Robert Knepper Biography: Age, Wife, Net Worth, Children, Movies, Career, Height, Parents

Robert Lyle Knepper, known professionally as Robert Knepper, is an American actor renowned for his chilling portrayal of Theodore “T-Bag” Bagwell on the Fox series Prison Break, a role that earned him a Teen Choice Award nomination for Choice TV Villain and typecast him as masterful antagonists across film and television.

He honed his craft in over 100 professional theater productions before breaking into Hollywood with early film roles in Young Guns II and Gas Food Lodging, building toward breakout TV work on shows like ER and Heroes.

Knepper’s career spans gritty indie dramas, blockbusters including The Hunger Games: Mockingjay films and Hitman, and prestige miniseries like Good Night, and Good Luck, where he embodied Don Surine opposite George Clooney.

Profile

• Full Name: Robert Lyle Knepper
• Stage Name: Robert Knepper
• Born: July 8, 1959
• Age: 68 years old
• Birthplace: Fremont, Ohio, United States
• Nationality: American
• Occupation: Actor
• Height: 1.75m
• Parents: Donald Knepper, Pat Deck
• Siblings: Unknown
• Spouse: Tory Herald (m. 2005-2009), Nadine Kary (m. 2013)
• Children: Benjamin Knepper
• Relationship: Married
• Net Worth: $2 million

Early Life and Education

Robert Lyle Knepper was born on July 8, 1959 in Fremont, Ohio, to Donald Knepper and Pat Deck, with no public details about him having any siblings.

He graduated from Maumee High School in 1977 before majoring in theater at Northwestern University, where he built a foundation in performance through rigorous training.

His early theater work in hometown productions sparked a lifelong stage commitment before Hollywood beckoned. Knepper’s ethnicity aligns with American roots, and his religion remains unknown.

Career

Robert Knepper launched into acting via theater, performing in over 100 professional productions after Northwestern, with early TV roles like Dr. Peter Roland on the short-lived E.A.R.T.H. Force in 1990.

He transitioned to film that year as Deputy Carlyle in Young Guns II, followed by the drifter Dank in Allison Anders’ Gas Food Lodging (1992), marking his indie cred.

Roles piled on through the 1990s: Nicholas Lang in D.O.A. (1988), Marino in Renegades (1989), and Lt. Jimmy Creedmore in When the Bough Breaks (1994), blending action and drama.

By the early 2000s, he recurred as Dana Delany’s husband on Presidio Med and played RFK in Jackie, Ethel, Joan: The Women of Camelot miniseries.

Guest arcs on ER and The West Wing honed his range, while voice work in The Hunchback of Notre Dame added animation credits. His spy boss on ABC’s Thieves (2001) showcased eccentricity before bigger breaks loomed.

Knepper exploded with Theodore “T-Bag” Bagwell on Prison Break (2005-2009, 2017), the pedophilic inmate whose sly menace across four seasons and revival earned a Teen Choice nod and fan infamy.

He layered villains like Yuri Marklov in Hitman (2007), Johnson in Transporter 3 (2008), and Colonel in The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008), hitting blockbusters.

Samuel Sullivan on Heroes’ final season (2010) brought superpowered menace, while Good Night, and Good Luck (2005) offered prestige as Don Surine and Hostage (2005) gritty intensity.

Recurring on Cult (2013) and Breaking Bad amplified his TV villain throne, with films like R.I.P.D. (2013) and Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters voicing Kronos. Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (2016) as General Harkness solidified action cred amid steady output.

Robert Knepper delivers in recent fare like Warhunt (2022) as Sgt. Brewer, The Moderator (2022), and Mindcage (2022), alongside voice roles and indies such as The Retaliators (2021).

He lines up for The Last Supper (2025) as Judas Iscariot, The Lost Princess (2025), and Al Zarfa. Guest turns on S.W.A.T. and ongoing film work sustain his antagonist niche, with theater roots informing layered performances.

His filmography exceeds 60 credits, blending cult hits and mainstream draws that underscore versatility from indie origins to franchise foes.

Social Media

• Instagram Handle: @robert_knepperofficial
• Facebook Handle: Unknown
• Twitter Handle: Unknown

Personal Life

Robert Knepper married casting director Tory Herald in 2005, welcoming son Benjamin before their 2009 divorce. He wed Nadine Kary in 2013, building a stable family amid his career demands.

Knepper balances acting with private fatherhood, drawing from Ohio roots without further family disclosures.

Filmography

• Young Guns II (1990)
• Gas Food Lodging (1992)
• D.O.A. (1988)
• Hitman (2007)
• The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 (2014)
• Prison Break (2005)
• Heroes (2010)

Net Worth

Robert Knepper has an estimated net worth of $2 million. Salaries from Prison Break’s long run, Heroes arc, and films like Hitman and The Hunger Games series drive his earnings, supplemented by guest TV spots on Breaking Bad and S.W.A.T. plus steady indie and voice projects.