SYNOPSIS

In this Masterclass, Director, Executive Producer & Actor Adam Arkin will be working with selected actors in a live and observed work session. This will be preceded by a brief conversation on his career and will be followed by an audience Q&A. Moderated by Rochelle Rose, National Director of Performers Programs at the SAG-AFTRA Foundation.

These reservations are for Q&A participation and observation only. 

Bio: 

From bringing characters to life in critically acclaimed films and television series to helming projects behind the camera, award-winning actor, director, and producer Adam Arkin has an eclectic and distinguished career that spans over four decades. As a director, Arkin has a prominent portfolio with over 100 episodes of television on his résumé and 49 directing titles (and growing).

As a director and executive producer, Arkin’s most recent work is featured in season two of the award-winning Peacock series “Poker Face,” which premiered in May 2025. He directed episodes 206 and 207 of the hit mystery- of-the-week comedy, which stars Natasha Lyonne as Charlie—a sharp-witted drifter with an uncanny knack for detecting lies, who finds herself entangled in a series of true crime investigations across the country. In addition,
Arkin recently directed six episodes of Netflix’s global sensation “The Night Agent,” spanning all three seasons of
the Gabriel Basso-led thriller.

In addition to his recent high-profile projects, Arkin has made a lasting impact on some of the most acclaimed series of the past two decades. He executive produced and directed the Apple TV+ award-nominated “Sugar” starring Colin Farrell, Amazon’s “Cruel Intentions,” ABC’s legal drama “Rebel” (2021), and the award-nominated EPIX series “Get Shorty” (2017–2019) starring Chris O’Dowd and Ray Romano. In 2022, he directed four episodes of Paramount+’s “The Offer,” a dramatization of “The Godfather’s” making, featuring Miles Teller, Dan Fogler, Giovanni Ribisi, Matthew Goode, Juno Temple, Burn Gorman, and Colin Hanks. His directing credits also include acclaimed series such as “Succession," “Fargo,” “Billions,” “Justified,” "Sons of Anarchy,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “The Americans" (which he also produced), “Sneaky Pete,” and “Masters of Sex.” He won an Emmy for directing the Showtime film “My Louisiana Sky." As an actor, Arkin starred opposite Nicolas Cage in the critically acclaimed drama “Pig” (Neon, 2021), praised as “quiet, unforced and delicate” (Empire), “a very effective and evocative character study” (FilmWeek), and “a good-looking, well-acted movie with a solid kicker”
(Rolling Stone).

Arkin’s work has garnered a plethora of wins and nominations on the acting and directing front over the years, including the Tony Awards (Best Actor), the Primetime Emmy Awards (Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series), the Screen Actors Guild Awards (Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series), the Directors Guild of America (Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children's Programs) and a win at the Daytime Emmy Awards (Outstanding Directing in a Children's Special). Arkin launched his career in the late 1970s after relocating to Los Angeles at age 20, quickly gaining traction as both an actor and emerging director. His first directing credit came on "Northern Exposure" in 1993, a series he also starred in. He went on to play Dr. Aaron Shutt on CBS’s "Chicago Hope," appearing in all 141 episodes of the long-running medical drama and using the opportunity to refine his skills behind the camera. He later starred opposite Damian Lewis and Sarah Shahi in NBC’s critically acclaimed "Life." On screen, his acting work includes the Coen Brothers’ Oscar-nominated "A Serious Man" (Focus Features), as well as roles in "Law and Order," "The Act," "Modern Family," "The West Wing," "Boston Legal," and "Monk." On stage, he has appeared in Broadway and Off-Broadway productions including Donald Margulies’ "Brooklyn Boy," "Guys and Dolls," and "I Hate Hamlet," earning a Tony Award nomination for the latter.

When he is not on set, Arkin enjoys playing drums with his son Emmet, who is also a musician. A self-proclaimed foodie, he enjoys cooking and experimenting with new dishes. He frequently collaborates with his wife, producer Michelle Dunker, with whom he has shared a long creative partnership, including on "Get Shorty." Together, they also support several nonprofit organizations such as World Vision (founded by Dunker’s grandfather), Sky’s the Limit Fund, and Doctors Without Borders. Arkin currently resides in Los Angeles with his wife, son, and their two rescue dogs.

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