Lewis Jefferson Mays (born June 8, 1965) is an American actor. He is the recipient of numerous accolades, including a Tony Award, a Helen Hayes Award, a Lucille Lortel Award, two Drama Desk Awards, two Outer Critics Circle Awards and three Obie Awards.

This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (March 2013)

Quick Facts Born, Education ...

Jefferson Mays
Born	Lewis Jefferson Mays (1965-06-08) June 8, 1965 (age 58) Clinton, Connecticut, U.S.
Education	Yale University (BA) University of California, San Diego (MFA)
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1988–present
Spouse	Susan Lyons ​ (m. 2003)​

Close

Mays was raised in Clinton, Connecticut, with his parents, a naval intelligence officer and a children's librarian, and his siblings.^[1] Mays graduated from Yale College, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree, and the University of California, San Diego, where he earned a Master of Fine Arts from the graduate acting program.^[2][1] He appeared at La Jolla Playhouse,^[3] Long Wharf Theatre,^[4] the Williamstown Theatre Festival,^[5] and Playwrights Horizons.^[6]

Mays appeared on Broadway in I Am My Own Wife, a Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Doug Wright, from November 2003 (previews) to October 31, 2004.^[7] He had appeared in the play Off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons in May 2003,^[6] and at the La Jolla Playhouse in July 2001.^[3] Mays won the 2004 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play, the 2004 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding One-Person Show, an Obie Award, and a 2004 Theatre World Award for his solo performance.^[7] He also won the 2007 Helpmann Award for Best Male Actor in a Play for seasons of I Am My Own Wife in Australia in 2006.^{[citation needed]}

Mays starred in two Broadway revivals in 2007. He appeared as Henry Higgins in Pygmalion,^[8] in which he won critical praise. The TheaterMania reviewer called him "pitch-perfect", and the production an "excellent revival".^[9] He appeared in a revival of Journey's End in February to June 2007, in which he starred as Private Mason.^[10] Ben Brantley, in The New York Times, called the production "acutely staged and acted."^[11] The TheaterMania reviewer wrote: "Mays is a reliable, obliging Mason."^[12]

In August 2009, Mays appeared at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in Quartermaine's Terms by Simon Grey.^[5][13]

Mays starred in the 2013 Broadway musical A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, in which he played nine roles. He performed in the musical from October 2013 (previews) until closing on January 17, 2016.^[14][15][16] He won the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical.^[17] He was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical^[18] and tied for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical (with Neil Patrick Harris).^[16][19] Mays played Terje Rød-Larsen in the Broadway play Oslo, for which he received a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play nomination. Mays played Mayor George Shinn in the 2022 Broadway revival of The Music Man.^[20]

Mays also narrates audiobooks, including The Expanse series and The Invention of Sound by Chuck Palahniuk.^{[citation needed]}

Mays has appeared in several television programs as well; he notably appeared in several episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as cross-dressing murderer Carl Rudnick, and as Black Dahlia suspect George Hodel in the Turner Network Television miniseries I Am the Night. His television credits include Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, The Good Wife, Nurse Jackie and The Americans.^{[citation needed]}

Mays is married to Australian actress Susan Lyons.^[2]