Elias Koteas (; el, Ηλίας Κοτέας; born March 11, 1961) is a Canadian actor. He is known for playing Alvin "Al" Olinsky in the ''
Chicago'' franchise, as well as appearing in lead and supporting roles in numerous films. He won the
Canadian Screen Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the film ''
Ararat
Ararat or in Western Armenian Ararad may refer to:
Personal names
* Ararat ( hy, Արարատ), a common first name for Armenian males (pronounced Ararad in Western Armenian)
* Ararat or Araratian, a common family name for Armenians (pronounced A ...
'' (2002). He appeared in such films as ''
Some Kind of Wonderful'' (1987), ''
The Adjuster'' (1991), ''
Exotica'' (1994), ''
The Prophecy
''The Prophecy'' is a 1995 American fantasy thriller film starring Christopher Walken, Elias Koteas, Virginia Madsen, Eric Stoltz, and Viggo Mortensen. It was written and directed by Gregory Widen in his feature directorial debut, and is the fi ...
'' (1995), ''
Crash'' (1996), ''
Living Out Loud'' (1998), ''
Fallen'' (1998), ''
The Thin Red Line'' (1998), ''
Harrison's Flowers'' (2002), ''
Collateral Damage'' (2002), ''
Shooter'' (2007), ''
Zodiac'' (2007), ''
Skinwalkers'' (2007), ''
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button'' (2008), and ''
Shutter Island'' (2010). He also portrayed
Casey Jones in two of the original
''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' films.
Early life
Koteas was born in
Montreal,
Quebec, Canada, to a father who worked as a mechanic for the
Canadian National Railways
The Canadian National Railway Company (french: Compagnie des chemins de fer nationaux du Canada) is a Canadian Class I railroad, Class I freight railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, which serves Canada and the Midwestern United States, M ...
and a
milliner mother. His parents are both of
Greek descent. Koteas is a graduate of the
American Academy of Dramatic Arts
The American Academy of Dramatic Arts (AADA) is a private performing arts conservatory with two locations, one in Manhattan and one in Los Angeles. The academy offers an associate degree in occupational studies and teaches drama and related art ...
in
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
as well as
Vanier College in Montreal.
Career
Koteas has played major roles in ''
Some Kind of Wonderful'' (1987), ''
The Adjuster'' (1991), ''
Exotica'' (1994),
''
Crash'' (1996), ''
Fallen'' (1998), and ''
The Thin Red Line'' (1998), among other films. Koteas is also known for playing the lead role of Thomas Daggett in the American film ''The Prophecy'' (1995) and for portraying sports-crazed
vigilante Casey Jones in two of the original
''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' films.
In 2010, he played major roles in ''
Let Me In'' and ''
Defendor'', a Canadian superhero film starring
Woody Harrelson.
On television, he appeared in
Season Four of ''The Sopranos'' as Dominic Palladino and in the Season Two finale of ''
House
A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condi ...
'' as a man who shoots Dr.
Gregory House. From 2014 to 2018, Koteas starred on the
NBC ''
Chicago Fire'' spin-off ''
Chicago P.D.'' where he played Alvin "Al" Olinsky, a longtime undercover detective in the Intelligence Unit.
He also appeared in all other ''
Chicago franchise'' series.
Filmography
Film
Television
References
External links
Canadian Film Encyclopedia
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Koteas, Elias
1961 births
20th-century Canadian male actors
21st-century Canadian male actors
American Academy of Dramatic Arts alumni
Anglophone Quebec people
Best Supporting Actor Genie and Canadian Screen Award winners
Canadian male film actors
Canadian male television actors
Canadian male voice actors
Canadian people of Greek descent
Living people
Male actors from Montreal
Vanier College alumni