Cullen played
Dan Fixx in the 1980s
CBS drama
Falcon Crest for two seasons (1986–88) and Sam Cain in the
ABC western series
The Young Riders for one season (1989–90). In 1980, he appeared as the second Gideon Chisholm in the last nine episodes of the CBS western
miniseries The Chisholms. In the four earlier episodes, the Gideon Chisholm role was played by
Brian Kerwin. Cullen was the
lead actor as Ned Logan in the short-lived
Legacy, which lasted for just one season (1998–99). On the series
The West Wing Cullen played Ray Sullivan, a fictional former U.S. attorney, state attorney general, and governor of
West Virginia and the
Republican nominee for
vice president. His guest appearances on TV include:
The Incredible Hulk,
Tales from the Crypt,
M*A*S*H,
V,
Matlock,
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,
Ally McBeal,
Walker, Texas Ranger,
Once and Again,
Without a Trace,
Cold Case,
The Mountain,
Monk,
CSI: Miami,
NCIS,
Desperate Housewives,
Pepper Dennis,
Criminal Minds,
Lost,
Ghost Whisperer,
Private Practice,
Ugly Betty, and
Friday Night Lights. In 2009, he had a recurring role in the
ABC Family television series
Make It or Break It. He played one of the
CAPCOMs in
Apollo 13 and real-life
astronaut David Scott in the
HBO miniseries From the Earth to the Moon.
Later work In 1994, Cullen played a small role in
Kevin Costner's
Wyatt Earp. Subsequent film roles included Jamie Johnson in
Something to Talk About, aspiring composer/hired escort Bryan in
The Hired Heart 1997, the spoiled quarterback Eddie Martel in
The Replacements (2000), Charlie Martin in the TV film version of
On Golden Pond, Nancy's father Carson Drew in the TV film
Nancy Drew, and Barton Blaze (father of
Johnny Blaze / Ghost Rider) in the 2007 film
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 also played Tom Eckert, father of protagonists Jed and Matt, in the 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 miniseries
The Thorn Birds. 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 2005–06, 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. Cullen had recurring roles in the series
Lost,
Damages, and
The Gates between 2007 and 2010. From 2011 to 2016, Cullen played the flashback character Nathan Ingram on the hit series
Person of Interest. 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. In 2013, Cullen was cast in the television series
Devious Maids, and in 2014 Cullen had recurring roles on the television series
Revenge,
Criminal Minds, and
Under the Dome. He also starred in the film
The Last Rescue. In 2019, Cullen played
Thomas Wayne in the film
Joker. ==Filmography==