Jeff Hephner is an American actor, best known for the role of Jeff Clarke, first on the NBC television series Chicago Fire and then on its sister show, Chicago Med. On film, he co-starred with Jennifer Garner in the action thriller film Peppermint (2018). He also appears in the 2016 National Geographic TV series MARS and the Apple TV+ original science fiction space drama series For All Mankind. In January 2019, he co-starred in the film An Acceptable Loss. In 2023, he began hosting the game show Switch on Game Show Network.

Jeff Hephner
EducationSand Creek High School
Alma materCalvin College
Ferris State University
OccupationActor
Years active2000–present

Hephner has appeared in over 50 other films and television shows, including as Morgan Stanley Buffkin in the CW series Easy Money (2008–2009), and as Ben Zajac in the Starz political drama Boss (2011–2012). In 2015, he starred as the title character in the short-lived TNT action drama Agent X.

Early life

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Hephner is the youngest of three children born to Tom and Patti Hephner. He grew up in the small town of Sand Creek, Michigan, in southern Michigan near Adrian.[1] Hephner was athletic growing up, playing basketball and football, and he graduated from Sand Creek High School. Hephner was named to the all-state team for Class C-D for the 1993–1994 season.[2]

He attended and played basketball for Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan for two years[3] before transferring to Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan for two years.[4][5]

Career

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Hephner began his Hollywood career with small roles in two feature films, Tigerland (2000) and Maid in Manhattan (2002). After starring in the short-lived Fox series The Jury in 2004, in 2005, he guest-starred in the NBC series Law & Order: Criminal Intent in season 4: episode 21 titled "The Unblinking Eye". Hephner starred as author Pat Conroy in the Hallmark Hall of Fame TV movie The Water Is Wide (2006), based on Conroy's book and a remake of the drama Conrack (1974).

He starred in The CW series Easy Money, which aired for four episodes in October 2008 before being cancelled. The other four episodes aired in mid-2009. Following the cancellation of Easy Money, Hephner guest-starred in Private Practice, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, NCIS, Castle and had a recurring role in four episodes of the NBC medical drama Mercy. In 2010, Hephner replaced Ben Browder in a recurring role in the CW series Hellcats as football coach Red Raymond.[6]

BuddyTV ranked Hephner #86 on its list of "TV's Sexiest Men of 2011".[7] In 2011, Hephner was cast in the NBC series The Playboy Club, but was replaced by Eddie Cibrian before filming began.[8] From 2011 to 2012, Hephner played Ben Zajac in the Starz political drama series Boss. From 2013 to 2014, Hephner had a recurring role in the second season of the NBC drama Chicago Fire. In 2015, Hephner co-starred with Sharon Stone in the TNT series Agent X.

From 2016 to 2017, Hephner reprised his role as Jeff Clarke in Chicago Fire's medical spinoff Chicago Med, where Clarke returns to medical school. He appeared in the first season finale and recurred in the show until towards the end of the second season.

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2000 Tigerland McManus
2002 So How Do You Feel About Your Watch Jason Short film
Maid in Manhattan Harold the Room Service Waiter
The Outlands Adam Short film
2003 Romantic Love Romek Skalski Short film
2008 What Makes Alex Tick Rob Short film
Shoot First and Pray You Live (Because Luck Has Nothing to Do with It) Red Pierre
2013 Free Ride Bossman
2014 Interstellar Doctor
2018 Peppermint Chris North
2019 An Acceptable Loss Adrian
2021 The Shuroo Process Adrian
2023 Oppenheimer Congressman

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2004 The Jury Keenan O'Brien 10 episodes
2005 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Michael Pike Episode: "The Unblinking Eye"
Criminal Minds Boy in Image (Uncredited) Episode: "Extreme Aggressor"
2005–2006 The O.C. Matt Ramsey 13 episodes
2006 The Wedding Album Jake TV movie
Capitol Law Jason TV movie
The Water Is Wide Pat Conroy TV movie
2007 CSI: Miami Keith Reynolds Episode: "Bang, Bang, Your Debt"
Without a Trace Roy Episode: "Run"
2008 Nip/Tuck Kyle Ainge Episode: "Kyle Ainge"
House Sean Episode: "Frozen"
Cold Case David Nelson Episode: "The Road"
2008–2009 Easy Money Morgan Stanley Buffkin 8 episodes
2009 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Wayne Smith Episode: "Death and the Maiden"
Mercy Pete Boswick 4 episodes
2010 NCIS Commander Peter Sheridan Episode: "Ignition"
Private Practice Jerry Episode: "Shotgun"
Ghost Whisperer Alex Episode: "Dead Eye"
Drop Dead Diva Jack Bryant Episode: "Home Away from Home"
The 19th Wife Hiram TV movie
2010–2011 Hellcats Red Raymond 13 episodes
2011 Castle Edmund / Zalman Drake Episode: "Poof! You're Dead"
2011–2012 Boss Ben Zajac / Alex Zajac 18 episodes
2012 CSI: NY Evan Westcott Episode: "Unspoken"
2013 King & Maxwell Brady Ritter 2 episodes
2013–2017 Chicago Fire Jeff Clarke 20 episodes
2014 Madam Secretary Isaac Bishop Episode: "Another Benghazi"
2015 Agent X John Case / Agent X 10 episodes
2016 Code Black Ed Harbert 5 episodes
2016–2017 Chicago Med Jeff Clarke 16 episodes
2018 Mars Kurt Hurrelle Season 2, 6 episodes
Queen of the South Theo Carson Episode: "El Diablo"
2019 Love Takes Flight Charlie Allen TV movie (Hallmark Hall of Fame)
2019–2020 Almost Family Nick Cameron 5 episodes
2021 Our Kind of People Jack Harmon 3 episodes
2021–2022 For All Mankind Sam Cleveland Seasons 2–3, 4 episodes
2021–2023 Power Book II: Ghost Kevin Whitman 11 episodes
2023–present Switch Himself Host
2024 Eric Costello Miniseries[9]

References

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  1. ^ "Sand Creek native lands role in CW series". The Daily Telegram. Adrian. October 4, 2008.
  2. ^ "LHS's Holmes Makes Academic All-State Team". Ludington Daily News. May 14, 1994.
  3. ^ "College Notes". The Grand Rapids Press. October 19, 2007.
  4. ^ Ballard, Allison (January 27, 2006). "Putting Film Together". Wilmington Star News. Arts.
  5. ^ "Ferris Alum, Actor Jeff Hephner's Career Heats Up with Role on NBC's 'Chicago Fire'". Ferris State University. September 19, 2013.
  6. ^ Carina Adley MacKenzie (July 26, 2010). "'Hellcats': Jeff Hephner replaces Ben Browder as new football coach". Archived from the original on August 17, 2012. Retrieved November 24, 2010.
  7. ^ "TV's 100 Sexiest Men of 2011". BuddyTV. Retrieved March 9, 2012.
  8. ^ "Pilot Scoop: Eddie Cibrian Scores Playboy Lead". TVLine.com. Archived from the original on November 27, 2011. Retrieved May 13, 2011.
  9. ^ Otterson, Joe (February 3, 2023). "Benedict Cumberbatch-Led Netflix Limited Series 'Eric' Rounds Out Main Cast". Variety. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
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