William McNamara

William West McNamara is an American actor, model, and animal rights advocate. Born in Dallas, Texas, in March 1965, he spent his youth attending boarding school before pursuing acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute and Columbia University. Beginning his career in the late 1980s, he gained public attention for playing youth and coming-of-age roles in film and television.

Over his career, McNamara appeared in notable feature films such as Stealing Home, Texasville, Stella, Copycat, and Surviving the Game. His television credits include main and recurring roles in series like Island Son, Beggars and Choosers, NYPD Blue, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. He also portrayed historical and public figures, such as Montgomery Clift in Liz: The Elizabeth Taylor Story and Ricky Nelson in Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King, and earned a CableACE Award nomination for his performance in the television film Wildflower.

In addition to his entertainment career, McNamara is a dedicated animal rights activist and vegan. He has engaged in global animal rescue efforts and produced media focused on animal welfare, including serving as a producer for the Nat Geo Wild docuseries Animal Intervention. He has also developed independent projects, including the comedy series The Trouble with Billy.