Biografi
Peter Douglas is a classically trained actor, writer, and producer recognized for his contributions to television series such as Modern Family (ABC), True Detective (HBO), The Mentalist (CBS), Masters of Sex (Showtime), The Rookie (Lifetime), and Bosch (Amazon).
A great nephew of screen and stage icons Shirley Jones and Jack Cassidy, Peter grew up in Maryland near Washington, DC. At seven years old, he staged his first production—a one-boy adaptation of "The Empire Strikes Back." Playing all the characters, he humorously lost his audience when he performed the first romantic scene between Han and Leia by kissing himself. Despite this, Peter developed a passion for live theater that continued through his youth.
Attending a Catholic boys' school, Peter discovered his vocal talents in productions of "Twelve Angry Men" and "To Kill A Mockingbird." His true theatrical passion, however, emerged in high school with Shakespeare. At fifteen, he portrayed the aging wizard and protective father Prospero in "The Tempest," a role that profoundly impacted him.
Eager to perform more Shakespeare, Peter auditioned for and was accepted to Interlochen Arts Camp near Traverse City, Michigan. In summer 1995, he played Henry V, earning the Director's Award and Robert C. Burroughs Outstanding Theater Award, and was invited to perform scenes and monologues from "Henry V" for Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The following summer, he returned to play Hamlet and again received the Robert C. Burroughs Outstanding Theater Award. Back in Washington, Peter took ensemble roles in Bertolt Brecht's "Caucasian Chalk Circle," Martin Duberman's "In White America," and Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Carousel," famously associated with his aunt Shirley Jones. After roles as Touchstone in "As You Like It" and John Proctor in "The Crucible," he interned with Victor Pappas at Seattle's Intiman Theater and studied Shakespeare through the Royal Shakespeare Company's Midsummer at Oxford program in 1998. There, he learned from distinguished actors and directors including Alan Rickman, Fiona Shaw, Derek Jacobi, and Mark Wing-Davey, with whom he later collaborated at Juilliard on Craig Lucas's musical "The Listener."
Throughout high school, Peter developed a strong interest in classical conservatory training. Following advice from a teacher, he audaciously auditioned for The Juilliard School's Drama Division Chair, Michael Kahn. Although the audition went well, Kahn recommended that Peter pursue college first due to his academic commitment.
Peter heeded this advice and studied creative writing at Stanford University. While there, he continued acting in student plays and major university productions, portraying Valentine in "Twelfth Night," Theseus in "A Midsummer Night's Dream," and the horse in "Equus." Concurrently, Peter became politically engaged, joining the ACLU, Greenpeace, and Amnesty International, and interning for Senator Ted Kennedy and First Lady Hillary Clinton. As graduation neared, although he contemplated law school and public service, his passion for theater prevailed.
To prepare for Juilliard auditions, Peter moved back to Maryland and began auditioning for regional theater. His first professional role was Agrippa in The Washington Shakespeare Company's "Antony & Cleopatra." Soon after, he starred as Hal Carter in William Inge's "Picnic," directed by Steven Scott Mazzola at The American Century Theater, alongside future Juilliard classmate Mary Rasmussen as Millie. Because the "Picnic" run conflicted with Juilliard's New York auditions, Peter and Mary auditioned together in Chicago. While rehearsing Herakles in Studio Theater's post-9/11 production of "Prometheus," directed by Joy Zinoman, Peter received his acceptance letter to Juilliard.
During his four years at Juilliard, Peter trained with instructors such as John Stix, Richard Feldman, Moni Yakim, Chris Bayes, Becky Guy, Deb Lapidus, Ralph Zito, Darryl Quinton, Wendy Waterman, Kate Wilson, and Mina Yakin. He performed in numerous roles, including Rooney in David Rabe's "Streamers" (dir. Becky Guy), Bodie in the original production of David Folwell's "Drug Buddy" (dir. Mark Nelson), and Ruckley in Dale Wasserman's "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" (dir. Brian Mertes). For Juilliard's centennial, he originated Max in Craig Lucas and Michael Torke's musical "The Listener" (dir. Mark Wing-Davey) and toured Chicago and Los Angeles as Oberon and Theseus in Joe Dowling's "A Midsummer Night's Dream," as well as Canterbury in Sam Gold's innovative production of Christopher Marlowe's "Edward II."
After graduating, Peter relocated to Los Angeles, appearing in various television shows and independent films, including the anti-bullying, pro-LGBTQ film "Love Is All You Need?"
Peter now divides his time between Los Angeles and New York, where he teaches, performs in theater, film, and television, and advocates for progressive political and social causes.
