# Jeff Hephner
**Jeff Hephner** (born Jeffrey Lane Hephner, 1975) is an American actor best known for playing firefighter-turned-medical student Jeff Clarke on the NBC series *Chicago Fire* and its sister show *Chicago Med*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0378363/) His other prominent roles include Ben Zajac on the Starz political drama *[Boss](https://www.edgepedia.org/boss-tv-series)* and the title role of John Case in the TNT series *Agent X*, and he has also worked as a game show host.[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/jeff-hephner/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name / born | Jeffrey Lane Hephner, 1975, in Michigan[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/jeff-hephner/) |
| Education | BA, Ferris State University, 1999; captain of the 1998-99 basketball team after two years at Calvin College[3](https://www.bigrapidsnews.com/local-news/article/Ferris-alumnus-Jeff-Hephner-nabs-role-in-NBC-s-14169346.php) |
| First break | Colin Farrell's stand-in on *Tigerland* (2000); director Joel Schumacher gave him the small role of McManus, which earned his SAG card[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0378363/) |
| Signature TV roles | Jeff Clarke on *Chicago Fire* (20 episodes, 2013-2017) and *Chicago Med* (16 episodes, 2016-2017); Ben Zajac on *Boss* (18 episodes, 2011-2012); John Case on *Agent X* (10 episodes, 2015)[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/9542/jeff-hephner) |
| Film work | *Interstellar* (2014, Doctor), *Peppermint* (2018, Chris North), *An Acceptable Loss* (2019, Adrian), *Oppenheimer* (2023, Congressman)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0378363/) |
| Hosting | Host of the GSN game show *Switch* (2023), 20 episodes[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/9542/jeff-hephner) |
| Family | Married to Heather Sylvia Adams since 2002; three children[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0378363/) |
## Early life and education
Sources agree that Hephner was born in Michigan in 1975 but disagree on the town: TV Insider and Rotten Tomatoes list Madison, Michigan; the Criminal Minds Wiki lists Madison Heights; and IMDb and the Chicago Fire Wiki list Sand Creek.[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/jeff-hephner/) • [5](https://criminalminds.fandom.com/wiki/Jeff_Hephner) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0378363/) A local Michigan newspaper describes him as a Sand Lake native, and the Chicago Fire Wiki gives Sand Creek as his place of birth.[3](https://www.bigrapidsnews.com/local-news/article/Ferris-alumnus-Jeff-Hephner-nabs-role-in-NBC-s-14169346.php) • [6](https://chicagofire.fandom.com/wiki/Jeff_Hephner)
Hephner spent two years at Calvin College in Grand Rapids before transferring to [Ferris State University](https://www.edgepedia.org/ferris-state-university), where he earned a BA in 1999.[3](https://www.bigrapidsnews.com/local-news/article/Ferris-alumnus-Jeff-Hephner-nabs-role-in-NBC-s-14169346.php) • [7](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/hephner-jeff-jeffrey-hephner) At Ferris he played basketball, appearing in 42 games over a three-year career, redshirting in 1996-97, and captaining the 1998-99 team that won the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament championship.[3](https://www.bigrapidsnews.com/local-news/article/Ferris-alumnus-Jeff-Hephner-nabs-role-in-NBC-s-14169346.php) He has credited the persistence learned in that program with preparing him for an acting career.[3](https://www.bigrapidsnews.com/local-news/article/Ferris-alumnus-Jeff-Hephner-nabs-role-in-NBC-s-14169346.php)
## Entry into acting
**Tigerland.** After leaving Ferris, Hephner moved to Florida and acted in community theater, including productions at the Atlantic Beach Experimental Theatre such as *Anna Christie* and *Taming of the Shrew*.[8](https://www.ferris.edu/alumni/success/2000-2009/2005/hephner.htm) • [7](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/hephner-jeff-jeffrey-hephner) He then worked as [Colin Farrell](https://www.edgepedia.org/colin-farrell)'s stand-in on *Tigerland* (2000), directed by [Joel Schumacher](https://www.edgepedia.org/joel-schumacher), and Schumacher gave him a small speaking role as McManus; Hephner has said this got him into the [Screen Actors Guild](https://www.edgepedia.org/screen-actors-guild).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0378363/) • [2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/jeff-hephner/) On Schumacher's advice he moved to New York, took workshops, and worked in student films and off-Broadway theater.[8](https://www.ferris.edu/alumni/success/2000-2009/2005/hephner.htm)
**Early screen roles.** He had a bit part as a room service waiter in *Maid in Manhattan* (2002), then a lead role as attorney Keenan O'Brien on the Fox legal drama *The Jury* (2004), from Baltimore Pictures.[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/jeff-hephner/) • [7](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/hephner-jeff-jeffrey-hephner) In 2006 he played author [Pat Conroy](https://www.edgepedia.org/pat-conroy) in the Hallmark Hall of Fame television film *The Water Is Wide*, opposite [Alfre Woodard](https://www.edgepedia.org/alfre-woodard) and [Frank Langella](https://www.edgepedia.org/frank-langella), filmed near Wilmington, North Carolina; Hephner called Langella a mentor.[8](https://www.ferris.edu/alumni/success/2000-2009/2005/hephner.htm) He then accumulated recurring and guest roles, including Matt Ramsey on *The O.C.* (2005-06), Pete Boswick on *Mercy* (2009), Red Raymond on *Hellcats* (13 episodes, 2010-11), and Morgan Buffkin on *Easy Money* (2008-09).[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/9542/jeff-hephner) • [9](https://www.nndb.com/people/174/000347130/)
## Boss, the Chicago franchise, and Agent X
On *Boss*, the Starz political drama with [Kelsey Grammer](https://www.edgepedia.org/kelsey-grammer), Hephner played Illinois state treasurer and governor-elect Ben Zajac across 18 episodes (2011-2012); the series was canceled after two seasons, and Hephner landed *Chicago Fire* when it ended.[3](https://www.bigrapidsnews.com/local-news/article/Ferris-alumnus-Jeff-Hephner-nabs-role-in-NBC-s-14169346.php) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0378363/)
He joined *Chicago Fire* in its second season as Jeff Clarke, a firefighter assigned to Firehouse 51, and appeared in 20 episodes through 2017.[3](https://www.bigrapidsnews.com/local-news/article/Ferris-alumnus-Jeff-Hephner-nabs-role-in-NBC-s-14169346.php) • [4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/9542/jeff-hephner) The character then transferred to the medical world: Hephner carried the same role onto *Chicago Med* for 16 episodes between 2016 and 2017.[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/9542/jeff-hephner) His *Chicago Fire* episode "No Regrets" placed him on the 2014 [Primetime Emmy Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/primetime-emmy-awards) ballot for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.[10](https://www.televisionacademy.com/sites/default/files/Guest-Performers_0.pdf)
In 2014 he landed the title role of *Agent X* (TNT, 2015), playing John Case, a covert agent answering to the [Vice President of the United States](https://www.edgepedia.org/vice-president-of-the-united-states), played by [Sharon Stone](https://www.edgepedia.org/sharon-stone), in a 10-episode season.[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/jeff-hephner/) • [4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/9542/jeff-hephner)
## Later work
Hephner has moved between film and television. He co-starred with [Jennifer Garner](https://www.edgepedia.org/jennifer-garner) in the action thriller *Peppermint* (2018) as Chris North, played political operative Adrian in *An Acceptable Loss* (released theatrically and on demand in January 2019), and played Charley Allen in the Hallmark Hall of Fame film *Love Takes Flight* (2019).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0378363/) • [11](https://onechicagocenter.com/2019/01/18/an-acceptable-loss-movie-jeff-hephner-interview/) • [2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/jeff-hephner/) In *An Acceptable Loss*, written and directed by former *Chicago Fire* executive producer Joe Chappelle, his character pursues a former national security advisor played by [Tika Sumpter](https://www.edgepedia.org/tika-sumpter).[11](https://onechicagocenter.com/2019/01/18/an-acceptable-loss-movie-jeff-hephner-interview/)
On television he played Kurt Hurrelle in the [National Geographic](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-geographic) series *Mars* (6 episodes, 2018), Sam Cleveland in *For All Mankind* (4 episodes, 2021-2022), Detective Kevin Whitman in *Power Book II: Ghost* (11 episodes, 2021-2023), and appeared as a Congressman in *Oppenheimer* (2023).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0378363/) • [4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/9542/jeff-hephner) In 2023 he became host of the GSN game show *Switch*, and in 2024 he appeared as Richard Costello in the Netflix miniseries *Eric* (6 episodes), though TV Insider lists the character as Richard Castillo.[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/9542/jeff-hephner) • [2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/jeff-hephner/)
## Reception
Across his television credits Metacritic records an average career score of 59, with *Boss* his highest-rated series at 77 and *Ghost Whisperer* his lowest at 29.[12](https://www.metacritic.com/person/jeff-hephner/) Reviewers of *Agent X* were unfavorable: RogerEbert.com's review of the series was titled "TNT's 'Agent X' is Mumbo Jumbo Jingoism".[13](https://www.rogerebert.com/cast-and-crew/jeff-hephner) His film ratings have also run low, from 13% for *Peppermint* to 12% for *An Acceptable Loss* on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer, against 62% for *Love Takes Flight* and 69% for *The Water Is Wide*.[14](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jeff-hephner)
## References
1. [Jeff Hephner, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0378363/)
2. [Jeff Hephner, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/jeff-hephner/)
3. [Ferris alumnus Jeff Hephner nabs role in NBC's 'Chicago Fire', Big Rapids Pioneer (2013)](https://www.bigrapidsnews.com/local-news/article/Ferris-alumnus-Jeff-Hephner-nabs-role-in-NBC-s-14169346.php)
4. [Jeff Hephner, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/9542/jeff-hephner)
5. [Jeff Hephner, Criminal Minds Wiki](https://criminalminds.fandom.com/wiki/Jeff_Hephner)
6. [Jeff Hephner, Chicago Fire Wiki](https://chicagofire.fandom.com/wiki/Jeff_Hephner)
7. [Hephner, Jeff (Jeffrey Hephner), Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television via Encyclopedia.com](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/hephner-jeff-jeffrey-hephner)
8. [Jeff Hephner: Glimpse Behind the Scenes, Ferris State University Alumni (2005)](https://www.ferris.edu/alumni/success/2000-2009/2005/hephner.htm)
9. [Jeff Hephner, NNDB](https://www.nndb.com/people/174/000347130/)
10. [2014 Primetime Emmy Awards Ballot, Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series, Television Academy](https://www.televisionacademy.com/sites/default/files/Guest-Performers_0.pdf)
11. [An Acceptable Loss: Jeff Hephner talks his role in Joe Chappelle's thriller, One Chicago Center (2019)](https://onechicagocenter.com/2019/01/18/an-acceptable-loss-movie-jeff-hephner-interview/)
12. [Jeff Hephner, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/person/jeff-hephner/)
13. [Jeff Hephner, RogerEbert.com](https://www.rogerebert.com/cast-and-crew/jeff-hephner)
14. [Jeff Hephner, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jeff-hephner)
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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: 2000s onward › Surnames He to Hs*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 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