Michael Kelly

Biography

Michael Kelly (born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1969) is an American actor best known for playing Doug Stamper, the chief of staff to the politician at the centre of House of Cards. His career has been built on steady supporting work, moving between big-budget studio films, prestige television and lower-budget horror.

He grew up in Lawrenceville, Georgia, the son of Maureen and Michael Kelly, and studied performing arts at Coastal Carolina University, graduating in 1992. His film work began with small parts and gained momentum in the 2000s with Changeling (2008), a period drama about a mother searching for her missing son, and Dawn of the Dead (2004), Zack Snyder's remake, in which he played CJ. He later appeared in the found-footage thriller Chronicle (2012) and in large productions such as Man of Steel (2013) and Everest (2015).

On television he is most associated with Doug Stamper across all six seasons of House of Cards. Earlier he played FBI agent Ron Goddard in six episodes of The Sopranos and appeared in the miniseries Generation Kill. He then led the Criminal Minds spin-off Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior, and more recently has joined the espionage series Jack Ryan and Lioness, where he plays CIA official Byron Westfield. His reputation rests on dependable performances in ambiguous roles across very different genres, and among horror fans his name is tied to the 2004 remake.

Key films

• Changeling (2008): a supporting role in a period drama based on true events about a mother searching for her missing son.
• Dawn of the Dead (2004): plays CJ in Zack Snyder's remake, one of his most cited contributions to horror.
• Chronicle (2012): appears in the found-footage story of three teenagers who gain supernatural powers.
• Man of Steel (2013): part of the large-scale Superman reboot directed by Zack Snyder.
• Everest (2015): part of the ensemble cast of the film about the Everest expedition that ended in tragedy.