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==Early life and education==
==Early life and education==
Gant was born in [[Tampa, Florida]], of [[Spanish people|Spanish]], [[Italian people|Italian]], [[Cuban people|Cuban]], [[Irish people|Irish]], and [[English people|English]] descent. He was raised Baptist.<ref>{{cite news| title=Robert Gant Works It Out| url=http://didoqaf.tripod.com/articles/gant_advocate7.htm| first=Bruce C.| last=Steele| date=July 23, 2002| journal=The Advocate| accessdate=August 23, 2019}}</ref> He began acting in television commercials and joined the [[Screen Actors Guild]] at the age of ten in his home state of [[Florida]]. At the age of 11, he performed a soft-shoe routine with [[Bob Hope]] as part of Hope's USO tour.
Gant was born in [[Tampa, Florida]], of [[Spanish people|Spanish]], [[Italian people|Italian]], [[Cuban people|Cuban]], [[Irish people|Irish]], and [[English people|English]] descent. He was raised Baptist.<ref>{{cite news| title=Robert Gant Works It Out| url=http://didoqaf.tripod.com/articles/gant_advocate7.htm| first=Bruce C.| last=Steele| date=July 23, 2002| journal=The Advocate| accessdate=August 23, 2019}}</ref> Despite his family’s Catholic roots, he was largely raised in the Baptist church. At age ten, he began acting in television commercials in his home state of Florida and became a member of the the [[Screen Actors Guild]] at the age of eleven. He filmed his first national commercial for the “Monster Cereals” (Franken Berry, Boo Berry, and Count Chocula) during his fifth grade year. The commercial was advertising Battlestar Gallactica trading cards that were available in each cereal box. His first spoken line on national television was “Viper fighters in battle!”

While in Tampa, he studied tap and jazz dance with The American Musical Theatre Company, participating in multiple productions. In one of those shows, Robert performed a soft-shoe routine at MacDill Air Force Base with renowned comedian [[Bob Hope]] as part of Hope's USO tour.

Gant’s great-grandmother, Winifred Wellington, was a Broadway actress, particularly lauded for her comedic prowess.


He majored in [[English literature]] at the [[University of Pennsylvania]] and then studied law at [[Georgetown University Law Center]]. It was his career as a lawyer that brought him to Los Angeles when he accepted a position with the LA office of [[Chicago]]-based [[Baker & McKenzie]]. The international firm's Los Angeles office was closed soon after. Rather than continuing his career in law, he decided to focus on acting.
He majored in [[English literature]] at the [[University of Pennsylvania]] and then studied law at [[Georgetown University Law Center]]. It was his career as a lawyer that brought him to Los Angeles when he accepted a position with the LA office of [[Chicago]]-based [[Baker & McKenzie]]. The international firm's Los Angeles office was closed soon after. Rather than continuing his career in law, he decided to focus on acting.



==Television and film career==
==Television and film career==

Revision as of 23:45, 26 November 2019

Robert Gant
Gant at a 2009 GLAAD summer event
Born
Robert John Gonzalez

(1968-07-13) July 13, 1968 (age 56)
Tampa, Florida, U.S.
Other namesRobert J. Gant
Alma materGeorgetown University (J.D.)
University of Pennsylvania (B.A.)
Occupation(s)Actor, producer
Years active1994–present

Robert Gant (born Robert John Gonzalez; July 13, 1968) is an American actor. He rose to prominence through his role as Ben Bruckner on the hit Showtime series Queer as Folk and was recognized as a pioneer in the LGBT community by coming out publicly as an openly gay leading male actor at a time when very few did.

Early life and education

Gant was born in Tampa, Florida, of Spanish, Italian, Cuban, Irish, and English descent. He was raised Baptist.[1] Despite his family’s Catholic roots, he was largely raised in the Baptist church. At age ten, he began acting in television commercials in his home state of Florida and became a member of the the Screen Actors Guild at the age of eleven. He filmed his first national commercial for the “Monster Cereals” (Franken Berry, Boo Berry, and Count Chocula) during his fifth grade year. The commercial was advertising Battlestar Gallactica trading cards that were available in each cereal box. His first spoken line on national television was “Viper fighters in battle!”

While in Tampa, he studied tap and jazz dance with The American Musical Theatre Company, participating in multiple productions. In one of those shows, Robert performed a soft-shoe routine at MacDill Air Force Base with renowned comedian Bob Hope as part of Hope's USO tour.

Gant’s great-grandmother, Winifred Wellington, was a Broadway actress, particularly lauded for her comedic prowess.

He majored in English literature at the University of Pennsylvania and then studied law at Georgetown University Law Center. It was his career as a lawyer that brought him to Los Angeles when he accepted a position with the LA office of Chicago-based Baker & McKenzie. The international firm's Los Angeles office was closed soon after. Rather than continuing his career in law, he decided to focus on acting.


Television and film career

Between 2002 and 2005, Gant appeared on television in Showtime's Queer as Folk as Ben Bruckner, his best-known role to date. Prior to Queer as Folk, he appeared in recurring roles in Popular and Caroline in the City. Other guest appearances on television programs include Melrose Place, Ellen, Becker, Friends and Nip/Tuck, among others.

In June 2004, Gant starred in the short film Billy's Dad Is a Fudge-Packer!, an homage to 1950s educational films.

In 2005, he appeared in an episode of the television crime drama The Closer.

In 2007, Gant, Chad Allen and Judith Light acted and produced Save Me. The movie about the ex-gay movement was distributed by Mythgarden, the production company formed by Gant, Allen, and Christopher Racster in 2004.

In 2009, Gant appeared in Personal Affairs, a BBC Three-produced drama set in London's financial sector.[2]

He also appeared in the independent films Special Delivery, The Contract, Fits and Starts and Marie and Bruce.

In 2011, Gant made a cameo appearance in season 1, episode 8 of TV Land's Happily Divorced.

In 2015, Gant played Zor-El, the titular character's father in Supergirl.

Personal life

Gant is involved in a number of philanthropic organizations with a great deal of focus going to the issue of aging in the gay community. He currently resides in Los Angeles.

Gant came out as gay in The Advocate magazine in 2002[3][4].[5][6]

Activism

Gant supports such organizations as Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE) and Gay & Lesbian Elder Housing (GLEH).

He supported Hillary Clinton in her bid for the Democratic Party's Presidential nomination in 2008.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1994 Bitter Vengeance Bookstore customer Television film
1994 Cityscrapes: Los Angeles Policeman B
1996 Jane Street Jay
1999 Teaching Mrs. Tingle Professor
2001 Uta Hagen's Acting Class Petruchio in The Taming of the Shrew Direct-to-video
2002 The Contract Gene Collins
2002 Fits and Starts Ian
2004 Marie and Bruce Bartender
2004 Billy's Dad Is a Fudge-Packer! Billy's dad Short film
2007 Save Me Scott Also co-producer
2007 Live! Casting director
2008 Kiss Me Deadly Jacob Keane Television film
2008 Mask of the Ninja Chief Garver Television film
2008 Special Delivery Nate Spencer Television film
2010 Walter Jim Benjamin / God Short film
2012 Joshua Tree, 1951: A Portrait of James Dean The Famous Director
2015 A Million Happy Nows Dr. Hansen
2016 Summer of Dreams Noah Burns Hallmark movie
2016 Love Is All You Need? Pete Santilli
2016 The Thinning Vince Davi Filming
2017 Milada Bohuslav Horák
2018 Wedding of Dreams Noah Burns Hallmark movie

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1994 Ellen Dr. Garber Episode: "The Dentist"
1994 My So-Called Life Gunther Episode: "Pressure"
1994 Melrose Place Room service waiter Episode: "Just Say No"
1995 My Wildest Dreams Stewart Episode: "Sister's Mister"
1995 Step by Step Fireman Episode: "Three Girls and a Baby"
1996 High Tide Episode: "Old Friends"
1996 Melrose Place Deputy Tom Episode: "Moving Violations"
1997 Night Stand with Dick Dietrick Frank Thatcher Episode: "Leave Your Job or I'm Leaving You"
1997 Life with Roger Rod Davis Episode: "The Boxer Rebellion"
1997 Friends Jason Episode: "The One with Ross's Thing"
1997 Hangin' with Mr. Cooper Robin Hood bartender Episode: "Party, Party"
1997 Silk Stalkings Kevin Episode: "Night of the Parrot"
1997 Head over Heels Blake Episode: "Hot Guy"
1997–1998 Caroline in the City Trevor Recurring role; 9 episodes
1998 Style & Substance Matthew Episode: "Terry, We Hardly Knew Ye"
1998 Fantasy Island Dave Sullivan Episode: "Estrogen"
1999 Becker Doug Episode: "Cyrano De-Beckerac"
1999 Rude Awakening Jim Episode: "Abstinence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder"
2000 Linc's Dr. Brad Wheeler Episode: "I Just Want to Testify"
2000–2001 Popular Principal Calvin Krupps Recurring role; 11 episodes
2000 Veronica's Closet Bernie Episode: "Veronica Sets Josh Up"
2002 V.I.P. Arthur Goodwin Episode: "Val Cubed"
2002–2005 Queer as Folk Professor Ben Bruckner Main role; 55 episodes
2002 Providence Dancing groom Episode: "It's Raining Men"
2005 The Closer Julian Carver Episode: "Batter Up"
2006 Pepper Dennis Benny Gold Episode: "Celebrity Twin Could Hang"
2007 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Lewis Greyburg Episode: "Empty Eyes"
2008 Nip/Tuck Jeff Morris Episode: "Magda and Jeff"
2009 Rick & Steve: The Happiest Gay Couple in All the World Mayor Mayer / another student Voice; episode: "The Only Straight in the Village"
2009 CSI: NY Felix Redman Episode: "Green Piece"
2009 Tracey Ullman's State of the Union Buzz Season 2, episode 6
2009 Personal Affairs Rock van Gelder Recurring role; 5 episodes
2009 Castle Ron Bigby Episode: "Deep in Death"
2009 CSI: Miami Lloyd Arrington Episode: "Hostile Takeover"
2010 Bones Coach Jason Hendler Episode: "The Dentist in the Ditch"
2010 Hot in Cleveland Steve Episode: "Birthdates"
2010 90210 Dr. Wright Episode: "Catch Me If You Cannon"
2011 Mike & Molly Kyle Episode: "First Valentine's Day"
2011 Happily Divorced Marc Episode: "A Kiss Is Just a Kiss"
2011 The Secret Life of the American Teenager Mr. Martin Episode: "4-1-1"
2011 Free Agents Mark Episode: "The Kids Are Probably Alright"
2012 Shameless Greg Garvin Episode: "Father's Day"
2013 Vegas Rick Kent Episode: "From This Day Forward"
2013 NCIS Lt. Michael Dunkel Episode: "Detour"
2013 Anger Management Dr. Konner Episode: "Charlie and the Hot Nerd"
2013 Baby Daddy Steve Episode: "The Christening"
2013 Sean Saves the World Chase Episode: "Date Expectations"
2013–2014 The Young and the Restless David Sherman Recurring role; 4 episodes
2014 The Tomorrow People Peter Guest role; 2 episodes
2014 Hit the Floor Lewis Jason Episode: "Full-Court Press"
2015 Criminal Minds Warden Miles Tate Episode: "Lockdown"
2015-2016 Supergirl Zor-El Guest role; 3 episodes
2016 K.C. Undercover Jackson Cleveland Guest role; 2 episodes
2017 13 Reasons Why Todd Crimsen Recurring role; 4 episodes
2018 The Fosters Jim Hunter Recurring role; 3 episodes

Theatre

References

  1. ^ Steele, Bruce C. (July 23, 2002). "Robert Gant Works It Out". The Advocate. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  2. ^ "Personal Affairs, new drama for BBC Three: The Bosses – Robert Gant plays Rock van Gelder" (Press release). BBC Three. May 27, 2009. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  3. ^ Steele, Bruce C. (August 20, 2002). "Robert Gant works it out". The Advocate. Retrieved December 20, 2018.
  4. ^ "Reader Forum". The Advocate. p. 4. Retrieved December 20, 2018 – via Google Books.
  5. ^ Gant, Robert (May 7, 2008). "Robert Gant: The spying game". Windy City Times (Interview). Interviewed by Andrew Davis. Retrieved December 20, 2018.
  6. ^ Gettell, Oliver (August 26, 2016). "Robert Gant on romancing Debbie Gibson in Hallmark's Summer of Dreams". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 20, 2018.
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