Bio
Tate Donovan is an American actor and director best known for his television roles as Jimmy Cooper in the teen drama series The O.C. and as Tom Shayes in the legal thriller Damages.
He is also known for his starring role as Edward Bowers, the eldest son of the Bowers clan and the chief financial officer of Bowers Pharmaceuticals, in the television drama series Deception.
Donovan has appeared in such feature films as The Shooter with Mark Wahlberg, Nancy Drew, and the Academy Award-nominated Good Night, and Good Luck, for which he also shared a 2006 SAG Award nomination.
He also played the title role in Neal Cassady for IFC and in the independent film American Primitive.
In addition, he has had roles in The Pacifier, Swordfish, Murder at 1600, The Only Thrill, Ethan Frome, Love Potion #9, Memphis Belle, Clean and Sober, and Inside Monkey Zetterland, for which he earned an Independent Spirit Award nomination. He was also heard as the title voice in the Disney animated film Hercules.
On television, Donovan appeared in The Cleaner and was a regular on the popular FOX series The O.C., playing Jimmy Cooper, in which he also directed an episode.
Donovan was a regular on NBC's Trinity and had recurring roles on the long-running Friends and Ally McBeal. He wrote and directed a short film that appeared in the documentary Fired! for Showtime and worked as a field producer for a documentary on President-elect Barack Obama during the Democratic primary.
On stage, Donovan performed in Rabbit Hole, which won an Ovation Award at the Geffen Theatre. His additional stage credits include Broadway's Amy's View with Dame Judi Dench; Picnic; and the long-running hit Lobby Hero by Kenneth Lonnergan.
He's worked at the Williamstown Theatre Festival, Manhattan Theatre Club, The Roundabout, Mark Taper Forum and the Long Wharf.
Born in Tenafly, New Jersey, Donovan moved to Los Angeles and began working as an actor while studying at the University of Southern California.