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Will Janowitz

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William Janowitz
Born (1980-05-25) May 25, 1980 (age 44)
New York City, New York
EducationUniversity of North Carolina School of the Arts (BFA)
Occupation(s)Actor, writer
Years active1999–present

William "Will" Janowitz (born May 25, 1980) is an American actor and writer for film and television. He is best known for playing Meadow Soprano's fiancé, Finn DeTrolio, on The Sopranos, Hymie Weiss on Boardwalk Empire (2012–2013), and Trevor in Bikini Moon (2017).

Early life and education

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Janowitz was born on May 25, 1980, in New York City and is a first-generation American. He has Eastern European and Jewish ancestry. His mother, Katherine Sborovy, a writer, was from Bratislava, Slovakia. His father, James Janowitz, an attorney, is from Berlin, Germany. His father’s family fled to New York City after their family’s window display factory was seized by the Nazis on Kristallnacht. Will is named after his great uncle who perished in the Minsk Ghetto. Janowitz’s mother’s family were also survivors of the Holocaust and sought refuge in New York City.

Janowitz grew up on the Upper West Side in New York City. Will graduated from high school at the Trevor Day School in Manhattan.

After training at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in 2000, Janowitz began acting professionally.

Career

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He worked briefly as Mary-Louise Parker's personal assistant on several film and television projects. One of his earliest film credits was a role in David Gordon Green's George Washington (2000).

In 2002, Janowitz booked a recurring role on The Sopranos as Meadow Soprano's (Jamie-Lynn Sigler) boyfriend Finn DeTrolio.[1] He would appear in the fifth and sixth seasons of the show, portraying a novice's perspective of the organized crime ring. Janowitz's character notably disclosed the homosexuality of Vito Spatafore (Joe Gannascoli), one of Tony Soprano's (James Gandolfini) best-earning captains.

Janowitz has appeared in various independent features, including Backseat (2005) and Bristol Boys (2006). In 2005, he appeared in Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories as the voice of Donald Love.

In 2009, Janowitz joined the ensemble cast of Ang Lee's Taking Woodstock and wore a blonde wig and mustache to play Chip Monck, the festival's production designer. That same summer, he went to Marietta, Georgia, to play the role of Leo Frank in The People v. Leo Frank (2009). The film explores the life and trial of Leo Frank, an American-born Jew who was lynched in Marietta, Georgia, on August 17, 1915, after being accused of the murder of a 13-year-old girl who worked in his pencil factory.

He played a comedian in "The Good News" episode of Mad Men in 2010 where he razzes the audience members: Don Draper (Jon Hamm) and Lane Pryce (Jared Harris). In 2011 he appeared as a green Goblin in Louie C.K.’s television show, Louie for the “Halloween/Ellie” episode.

Between 2012-2013 Janowitz portrayed a historically ruthless Chicago mobster, Hymie Weiss, on the Boardwalk Empire show. Along with Dean O'Banion (Arron Shiver), the North-Side gang from their flower shop lair, clashed with the Torrio-Capone gang.

In 2014, Janowitz played the character, Alex, in the film H. directed by Rania Attieh and Daniel Garcia set in Troy, NY. The film revolves around the aftermath of an apparent meteor strike. H. premiered at the 71st Venice International Film Festival and went on to play at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. He also appeared in the Broad City episode, "Destination Wedding" where he proclaimed to Abbi Jacobson that Penn Station was a “dealbreaker”. Janowitz played the ghost of a Confederate soldier named Josiah, in The Heart, She Holler(2014). He played Chef Christopher in the Deadbeat (2015) "Table for Sue" episode.

In the American Experience episode “Murder of a President” (2016), Janowitz depicted Charles J. Guiteau who shot President James A. Garfield.

In 2016, Janowitz portrayed Steve, in the film Little Boxes, which follows a family moving from the city life of Brooklyn to a small town in Washington state. The film had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in April 2016. He also appeared as the character, Ralph, in Youth in Oregon which premiered at the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival as well.

On the T.V. series, Gotham, Janowitz plays an informant, named Wally Clarke. In the episode "Hog Day Afternoon" (2017) Janowtiz gives Gordon (Ben McKenzie) a tip, saying he retrieved pigs from a butcher and left them for a man known as the "Professor".

Janowitz took the role of mentor in the character, Tony, a manager of a bowling alley in the coming-of-age story, CRSHD (2019). Directed by Emily Cohn, CRSHD premiered at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival.

In 2019, Janowitz acted on Chicago P.D. in the “Brotherhood” episode as Mark Rollins. He played David Fallon in the Grudge episode (2020) on FBI: Most Wanted.

Janowitz was the co-writer and appeared as the priest in a Chris Pine production called Doula (2022).

In the meta-film comedy short, Proof of Concept (2023), Janowitz acted alongside Richard Kind. It premiered at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival.

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1999 Terror Firmer Partier
2000 George Washington Railroad Worker
2004 Press Gang Derrick Short
2005 Backseat Frankie
David & Layla Woody Fine
2006 Bristol Boys Corey
2007 Bed Head Will Short
Mattie Fresno and the Holoflux Universe East European Lab Assistant
Gnome Gnome Short
2009 The People v. Leo Frank Leo Frank
Taking Woodstock Chip Monck
Two Birds The Other Man Short
2010 John Sharnhorst John Sharnhorst Short
2012 Bottle Poppaz DJ Lava Short
Exposed Alexi Krustonovich
Ex-Girlfriends Matt
2013 B-Side Evan
The Volunteer Joe
Junkie Doctors Andersen Stevenson Short
2014 Google Comes to Collect Google Short
H. Alex
2015 Lucky and the Long Walk Home Turkey Short
2016 Little Boxes Steve
Youth in Oregon Ralph
Puppy Love James Short
2017 Bikini Moon Trevor
Troll Noah Short
2019 Balk Rob Short
Pitcher/Catcher Valentine Short
Crshd Tony
2020 The Ride Cole Short
2022 Doula The Priest
2023 Proof of Concept Eddie Cohen Short

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2002 Law & Order Bill Horton Episode: "Slaughter"
2002–06 The Sopranos Finn DeTrolio Recurring Cast: Seasons 4-6
2004 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Rico Episode: "Shrink-Wrapped"
2008 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Jacob Green Episode: "Vanishing Act"
2009 Law & Order Cal Episode: "Skate or Die"
2010 Mad Men Comedian Episode: "The Good News"
2011 Louie Goblin Episode: "Halloween/Ellie"
2012–13 Boardwalk Empire Hymie Weiss Guest: Season 3, Recurring Cast: Season 4
2013 Inside Amy Schumer Sam Episode: "Clown Panties"
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Officer Scott Graver Episode: "Military Justice"
2014 Broad City Will Episode: "Destination Wedding"
The Heart, She Holler Josiah Episode: "Groaning Amore"
2015 Deadbeat Chef Christopher Episode: "Table for Sue"
2016 American Experience Charles J. Guiteau Episode: "Murder of a President"
Netflix Presents: The Characters Jeremiah Episode: "Paul W. Downs"
The Night Of Dr. Ross Episode: "Ordinary Death"
The Daily Show Doug Bailey Episode: "Common"
2017 Gotham Wally Clarke Episode: "Hog Day Afternoon"
2019 Chicago P.D. Mark Rollins Episode: "Brotherhood"
2020 FBI: Most Wanted David Fallon Episode: "Grudge"
2024 Law & Order: Organized Crime Eric Bonner 2 episodes

Video Games

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Year Title Role
2005 Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories Donald Love (voice)
2008 Grand Theft Auto IV The Crowd of Liberty City (voice)
Midnight Club: Los Angeles Julian (voice)

References

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  1. ^ "MOB GALS, AND GUYS, WANT FINN et al". New York Post. May 16, 2004. Retrieved October 29, 2018.
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