Biography
Preston Fritz Smith, a New York-based actor, portrays lobbyist Don Grundman in Season 2 of HBO's "Succession." He is best known for originating the term "Con Heads" during his memorable courtroom scene with Connor Roy, which sparked a nationwide fan club and resulted in numerous shipments of Con Heads merchandise—including clothing, drinkware, and buttons—delivered to his home the following week. Beyond "Succession," Preston's extensive TV credits include "Devious Maids," "Billions," "Horror at the Cecil Hotel," "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy," and three seasons as the lead detective on "The Perfect Murder," along with appearances in about a dozen films. In theater, his recent role as Wayne, a comedic "late bloomin' bisexual" Texas cowboy, earned him the Jurors' Award at New York's Fresh Fruit Festival. Preston trained in Paris at the Cours Florent drama school and in New York at The Barrow Group Theatre and School, where he completed the professional conservatory program and continues participating in play readings and weekly masterclasses. A lifetime member of The Actors Project NYC, he has also studied at MN Studio, The Network NYC, Broadway Comedy Club, and TVI Actor's Studio. In January 2024, he took part in a Tennessee Williams residency in Clarksdale, Mississippi, performing roles in three Williams plays and four staged readings directed by Karen Kohlhaas of the Atlantic Theater Company. A classically trained pianist and organist, Preston has performed for notable figures such as Oprah Winfrey, the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, NBC's Today Show, ABC's Good Morning America, Star Jones' wedding, and the funeral of Mrs. Walter Cronkite alongside eulogist Hillary Clinton. He has also concertized at Carnegie Hall and other major venues both domestically and internationally.
