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James Caverly plays Theo Dimas, the deaf son of Arconia resident and deli owner Teddy Dimas (Nathan Lane) in Only Murders in the Building. Learn more about the man who plays Theo, whether or not the actor is deaf like his character, and his acting work outside of the Hulu series. 

James Caverly, who plays Theo Dimas, smiles at the premiere of 'Only Murders in the Building' Season 2
James Caverly | Frazer Harrison/WireImage

James Caverly has a degree in Theatre Arts 

In December 2021, Caverly hosted an Ask Me Anything forum on Reddit. “A bit of a background about me,” his post began before diving into fan questions. 

“Born in Michigan and graduated from Gallaudet University in DC with a degree in Theatre Arts. Since that time, I’ve had a successful career as a stage actor, director, ASL consultant, and yes, even scenic carpentry.” 

James Caverly, Reddit

Caverly continued: “I’ve performed at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Studio Theatre, Kitchen Theatre Company, Huntington Theatre Company, and in 2018, Broadway’s Children of a Lesser God alongside Lauren Ridloff and Joshua Jackson. I had two appearances in Season 4 of Chicago Med but by far the most successful leap in the industry was playing Theo Dimas alongside Nathan Lane who plays my father.” 

Movies and TV shows starring ‘Only Murders in the Building’ actor James Caverly 

Outside of Only Murders in the Building, Caverly had a recurring role in Chicago Med (via IMDb). He played Peter Rush in the television series.

Additionally, Caverly starred in A Bennett Song Holiday, a 2020 holiday comedy. According to the resume from his website, he also has acting credits in CDPH Emergency Preparedness, Reconnect, Red Line, Strengthened in Faith, and Other Words. 

Caverly’s theater experience is also quite extensive. Per his resume, the actor has appeared in the previously mentioned Children of a Lesser God on Broadway as well as regional plays including: 

  • Tribes 
  • I Was Most Alive With You
  • Beertown
  • Squares
  • Tales of Honor & Anchovies
  • Journey of Identity 
  • A Child’s Christmas in Wales 
  • Stories In My Pocket Too 
  • W-5s: Stories Behind 

‘Only Murders in the Building’ actor James Caverly is deaf

Only Murders in the Building fans first got a good look at Caverly in the season 1 episode “The Boy From 6B.” In the first season of the Hulu series, Teddy quickly became a suspect in Tim Kono’s (Julian Cihi) murder. However, the flashback episode reveals Theo’s involvement in the deaths of Tim and Mabel’s (Selena Gomez) friend Zoe (Olivia Reis). 

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For many, this episode was memorable because it was told from Theo’s perspective as a deaf person. In reality, Caverly is deaf.

“I was born deaf, yes,” he told Speak Easy Stage. “I am close to profoundly deaf but I don’t use that term… it’s a medical term. I prefer to use ‘Deaf’ since it’s more of an identity nomenclature than a medical one.”

His parents and two younger brothers are hearing, but he has a sister who is deaf. Caverly’s entire family communicates with sign language — something he wishes more hearing people knew. “It always brightens up my day when people sign to me in restaurants, bars, or coffee shops,” he told one Redditor during his AMA.

Watch Only Murders in the Building on Hulu. New episodes release weekly on Tuesdays. 

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