Michael Zegen

Biography

Michael Zegen is an American actor, born on February 20, 1979, in Ridgewood, New Jersey. He studied at Skidmore College and began his professional career in the early 2000s, gaining early attention through appearances on Late Show with David Letterman as the character “Dwight the Troubled Teen.”

Zegen gained recognition through television roles, particularly as Damien Keefe in Rescue Me (2004–2011) and Bugsy Siegel in the HBO crime drama Boardwalk Empire (2011–2014). He also appeared in The Walking Dead, How to Make It in America, Girls, The Good Wife, and Happyish.

His breakthrough came with The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2017–2023), in which he played Joel Maisel, Midge Maisel's former husband. His performance earned him two Screen Actors Guild Awards as part of the show's ensemble.

Zegen has also built a film career with appearances in Adventureland (2009), Taking Woodstock (2009), Frances Ha (2012), Brooklyn (2015), Becks (2017), Tyrel (2018), The Seagull (2018), The Stand In (2020), and Notice to Quit (2024).

Selected Filmography

Films

• The Girl Next Door (2007)
• Assassination of a High School President (2008)
• Adventureland (2009)
• Taking Woodstock (2009)
• Frances Ha (2012)
• Brooklyn (2015)
• Becks (2017)
• Tyrel (2018)
• The Seagull (2018)
• The Stand In (2020)
• Notice to Quit (2024)
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TV & Web Series

• Rescue Me (2004–2011)
• How to Make It in America (2011)
• The Walking Dead (2011)
• Boardwalk Empire (2011–2014)
• Girls (2014)
• The Good Wife (2015)
• The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2017–2023)
• The Penguin (2024)
• Too Much (2025) 
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Through his work in both comedy and drama, Zegen has established himself as a versatile character actor, with particularly memorable performances in Boardwalk Empire and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.