Friedman has appeared in thirteen Broadway productions, starting in 1972 with The Great God Brown. He appeared in a Broadway revival of The Visit in 1973, as the Carpenter.[3] He appeared in Piaf in 1981 on Broadway,[4] and A Soldier's PlayOff-Broadway, also in 1981.[5] He played the role of Humphrey Taylor in the Off-Broadway production of The Common Pursuit, from October 1986 to August 1987,[6] receiving a nomination for the Drama Desk Award, Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play.[7] In his review for The New York Times, Frank Rich commented "The always impressive Mr. Friedman, as the embittered Wagnerian...allow us to empathize with characters who might otherwise be merely obnoxious or colorless."[8]
He appeared in both the Off-Broadway and Broadway productions of The Heidi Chronicles in 1988 and 1989 in the role of Scoop Rosenbaum.[9] He received a nomination for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play for The Heidi Chronicles.[7] He appeared Off-Broadway in the Manhattan Theatre Club production of the Donald Margulies play The Loman Family Picnic, from October 1993 to January 1994.[10] The Best Plays of 1993-1994 commented "...Friedman inverting his usual dynamism to play the beleaguered father..."[11]
In 1995 Friedman earned a prominent role in the Todd Haynes drama film Safe starring Julianne Moore. The All Movie Guide reviewer wrote, "Avid filmgoers and adherents to the indie film movement that swept through America in the early to mid-'90s will invariably remember Peter Friedman as the sneaky, underhanded, New Age-espousing "self-help guru" who supposedly attempts to offer ailing Julianne Moore a hand up -- but only succeeds in draining her wallet -- in Todd Haynes' harrowing drama Safe (1995). In truth, that role represented just one of many memorable cinematic contributions for the prolific, highly versatile character actor, whose resumé reads like a best-of list of both independent film and Hollywood product."[1] He also acted in I'm Not Rappaport (1996),[15]I Shot Andy Warhol (1996),[16]Paycheck (2003),[17]Freedomland (2006),[18]The Savages (2007),[19]I'm Not There (2007),[20] and Breaking Upwards (2009).[21][12]
From October to November 2009, Friedman played James, the husband of the teacher of a community acting class in Annie Baker's play Circle Mirror Transformation in the Peter J. Sharp Theater at Playwrights Horizons. The show also featured Heidi Schreck, Reed Birney, Deirdre O'Connell, and Tracee Chimo and was directed by Sam Gold. The cast received a 2010 Drama Desk Award for Best Ensemble Performance. Friedman appeared in the Williamstown Theatre Festival production of Amy Herzog's After the Revolution in July and August 2010 as "Ben", and reprised his role in the Off-Broadway production at Playwrights Horizons from October to November 2010.[27]The New York Times reviewer wrote: "Mr. Friedman burrows deeply into Ben's anguish at being cut off by the daughter he raised to carry on the family tradition, the wound smarting all the more because he knows his own mistakes have caused the fissure."[28]
He played the role of "Doug" in the Off-Broadway play The Great God Pan from December 2012 to January 2013, and received a nomination for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play.[29] The New York Times reviewer commented: "The recollections of his parents, small roles incisively portrayed by the reliable Becky Ann Baker and Peter Friedman..."[30] From August 2013 to September 2013 he played the role of "Meckel" in the Off-Broadway production (and New York premiere) of Lauren Yee's The Hatmaker's Wife.[31]Ben Brantley, in his review for The New York Times wrote: "Mr. Friedman brings unblushing good will and vivacity to assignments that include walking around with a clothespin on his nose..."[32] He appeared Off-Broadway in the musical Fly By Night as "Mr McClam" from May to June 2014.[33]
2016–present: Succession and acclaim
Friedman took roles in The Affair and Damages. He portrayed Hank Armstrong in the Hulu series The Path from 2016 to 2018 and he acted as Jim in the HBO series HighMaintenance also from 2016 to 2018. In 2017 he portrayed Polonius in the Public Theatre's production of Hamlet starring Oscar Isaac and Keegan-Michael Key. That same year he appeared Off-Broadway in the world premiere of The Treasurer at Playwrights Horizons[34] as The Son, for which he was nominated for a 2018 Lucille Lortel Award for Best Actor.
In 2023 he portrayed a therapist in the Max Wolf Friedlich play Job. Friedman acted opposite Sydney Lemmon at the SoHo Playhouse in New York City. Sara Holden of Vulture praised Friedman writing, "Friedman is especially delightful to watch because he just seems so damn effortless... has a natural ease and appeal, a sense that he’s never pushing too hard".[38] Juan A. Ramirez of The New York Times wrote of Friedman's performance, "[He] imbues Loyd’s counterarguments with a genuine passion".[39] Freidman returned to the play in 2024 with the production transferring to the Connelly Theater in the East Village.[40]
Personal life
In 1990, Friedman married Joan Allen. Though they divorced in 2002, they chose to live close to one another in order to share time with their daughter, Sadie (born February 1994).[41]
