Michael Lerner's career had immense variety. He took on roles in all genres. Comedies, dramas, and sci-fi, his career never remained in solely one realm. In 1998 he played Mayor Ebert in the poorly received "Godzilla." Nearly two decades later, in 2014's "X-Men: Days of Future Past," he played another politician: Senator Brickman. The role saw Lerner in a pivotal scene with Peter Dinklage's Bolivar Trask, going against the latter's aggressive anti-mutant stance.
Whether in the corporate or political world, Lerner had a habit of portraying authority figures, some more eccentric and hilarious than others. His Oscar-nominated character of Jack Lipnick in "Barton Fink," with his consistent fast talk and overall ridiculousness, allowed Lerner to display all of his acting chops. Years later, Lerner played another Hollywood powerbroker, Joe Roberts, in an episode of HBO's "Entourage," sharing scenes with Jeremy Piven and Adrian Grenier. "Glee" fans will also remember Lerner as the no-nonsense theater producer Sidney Greene, another authority figure who wasn't afraid to bring one of the central characters down a peg or two.
Michael Lerner was an actor cut from an extremely talented cloth. Whether performing in guest-starring roles on television or participating in blockbuster sci-fi bonanzas, Lerner always brought a top-tier performance.
