David Marshall Grant

Life and career

Grant was born in Westport, Connecticut, to physician parents. Immediately after graduating from the Yale School of Drama, his first paying job was as Richard Gere's lover in the Broadway play Bent. A student at Juilliard during summer breaks from high school, Grant soon joined the Yale Repertory Company during his college days, and in 1978, made a great impression in the play Bent."

His first screen role was in the 1979 film French Postcards. He went on to appear in several more films, both on the big screen and television. In 1985, he co-starred with Kevin Costner in John Badham's film on bicycle racing, American Flyers. By this time, Grant was also working in episodic television and also had the role of Digger Barnes in the miniseries Dallas: The Early Years in 1986. In 1987 he played Sonny Binkley in the Matt Dillon film The Big Town. In 1989, he portrayed the gay character Russell Weller on the television show thirtysomething. Although he only appeared in four episodes between 1989–90, the role brought him considerable recognition, particularly in one groundbreaking episode that featured his character in bed with another male character - a scene that caused outcry among conservative sponsors at the time.

Grant went on to play roles in various television shows and movies, including Happy Birthday, Gemini, Legs, Labor of Love, CSI: Miami, Law & Order, Criminal Minds, and Alias. In 2004, he played a gay husband in the remake of The Stepford Wives, and played the father of Anne Hathaway's character in the 2006 film The Devil Wears Prada. His last appearance on television was in an episode of Party Down in May 2009.

On the stage, Grant is most notable for his portrayal of Joe Pitt in the first Broadway production of Tony Kushner's Angels in America. The role earned him a 1994 Tony Award nomination as Best Actor (Featured Role – Play).

In 1998, Grant began a career as a writer. His first play, Snakebit, premiered at NYC's Grove Street Playhouse and subsequently transferred to the Century Theatre. The play was nominated for the 1999 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play and was also nominated for an Outer Critics Circle Award. His second play, Current Events, was produced by Manhattan Theatre Club in 2000. His most recent play, Pen, opened in 2006 at Playwrights Horizons. Also in 2006, he began working for the ABC drama series Brothers & Sisters as a screenwriter, story editor and (as of season 2 in September 2007), a series producer. In October 2009, he was named 'Head Showrunner'. The show was co-produced by Ken Olin, whom Grant had worked with on thirtysomething many years earlier. In 2012, he was a writer and producer on the NBC musical series Smash.

Grant is the great-great-grandson of the first couple to have their wedding featured in the famous wedding announcement section of the New York Times. He is also a distant cousin to Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th President of the United States.