Throughout most of ER’s run as one of the leading primetime dramas on TV and amid many cast changes, Abraham Benrubi was a constant presence as Jerry Markovic, the front desk clerk at County General. The character was arguably the show's most consistent—and much needed—comic relief. After being a part of the ensemble from the beginning, Jerry disappeared in Seasons 6 and 7, when Benrubi was working on the comedy Men In Trees, then returned to the show. He was eventually written off in Season 12, when Jerry was wounded in a shooting. Though he survived, he never returned to his post at the hospital, but fans were assured of the beloved character's happy ending when it was mentioned that he was living with his girlfriend in Alaska. Read on to learn what Benrubi himself has been up to since ER went off the air in 2009.
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He's had a long career in movies and TV.
Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty ImagesBenrubi was born into a showbiz-adjacent family—his father is Asher Benrubi, a musician and well-known radio DJ in the Cincinnati area. After studying acting, the younger Benrubi’s first gig was a role as a bodyguard in the show Living Dolls. He appeared on several of the most popular shows of the late 1980s and early '90s, including Growing Pains, Blossom, and Married...with Children. He also played a teenage Dan in a flashback on Roseanne and had a recurring role on Wings.
During and after ER, Benrubi racked up dozens more film and TV credits. On the big screen, he played Bubba in Twister, Thor in George of the Jungle, and Lou Steele in Miss Congeniality. Other movie roles include The Man Who Wasn't There, The Belko Experiment, and The Call of the Wild. He's in an upcoming holiday-themed horror movie called Christmas Bloody Christmas due out later this year.
On TV, he played Vincent in Sleepwalkers, Olaf in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Ben in Men In Trees, Big Dave in Happy Town, and Jody in Memphis Beat. Benrubi has appeared in episodes of The X-Files, Criminal Minds, Community, Bones, Once Upon a Time, and Chicago Fire, among many other series.
He's also a busy voice actor.
SGranitz/WireImageIn addition to taking on live-action roles, Benrubi has provided his voice to many characters over the years. His animated series work includes several episodes and specials of Robot Chicken, the Disney movie Big Hero 6, and the British kid's show, It's Pony. The actor has done voicework for almost a dozen video games as well, most notably the World of Warcraft and Skylander series.
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He’s married.
In 2019, Benrubi married Christina Ferriera and shared a shot from their Tuscany nuptials on social media. He also posts tributes to his wife on Instagram, including one on her birthday last year. Otherwise, the couple keep their relationship pretty private, and they don't have any children.
He paid tribute to a late co-star.
Paul Archuleta/FilmMagicDeezer D, the actor and rapper who played Jerry’s nurse buddy Malik on ER, died in 2021 of a heart attack. Benrubi posted a moving tribute to his long-time co-star on Instagram, along with a production photo of the two of them and a spin of some of Deezer D's music on vinyl. "We lost the mighty @deezerd10 Deezer D last week," Benrubi wrote in the caption. "I never would have made it through all those grueling #ER days without this guy. The ones with the biggest hearts often go too soon. Right now, I know D is at some #worldpremiere getting his picture taken with #kobebryant Rest In Peace my friend."
He shares a lot on social media.
Rodin Eckenroth/Getty ImagesBenrubi posts on Instagram, but he's more active on Twitter, where his bio reads, "Actor. Music lover. Art appreciator. Avid reader. Beach bum. I'm trying to use this thing to do good. Read more books." On Twitter, he shares his thoughts on books, movies, and TV shows; plugs his upcoming projects; weighs in on politics; and promotes causes he cares about. Following in his DJ dad's footsteps, he also posts whenever he updates his public Spotify playlists.
