Ashley Zukerman

Early life and education

Ashley Zukerman was born in Santa Monica, California, and moved to Melbourne with his family when he was two. His father, Moshe, is from Israel and his mother, Ingrid, is from Peru. His family is Jewish, and his parents spoke Hebrew during his childhood, so he grew up bilingual. He is the brother of Science Vs. podcaster Wendy Zukerman, and has another sister, Debbie.

He attended Wesley College at the Glen Waverley campus and began a degree in science and engineering at Monash University before being accepted into the Victorian College of the Arts. He graduated in 2006.

Career

Zukerman began his professional career in the theatre. He had a critically acclaimed role as Timms in The History Boys, directed by Peter Evans for the Melbourne Theatre Company in April 2007.

He appeared in HBO's war miniseries The Pacific, which premiered on 14 March 2010, and in Lowdown created by Adam Zwar and Amanda Brotchie. His Australian break came when he played Constable Michael Sandrelli on the series Rush, for which he was nominated for a Logie award in the Most Outstanding New Talent category. In 2011, after his time on Rush, Zukerman joined the cast of the short-lived Steven Spielberg–produced sci-fi television series Terra Nova.

Zukerman then returned to the theatre, working with director Eamon Flack at the Belvoir Theatre Company in As You Like It playing Orlando, and then two years later in Angels in America playing Joe Pitt. Angels in America won Best Play at the 2014 Helpmann Awards.

He played socially dysfunctional genius hacker Jesse Banks opposite Dan Spielman in the Australian political thriller The Code, created by Shelley Birse. The show received huge national and international acclaim and 10 AACTA Award nominations, out of which it won six, including Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama for Zukerman.

Early in 2014, Zukerman won the role of ambitious wunderkind Dr. Charlie Isaacs in the WGN America original drama Manhattan, created by filmmaker Sam Shaw and directed by Thomas Schlamme.

In 2016, Zukerman was cast in the recurring role of Peter MacLeish on the ABC political drama series Designated Survivor, which premiered in the autumn of the same year.

In 2018, Zukerman had a recurring role on the HBO series Succession, and in 2020, appeared as the title character's husband on the Hulu miniseries A Teacher. In 2021, he starred in the Netflix Fear Street horror trilogy, beginning with Fear Street Part One: 1994. It was announced in March 2020 that Zukerman had been cast to portray Robert Langdon in the NBC drama pilot Langdon, based on Dan Brown's 2009 thriller novel The Lost Symbol.

In 2025, Zukerman played the partner of disgraced wellness influencer and convicted con artist Belle Gibson in the biographical Australian miniseries Apple Cider Vinegar. It was released on Netflix in February 2025.

Acting credits

Film

Television

Theatre

Accolades

References

References

1. (21 November 2014). "Ashley Zukerman (Jake Greggson)". [[SyFy]].
2. Miller, Gerri. (23 July 2014). "Hollywood Now: Interview with Maggie Gyllenhaal, Plus Adam & Behati's Wedding". [[InterfaithFamily]].
3. "Ashley Zukerman: 'The Lost Symbol' reinvents Dan Brown hero".
4. Zukerman, Wendy. (29 July 2016). "Wendy Zukerman Goes Head to Head with Fracking, Gun Control, and...the G-Spot".
5. Ball, Martin. (30 April 2007). "The History Boys".
6. Meares, Joel. (18 August 2014). "Helpmann Awards winners dominated by Sydney theatre talent Cate Blanchett, Richard Roxburgh". [[Sydney Morning Herald]].
7. "4th AACTA Awards Nominees & Winners". www.aaca.org.
8. Thorp, Charles. (2017-12-04). "The Making of TV's Dark-Horse Drama, 'Manhattan'".
9. (5 August 2016). "'Designated Survivor' Casts Ashley Zukerman; Amanda Brooks Joins 'Outsiders'".
10. Petski, Denise. (24 January 2018). "'Succession': Ashley Zukerman Set To Recur On Adam McKay's HBO Drama".
11. Vlessing, Etan. (27 March 2019). "Ashley Zukerman, Fred Hechinger, Julia Rehwald, Jeremy Ford Join Fox's 'Fear Street' Trilogy".
12. Petski, Denise. (6 September 2019). "'A Teacher': FX Limited Series Based On Hannah Fidell's Film Adds Eight To Cast".
13. Andreeva, Nellie. (2 March 2020). "'Langdon': Ashley Zukerman To Play Famed Symbologist In NBC Pilot Based On Dan Brown's 'Lost Symbol'".
14. Frater, Patrick. (April 2, 2024). "'The Pool,' 'In Vitro' to Make Sydney Film Festival Splash".
15. "Credit – The Slap – ABC TV". Abc.net.au.
16. Owen, Rob. (27 June 2014). "TV Q&A: 'The Talk,' TV ratings and paranormal TV shows". [[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]].
17. (23 November 2014). "Zukerman to star in US sci-fi drama".
18. Cordero, Rosy. (January 17, 2025). "Ashley Zukerman & Jessica Henwick Board Apple TV+ Series ''Silo'' For Season 3".
19. Netflix, See-Saw Films Team On Australian Drama ‘Apple Cider Vinegar’ – Deadline
20. (30 April 2007). "The History Boys – Arts Reviews – Arts – Entertainment". theage.com.au.
21. (14 November 2008). "The Hypocrite | Melbourne Theatre Company". Australianstage.com.au.
22. "B.C.". The Hayloft Project.
23. Dimasi, Rita. (21 January 2009). "THEATRE REVIEW: This Is Our Youth".
24. (24 November 2011). "As You Like It | Belvoir". Australianstage.com.au.
25. "Ashley Zukerman". [[AusStage]].