Jason Beghe

Jason Beghe is an American actor from New York City. He has a distinctive “gravelly” voice, which is the result of a car accident in 1999 and his subsequent intubation. His best known role in television is portraying the police sergeant Henry “Hank” Voight in the long-running police procedural series “Chicago P.D.” (2014-). The character is known for his ruthlessness and moral ambiguity. Beghe’s better known film roles include his portrayals of the quadriplegic law student Allan Mann in the science fiction horror film “Monkey Shines” (1988) and the Lieutenant Commander Royce Harper in the military-themed action drama “G.I. Jane” (1997).

Beghe was born in New York to a family with a history in politics. His father was the judge Renato Beghe (1933-2012), who served as the Senior Judge of the United States Tax Court from 2003 to his death in 2012. Beghe is the great-grandson of the politician Charles S. Deneen (1863 – 1940), who served two terms as the Governor of Illinois. Beghe’s recent ancestry includes Italian, German, English, and French Canadian ancestors.

Beghe attended the Collegiate School, a private preparatory school for boys located in New York City. His best friends during his time there were the fellow actor David Duchovny (1960-) and the magazine publisher John F. Kennedy Jr. (1960-1999). Beghe received his college education at the Pomona College, a private liberal arts college in Claremont, California. He graduated in 1982. Following his graduation, Beghe worked for some time as a model in Europe.

Beghe intended to follow an acting career in the mid-1980s. He had his film debut in the comedy-mystery film “Compromising Positions” (1985). The film’s story followed the retired journalist Judith Singer (played by Susan Sarandon) who decided to investigate the murder of an acquaintance in hopes of reviving her career. Following this film, Beghe was cast in a recurring role in the American football-themed sitcom “1st & Ten” (1984-1991). He portrayed Tom Yinessa, a walk-on quarterback who was trying to adapt to his new status as a celebrity.

In the early 1990s, Beghe had guest-star roles in then-popular series, such as “Jake and the Fatman”, “Matlock”, and “The X-Files”. He eventually gained a recurring role in the medical drama “Chicago Hope” (1994-2000). He portrayed the electrician Danny Blaines, a love interest for the cardiac surgeon Kate Austin (played by Christine Lahti). Beghe had a co-starring role in the short-lived drama series “To Have & to Hold” (1998). The series focused on the relationship problems of a married couple, with Beghe portraying the police officer Sean McGrail and Moira Kelly portraying McGrail’s wife. The series only lasted for 13 episodes.

In the 2000s, Beghe continued to appear frequently in guest star roles in television. He was often cast in police procedural or mystery series, including “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation”, “”CSI: NY”, “Veronica Mars”, “Criminal Minds”, and “Numb3rs”. In 2010 and 2011, Beghe appeared in the mystery series “Castle” as Mike Royce, the former mentor of co-protagonist Katherine “Kate” Beckett (played by Stana Katic).

In 2012, Beghe started appearing as “shady” cop Hank Voight in the procedural drama “Chicago Fire”. Two years later, the character became the main character of the spin-off series “Chicago P.D.”, which further fleshed out his personality and his past history. Beghe has portrayed the popular character in over 200 episodes. By 2024, Beghe was 64 years-old and had no plans to retire from the spotlight.