22 Facts About Russell Harvard

Russell Wayne Harvard was born on April 16,1981 and is an American actor.

Russell Harvard played Mr Wrench in the first and third seasons of the television series Fargo.

Shortly after completing his scenes for There Will Be Blood, Russell Harvard made his first network television appearance in the "Silent Night" episode of CBS's CSI: NY, opposite Marlee Matlin, and later guest-starred in "The Box" episode of the Fox series Fringe.

Russell Harvard has acted in the short films Signage, Words and This Is Normal, played the principal role of Tim in the independent feature Claustrophobia, and had leading roles in the ASL Films Versa Effect and Gerald.

Russell Harvard is a member of the Screen Actors Guild and the Actors' Equity Association.

Russell Harvard cites his seeing, at age eight, his cousin perform on stage in The Wizard of Oz as the inspiration for his becoming an actor.

Russell Harvard won the central role of Billy for the New York premiere of the British comic-drama Tribes after an extensive North American search for an authentically deaf actor who could handle the demands of both signing and speaking dialogue to hearing actors throughout the play.

Russell Harvard played the role to acclaim for over 400 performances Off Broadway at the Barrow Street Theatre, where Tribes broke all box-office records there.

Russell Harvard recreated the role in the NY production's transfer to the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles in spring 2013, and later that summer at La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego.

On February 28,2019, Russell Harvard opened at the Cort Theatre on Broadway as the Duke of Cornwall in Shakespeare's King Lear, with Glenda Jackson in the title role.

From November 5,2019, to March 11,2020, Russell Harvard assumed the roles of Link Deas and Boo Radley in Bartlett Sher's long-running production of Aaron Sorkin's To Kill a Mockingbird on Broadway.

Russell Harvard gave a special performance, offered free to 18,000 New York City public middle and high school students, at Madison Square Garden on February 26,2020.

The city outbreak of COVID-19 in mid-March forced the production into hiatus until its reopening on October 5,2021, when Russell Harvard returned with original cast members Jeff Daniels and Celia Keenan-Bolger.

Russell Harvard signed the role in tandem with bass-baritone Ryan Speedo Green's singing, led by conductor Gustavo Dudamel.

Russell Harvard has staged several high school musical productions, including Grease and The Wizard of Oz.

In interviews, Russell Harvard has expressed his lifelong passion for music, which he performs both live at Deaf cultural events and in amateur videos.

Russell Harvard enjoys popularity on YouTube where he posts video recordings of himself performing American sign language renditions of contemporary songs.

Russell Harvard is, along with Jessica von Garrel, Sabrina Valencia and Jesse Jones III, a founding member of the hip hop Deaf dance troupe HipZu Funk, based in Austin, US.

On May 26,2010, Russell Harvard testified as a panel witness before the US Senate Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet in a hearing entitled "Innovation and Inclusion: The Americans with Disabilities Act at 20", which focused on the issues raised by the Equal Access to Communications in the 21st Century Act.

Russell Harvard explained that all modern devices, regardless of screen size, should have caption capability and easy activation controls.

Russell Harvard has been a strong proponent of exploring ways in which Deaf entertainment practitioners can work more independently to produce work for stage and screen.

Russell Harvard envisions more creative uses of communication technology in the artistic process and in providing greater accessibility to Deaf audiences.