Extremely gifted character actor whose face is readily familiar to the public but they can often not remember why. He tends to turn minor supporting roles into perfect studies in human frailty, strength, passion, avarice or anything else demanded by the role. Born on March 17, 1960, in Los Angeles, Arye Gross attended the University of California at Irvine and went on to study acting at the Conservatory at South Coast Repertory. He then became a member of the South Coast Repertory resident company for three years. This was followed by a year with El Teatro Campesino under the direction of Luis Valdez. Gross has appeared in a number of stage productions with a variety of companies in the Los Angeles area, including LATC, Pasedena Playhouse, Odyssey Theater Ensemble, MET Theater and Stages Theater Center. Gross’ extensive stage credits include “La Bete” for the Stages Theatre Center, “Room Service” for the Pasadena Playhouse, “Three Sisters” for the Los Angeles Theatre Center, “Taming of the Shrew” and “Much Ado About Nothing” for the Grove Shakespeare Festival, “Troillus and Cressida” for the Globe Playhouse and “Screwball” and “Let’s Play Two” for the South Coast Repertory Theatre.
His tour de force as the lackey sent to fetch famed singer Dixie Leonard (Bette Midler) for a TV show in For the Boys (1991) provided what would have been an otherwise mediocre film with all its pivotal moments upon which the story would turn. The most important growth of a character in that film turns out to be that of his who goes from a “go-fer” to his own man as a result of his tender encounter with Dixie as she tells him her life story. However, as usual, his performance appeared a seamless part of the whole. In another era, a great character actor such as Gross would be more widely appreciated and celebrated. Many viewers will recall his appearance as the wronged husband in Minority Report (2002) which demanded a change from a loving family man to a betrayed husband falling victim to murderous rage all within a few minutes time. Simply superb.
