T.R. Knight
T.R. Knight, born Theodore Raymond Knight on March 26, 1973, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is a notable actor celebrated for his role as Dr. George O'Malley on the popular television series *Grey's Anatomy*. His acting journey began at an early age, with his first performance at five years old, leading him to pursue theater extensively throughout his youth. After high school, Knight moved to New York City to follow a career in Broadway, where he achieved success in productions such as *Noises Off* and *Tartuffe*. Knight's breakthrough came with his role in *Grey's Anatomy*, which earned him an Emmy Award nomination but also brought personal challenges, including a public confrontation with a co-star that forced him to come out as gay.
Following his departure from the show in its fifth season, Knight continued to work in theater and appeared in various films and television series, including *The Good Wife* and *The Flight Attendant*. He married Patrick Leahy in 2013 and remains active in the entertainment industry, participating in projects that span stage, television, and film. Knight's career showcases his ability to navigate the complexities of fame while maintaining his artistic integrity, making him a respected figure in the acting community.
Subject Terms
T.R. Knight
Actor
- Born: March 26, 1973
- Place of Birth: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Contribution: T. R. Knight is a respected stage, television, and film actor best known for his role as Dr. George O’Malley in the television drama Grey’s Anatomy.
Background
T. R. Knight was born Theodore Raymond Knight on March 26, 1973, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Knight was involved in his local theater from a young age, appearing in his first production at the age of five, claiming the role of Tiny Tim in the Guthrie Theater’s production of A Christmas Carol.
Knight continued to perform at the Guthrie Theater while attending high school at the Academy of Holy Angels in Richfield, Minnesota. Following graduation, Knight decided to skip college to pursue a professional acting career. He worked with the Guthrie Theater for two years before deciding to move to New York City to pursue a career on Broadway.
Career
Knight was not able to find work on Broadway immediately, but he did take part in several Off-Broadway plays, such as Macbeth, This Lime Tree Bower, and The Hologram Theory. Additionally, he often managed to make the trip back to Minneapolis to take part in productions with the Guthrie Theater, starring in Amadeus and performing in Ah, Wilderness. After these successes, Knight landed his first Broadway role, starring in Noises Off in 2001 alongside Patti LuPone and Peter Gallagher. Knight continued to make a name for himself in Broadway plays such as Tartuffe and Scattergood, for which he earned a nomination for a Drama Desk Award for outstanding featured actor in a play.
While working on Broadway, Knight auditioned for and received his first film role, in Garmento (2002), a film that critiques the fashion industry. Capitalizing on his appearance, Knight decided to try for more film roles. Instead, he received a recurring television role on the sitcom Charlie Lawrence. Though six episodes were filmed in total, the show was canceled after just two. Still, Knight persisted, landing single-episode bit parts in prominent television shows such as Frasier, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.
Continually auditioning for small parts while earning only limited success began to wear on Knight. He returned to theater for a short time to take a leading role in the production Boy in late 2004. Following his performance in Boy, Knight earned the breakthrough role of his career: he was cast as the bungling surgical intern George O’Malley on the critically acclaimed medical drama Grey’s Anatomy, which began running in 2005. O’Malley was one of the softer characters on the drama and sometimes had trouble keeping up intellectually and professionally with the other interns at the hospital. He became a resident, however, and, eventually, a doctor. His character was popular on the show, and Knight received an Emmy Award nomination in 2007.
His participation in the program caused some drama in Knight’s personal life, however. During a heated argument with a coworker, fellow Grey’s Anatomy star Isaiah Washington used a derogatory slur toward gay people in reference to Knight. The comment caused severe media backlash toward Washington and prompted Knight to come out publically as gay. Because of this, Washington was fired from the show during season three.
Along with other issues, the scandal caused Knight’s camera time to be inexplicably cut, and Knight asked to be relieved of his contract during season five. Thus, at the beginning of season six, O’Malley was hit by a bus while leaving the hospital and suddenly killed. Though he has been criticized for walking out on a lucrative $14 million contract, Knight regarded the decision as the right one for him. He did return to the series in 2020 for one episode in which he reappeared in a dream.
After Grey’s Anatomy, Knight returned to the theater, taking major roles in A Life in the Theatre and Parade. He appeared in the Jackie Robinson biopic 42 (2013), and he returned to television for a recurring role on the series The Good Wife (2013). Following a role in the comedy-drama A Year and Change in 2015, he landed a part as Johnny Clayton in the much-hyped Hulu miniseries adaptation of the 2011 Stephen King novel 11/22/63 in 2016. In addition to appearances in several episodes of the television series The Catch (2017) and Genius (2017–18) as well as a role in the musical film Hello Again (2017), he also began lending his voice to the character Sir Cedric in the Hulu animated series The Bravest Knight in 2019.
In 2020, Knight starred in the film The Comey Rule and appeared on an episode of the sitcom Will & Grace. He also appeared in the series The Flight Attendant from 2020 to 2022. In 2024, he starred in the film Adam the First, about a boy searching for his real father.
Impact
Knight was able to transform himself from an accomplished stage actor to a television actor. Although his television career was cut short by an incident that forced him to reveal intimate details of his personal life, he did not let the event define him as an actor. Knight continues to act onstage and in films and television series.
Personal Life
Knight married Patrick Leahy in 2013.
Principal Work
Film
Garmento, 2002
The Last Request, 2006
42, 2013
A Year and Change, 2015
Hello Again, 2017
The Comey Rule, 2020
Adam the First, 2024
Television
Charlie Lawrence, 2003
Grey’s Anatomy, 2005–9
The Good Wife, 2013
11.22.63, 2016
The Flight Attendant, 2020-2022.
Theater
Noises Off, 2001
Boy, 2004
Parade, 2009
A Life in the Theatre, 2010
Bibliography
Hernandez, Ernio. “T. R. Knight to Star as Boy in Word Premiere Julia Jordan Play at Primary Stages.” Playbill.com, 2 Apr. 2004, playbill.com/article/tr-knight-to-star-as-boy-in-world-premiere-julia-jordan-play-at-primary-stages-com-118880. Accessed 20 Sept. 2024.
Mitovich, Matt. “T. R. Knight Speaks Out: ‘Leaving Grey’s Was Not Easy.’” TV Guide, 19 June 2009, www.tvguide.com/news/knight-leaving-greys-1007088/. Accessed 20 Sept. 2024.
Nudd, Tim. “T. R. Knight: Isaiah Washington’s Slur Made Me Come Out.” People, 17 Jan. 2007, people.com/celebrity/t-r-knight-isaiah-washingtons-slur-made-me-come-out/. Accessed 20 Sept. 2024.
Rudolph, Ileane. “T. R. Knight Talks Returning to TV on The Good Wife.” TV Guide, 25 Jan. 2013, www.tvguide.com/news/tr-knight-good-wife-1059567/. Accessed 20 Sept. 2024.
"T.R. Knight." IMDb, 2024, www.imdb.com/name/nm1165660/. Accessed 20 Sept. 2024.