Jud Meyers

Jud launched his career on the stages of England, where he won the prestigious Evening News National Theatre award as Best Supporting Actor for his performance of Mercutio alongside Michael Sheen's Romeo in the Royal Exchange's production of Romeo & Juliet. The Guardian said of his performance "Meyers' swaggeringly macho Mercutio brawls with the exhilarating nastiness of a rumble on the terraces". He also won the Martini/Rossi National Theatre Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as Arnold Epstein in the British Premiere of Neil Simon's Biloxi Blues. The Daily Telegraph said he played the role with "Tense, brittle authenticity" and he appeared alongside Timothy West in the Theatre Royal's World Premiere of Himself and appeared as Biff in the famous Octagon's production of Death of a Salesman. Jud added to his Royal Exchange credits, appearing in Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge and Eric Bogosian's Drinking in America. He appeared in Brighton Beach Memoirs at the Library Theatre and the Off-West End World Premiere of Angels Still Falling, detailing the life of Jack Kerouac. Traveling back to the US, Meyers appeared in a leading role alongside the legendary Julie Harris (winner of five Tony Awards) and Philip Baker-Hall (Paul Thomas Anderson's Boogie Nights and Magnolia), playing Andrey Tolstoy in the New York Phoenix's World Premiere of Sonya. Alvin Klein of the New York Times said "Jud Meyers is intensely and individually effective" and Howard Kissel of the New York Post lauded Jud's "strong performance as Sonya's loyal son". The Village Voice commented that his performance showed the kind of creative power that makes Julie Harris such a celebrated artist". Meyers also put in a star turn with the Phoenix as Gethin Price in the first ever US production of Comedians. The New York Times said that he "evokes memories of Lenny Bruce" and the New York Daily News said that Jud was a "whacked out Andy Kaufman that has a certain air of danger to his performance that is truly riveting". While at the Phoenix, he appeared in the New York Premiere of John Patrick Shanley's Missing Marissa/Kissing Christine and then shifted over to the Helen Hayes Theatre and starred as Lawrence Vail in the New York revival of Once in a Lifetime. Of that performance, the New York Review said, "Jud Meyers' comic versatility, his dexterity and range are indeed the show's high point". While still on the East Coast, he appeared in the Off-Broadway World Premiere of Furious, Produced by the New York Theatre Alliance and Directed by Tony-Award winner, David Elliott. He also appeared alongside the brilliant Joseph Maher in the Long Wharf Theatre production of The Entertainer. Jud then appeared in Shimmer, a widely-hailed Off-Broadway One-Person show at the newly-opened Irish Repertory Theatre, where he played twenty different characters. Following the success of its New York run, it transferred to Los Angeles, with long stays at the Two Roads Theatre and then, the Lee Strasberg Theatre in Hollywood. The New York Times called it a "rivetingly kinetic solo performance piece". The Los Angeles Times said, "Meyers shifts easily among the various characters that circle like threats or promises". Time Out New York said, "Jud Meyers is the savvy cyclone racing across this plain. Beware his dust storm". LA Weekly remarked on his "fiercely authentic characterizations". Dramalogue wrote, "A powerful performance. It is rare that an actor can command the stage to this extent". And National Theatre Magazine called it a "Bravura performance". Once in Los Angeles, he stayed on and took a turn as a Director for the Los Angeles Premiere of Tucumcari at the Matrix Theatre, starring Alysia Reiner (Orange is the New Black, Egg). This led to his next big challenge as a writer, director, producer and actor in the Festival feature film, "The Peppermint Tree", starring Reiner, David Alan Basche (The Exes), William Marsh (Saving Private Ryan) and Kirk Baltz (Reservoir Dogs). In 2000, Jud optioned Jar of Fools, the Graphic Novel by Jason Lutes, and wrote the screenplay adaptation. The news made the cover of Variety due to the sale of the script to Wicked Monkey Productions. As a supporting film actor, Jud had a blast playing Fitz, the crazy henchman who suffers a bloody death at the hook of Tony Todd's Candyman in Day of the Dead and in the world of television, Jud appeared in the short-lived NBC series, First Years, starring Samatha Mathis and Sydney Poitier and Directed by Scott Winant and Timothy Busfield. He appeared in Sherman's March, also a pilot for NBC and two intense episodes of Law and Order, Directed by Ed Sherin. In the UK, Jud was a guest-star on both Stealing the Fire for Alan Bell at the BBC and as a deaf, but deadly CIA agent in Atonement, starring Alfred Molina (Boogie Nights, Spider-Man). Jud has also spent some time in the comic book publishing world and also owned bookstores in Los Angeles. He has a passion for working with Children's Charity organizations. His company has built reading rooms for LA+USC Children's Hospital and LA County Hospital. He's also raised tens of thousands of dollars for Children's Hospital Los Angeles, championing their Make March Matter annual events.