Dave Davis (actor)

Dave Davis
Born
David Randolph Davis

(1989-06-07) June 7, 1989
Princeton, New Jersey, U.S.
EducationTulane University (BFA)
OccupationActor

Dave Davis (born June 7, 1989) is an American actor, musician and producer based in New Orleans.[1] He is best known for his lead roles in the 2017 film Bomb City and the 2019 horror film The Vigil.[2][3]

Early life and education

Davis was born on June 7, 1989 in Princeton, New Jersey, into a Jewish family. He grew up in New Orleans and had his Bar Mitzvah at Touro Synagogue.[1][3][4] He appeared in various productions as a child and attended summer courses in theatre. He graduated from the Lawrenceville School in 2007 following Hurricane Katrina,[4][1] then earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in theatre from Tulane University in 2011.[5][6][4] In fulfillment of his thesis, he starred in Kenneth Lonergan's This Is Our Youth.[1]

Career

Davis spent five years with the New Orleans Shakespeare Festival, culminating with the role of Hamlet in 2012.[7][6][4] After graduation, he worked out of New Orleans, appearing in films including Ghost Shark, Red Clover, Ozark Sharks, and several others.[1][8] He also guest starred in True Detective and The Walking Dead, and acted in The Big Short and Logan.[6][4] For several years, Davis was a member of the comedy group Bare Handed Bear Handlers, releasing a web miniseries, short films, and a number of music videos.[9][10] In 2015, he moved to Los Angeles,[1] where he continued to work with the comedy group from afar.[10]

In 2017, Davis played the lead role in Bomb City, a film about the life and murder of Brian Deneke.[11] This earned him a Best Actor award and the Special Jury Prize for Performance at the 2017 Nashville Film Festival,[12][6][13] followed by a second Best Actor award at the Louisville International Festival of Film.[13][6] Director Keith Thomas chose him to play the lead in his 2019 horror film The Vigil after seeing him in Bomb City.[3] He played a man tasked with watching over a deceased member of an Orthodox Jewish community.[2][14][15] He was nominated for Best Actor in a Horror Movie at the 2nd Critics' Choice Super Awards.[16] Davis returned to New Orleans permanently during the COVID-19 pandemic.[1]

In 2025, he appeared in and was executive producer of the film Hazard.[4]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes Ref
2007FlakesStoner #1Uncredited[8]
2012StolenTaylor[8]
2014Elsa & FredPhotographer[8]
StarveJiminey[8][17]
2015The Final Girls50's Counselor[8]
DemonicTech 1[8]
Get HardCross Dresser[8]
N.O.L.A CircusVinny[8]
NocturnaBobby[8]
The Big ShortBurry's Assistant[6][8]
Daddy's HomePanda Singer #1[8]
2016The Backup DancerRudyUncredited
2017LoganConvenience Store Clerk[8]
Bomb CityBrian DenekeWon two Best Actor awards and one Special Jury Prize for Performance[12][13]
Dark MeridianTevi Marek[8]
Jeepers Creepers 3SWAT Team One[8]
2018Laundry DayEthan[8]
The DomesticsFlame Gambler[8]
2019The VigilYakov RonenNominated for Best Actor in a Horror Movie at the 2nd Critics' Choice Super Awards[2][14][15][16]
The True Don QuixoteTrout[8]
Sunday GirlJack[8]
2020GreyhoundBoatswain's Mate #1[8][6]
2022EmancipationOliver[8]
PresenceDavidCo-producer[8]
2023ResurrectedFather Stanley MartinAssociate producer[18][8]
RenfieldMitch[8]
2025HazardJohn LangPost-production; Executive Producer[19][4]

Television

Year Title Role Notes Ref
2011Memphis BeatBryanEpisode: "The Things We Carry"[8]
HideYoung Charlie MarvinTV movie[8]
2012Red CloverDax Spence[1][8]
American Horror HouseLloyd[8]
The Walking DeadGargulioEpisode: "Hounded"[8][4][1]
2013Heebie JeebiesMaceTV movie[8]
Ladies' Man: A Made MovieToby Miller[8]
Ghost SharkBlaise[8][1]
2014True DetectiveTobyEpisode: "After You've Gone"[8][1]
SnakeHead SwampChrisTV movie[8]
2016NCIS: New OrleansJJ TaylorEpisode: "Help Wanted"[8][1]
Ozark SharksHarrisonTV movie[1]
2018Bad StepmotherJonathan Hawking[8][20]
2019LuciferMaury NovakEpisode: "Somebody's Been Reading Dante's Inferno"[8]
2021The RookieMarvin ReynoldsEpisode: "Hit and Run"[8]
2023Tiny Beautiful ThingsPabloEpisode: "The Ghost Ship"[8]
2024S.W.A.T.Jeremiah JacobsEpisode: "Left of Boom"[8]
2025The GreatestMarvin Geller5 episodes[8]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 "NOLA's Davis stars in Jewish horror film "The Vigil"". Southern Jewish Life. March 5, 2021. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 Mintzer, Jordan (September 12, 2019). "'The Vigil': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 Smason, Alan (2021). "Local actor Dave Davis scores major film role in 'The Vigil'". Crescent City Jewish News. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Coviello, Will (March 8, 2025). "New Orleans actor Dave Davis stars in Appalachian drama 'Hazard' at Zeitgeist Theatre". NOLA.com. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
  5. ↑ "Tulane University awards nearly 2,300 degrees today". NOLA.com. May 12, 2011. Retrieved November 18, 2013.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Dave Davis". Philadelphia Jewish Film + Media. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
  7. ↑ "Summer action hero? Tulane Shakespeare Fest opens with a Hamlet out for revenge". NOLA.com. June 28, 2012. Retrieved November 18, 2013.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 "Dave Davis - Credits". TV Guide. Retrieved August 4, 2025.
  9. ↑ Woodward, Alex (December 16, 2014). "Watch: Bare Banded Bear Handlers return with a Christmas rap video". NOLA.com. Retrieved August 4, 2025.
  10. 1 2 Taylor, Alex (January 2015). "The Jingle Boyz: Boyz, Beer and Borrowed Time". Antigravity. Retrieved August 4, 2025.
  11. ↑ Ramos, Dino-Ray (November 22, 2017). "Gravitas Ventures Acquires Punk Rock Crime Drama 'Bomb City'". Deadline. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
  12. 1 2 "Nashville Film Festival Announces: 2017 Feature Award Winners". Archived from the original on June 16, 2017. Retrieved May 10, 2017.
  13. 1 2 3 Self, Brooke (September 20, 2017). "'Bomb City' continues conquering film festival circuit". ABC 7 News. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
  14. 1 2 Kohn, Eric (September 12, 2019). "'The Vigil' Review: 'The Conjuring' With an Orthodox Jewish Twist That Could Birth a Franchise". IndieWire. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
  15. 1 2 Lipsett, Joe (September 13, 2019). "[TIFF Review] 'The Vigil' Introduces a New Kind of Jewish Horror". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
  16. 1 2 "Nominations Announced for 2nd Annual Critics Choice Super Awards Honoring Superhero, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Horror, and Action Movies and Series". Critics Choice Association. February 22, 2022. Retrieved August 4, 2025.
  17. ↑ Miska, Brad (September 24, 2014). "Exclusive Poster Debut for 'Starve' (Sitges)". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
  18. ↑ Miska, Brad (June 22, 2021). "'Resurrected': The Vatican Bring the Dead to Life in Timur Bekmambetov-Produced Thriller!". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
  19. ↑ Davanzo, Serena (January 16, 2025). "Hazard the Movie helps bring awareness and support with the opioid crisis". ABC 4 WOAY. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
  20. ↑ "Bad Stepmother". Lifetime. Retrieved August 4, 2025.
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