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Christian Camargo

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Christian Camargo
Camargo in 2008
Born
Christian Minnick

(1971-07-07) July 7, 1971 (age 54)
EducationHobart College (BA)
Juilliard School (GrDip)
Occupation(s)Actor and director
Years active1996–present
Height6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Spouse
​
​
(m. 2008; div. 2016)​
PartnerSylvia van der Klooster (2019–present)
Children1
MotherVictoria Wyndham
RelativesRalph Camargo (grandfather)

Christian Camargo (né Minnick; born July 7, 1971[1]) is an American actor, director, producer, and writer. He is best known for his role as Brian Moser in the Showtime drama Dexter and Dexter: Resurrection, and army officer John in Academy Award-winning film The Hurt Locker. Camargo's other roles include Michael Corrigan in the Netflix drama House of Cards, Count Dracula in the third season of Penny Dreadful, Eleazar in the films The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Parts 1 and 2, and Tamacti Jun in See.

Other than screen work, Camargo is a stage actor who has starred in plays and musicals such as including Romeo & Juliet and Coriolanus, and his involvement with acclaimed individuals such as David Leveaux and Jason Momoa. His theatre work has earned him critical acclaim, including an Obie Award. Camargo has also directed films, those being Days and Nights (2013) and The Last Manhunt (2022), and is working on an upcoming TV series called Camelot.[2]

Early life

[edit]

Camargo's birth name is Christian Minnick. He is the son of actress Victoria Wyndham and Wendell Minnick, and his aunt is Broadway actress Felice Camargo.[3][4] He grew up on a small horse farm in Katonah, New York, and learned early auto restoration, where he earned his enthusiasm for vehicles. His first car was a 1979 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham.[5]

Camargo attended the Harvey School and graduated from the upper school in 1989, which is where he discovered his passion for theatre.[6]

He is of Mexican descent through his maternal grandfather, actor Ralph Camargo. He is a 1992 graduate of Hobart College.[7] He was the program director of WEOS, the college's public radio station.

Camargo is a graduate of the Juilliard School, where he was a member of the Drama Division's Group 25 (1992–96).[8] He went on to perform in the 1996 Broadway production of David Hare's Skylight[9] with Michael Gambon (Theater World Award). From there, Camargo went to England to join the inaugural company of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre on the Southbank, where he met his future wife, English actress Juliet Rylance.[citation needed]

Name change

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Camargo's grandfather, Ralph Camargo, was a Mexican-American actor who talked his daughters into changing their names to something Anglicized because he felt he had lost roles due to being Latino.[10] Christian decided to change his name from his father's family name of Minnick to his maternal grandfather's surname of Camargo because of pride in his Mexican-American heritage and a desire to bring back a name that he felt was connected to his profession.[9][11] Christian cited Ralph as an important figure in his life, saying "My parents had a difficult divorce. My dad had to take a backseat for a few years, and my grandfather came in. He was also my inspiration for becoming an actor. I really respected him."[9]

Career

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Camargo made his theatrical debut in 1999, starring in films such as Plunkett & Macleane and Harlem Aria, co-starring in the latter with Damon Wayans and Gabriel Casseus.[12] He continued playing small roles in films, starring as Officer Pavel Loktev in K-19: The Widowmaker (2002) and playing Detective Scott in The Cry (2007).

Camargo is perhaps best known for his role as Brian Moser, a.k.a. Rudy Cooper, the long-lost brother of the titular character, in Dexter, starring as a regular cast member in Season 1 (2006). Brian is the enigmatic Ice Truck Killer, his main goal being to reunite with his brother by starting a series of murders to attract Dexter's attention while getting closer to him by dating his foster sister, Debra Morgan, under his "Rudy Cooper" alias. Originally, Jeremy Renner was considered for the role but declined due to scheduling conflicts.[13][14] Camargo reprised the role as a guest star in Season 2 (2007), Season 6 (2011), and eventually in Dexter: Resurrection (2025).[15][16] Brian Moser's character received critical acclaim and is considered to be one of Dexter's best villains, with Camargo's performance in particular being praised.[17][18][19][20][21][22] Camargo continues to receive mementos from fans, including prosthetic hands with colored fingernails.[23]

Camargo's New York theater work includes the Public Theater's Kit Marlowe, Steve Martin's Underpants at Classic Stage Company, and the title role of Theater For A New Audience's Coriolanus. He made his broadway debut in 1996 as Edward Sergeant in Skylight, which coincidentally had Camargo's Dexter co-star Michael C. Hall as his understudy.[24] In 2008, Camargo played opposite Dianne Wiest, John Lithgow and Katie Holmes in Arthur Miller's All My Sons on Broadway.[25] In early 2009, he played the title role in the Theatre for a New Audience's production of Hamlet.[26][27] He won an Obie and Drama League nomination for his performance. The show ran until April 12, 2009.

Camargo portrayed Orlando in The Bridge Project's presentation of Shakespeare's As You Like It in Brooklyn, New York. In February 2010, he played Ariel in the company's rendition of Shakespeare's The Tempest. Both plays were directed by British director Sam Mendes. On September 30, 2010, he was cast as Eleazar Denali in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Parts 1 and 2, playing alongside Mía Maestro, who played Eleazar's wife, Carmen.[28]

Camargo wrote and directed Days and Nights, a modern retelling of Anton Chekhov's The Seagull, produced by his wife, actress Juliet Rylance, together with Barbara Romer, founder of the New Globe Theater.[29] The film was scheduled for a 2014 release.[30] He portrayed Mercutio in the 2013 Broadway revival of Romeo and Juliet, directed by David Leveaux and starring Orlando Bloom as Romeo and Condola Rashād as Juliet.[31][32][33] He guest starred as antagonist Wade Crocker on the third season of Syfy's Haven and appeared on the third season of Elementary as Chris Santos.[34][30][35]

Camargo portrayed the title character of the Theatre for a New Audience off-Broadway production of Pericles, directed by Trevor Nunn, from February to April 2016. In May of that year he guest starred as Dracula on the third season of Showtime's Penny Dreadful.[36][37]

In March and April 2017, Camargo portrayed a mid-career Robert Evans in Simon McBurney's stage adaptation of The Kid Stays in the Picture, staged in London's Royal Court Theatre.[38][39] In the same year, he also starred in the Netflix miniseries, Wormwood.

He also appeared as brutal military leader Tamacti Jun in the American TV show See (2019-2022).[40][11] In an interview, Camargo stated his love for playing villains, saying "It is so much fun. It's so much fun to play that. I love playing bad characters. You might know that I have a bit of a penchant for that. I love complicated, dark individuals, but yeah, so that was fun."[41] In a separate interview, he talked about breaking out of being typecast as a leading young man and finding enjoyment in playing villains such as psychopaths.[42] In 2022, he played the main antagonist Mr. Aunspach in the horror film Student Body, a pedophilic, creepy math teacher who becomes vengeful after being fired for harassment, dressing up as the school's mascot and starting a murder spree.[43][44][45] He also played in Witch Hunt as witch hunter Detective Hawthorne.[46]

Camargo directed The Last Manhunt (2022). Camargo originally joined the project as an actor, cast in the role of Sheriff Wilson. However, shortly before production began, Jason Momoa—Camargo's See co-star who co-wrote the screenplay and was originally slated to direct—stepped back due to scheduling conflicts. To prevent the project from being canceled, Camargo assumed directing responsibilities in addition to his role as the sheriff. Camargo aimed for diversity and representation of Native American communities, stating "I really like making movies that people either love or hate, no in-between. If you like it, if you don't like the movie — doesn't matter. The Native community likes it. They feel heard, and the conversation has sort of corrected a little bit of history. So to me, anything [else] is just gravy.".[47][48]

In 2025, Camargo entered a development deal, partnering with Dimension Studio and Two Chairs Production for Camargo's planned television series, Camelot.[49]

Personal life

[edit]

In November 2008, Camargo married British actress Juliet Rylance at the New York City Hall.[50][51] He divorced Juliet after nine years of marriage around 2016–2017.[52] He has a son born in November 2019 with his girlfriend, Sylvia van der Klooster, and has a dog named Garth.[53][54][55] Camargo currently resides in the desert near Joshua Tree, California.[5]

Camargo is a car enthusiast. When asked what career he would pursue if he wasn't an actor, Camargo said he would do auto restoration.[56] He also founded a vintage car shop and photo studio in 2000 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn called Fast Ashleys.[57][5] His personal cars include a Chevy pickup, a 1971 Oldsmobile Cutlass drag racer, and a 1989 Toyota Land Cruiser. Camargo was the creator and executive producer of the short-lived MTV reality show, Fast Inc., which promoted Fast Ashleys.[58][59] He sold off the shop sometimes in the 2000s.[5]

In 2014, Camargo was inducted into the hall of fame of his old school, the Harvey School, receiving the Outstanding Alumni Award.[6]

Filmography

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Film

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1999 Plunkett & Macleane Lord Pelham
Harlem Aria Matthew
Story of a Bad Boy Noel
Picture This Frank Ryan
2001 Lip Service Stuart
Double Bang Brian Jacobs
2002 K-19: The Widowmaker Pavel
2005 Welcome to California Jimmy Smith
2006 Find Love He
2007 The Picture of Dorian Gray Henry Wotton
The Cry Detective Scott
National Treasure: Book of Secrets John Wilkes Booth
2008 The Hurt Locker Colonel John Cambridge
Henry May Long Henry May
Happy Tears Jackson
2011 The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 Elezar Denali
2012 The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2
2013 Europa Report Daniel Luxembourg
Days and Nights Peter[60] Also writer and director
Romeo and Juliet Mercutio
2019 She's Missing Lyle
2021 Witch Hunt Detective Hawthorne [61]
2022 Student Body Mr. Aunspach
The Last Manhunt Sheriff Wilson Also director

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1997 Great Performances Episode: "Henry V at Shakespeare's Globe"
1998 Guiding Light Mark Endicott
2002-2003 Presidio Med Peter Witowski Episodes: "Best of Enemies" and "Cascading"
2002 For the People Paul Babala Episode: "Nascent"
2003 Boomtown Bradley Dawson Episode: "Monster's Brawl"
Without a Trace Freddy Cattan Episode: "The Source"
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Michael Fife Episode: "Invisible Evidence"
2004 Karen Sisco Arvin Worley Episode: "He Was a Friend of Mine"
2005 Ghost Whisperer Brad Paulson Episodes: "Mended Hearts" and "Hope and Mercy"
2006-2007; 2011 Dexter Brian Moser / Rudy Cooper 10 episodes
2007 Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip Actor Playing Keith Richards Episode: "The Harriet Diner"
2008 The Cleaner Michael Davis Episode: "To Catch a Fed"
Numbers Dr. Trey Bramon Episode: "Hydra"
2009 Law & Order Attorney Wilson Episode: "Crimebusters"
2011 Medium Jeremy Haas Episode: "Labor Pains"
The Mentalist Henry Tibbs Episode: "Ring Around the Rosie"
2012 The Good Wife Aidan Stoddard Episode: "After the Fall"
2013 Haven Wade Crocker 6 episodes
2014 Elementary Chris Santos Episode: "The Adventure of the Nutmeg Concoction
2015 House of Cards Michael Corrigan 2 episodes
2016 Penny Dreadful Dr. Alexander Sweet / Dracula 7 episodes
2017 Wormwood Dr. Robert Lashbrook
Manhunt Joe Birdland Episode: "Lincoln"
2018 The City and the City David Bowen
2019-2022 See Tamacti Jun Main role
2023 Conquistadors: The Rise and Fall Himself Narrator
2025 Dexter: Resurrection Brian Moser Episode: "And Justice for All..."
TBA Camelot Creator and co-producer[62]

References

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  1. ^ "Famous birthdays July 7; and: As Hendrix opened, they Monkee'd around". Twin Cities. July 7, 2016. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  2. ^ televisual.com; Creamer, Jon (May 28, 2025). "VP studio Dimension enters series development deal". Televisual. Retrieved October 4, 2025.
  3. ^ Hirsch, Linda (August 15, 1992). "World's Elegant Rachel Prefers Privacy". Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  4. ^ "Felice Camargo and Victoria Wyndham in the stage production Fiddler on the Roof - NYPL Digital Collections". digitalcollections.nypl.org. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  5. ^ a b c d Sprung, Shlomo (April 6, 2016). "Pericles actor Christian Camargo talks cars". Brooklyn Eagle. Retrieved October 4, 2025.
  6. ^ a b Taliaferro, Lanning (September 22, 2014). "Harvey School Gives Christian Camargo Outstanding Alum Award". Bedford-Katonah, NY Patch. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
  7. ^ "Camargo '92 and Wife in N.Y. Times". Hobart and William Smith Colleges. January 28, 2010. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved April 2, 2012.
  8. ^ "Alumni News". The Juilliard School. March 2010. Archived from the original on November 11, 2011.
  9. ^ a b c Monell, Raymundo (January 15, 2008). "Christian Camargo comes full circle". New York Daily News.
  10. ^ Ayala, Elaine. "Latino actor Christian Camargo playing Hamlet on Broadway"; accessed September 26, 2014.
  11. ^ a b Gonzales, Toni (September 3, 2021). "Christian Camargo is a Must "See" in the Second Season of the Apple TV+ Hit". Remezcla. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
  12. ^ Koehler, Robert (February 18, 2003). "Harlem Aria". Variety. Retrieved October 4, 2025.
  13. ^ "Interview: Jeremy Renner And Michael Cuesta For "Kill The Messenger"". Fangirl Freakout. October 8, 2014. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  14. ^ Williams, Jordan (October 11, 2021). "Dexter: The MCU Actor Who Almost Played The Ice Truck Killer". ScreenRant. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  15. ^ Masters, Megan (November 7, 2011). "Exclusive: Dexter Boss on the Shocking Return of [Spoiler Alert]!". TVLine. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
  16. ^ Melzer, James (June 18, 2025). "Original 'Dexter' Villain Teases Unexpected Return in New Sequel Series". MovieWeb. Retrieved September 5, 2025.
  17. ^ Natividad, Sid (November 8, 2021). "Dexter: Best Villains In The Series, Ranked". Game Rant. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
  18. ^ staff, Miami New Times. "Dexter's Villains: Ranking the Series' "Big Bads"". Miami New Times. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
  19. ^ Onder, Cade (May 26, 2025). "Every Major Dexter Villain Ranked (Including Original Sin)". ComicBook.com. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
  20. ^ Manuel, Marisa (January 11, 2025). "10 Absolutely Killer Villain Performances in 'Dexter'". MovieWeb. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
  21. ^ Persaud, Christine; Goyaz, Arthur; Aravind, Ajay (July 26, 2024). "20 Scariest Dexter Villains of All Time, Ranked". CBR. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
  22. ^ Laib, Shawn (June 22, 2024). "The Ice Truck Killer Remains the Best Dexter Villain". Den of Geek. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
  23. ^ Topel, Fred (November 15, 2021). "'Dexter' Ice Truck Killer Christian Camargo Still Gets Creepy Mementos From Fans". Showbiz Cheat Sheet. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  24. ^ "Skylight Original Broadway Play Cast 1996 | Broadway World". www.broadwayworld.com. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
  25. ^ "All My Sons". EW.com. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
  26. ^ Isherwood, Charles (March 30, 2009). "Theater Review: 'Hamlet'". The New York Times.
  27. ^ "Christian Camargo stars in a stylish 'Hamlet'". Trentonian. March 31, 2009. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
  28. ^ "It's Official: The Denali Coven Has Been Cast!", Summit Entertainment website; accessed September 26, 2014.
  29. ^ "A Chekhovian Bird of a Different Feather (Published 2014)". September 25, 2014. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
  30. ^ a b Christian Camargo at IMDb
  31. ^ "A Threesome: Husband, Wife, Shakespeare (Published 2010)". January 5, 2010. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
  32. ^ "'Romeo and Juliet' Star Christian Camargo's 7 Acting Secrets". www.backstage.com. October 2, 2013. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
  33. ^ "A New Yorker Who Knows His Shakespeare". www.chelseanewsny.com. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
  34. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (August 7, 2013). "'Haven' Adds 'Dexter' Villain, 'Hellcats' Alum for Season 4 (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  35. ^ "Dexter star to guest in Elementary season 3". Digital Spy. September 29, 2014. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
  36. ^ Baldwin, Daniel. "Review: 'Penny Dreadful' Returns With Another Stellar Premiere". Forbes. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
  37. ^ "Penny Dreadful exclusive: Christian Camargo talks Dracula". Empire. May 31, 2016. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
  38. ^ "Review: The Kid Stays in the Picture, at Royal Court Theatre". Camden New Journal. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
  39. ^ Treneman, Ann (March 24, 2017). "Theatre: The Kid Stays in the Picture at the Royal Court Jerwood Theatre Downstairs". www.thetimes.com. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
  40. ^ Petski, Denise (October 18, 2018). "Christian Camargo & Hera Hilmar Join Apple Series 'See' From Steven Knight & Francis Lawrence". Deadline. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
  41. ^ Weintraub, Steven (September 4, 2021). "Christian Camargo on 'See' Season 2 and Why He Loves Playing the Witch Hunter Tamacti Jun". Collider. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
  42. ^ blacktreetv (October 21, 2021). SEE Season 2 | Christian Camargo Interview on history as an actor and his early project Harlem Aria. Retrieved October 4, 2025 – via YouTube.
  43. ^ "A Murderous Mascot Hunts High Schoolers in Underwhelming Slasher Student Body". Paste Magazine. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
  44. ^ Davison, Jacob (February 9, 2022). "Review: 'Student Body' Is A Truly Modern School Slasher Movie". iHorror. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
  45. ^ Entertainment, Dead. "Coming-of-Age Horror Film Student Body Sets Cast". Dead Entertainment. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
  46. ^ "[#SXSW 2021 Review] WITCH HUNT is A Pseudo-History Lesson in Prejudice for Tweens - Nightmare on Film Street". March 18, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  47. ^ Sippell, Margeaux (May 28, 2022). "The Last Manhunt Director Christian Camargo Just Wants to Center Indigenous Voices". www.moviemaker.com. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  48. ^ Srisavasdi, Greg (November 18, 2022). "Christian Camargo and Martin Sensmeier Talk 'The Last Manhunt'". Deepest Dream. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  49. ^ televisual.com; Creamer, Jon (May 28, 2025). "VP studio Dimension enters series development deal". Televisual. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
  50. ^ Gurewitsch, Matthew (January 5, 2010). "A Threesome: Husband, Wife, Shakespeare". The New York Times.
  51. ^ Mead, Rebecca (February 21, 2010). "All's Well". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved September 5, 2025.
  52. ^ "Christian Camargo Has Moved On Following Split With Ex Wife". September 29, 2022. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  53. ^ Camargo, Christian (@therealcamargo) (November 19, 2019). "Birth Announcement of Elan Jacobus Camargo". Instagram.
  54. ^ Geffen Playhouse (February 1, 2018). Getting to know Christian Camargo. Ironbound's "Tommy.". Retrieved October 2, 2025 – via YouTube.
  55. ^ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
  56. ^ epnebelle2 (November 13, 2011). Mia Maestro & Christian Camargo - LA TwiCon 2011 Q&A panel. Retrieved October 2, 2025 – via YouTube.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  57. ^ "Camargo, Christian 1970– | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
  58. ^ "Christian Camargo's Booking Agent and Speaking Fee - Speaker Booking Agency". Celebrity Speakers For Speaking Engagements | Speaker Booking Agency. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
  59. ^ "Five Things You didn't Know about Christian Camargo - TVovermind". January 8, 2018. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
  60. ^ Friend, David (September 26, 2014). "Christian Camargo's Days and Nights Channels Chekhov Through a Topflight Cast". Vanity Fair. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
  61. ^ Soltes, John (October 10, 2021). "INTERVIEW: Christian Camargo can't stand horror movies, but he loves 'Witch Hunt'". Hollywood Soapbox. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
  62. ^ Daswani, Mansha (May 28, 2025). "Two Chairs Productions & Dimension Align for Camelot". TVDRAMA. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
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