Marc Blucas


Marcus Paul Blucas is an American actor, known for playing Riley Finn in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Matthew Donnelly in Necessary Roughness and recently, abolitionist John Hawkes in Underground. Prior to his acting career, he was known for playing college basketball with the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.

Early life

Marcus Paul Blucas was born on January 11, 1972 in Butler, Pennsylvania, two years after his sister, Kristen. His parents, Walter Joseph Blucas and Mary Catherine, married on January 10, 1970, shortly before both graduated in education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. They are divorced. "A self-confessed square who earned good grades," Blucas was, like his father, a skilled sportsman. Wally was the quarterback on the undefeated 1968 Big Indians team, competed in the Boardwalk Bowl, and in 1999 was inducted into the IUP Athletics Hall of Fame. The family moved to Girard in Erie, Pennsylvania in 1974, where Blucas' father rose from teacher to school principal and ultimately to Superintendent of Schools for the District. Blucas became the star player on the Girard High School basketball team, leading them to the Pennsylvania Boys AA State Championship, in the process earning and a sports scholarship to Wake Forest University. He played in the Wake Forest Demon Deacons men's basketball team and graduated in 1994 after one season playing on the same court as Tim Duncan. He was also a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity.
After Blucas failed to make it into the NBA, he moved to England, where he played professional basketball for a year with British Basketball League's Manchester Giants. He later decided to become a lawyer, but changed his mind and went into acting instead.

Career

Blucas's first television role was in the television movie Inflammable, made in 1995. From there, he found roles in both television and film. He starred as the Basketball Hero in Gary Ross's Pleasantville. However, Blucas landed his first major role in 1999 as Agent Riley Finn in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Initially, Blucas was certain that he had blown his audition and had left apologizing for having wasted creator Joss Whedon's time. Whedon asked him to audition again, and he received the part two weeks later. He played Buffy's love interest until 2000.
After Blucas' departure from the series, he went on to act in such films as Summer Catch, We Were Soldiers, alongside Mel Gibson and Chris Klein, and First Daughter, with Katie Holmes. His character in Summer Catch was based on real life Cape League baseball player Michael Macone.
In 2007, Blucas began to land leading roles in films such as Thr3e and The Killing Floor.
In February 2010, Blucas joined the cast of the ABC television drama pilot True Blue.
Blucas was part of the regular cast of the USA Network show Necessary Roughness for the first two seasons, playing Matthew Donnelly. The series premiered on June 29, 2011.

Personal life

On July 25, 2009, Blucas married journalist Ryan Haddon, daughter of Dayle Haddon, and is stepfather to her two children from her first marriage to actor Christian Slater.

Filmography

Film

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1995InflammableEvansTelevision film
1998ArlissMcNamaraEpisode: The Legacy
1999The '60sBuddy WellsTelevision film
1999CluelessDoug SampsonEpisode: ""
1999UndressedBillEpisode: 1.15
1999–2000, 2002Buffy the Vampire SlayerRiley FinnMain Role; 31 episodes
2007Judy's Got a GunRichard PalmTelevision pilot
2007HouseJohn KelleyEpisode: "Top Secret"
2008Eleventh HourDetective McNeilEpisode: "Resurrection"
2009Lie to MeJack RaderEpisode:
2009CastleJeremy PreswickEpisode: ""
2010True BlueJD ConlinTelevision pilot
2010Chip JarrowEpisode: ""
2011RevengeDavid ClarkeEpisode: "Un-aired Pilot"
2011Body of ProofDr. Mark ChandlerEpisode: "Dead Man Walking"
2011–2013Necessary RoughnessMatthew DonnallyMain role; 29 episodes
2013Blue BloodsRussell BurkeEpisode: "The City That Never Sleeps"
2014Killer WomenDan WinstonSeries Regular
2014StalkerMark RichardsEpisode: "Skin"
2015LimitlessNick TannerEpisode: "This Is Your Brian on Drugs"
2016UndergroundJohn HawkeRecurring Role; 9 episodes
2016Operation ChristmasScott Mc GuiganTelevision film
2016The Irresistible Blueberry FarmRoy CumberfieldTelevision film
2017Miss ChristmasSam McNaryTelevision film
2018Season for LoveCorey TurnerTelevision film
2019The FixRiv
2019Holiday For HeroesMatt EvansTelevision Film