# Michael Buscemi
**Michael Buscemi** (born 1960) is an American actor, writer, and director from Brooklyn, New York, known for character roles in independent film and television and as the younger brother of actor [Steve Buscemi](https://www.edgepedia.org/steve-buscemi)[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/michael_buscemi) • [2](https://cinegraph.org/people/michael-buscemi). His screen credits include Raymond in *Trees Lounge* (1996), Jimmy Creek in *BlacKkKlansman* (2018), and a recurring role as God on the Showtime series *Nurse Jackie*[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/michael_buscemi) • [3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0123946/?showAllCredits=true) • [4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/28031/michael-buscemi).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1960, Brooklyn, New York, USA[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/michael_buscemi) |
| Family | Younger brother of actor Steve Buscemi; parents Dorothy and John Buscemi[2](https://cinegraph.org/people/michael-buscemi) • [5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0123946/bio/) |
| Screen name | Sometimes credited as Michael Joseph Buscemi[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0123946/?showAllCredits=true) |
| Signature film role | Raymond in *Trees Lounge* (1996), directed by his brother[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/michael_buscemi) |
| Notable TV role | God in 7 episodes of *Nurse Jackie* (2010–2012), plus Donald in season 7[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/28031/michael-buscemi) |
| Behind the camera | Writer and director of the shorts *Dos C*, *Mauselehome Sweet Home* (2010), and *B61* (2012)[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0123946/?showAllCredits=true) |
| Recent work | Writer, director, producer, and actor in *Pretty Soon, But Not Yet* (2025)[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0123946/?showAllCredits=true) |
## Acting career
Michael Buscemi's film debut came in his brother Steve's 1996 directorial feature *Trees Lounge*, in which he played Raymond[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/michael_buscemi). In a 2017 interview he described being on that set as nerve-racking and said he was proud of his brother's directing work; he also recalled that his father still kept the original Trees Lounge sign stored behind the garage[6](https://trainwreckdsociety.com/2017/08/30/michael-buscemi-interview/).
His subsequent film roles have been largely supporting parts in independent and studio productions, including Mr. Herrell in *Animal Factory* (2000), Robert Peders in *Interview* (2007), Scotty in *Replay* (2003), Phil in *The Girl Who Invented Kissing* (2017), and Andy in *Blackout* (2023)[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/michael_buscemi). In [Spike Lee](https://www.edgepedia.org/spike-lee)'s *BlacKkKlansman* (2018) he played Jimmy Creek, credited as Michael Joseph Buscemi[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0123946/?showAllCredits=true). On Rotten Tomatoes, *BlacKkKlansman* is his highest-rated film at 95 percent, and *Interview* his lowest at 58 percent[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/michael_buscemi).
**Television work.** Buscemi has appeared as a guest player across a range of American series. On *Nurse Jackie* he played God in seven episodes between 2010 and 2012, and Donald in a 2015 episode[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/28031/michael-buscemi). Other credits include Lewis Pantowski in *The Sopranos* (1999), Benji in *Orange Is the New Black* (2015), Leslie Romero in *Mr. Robot* (2015), Steve in *The Night Of* (2016), Merton in *Gotham* (2017), and Owen Stapleton in *Blue Bloods* (2014)[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/28031/michael-buscemi) • [7](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-43449/filmographie/).
## Work with Steve Buscemi
The brothers have collaborated repeatedly. Beyond *Trees Lounge*, Michael appeared in 19 episodes of the AOL unscripted web series *Park Bench with Steve Buscemi* (2014–2015), in which he played himself as the host's brother running a rival talk show, Bench Talk, that frequently stole his brother's guests[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0123946/?showAllCredits=true) • [8](https://time.com/3850560/steve-buscemi-park-bench/). In a 2015 interview, Steve Buscemi described the rivalry bit as one of the show's improvised scenarios rather than a scripted element[8](https://time.com/3850560/steve-buscemi-park-bench/). Michael also appeared as himself in a 2011 episode of *Who Do You Think You Are?*, identified as Steve's brother[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0123946/?showAllCredits=true).
## Writing and directing
Buscemi has written and directed several short films. His credits include *Dos C* (2009, also executive producer), *Mauselehome Sweet Home* (2010), and *B61* (2012), in which he also played Vincent[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0123946/?showAllCredits=true). He has described the shorts as a way to test material: when someone offered to finance a short, he pulled bus scenes from a feature script he was developing and re-edited them to compress a three-month story into six days, to see whether the writing worked before continuing the full-length script[6](https://trainwreckdsociety.com/2017/08/30/michael-buscemi-interview/).
In 2025 he wrote, directed, produced, and played Vincent in *Pretty Soon, But Not Yet*[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0123946/?showAllCredits=true). His upcoming acting credits listed by IMDb include *The House Call*, *Heavenly Wickedness*, and *Morning Shine*[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0123946/?showAllCredits=true).
## Background
Buscemi was born in Brooklyn, New York[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/michael_buscemi). In a 2017 interview he described his entry into performing as a happy accident: a high school friend brought him to a Sunday-night gathering of performers near his [Lower East Side](https://www.edgepedia.org/lower-east-side) apartment, where poets and musicians performed; the two signed up the following week and kept performing for eight years in East Village venues before rising rents pushed him to Brooklyn, after which a commercial agent led him into acting work[6](https://trainwreckdsociety.com/2017/08/30/michael-buscemi-interview/).
## References
1. [Michael Buscemi Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/michael_buscemi)
2. [Michael Buscemi, Cinegraph](https://cinegraph.org/people/michael-buscemi)
3. [Michael Buscemi (I), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0123946/?showAllCredits=true)
4. [Michael Buscemi, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/28031/michael-buscemi)
5. [Michael Buscemi – Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0123946/bio/)
6. [Michael Buscemi [Interview], Trainwreck'd Society (2017)](https://trainwreckdsociety.com/2017/08/30/michael-buscemi-interview/)
7. [Michael Buscemi : Filmographie, AlloCiné](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-43449/filmographie/)
8. [How Steve Buscemi Created a Hit Talk Show on a Park Bench, TIME](https://time.com/3850560/steve-buscemi-park-bench/)
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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 Br to B*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license