Morgan Spector is an American actor, born in 1980 in Santa Rosa, California. He was raised in a multicultural family; his father is of Ashkenazi Jewish heritage and his mother is of Irish descent. Spector earned his bachelor’s degree from Reed College and completed his acting training at the American Conservatory Theater (ACT) in San Francisco.
Spector is best known for his roles in high-profile television series. He portrays railroad tycoon George Russell in the HBO period drama “The Gilded Age.” In 2020, he starred as Herman Levin, a Jewish father navigating rising fascism in an alternate history of the United States, in HBO’s miniseries adaptation of Philip Roth’s “The Plot Against America.” His television credits also include recurring roles in “Boardwalk Empire,” “Person of Interest,” and “Homeland.”
As an artist of Jewish heritage, Spector actively advocates for Palestinian human rights and opposes Israeli military policy in the Occupied Territories. He is a prominent participant in the Artists4Ceasefire campaign, wearing the organization’s red lapel pin on red carpets at major entertainment industry events—including the Golden Globes and Emmy ceremonies—to demand an immediate ceasefire and humanitarian access in Gaza. Addressing his public advocacy, Spector explained: “I guess I do possibly feel a greater responsibility as an American who is seen as Jewish to speak up about what’s happening in Gaza, because Jewish safety is so often used to justify what is being done there, and I don’t think that’s legitimate.“ He rejects arguments that equate Jewish safety with military violence, frequently signing industry open letters advocating for an end to U.S. military support to Israel.
Spector is also one of the signatories of the 2025 public statement, “Global Jewish Call on the UN and World Leaders to Sanction Israel.”