Stephen Wallem
Stephen Wallem
Nurse Jackie (Thor Lundgren)
Stephen Wallem currently stars in the comedy drama series NURSE JACKIE on Showtime. He plays Thor Lundgren, one of the dedicated nurses at All Saints Hospital. Thor is always quick with a comment and even quicker to run to Jackie's side.
Stephen was born and raised in Rockford, Illinois and worked as a stage actor and After Dark Award-winning cabaret singer in Chicago before moving to New York to make his television debut on NURSE JACKIE. National tours include FOREVER PLAID, INTO THE WOODS, and SCROOGE with Richard Chamberlain. He accrued nearly 2,500 performances as both Jinx and Sparky in various companies of FOREVER PLAID, including Chicago, Las Vegas, Denver, and the first national tour.
He made his professional opera debut in New York City Opera's ANNA NICOLE at BAM, following his appearance as Shrek in The Muny production of SHREK THE MUSICAL in St. Louis. He portrayed Hazel in the Encores! City Center production of PIPE DREAM, Judas/Padre in the Court Theatre's acclaimed production of MAN OF LA MANCHA (After Dark Award for Outstanding Performance, Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Ensemble) and reprised his performance at the Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven. For the Ravinia Festival, he appeared with Tony winners Patti LuPone, Audra McDonald, Michael Cerveris, and George Hearn in A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, PASSION, SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE, and DOLL with David Hyde Pierce (all directed by Lonny Price).
In New York, Wallem originated the role of Arvid in the Broadway workshop of KRISTINA, written by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus of ABBA. He also performed his cabarets OFF THE WALLEM and SCHWARTZ AND ALL at Don't Tell Mama along with BIRDLAND, and guest appearances in the Sondheim Unplugged series at 54 Below. He teamed with Edie Falco for a sold-out run of the original cabaret THE OTHER STEVE AND EDIE at the Laurie Beechman Theatre.
Because of NURSE JACKIE incorporating his own experiences as a Type 1 diabetic into Thor’s storyline, Stephen was asked to serve as the celebrity ambassador for Picture This: Diabetes, a national diabetes awareness campaign sponsored by Entertainment Industries Council and Novo Nordisk. On behalf of the campaign, Stephen has spoken in Chicago, Atlanta and on Capitol Hill as well as appearing in a national public service announcement. He also received the 2012 JDRF Angel Award with sister Linda.
Wallem is also a playwright, composer, and director. Along with longtime collaborator Danny Musha, he is the author of SOMETHING ON MY MIND, produced by Ben Vereen for Good Vibes and the musical Frozen River, which work-shopped at Lamb's Theater in Manhattan. He co-directed IS THERE LIFE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL? at Chicago Academy for the Arts, and wrote and directed CRISIS at Broadway High. Wallem and Musha's ballad "Another New Place" was recorded by cabaret duo Beckie Menzie and Tom Michael for their CD, "Better Two-gether."
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