Paul Ben-Victor: Actor Known for The Wire, Entourage and Lanterns

Paul Ben-Victor is an American film and television actor. He is best known for playing the Greek mobster Spiros “Vondas” Vondopoulos on HBO’s The Wire, the studio executive Alan Gray on Entourage (2005–2008) and Ray in Body Parts (1991). As of November 2026 he has a recurring role as Antaan in the DC series Lanterns (2026).

Paul Ben-Victor has worked as a character actor for almost four decades. He is especially known for playing mobsters, lawmen and fast-talking authority figures. He has worked with directors including Martin Scorsese, Tony Scott, Clint Eastwood and Antoine Fuqua.

Paul Ben-Victor: key facts

Born	July 24, 1965, Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Age	61 (as of November 2026)
Occupation	Actor (film and television)
Years active	1987–present
Known for	The Wire; Entourage (2005–2008); Body Parts (1991); Lanterns (2026)
Profiles	Wikipedia · IMDb

Paul Ben-Victor in crime drama: mobsters, cops and the Wire years

Paul Ben-Victor built his career mainly in crime stories. He made his screen debut in 1987 in the TV film Blood Vows: The Story of a Mafia Wife. That same year he appeared in an episode of Cagney & Lacey.

In the 1990s he appeared in films such as Body Parts (1991), True Romance (1993) and Tombstone (1993). In 1995 he starred in Houseguest with Phil Hartman.

His best-known crime role is Vondas, the calm lieutenant of a Greek smuggling ring on The Wire. Many critics rank the show among the greatest TV dramas ever made. He also played federal agent Bobby Hobbs on Syfy’s The Invisible Man.

His gangster roles continued with New Jersey mob boss Phil Russo in Starz’s Power Book III: Raising Kanan and Nick Quatrani in Max’s Bookie (2023).

Paul Ben-Victor’s comedy, period and genre range

Paul Ben-Victor has also worked often in comedy. On Entourage (2005–2008) he played Alan Gray, a studio boss. In the 2000 TV film The Three Stooges he played Moe Howard.

His later comedy work includes Get Hard (2015) and Don Jon (2013). He returned as Coach Thurman in the animated Everybody Still Hates Chris (2024) and plays Ilan Roklov in the Netflix romantic comedy Nobody Wants This (2024), which stars Kristen Bell and Adam Brody.

He has also played historical figures. He was King Herod in The Chosen and Major Halstead in Emancipation (2022), opposite Will Smith. In the action film Plane (2023) he played Hampton.

Paul Ben-Victor’s recent work and upcoming projects (2025–2026)

Paul Ben-Victor has been busy in 2025 and 2026. In 2025 he played Marty in Rosario. In 2026 he appeared in Netflix’s Man on Fire as CIA Director Moncrief and in Peacock’s M.I.A. as Boris Federov.

In August 2026, Deadline reported that he had finished filming The Bookie & The Bruiser. He plays the main villain, mob boss Generale Francesco Viscuzo, opposite Vince Vaughn, Theo James and Patrick Schwarzenegger. Deadline also reported that he has completed Empire City, a film starring Gerard Butler and Hayley Atwell.

Paul Ben-Victor’s selected screen credits

Year	Title	Role	Type
2026	Lanterns	Antaan	TV series
2026	Man on Fire	CIA Director Moncrief	TV series
2026	M.I.A.	Boris Federov	TV series
2025	Rosario	Marty	Film
2024	Nobody Wants This	Ilan Roklov	TV series
2024	Creature Commandos	Bulldozer / General King	Voice role
2023	Bookie	Nick Quatrani	TV series
2023	Plane	Hampton	Film
2022	Emancipation	Major Halstead	Film
2020	The Chosen	King Herod	TV series
2015	Get Hard	Gayle	Film
2005–2008	Entourage	Alan Gray	TV series
2000	The Three Stooges	Moe Howard	Film (TV)
1993	True Romance	—	Film
1991	Body Parts	Ray	Film

FAQ

– Who does Paul Ben-Victor play in The Chosen?

Paul Ben-Victor plays King Herod in The Chosen, the series about the life of Jesus.

– How old is Paul Ben-Victor?

Paul Ben-Victor was born on July 24, 1965, in Brooklyn, New York. He is 61 years old as of November 2026.

– Who did Paul Ben-Victor play in The Wire?

Paul Ben-Victor played Spiros “Vondas” Vondopoulos, a Greek mobster, on the HBO drama The Wire. It is still his best-known role.

– Who does Paul Ben-Victor play in Lanterns?

Paul Ben-Victor has a recurring role as Antaan in the 2026 DC series Lanterns on HBO Max.

Header photo: UltimatePowerPlay / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0, resized