Michael Stuhlbarg Biography: Age, Wife, Net Worth, Height, Parents, Movies & TV Shows, Awards

Michael Stuhlbarg is an American actor widely recognized for his chameleonic performances in film, television, and theater, including his Golden Globe-nominated lead role in the Coen brothers’ A Serious Man (2009) and as Arnold Rothstein in HBO’s Boardwalk Empire.

He gained popularity for his intense, quietly gripping supporting turns in Call Me By Your Name, The Shape of Water, and Doctor Strange.

Early Life and Education

Michael Stuhlbarg was born on July 5, 1968, in Long Beach, California, to parents Mort and Susan Stuhlbarg. He has no publicly known siblings. He attended Northwestern University’s National High School Institute “Cherub” program and studied acting at UCLA on a scholarship that allowed him to train under master mime Marcel Marceau.

He graduated with a BFA from The Juilliard School in 1992 (Drama Division’s Group 21), and further studied Chekhov at the Vilnius Conservatory in Lithuania, trained at the British American Drama Academy at Oxford, and studied with the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain at the University of London. He is Caucasian, and his religious beliefs are not publicly known.

Career

Michael Stuhlbarg began his career on the stage, performing with the Public Theater and earning acclaim in Shakespearean and contemporary productions, including The Pillowman on Broadway. His early film and television roles were small, but his first major breakthrough came in 2009 when the Coen brothers cast him as the put-upon physics professor Larry Gopnik in A Serious Man, earning a Golden Globe nomination. Early struggles included being a relatively unknown face in his late thirties, but the role established him as a leading character actor.

Following Boardwalk Empire (2010–2014), where he played gangster Arnold Rothstein with icy precision, Stuhlbarg became a favorite of auteurs like Luca Guadagnino (Call Me By Your Name, 2017), Guillermo del Toro (The Shape of Water, 2017), and the Russo brothers (Doctor Strange, 2016; Infinity War, 2018).

He has worked extensively with the Coens, Martin Scorsese (Hugo, 2011), and Steven Spielberg (Lincoln, 2012; The Post, 2017). His industry impact lies in elevating every film he touches, often in supporting roles that linger in memory. He continues to balance independent cinema, studio blockbusters, and theater, with the upcoming Digger (2026) adding to his eclectic filmography.

Awards and Nominations

• Golden Globe Award – Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy (Nomination, A Serious Man, 2010)
• Screen Actors Guild Award – Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series (Winner, Boardwalk Empire, 2012)
• Screen Actors Guild Award – Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture (Nomination, The Shape of Water, 2018)
• Tony Award – Best Featured Actor in a Play (Nomination, The Pillowman, 2005)
• Critics’ Choice Movie Award – Best Supporting Actor (Nomination, Call Me By Your Name, 2018)

Social Media

Michael Stuhlbarg does not have active social media accounts.

Personal Life

Michael Stuhlbarg, 57 years old and 1.73 m tall, married Mai-Linh Lofgren in 2013. The couple has no children. He is intensely private about his personal life, rarely granting interviews about family, and resides primarily in New York City, where he continues to work in theater and film.

Net Worth

Michael Stuhlbarg’s net worth is estimated at $4 million, accumulated through decades of steady work in theater, prestige television, and supporting roles in major studio films, as well as voiceover and narration projects.

Filmography

• A Serious Man (2009) – Larry Gopnik
• Boardwalk Empire (2010–2014) – Arnold Rothstein
• Hugo (2011) – René Tabard
• Lincoln (2012) – George Yeaman
• Steve Jobs (2015) – Andy Hertzfeld
• Doctor Strange (2016) – Nicodemus West
• Call Me By Your Name (2017) – Mr. Perlman
• The Shape of Water (2017) – Dr. Robert Hoffstetler
• The Post (2017) – Abe Rosenthal
• Avengers: Infinity War (2018) – Nicodemus West (cameo)
• Digger (2026) – Role TBA