Nathan Lane

Biography

Nathan Lane, born Joseph Lane on February 3, 1956, in Jersey City, New Jersey, is an acclaimed American actor known for his work on stage and screen. He has been active in the entertainment industry since 1975 and has received numerous awards, including three Tony Awards, seven Drama Desk Awards, a Laurence Olivier Award, three Emmy Awards, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. Lane made his professional theatre debut in 1978 in an off-Broadway production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream". He gained widespread recognition for his roles in Broadway productions such as "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum," "The Producers," and "Angels in America". His film credits include "The Lion King," "The Birdcage," "Mouse Hunt," and "The Producers". In addition to his stage and film work, Lane has appeared in various television series, including "Modern Family," "The Good Wife," and "Only Murders in the Building". He has been married to Devlin Elliott since 2015.

Known For

The Blacklist

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

Late Night with Seth Meyers

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

The Daily Show

All Movies (82)

• The Lion King at the Hollywood Bowl2025 · as Self
• Spellbound2024 · as Luno - Oracle of the Moon (voice)
• Dicks: The Musical2023 · as Harris
• Once Upon a Studio2023 · as Timon (voice)
• Finally Home: Making Beau is Afraid2023 · as Self
• Beau Is Afraid2023 · as Roger
• Too Soon: Comedy After 9/112021 · as Self
• Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens2020 · as Giacomo
• Bully. Coward. Victim. The Story of Roy Cohn2019 · as Self
• Every Act of Life2018 · as Self
• The Vanishing of Sidney Hall2018 · as Harold
• National Theatre Live: Angels In America — Part Two: Perestroika2017 · as Roy M. Cohn/The Angel Antarctica
• National Theatre Live: Angels In America — Part One: Millennium Approaches2017 · as Roy M. Cohn/Prior 2
• Carrie Pilby2017 · as Dr. Petrov
• No Pay, Nudity2016 · as Hershel Thalkin
• Mike Nichols: An American Master2016 · as Self
• The Nance2014 · as Chauncey Miles
• Showing Up2014 · as Self
• Mel Brooks: Make a Noise2013 · as Self
• The English Teacher2013 · as Carl Kapinas
• Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me2013 · as Himself
• Mirror Mirror2012 · as Brighton
• Pride of The Lion King2011 · as Self
• The Nutcracker2010 · as Uncle Albert
• I'm Still Here2010 · as Nathan Lane (uncredited)
• Astro Boy2009 · as Hamegg (voice)
• Waking Sleeping Beauty2009 · as Self (archive footage)
• A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa2008 · as Officer Meany
• Swing Vote2008 · as Art Crumb
• The Roots of 'Hairspray'2007 · as Self (voice)
• Trumbo2007 · as Self
• ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway2007 · as Self
• The Dish on Dolls2006 · as Stagehand in Jacqueline Susann's Valley of the Dolls (archive footage)
• The Producers2005 · as Max Bialystock
• The Lion King 1½2004 · as Timon (voice)
• Broadway's Lost Treasures II2004 · as Nathan Detroit (segment "Guys & Dolls")
• Timon & Pumbaa Virtual Safari 2.02004 · as Timon (voice)
• Sesame Street: What's the Name of That Song?2004 · as Self (archive footage)
• Timon & Pumbaa's Virtual Safari 1.52004 · as Timon (voice)
• Behind the Legend: Timon2004 · as Timon (voice)
• Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!2004 · as Richard Levy the Driven
• Teacher's Pet2004 · as Spot Helperman / Scott Leadready II / Scott Manly-Manning (voice)
• Nicholas Nickleby2002 · as Vincent Crummles
• Austin Powers in Goldmember2002 · as Mysterious Disco Man
• Stuart Little 22002 · as Snowbell (voice)
• Recording the Producers: A Musical Romp with Mel Brooks2001 · as Self
• Laughter on the 23rd Floor2001 · as Max Prince
• My Favorite Broadway: The Love Songs2001 · as Self - Perfomer
• The Man Who Came to Dinner2000 · as Sheridan Whiteside
• Trixie2000 · as Kirk Stans
• Titan A.E.2000 · as Preed (voice)
• Love's Labour's Lost2000 · as Costard
• Isn't She Great2000 · as Irving Mansfield
• Stuart Little1999 · as Snowbell (voice)
• At First Sight1999 · as Phil Webster
• Get Bruce!1999 · as Self
• Stuart Little: Making It Big1999 · as Self
• The Lion King II: Simba's Pride1998 · as Timon (voice)
• Merry Christmas, George Bailey1997 · as Clarence
• MouseHunt1997 · as Ernie Smuntz
• A Benefit Celebration: A Tribute to Angela Lansbury1996 · as Self
• Around the World With Timon & Pumbaa1996 · as Timon 2 (voice)
• The Birdcage1996 · as Albert
• The Boys Next Door1996 · as Norman Bulansky
• The Wizard of Oz in Concert: Dreams Come True1995 · as The Cowardly Lion
• Jeffrey1995 · as Father Dan
• Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable1995 · as Timon
• The Lion King1994 · as Timon (voice)
• Addams Family Values1993 · as Desk Sergeant
• Life with Mikey1993 · as Ed Chapman
• Guys and Dolls: Off the Record1992 · as Himself / Nathan Detroit
• The Last Mile1992 · as The Stage Manager
• Unnatural Pursuits1992 · as Limo Passenger
• Frankie and Johnny1991 · as Tim
• He Said, She Said1991 · as Wallace "Wally" Thurman
• Joe Versus the Volcano1990 · as Baw - The Waponi Advance Man
• The Lemon Sisters1989 · as Charlie Sorrell
• Ironweed1987 · as Harold Allen
• Alice in Wonderland1983 · as Mouse
• Broadway: The Next Generation— · as Self
• Cut Off—
• Untitled Nathan Lane Documentary— · as Self

All TV Shows (52)

• Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!2026 · as Self - Actor
• Mid-Century Modern2025 · as Bunny Schneiderman
• Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story2024 · as Dominick Dunne
• Elsbeth2024 · as Phillip Cross
• Digman!2023 · as Yorbo (voice)
• Be My Guest with Ina Garten2022 · as Self
• The Gilded Age2022 · as Ward McAllister
• Only Murders in the Building2021 · as Teddy Dimas
• Penny Dreadful: City of Angels2020 · as Lewis Michener
• Today with Jenna & Sheinelle2019 · as Self
• American Crime Story2016 · as F. Lee Bailey
• The Late Show with Stephen Colbert2015 · as Self
• The Late Show with Stephen Colbert2015
• The Late Show with Stephen Colbert2015 · as Self - Guest/Musical Guest
• Difficult People2015 · as Nathan Lane
• Late Night with Seth Meyers2014 · as Self - Guest
• The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon2014 · as Self
• The Blacklist2013 · as Abraham Stern
• The Marriage Ref2010 · as Self - Panelist
• Modern Family2009 · as Pepper Saltzman
• The Good Wife2009 · as Clarke Hayden
• Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen2009 · as Self - Guest
• 30 Rock2006 · as Eddie
• The Ellen DeGeneres Show2003 · as Self
• Charlie Lawrence2003 · as Charlie Lawrence
• Primetime Glick2001
• Curb Your Enthusiasm2000 · as Nathan Lane
• Teacher's Pet2000 · as Spot Helperman / Scott Leadready II (voice)
• George and Martha1999 · as George (voice)
• Encore! Encore!1998 · as Joseph Pinoni
• Sex and the City1998 · as Bobby Fine
• The View1997 · as Self
• The View1997 · as Self - Guest
• The Daily Show1996 · as Self
• The Rosie O'Donnell Show1996 · as Self - Guest
• Inside the Actors Studio1994 · as Self
• Frasier1993 · as Phil
• Late Night with Conan O'Brien1993 · as Self - Guest
• Late Night with Conan O'Brien1993 · as Self - Musical Guest
• Late Show with David Letterman1993 · as Self - Guest
• Mad About You1992 · as Nathan Twilley
• The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd1987 · as Herman in Fantasy Sequence
• The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd1987 · as Bing Shalimar
• Miami Vice1984 · as Morty Price
• One of the Boys1982 · as Jonathan Burns
• Live from Lincoln Center1976 · as Chauncey Miles
• Saturday Night Live1975 · as Self - Host
• Saturday Night Live1975 · as Self
• Great Performances1971 · as Mouse
• Tony Awards1956 · as Self - Host
• Tony Awards1956 · as Self - Host / Winner / Performer
• Tony Awards1956 · as Self - Presenter