr. Chinzano9 episodesPaper EmpireKonstantin6 episodes2022The PactJayEpisode: "Death is the Only Release"2025The Gray HouseBully LumpkinDark WindsThe Priest Episode: "Ábidoo'niidę́ę́ (What We Had Been Told)"
Video games Year Title Role Notes 2010 Prison Break: The Conspiracy Theodore "T-Bag" Bagwell
Music videos Year Title Artist 2023 "Honky Tonkin' About" The Reklaws
Theatre
A Little Night Music – Northwestern University (1977) The Ruling Class – Northwestern University (1979) The Merchant of Venice – Northwestern University (1979–1980) Ties – Chicago (1981) Class Enemy – Evanston, Illinois (1981) Lakeboat – Chicago (1982) The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby – Chicago (1982) Dark of the Moon – Sarasota (1983) Life Signals – Sarasota (1983) Sherlock Holmes – Sarasota (1983) The Philanthropist – New York (1983)