Mark Rolston

Biography

Mark Rolston (born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1956) is an American actor best known for supporting roles in commercially successful films. Working since the mid-1980s, he rarely headlined the projects he joined, yet appearances in Aliens and Lethal Weapon 2 made him a familiar face to film fans. He has also worked steadily in television, theatre and voice acting.

Rolston trained at the Washington Theatre Club in Washington, D.C., and later studied acting in London, where he began his career on British stages in the late 1970s. Before moving into film he appeared in productions in Edinburgh and London and toured the United States in a national production of Richard II. A small part in Hugh Hudson's Revolution (1985) was cut from the final release, but the experience led to an audition for Aliens, where he was cast as Private First Class Drake, his film debut.

From there he built a run of memorable supporting parts in action and thriller films: Hans in Lethal Weapon 2, Stef in RoboCop 2, Bogs Diamond in The Shawshank Redemption, J. Scar in Eraser and Warren Russ in Rush Hour. He often played antagonists, a casting pattern linked to his cold, steady stare. He later worked with Martin Scorsese on The Departed and appeared in the fifth and sixth Saw films. On television he has appeared in The Shield, Bosch and Turn: Washington's Spies, and his voice work includes Lex Luthor in Young Justice and characters in several video games.

Rolston's legacy rests on a versatile character career, especially visible in mainstream films from the 1980s through the 2000s and sustained since then through television and voice work. He remains an active performer.

Key films

• Aliens (1986): his film debut as Private First Class Drake, a role won after a cut appearance in Revolution.
• Lethal Weapon 2 (1989): as Hans, one of the villain's henchmen, in a hit action sequel.
• The Shawshank Redemption (1994): as Bogs Diamond, an inmate, in one of the most admired prison dramas.
• Rush Hour (1998): as Special Agent Warren Russ, in the buddy action comedy starring Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker.
• The Departed (2006): in Martin Scorsese's crime thriller that won the Academy Award for Best Picture.