Brett Cullen - Later Career

Later Career

In 1994 Cullen played a small part in Kevin Costner's Wyatt Earp. Subsequent movie roles included Jamie Johnson in Something to Talk About, the spoiled quarterback Eddie Martel in The Replacements (2000), Charlie Martin in the TV movie version of On Golden Pond, Nancy's father Carson Drew in the TV movie Nancy Drew, and Barton Blaze (father of Johnny Blaze/Ghost Rider) in the 2007 movie Ghost Rider.

In 2011, he played stepfather to Selena Gomez's character in the romantic comedy Monte Carlo, and in 2012, appeared as a congressman in the Batman film The Dark Knight Rises. He will also play Tom Eckert, father of protagonists Jed and Matt, in the upcoming remake of Red Dawn (a role played in the original 1984 film by Harry Dean Stanton).

Cullen has found steady work in numerous television roles for many years. In addition to guest-starring roles in dozens of series, in 1983 he played Bob Cleary in the mini-series The Thorn Birds. Cullen had a main character role as Dan Fixx on the prime time soap opera Falcon Crest from 1986-1988, and as Marshal Sam Cain in the western series The Young Riders in 1989-1990. In 1997 he was cast as Adam in a three-episode story arc on Suddenly Susan called "Love and Divorce American Style." The following year he played love interest Luke Barton in the short-lived series The Simple Life opposite Judith Light. Later in 1998 the UPN television network gave him the starring role of family patriarch Ned Logan in the post-Civil War drama Legacy, which lasted 18 episodes before cancellation.

After 2000 he played small recurring roles in ABC's Once and Again, the low-rated series The Mountain, and as a detective in two episodes of Desperate Housewives. Cullen was awarded a meatier part on The West Wing in 2005-2006, when he played West Virginia Governor and Vice Presidential candidate Ray Sullivan. Later in 2006 he played a recurring role on Pepper Dennis, which was cancelled after its first season as well. He played a short-lived love interest of Vanessa Williams' Wilhelmina Slater on Ugly Betty in early 2007, and followed that up with a story arc as dad Walt Riggins on Friday Night Lights. Although his recurring roles never lasted more than a few episodes, Cullen made the most of parts in the ongoing series Lost, Damages, and The Gates between 2007-2010.

In 2011-2012 Cullen played the flashback character Nathan Ingram on the hit show Person of Interest, a role that may recur in future episodes. He also plays Mark Keeler, father of Olympic gymnast hopefuls Payson and Becca Keeler, on the ABC Family series Make It Or Break It.

On February 8, 2011, Cullen was named the official spokesman for Houston Works which helps Houston residents with job training and placement, scholarships, consulting, technical initiatives focusing on science, technology, engineering and mathematics and summer job programs along with Youth Summits.