# D. W. Moffett
**D. W. Moffett** (Donald Warren Moffett, born 1954) is an American film, stage, and television actor and director who has worked steadily since the mid-1980s across Broadway, Hollywood film, and network television, and who since 2016 has chaired the Film and Television Department at the [Savannah College of Art and Design](https://www.edgepedia.org/savannah-college-of-art-and-design) (SCAD).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0595631/) • [2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/dw-moffett/credits/3000396053/) His best-known screen roles include Joe McCoy on *Friday Night Lights* and John Kennish on *Switched at Birth*, and he appeared in [Steven Soderbergh](https://www.edgepedia.org/steven-soderbergh)'s *Traffic*, for which he shared in a Screen Actors Guild Award.[3](https://www.metacritic.com/person/dw-moffett/) • [4](https://aart.assembly.ca.gov/sites/aart.assembly.ca.gov/files/hearings/DW%20Moffett%20bio_2010.pdf)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name / born | Donald Warren Moffett, born 1954 in Highland Park, Illinois[2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/dw-moffett/credits/3000396053/) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0595631/) |
| Height | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m), listed as his trademark[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0595631/) |
| Stage breakthrough | Felix in Larry Kramer's *The Normal Heart* at the Public Theater, opposite Brad Davis[4](https://aart.assembly.ca.gov/sites/aart.assembly.ca.gov/files/hearings/DW%20Moffett%20bio_2010.pdf) • [5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/d-w-moffett/) |
| Broadway credits | *The Real Thing* (1984, replacement), *The Boys of Winter* (1985), *Contact* (2000–2002)[6](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/donald-warren-moffett-86384) |
| Signature TV roles | Joe McCoy on *Friday Night Lights* (Metascore 83); John Kennish on *Switched at Birth*, 86 episodes over five seasons[3](https://www.metacritic.com/person/dw-moffett/) • [7](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/13828/dw-moffett) |
| Notable films | *Stealing Beauty* (1996), *Thirteen* (2003), *Twisted* (2004), *Traffic* (2000, SAG Award), *One Battle After Another* (2025)[8](https://www.fandango.com/people/dw-moffett-460638/film-credits) • [4](https://aart.assembly.ca.gov/sites/aart.assembly.ca.gov/files/hearings/DW%20Moffett%20bio_2010.pdf) • [9](https://www.ajc.com/business/2025/10/scad-film-leader-explains-how-he-landed-role-in-one-battle-after-another/) |
| Academic post | Joined SCAD faculty in Fall 2016; named Chair of the Film and Television Department in December 2016[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0595631/) |
## Early life and path to acting
Moffett is a native of the Chicago suburb of [Wilmette, Illinois](https://www.edgepedia.org/wilmette-illinois).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0595631/) He graduated from Stanford University with a degree in International Relations and took a job at Chicago's Continental Bank, giving acting no thought until he enrolled in an evening class, in one account to broaden his artistic horizons and in another on a dare.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0595631/) • [4](https://aart.assembly.ca.gov/sites/aart.assembly.ca.gov/files/hearings/DW%20Moffett%20bio_2010.pdf) The classes were taught at [David Mamet](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-mamet)'s St. Nicholas Theatre; within six months he had left the business world, joined the St. Nicholas Theatre, and become a founding member of the Remains Theatre Company, where he starred in, directed, or produced more than 40 productions.[5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/d-w-moffett/) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0595631/)
## Stage career
In 1983, fellow Chicago actor-director [John Malkovich](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-malkovich) cast Moffett in a revival of [Lanford Wilson](https://www.edgepedia.org/lanford-wilson)'s *Balm in Gilead*, which transferred off-Broadway to New York.[5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/d-w-moffett/) His Broadway debut came replacing [Peter Gallagher](https://www.edgepedia.org/peter-gallagher) in a small role in Tom Stoppard's *The Real Thing* in 1984.[5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/d-w-moffett/) The following year he played Felix, a gay *New York Times* reporter who dies of AIDS-related complications, in Larry Kramer's *The Normal Heart* at the Public Theater, the role that first brought him national attention, and appeared on Broadway in *The Boys of Winter* alongside Matt Dillon, Wesley Snipes, and Andrew McCarthy.[4](https://aart.assembly.ca.gov/sites/aart.assembly.ca.gov/files/hearings/DW%20Moffett%20bio_2010.pdf) • [5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/d-w-moffett/) Later stage work includes the Broadway musical *Contact* (2000–2002, as replacement for Michael Wiley), *Established Price* at the Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven (1989–90), a 1993 return to Remains Theatre in David Marshall Grant's *Snakebit*, and a critically acclaimed production of *The Philadelphia Story* with Kevin Spacey at the Old Vic in London.[6](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/donald-warren-moffett-86384) • [5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/d-w-moffett/) • [4](https://aart.assembly.ca.gov/sites/aart.assembly.ca.gov/files/hearings/DW%20Moffett%20bio_2010.pdf)
## Film and television
Moffett made his small-screen debut in the 1985 NBC television movie *An Early Frost*, one of the first productions to focus on AIDS, playing [Peter Hilton](https://www.edgepedia.org/peter-hilton), the lover of [Aidan Quinn](https://www.edgepedia.org/aidan-quinn)'s character.[5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/d-w-moffett/) His feature debut followed in *The Misfit Brigade* (1986), and he then appeared opposite [Debra Winger](https://www.edgepedia.org/debra-winger) in *Black Widow* (1987) and as a murderous stalker in *Lisa* (1990).[5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/d-w-moffett/) • [8](https://www.fandango.com/people/dw-moffett-460638/film-credits) His first series lead was *The Oldest Rookie* (CBS, 1987), as detective Tony Jonas, partner of Paul Sorvino's title character.[5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/d-w-moffett/)
**Series regular roles.** Moffett's television credits include series regular parts on *The Oldest Rookie*, *Hidden Palms*, *Skin*, *For Your Love*, *Chicago Sons*, and *Life is Wild*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0595631/) On *For Your Love* he was a co-star from 1998 and later directed eight episodes between 1999 and 2002.[5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/d-w-moffett/) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0595631/) His most memorable recurring part, according to his 2010 biography, was the reviled Joe McCoy on the award-winning *Friday Night Lights*, which carries the highest Metascore (83) of the 39 TV shows listed in his Metacritic career overview.[4](https://aart.assembly.ca.gov/sites/aart.assembly.ca.gov/files/hearings/DW%20Moffett%20bio_2010.pdf) • [3](https://www.metacritic.com/person/dw-moffett/) From 2011 to 2017 he played John Kennish, father of the title characters, as a series regular for all five seasons of the Peabody Award-winning *Switched at Birth*, totaling 86 episodes.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0595631/) • [7](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/13828/dw-moffett) Later television work includes Cornelius Rhodes on *Chicago Med* (16 episodes), Jeff Walsh on *How to Get Away with Murder* (2017–2020), and Tripp DeWitt on *Monarch* (2022, six episodes).[7](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/13828/dw-moffett) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0595631/)
**Feature films.** Moffett played a seductive older man pursued by [Liv Tyler](https://www.edgepedia.org/liv-tyler)'s character in [Bernardo Bertolucci](https://www.edgepedia.org/bernardo-bertolucci)'s *Stealing Beauty* (1996), Travis Freeland, the father in [Catherine Hardwicke](https://www.edgepedia.org/catherine-hardwicke)'s *Thirteen* (2003), and Ray Porter in *Twisted* (2004).[5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/d-w-moffett/) • [8](https://www.fandango.com/people/dw-moffett-460638/film-credits) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0595631/) In Steven Soderbergh's *Traffic* (2000) he played Jeff Sheridan, an advisor to the newly appointed drug czar played by Michael Douglas, and the cast won a Screen Actors Guild Award.[5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/d-w-moffett/) • [4](https://aart.assembly.ca.gov/sites/aart.assembly.ca.gov/files/hearings/DW%20Moffett%20bio_2010.pdf) In 2025 he appeared as Bill Desmond in Paul Thomas Anderson's *One Battle After Another*, which the Atlanta Journal-Constitution described as the highest-budgeted film of his career; on Rotten Tomatoes it is his highest-rated title at 94 percent.[9](https://www.ajc.com/business/2025/10/scad-film-leader-explains-how-he-landed-role-in-one-battle-after-another/) • [10](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/dw_moffett)
## Directing and teaching
Moffett returned to the director's chair with episodes of *Happily Divorced* (2013), *Switched at Birth* (three episodes, 2014–2017), the [Disney Channel](https://www.edgepedia.org/disney-channel)'s *Austin & Ally* (2015), and the short *Holiday Hostage* (2018).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0595631/) In the fall of 2016 he joined the faculty of the Savannah College of Art and Design in both Performing Arts and Film and [Television](https://www.edgepedia.org/television), and in December 2016 was named Chair of the Film and Television Department.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0595631/) As chair he continues to take acting roles when his schedule permits, bringing current industry practice back to his students; his work on *One Battle After Another* supplied material for the classroom.[9](https://www.ajc.com/business/2025/10/scad-film-leader-explains-how-he-landed-role-in-one-battle-after-another/)
## Personal life
Moffett married Kristal Rogers on April 5, 1997; the couple have two children.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0595631/) He has also narrated the audiobook of John Grisham's *The Firm*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0595631/)
## References
1. [D.W. Moffett, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0595631/)
2. [D.W. Moffett List of Movies and TV Shows, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/dw-moffett/credits/3000396053/)
3. [D.W. Moffett, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/person/dw-moffett/)
4. [D. W. Moffett biography (2010), California Assembly Arts & Entertainment hearing materials](https://aart.assembly.ca.gov/sites/aart.assembly.ca.gov/files/hearings/DW%20Moffett%20bio_2010.pdf)
5. [D.W. Moffett, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/d-w-moffett/)
6. [Donald Warren Moffett, IBDB](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/donald-warren-moffett-86384)
7. [D.W. Moffett, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/13828/dw-moffett)
8. [D.W. Moffett Filmography and Movies, Fandango](https://www.fandango.com/people/dw-moffett-460638/film-credits)
9. [SCAD film leader explains how he landed role in 'One Battle After Another', The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Oct 24, 2025)](https://www.ajc.com/business/2025/10/scad-film-leader-explains-how-he-landed-role-in-one-battle-after-another/)
10. [D.W. Moffett Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/dw_moffett)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames Mo to N*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license