Charles Esten

Acting

Charles Esten

Born September 9, 1965Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA60 credits

Charles Esten Puskar III (September 9, 1965), also known as Chip Esten, is an American actor, musician and comedian. He is best known for his role as country singer Deacon Claybourne on the ABC/CMT drama Nashville (2012-2018), which subsequently kickstarted his own musical career. He's also known for his comedy (as Chip Esten) on the US version of the improv series Whose Line Is it Anyway?.

Known For

Grizzly Night

Grizzly Night

Movie

2026

Signing Tony Raymond

Signing Tony Raymond

Movie

2026

Homestead: The Series
6.3

Homestead: The Series

TV

2024

The Easy Kind

The Easy Kind

Movie

2024

Tubydi

Movie

2021

Outer Banks
8.3

Outer Banks

TV

2020

Filmography

Grizzly Night
2026Grizzly Nightas Gary BunneyMovie
Signing Tony Raymond
2026Signing Tony Raymondas Coach Crew MarshallMovie
Homestead: The Series
2024Homestead: The Seriesas Cain RossTV
The Easy Kind
2024The Easy Kindas TyeMovie
T
2021Tubydias PadastroMovie
Outer Banks
2020Outer Banksas Ward CameronTV
The Kelly Clarkson Show
2019The Kelly Clarkson Showas SelfTV
Nashville in Concert
2018Nashville in ConcertMovie
Die Helene Fischer Show 2017
2017Die Helene Fischer Show 2017as SelfMovie
Whose Line Is It Anyway?
2013Whose Line Is It Anyway?as SelfTV
Nashville
2012Nashvilleas Deacon ClaybourneTV
Enlightened
2011Enlightenedas Damon ManningTV
Jessie
2011Jessieas Morgan RossTV
Wilfred
2011Wilfredas NickTV
Drew Carey's Improv-A-Ganza
2011Drew Carey's Improv-A-Ganzaas SelfTV
NCIS: Los Angeles
2009NCIS: Los Angelesas John Cole / Ethan StanhopeTV
1%
20081%as John TiptonMovie
The Mentalist
2008The Mentalistas Rick BregmanTV
Swing Vote
2008Swing Voteas LewisMovie
American Family
2007American Familyas Larry BognerMovie
The Winner
2007The WinnerTV
The New Adventures of Old Christine
2006The New Adventures of Old Christineas Joe CampbellTV
Big Love
2006Big Loveas Ray HenryTV
The Office
2005The Officeas Josh PorterTV
Drew Carey's Green Screen Show
2004Drew Carey's Green Screen Showas SelfTV
Nobody Knows Anything!
2004Nobody Knows Anything!as Conner FultonMovie
Cold Case
2003Cold Caseas John 'The Hawk' HawkinsTV
3-2-1 Penguins!: Moon Menace on Planet Tell-A-Lie
20033-2-1 Penguins!: Moon Menace on Planet Tell-A-LieWriterMovie
O
2003On the SpotTV
W
2003Water Under the Bridgeas DonMovie
CMT Music Awards
2002CMT Music Awardsas Self - HostTV
Ten Minutes Older: The Trumpet
2002Ten Minutes Older: The Trumpetas Bill (segment "Twelve Miles to Trona")Movie
The Guardian
2001The Guardianas Mark HansonTV
61*
200161*as Kevin MarisMovie
Drew Carey's Improv All Stars
2001Drew Carey's Improv All Starsas Self (as Chip Esten)Movie
Thirteen Days
2000Thirteen Daysas Maj. Rudolf AndersonMovie
Jack & Jill
1999Jack & JillTV
Rocket Power
1999Rocket PowerWriterTV
Late Last Night
1999Late Last Nightas Beverly Hills CopMovie
Providence
1999Providenceas Ted ShannonTV
Jesse
1998Jesseas TadTV
The Brian Benben Show
1998The Brian Benben ShowTV
Hollywood Squares
1998Hollywood Squaresas Self - PanelistTV
Whose Line Is It Anyway?
1998Whose Line Is It Anyway?as SelfTV
The Postman
1997The Postmanas MichaelMovie
The Sleepwalker Killing
1997The Sleepwalker Killingas Mark SchallMovie
Just Shoot Me!
1997Just Shoot Me!as JakeTV
JAG
1995JAGas Pete "Pistol" AyersTV
The Drew Carey Show
1995The Drew Carey Showas ChipTV
The Crew
1995The Crewas Randy AndersonTV
Star Trek: Voyager
1995Star Trek: Voyageras DathanTV
ER
1994ERas Barry GrossmanTV
Party of Five
1994Party of Fiveas LukeTV
Diagnosis: Murder
1993Diagnosis: Murderas Joe CarterTV
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
1993Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Supermanas Ethan PressTV
Star Trek: The Next Generation
1987Star Trek: The Next Generationas DivokTV
Married... with Children
1987Married... with Childrenas LonnieTV
Cheers
1982Cheersas MarineTV
S
—Signing Dayas Coach Crew MarshallMovie
F
—Flintas FlintMovie