Ben Ahlers
Updated: 12/11/2025, 4:56:10 PM Wikipedia source
Ben Ahlers (born August 17, 1996) is an American actor. He is best known for playing Liam Kelly on the NBC drama series The Village (2019), Jack Trotter on the HBO historical drama series The Gilded Age (2022–present), and Burton on the HBO post-apocalyptic drama series The Last of Us (2025).
Infobox
Born
(1996-08-17) August 17, 1996 (age 29)Fort Dodge, Iowa, U.S.
Occupation
Actor
Years active
2016–present
Tables
· Filmography
| † | Denotes productions that have not yet been released. |
· Filmography › Film
2017
Anna Garcia Does a One Woman Play
Role(s)
Ben
Notes
Short film
2019
Walk Off
Role(s)
Ben Larson
Notes
Short film; also associate producer
2023
Smago
Role(s)
Charles
Notes
Short film
2024
A Wonderful Way with Dragons
Role(s)
Gray
2025
12 Hours in the Life of Jason Bruckner
Role(s)
Jason Bruckner
Notes
Post-production
TBA
Role(s)
Little Brother †
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
| 2017 | Anna Garcia Does a One Woman Play | Ben | Short film | |
| 2019 | Walk Off | Ben Larson | Short film; also associate producer | |
| 2023 | Smago | Charles | Short film | |
| 2024 | A Wonderful Way with Dragons | Gray | ||
| 2025 | 12 Hours in the Life of Jason Bruckner | Jason Bruckner | Post-production | |
| TBA | Little Brother † | Filming |
· Filmography › Television
2019
2020
2022–present
Role(s)
The Gilded Age
Notes
John "Jack" Trotter
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
| 2016–2019 | The University | Kyle Clark | Episodes: "What We Know" (2016), "Measures of Protection" (2019) | |
| 2019 | The Village | Liam Kelly | 7 episodes | |
| Instinct | Boyd Carter | Episode: "Big Splash" | ||
| 2020 | When the Streetlights Go On | Brad Kirchoff | Main role | |
| Chilling Adventures of Sabrina | Lucas Hunt | Episode: "Chapter Thirty One: The Weird" | ||
| 2022–present | The Gilded Age | John "Jack" Trotter | Main role (seasons 2 and 3); recurring (season 1) | |
| 2025 | The Last of Us | Burton | 2 Episodes ("Day One" and "Convergence") |
· Filmography › Stage
2018
2018
Year
2018
Production
The Closet
Role
Jack O'Reilly
Theater
Williamstown Theatre Festival
2019
2019
Year
2019
Production
Good Boys
Role
Brandon Hardy
Theater
Pasadena Playhouse
2024
2024
Year
2024
Production
Tender Napalm
Role
Man
Theater
Theaterlab, Off-Broadway
2025
2025
Year
2025
Production
John Wilkes Booth: One Night Only!
Role
John Wilkes Booth
Theater
Baltimore Center Stage
2026
2026
Year
2026
Production
Death of a Salesman †
Role
Happy Loman
Theater
Winter Garden Theater
| Year | Production | Role | Theater | Ref. |
| 2018 | The Closet | Jack O'Reilly | Williamstown Theatre Festival | |
| 2019 | Good Boys | Brandon Hardy | Pasadena Playhouse | |
| 2024 | Tender Napalm | Man | Theaterlab, Off-Broadway | |
| 2025 | John Wilkes Booth: One Night Only! | John Wilkes Booth | Baltimore Center Stage | |
| 2026 | Death of a Salesman † | Happy Loman | Winter Garden Theater |
· Awards and nominations
2024
2024
Year
2024
Award
Screen Actors Guild Awards
Category
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
Nominee(s)
Various
Result
Nominated
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
| 2024 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | Various | Nominated |
References
- Ben Ahlers, Ashlie Atkinson, Christine Baranski, Denée Benton, Nicole Brydon Bloom, Michael Cerveris, Carrie Coon, Kelle
- "Another one down"https://www.instagram.com/p/ChXd5z7uESp/
- The Messengerhttps://www.messengernews.net/sports/local-sports/2021/11/nyc-marathon-serves-a-purpose-for-ahlers/
- The Messengerhttps://www.messengernews.net/life/local-lifestyle/2018/12/ben-ahlers/
- The Hollywood Reporterhttps://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/queen-latifah-star-quibi-drama-street-lights-go-1242457/
- Mashablehttps://mashable.com/article/quibi-when-the-streetlights-go-on-review
- Refinery29https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2020/04/9692151/who-killed-chrissy-monroe-when-the-streetlights-go-on-ending-explainer
- Elite Dailyhttps://www.elitedaily.com/p/who-plays-lucas-in-chilling-adventures-of-sabrina-ben-ahlers-might-look-familiar-51912991
- Deadlinehttps://deadline.com/2020/12/the-gilded-age-cast-hbo-julian-fellowes-drama-1234653998/
- Deciderhttps://decider.com/2023/12/07/the-gilded-age-who-invented-the-alarm-clock/
- ATimelyPerspectivehttps://www.atimelyperspective.com/the-horological-society-of-new-york-takes-center-stage-in-hbos-the-gilded-age-season-2/
- The Daily Beasthttps://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/the-gilded-age-alarm-clock-plot-is-so-silly-and-so-perfect/
- Flaunthttps://www.flaunt.com/blog/ben-ahlers
- Horological Society of New Yorkhttps://hs-ny.org/news/2023/12/18/hsny-featured-in-season-2-of-hbos-the-gilded-age?srsltid=AfmBOoru7ekxQvzQ7UORjQlCaWR98-hgssvLVHjSHB7_NF1EB_3DwwZn
- Varietyhttps://variety.com/2025/tv/news/the-last-of-us-season-2-joe-pantoliano-cast-1236327820/
- Deciderhttps://decider.com/2025/05/04/the-last-of-us-season-2-episode-4-wolves-josh-peck/
- EW.comhttps://ew.com/who-is-isaac-the-last-of-us-jeffrey-wright-explained-11727252
- The Washington Posthttps://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/theater/2025/05/28/john-wilkes-booth-matthew-weiner-baltimore-center-stage/
- The Hollywood Reporterhttps://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/ben-ahlers-gilded-age-fashion-interview-1236310259/
- Varietyhttps://variety.com/2025/film/news/little-brother-netflix-chris-meloni-ego-nwodim-cast-1236453860/
- New York Theatre Guidehttps://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/theatre-news/news/nathan-lane-laurie-metcalf-to-star-in-death-of-a-salesman-on-broadway
- Vulturehttps://www.vulture.com/article/culturati-50-2025-ben-ahlers-interview-questionnaire.html
- Interview Magazinehttps://www.interviewmagazine.com/television/ben-ahlers-tells-kiernan-shipka-about-growing-up-on-the-gilded-age
- Varietyhttps://variety.com/2025/tv/news/gilded-age-ben-ahlers-jack-clock-twink-nickname-1236486023/
- www.out.comhttps://www.out.com/gay-tv-shows/the-gilded-age-clock-twink-explained
- Something About Rockshttps://somethingaboutrocks.com/article/stepping-out-ben-ahlers-on-the-gilded-age-the-american-dream-and-his-love-of-watchmaking/
- DRAMAhttps://www.the-dramapodcast.com/dramapodcast/clock-twink-ben-ahlers
- Behind The Blindshttps://www.behindtheblinds.be/love/shiny-dreams
- Vanity Fairhttps://www.vanityfair.com/style/story/maude-apatow-on-tennis-theater-and-always-celebrating-with-champagne
- Cinema Expresshttps://www.cinemaexpress.com/english/news/2023/May/15/m3gan-fame-violet-mcgraw-boards-a-wonderful-way-with-dragons-43445.html
- The University: A Web Serieshttps://theuniversitywebseries.com/
- Williamstown Theatre Festivalhttps://www.wtfestival.org/main-events/the-closet/
- Deadlinehttps://deadline.com/2019/07/roberto-aguirre-sacasa-good-boys-review-pasadena-playhouse-betsy-brandt-ben-ahlers-dylan-arnold-toxic-masculinity-1202642795/
- Theaterlabhttps://theaterlabnyc.com/tender-napalm-nov-27-dec-15-2024/
- New York Theatre Guidehttps://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/theatre-news/news/nathan-lane-laurie-metcalf-to-star-in-death-of-a-salesman-on-broadway
- "Nominations Announced for the 30th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards"https://www.sagawards.org/media/news/releases/nominations-announced-30th-annual-screen-actors-guild-awardsr