Chris Perfetti (born December 12, 1988) is an American actor. As of 2026[update], he portrays Jacob Hill on the ABC comedy Abbott Elementary, for which he was nominated for a Critics' Choice Award and won a Screen Actors Guild Award. His other roles include Tim Fletch on the NBC series Crossbones (2014), Brady on the HBO series Looking (2015), and Ben on The CW series In the Dark (2020).
Chris Perfetti | |
|---|---|
 Perfetti in 2025 | |
| Born | December 12, 1988[1][non-primary source needed] Rochester, New York, U.S. |
| Education | State University of New York, Purchase (BFA) |
| Occupation |
|
| Years active | 2012–present |
Early life and education
editChris Perfetti was born in Rochester, New York. He is of Italian descent.[2][non-primary source needed] He was raised in Webster, New York, and attended Webster Schroeder High School.[3][4] He is a graduate of the Conservatory of Theater at the State University of New York at Purchase, where he was a classmate of Micah Stock and Zoe Kravitz.[5]
Career
editPerfetti has appeared in Sons of the Prophet by playwright Stephen Karam, playing the role of Charlie.[6] For his work as Charlie, he received a Theatre World Award for Best Debut Performance in an Off-Broadway play.[7] Starting in December 2012, Perfetti played Bomber in the revival of Picnic by William Inge.[8] Perfetti appeared as Ariel in The Tempest at the Delacorte Theater in the summer of 2015. He also appeared in the indie drama film The Surrogate and Minyan.
Perfetti is also known for starring in Submissions Only (2010), Next Caller (2012), the NBC series Crossbones (2014) as series regular Tim Fletch, and as the character Brady in the second season of the HBO show Looking (2015), and its subsequent series finale television film, Looking: The Movie (2016).
Personal life
editIn 2026, Brunson revealed in a public speech at the GLAAD Awards with Perfetti in attendance that Perfetti proudly told her he is gay while she was getting his thoughts on his Abbott Elementary character being gay.[9]
Work
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Please Come with Me | Patrick | |
| 2019 | Sound of Metal | Harlan | |
| 2020 | Minyan | Eric | |
| 2020 | The Surrogate | Josh | |
| 2021 | The Virtuoso | The Motel Clerk | |
| 2023 | The Anne Frank Gift Shop | Ben | Short film |
| 2025 | Twinless | George |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Submissions Only | Party Goer | Episode: "Woof!" |
| 2012–2013 | Next Caller | Cody | 5 episodes |
| 2014 | Crossbones | Tim Fletch | 9 episodes |
| 2015 | Looking | Brady | 4 episodes |
| 2016 | Blue Bloods | ADA Elliot Pinsky | Episode: "Help Me, Help You" |
| 2016 | Looking: The Movie | Brady | Television film |
| 2016 | The Night Of | Lawyer / Cooper | 3 episodes |
| 2018 | Gotham | Cosmo Krank | Episode: "A Dark Knight: Pieces of a Broken Mirror" |
| 2018 | Bull | ADA Frank Russo | Episode: "But for the Grace" |
| 2019 | What We Do in the Shadows | Kyle | Episode: "City Council" |
| 2020 | In the Dark | Ben | Recurring role; 11 episodes |
| 2021 | Bonding | Patrick | Episode: "Threesomes" |
| 2021 | The Resident | Phillip Bondman | 3 episodes |
| 2021–present | Abbott Elementary | Jacob Hill | Main role |
| 2025 | It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia | Episode: "The Gang F***s Up Abbott Elementary" | |
| 2026 | DTF St. Louis | Kevin Van Der Lonse | 2 episodes |
Theatre
edit| Year | Title | Role | Venue | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Sons of the Prophet | Charles | Laura Pels Theatre | [10] |
| 2015 | The Tempest | Ariel | Delacorte Theatre | [10] |
| 2015 | Cloud Nine | Betty/Edward | Linda Gross Theatre | [10] |
| 2017 | Everybody | Performer | Signature Theatre | [10] |
| 2017 | Six Degrees of Separation | Trent | Ethel Barrymore Theatre | [10] |
| 2018 | The Low Road | Jim Trewitt | Public Theater | [10] |
| 2019 | Moscow Moscow Moscow Moscow Moscow Moscow | Masha | Robert W. Wilson MCC Theater Space | [10] |
| 2022 | King James | Matt | Steppenwolf Theatre | [10] |
| 2023 | Inherit the Wind | E.K. Hornbeck | Pasadena Playhouse | [11] |
| 2025 | Good Sex | Actor | Powerhouse: International | [12] |
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Ceremony | Category | Title | Work | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Theatre World Award | Outstanding Debut Performance | Sons of the Prophet | Won | [13] |
| 2020 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play | Moscow Moscow Moscow Moscow Moscow Moscow | Nominated | [14][15] |
| 2022 | Peabody Award | Entertainment | Abbott Elementary | Won | |
| 2023 | Critics' Choice Awards | Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Nominated | ||
| Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Won | [16] | ||
| 2024 | Nominated | [17] | |||
| 2025 | Critics' Choice Awards | Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Nominated | [18] |
References
edit- ↑ "Chris Perfetti Birthday". Theater World Awards. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
- ↑ "Instagram". instagram.com. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
- ↑ Rosenberry, Missy (June 30, 2014). "Schroeder grad in finals of So You Think You Can Dance". The Democrat and Chronicle. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
- ↑ "Webster grad appearing in new show premiering Tuesday on ABC". WHAM ABC 13. December 7, 2021. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
- ↑ "Chris Perfetti". purchase.edu. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
- ↑ Interview with Chris Perfetti
- ↑ "Theatre World Awards - Theatre World Awards". theatreworldawards.org. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
- ↑ "Chris Perfetti Theatre Credits, News, Bio and Photos". broadwayworld.com. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
- ↑ https://x.com/Variety/status/2029962909376491738
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Chris Perfetti Theatre Credits, News, Bio and Photos". broadwayworld.com. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
- ↑ See Alfred Molina, John Douglas Thompson & Chris Perfetti in INHERIT THE WIND at Pasadena Playhouse
- ↑ Elliot Page, Constance Wu, Brandon Flynn Will Explore ‘Good Sex’ in Experimental Off Broadway Play (EXCLUSIVE)
- ↑ "Chris Perfetti – Broadway Cast & Staff". IBDB. Retrieved September 24, 2025.
- ↑ "2020 Awards – Nominees and Recipients". Drama Desk. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
- ↑ Dan Meyer (June 13, 2020). "A Strange Loop, The Inheritance, Moulin Rouge! Win Big at 2020 Drama Desk Awards". Playbill. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
- ↑ Voyles, Blake (September 7, 2023). "83rd Peabody Award Winners". Retrieved September 7, 2023.
- ↑ "Nominations Announced for the 30th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards®" (Press release). Screen Actors Guild. January 10, 2024. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
- ↑ “Nominations announced for the 31st Annual Critics Choice Awards hosted by Chelsea Handler,” Critics Choice Association, December 5, 2025.