{{short description|American actor, writer and producer}} {{BLP sources|date=September 2011}} {{Infobox person | image = | name = Michael Fishman | imagesize = | caption = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1981|10|22}} | birth_place = Los Angeles County, California, U.S. | birth_name = Michael Aaron Fishman | death_place = | other_names = | website = | occupation = Actor, Writer, Producer, Director | years_active = 1988–present | spouse = {{marriage|Jennifer Briner Fishman|1999|2019|end=divorced}} | children = 2 }} '''Michael Aaron Fishman''' (born October 22, 1981)<ref>https://www.californiabirthindex.org/birth/michael_aaron_fishman_born_1981_14863934 {{Bare URL inline|date=September 2022}}</ref> is an American actor, writer, and producer known for playing D.J. Conner on the long-running series ''Roseanne'' and its spin-off show ''The Conners''.<ref>{{cite web |last=Fishman |first=Michael |title=IMDb |website=IMDb |url= https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0279896/}}</ref><ref name=Newcomb>{{cite book |last= Newcomb |first=Horace |title= Television: the critical view |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=-nCD_kpNo28C&q=%22Michael+Fishman%22+%22d.j.+conner%22 |access-date= April 4, 2011 |edition=5th |year=1994 |publisher= Oxford University Press |isbn= 978-0-19-508528-0 |page=105}}</ref><ref name=Barr>{{cite book |last=Barr |first= Roseanne |title= Roseannearchy: Dispatches from the Nut Farm |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=KNp640NWYGEC&q=%22Michael+Fishman%22+%22roseanne%22&pg=PA148 |year=2011 |access-date= April 4, 2011 |publisher= Simon and Schuster |isbn=978-1-4391-5482-3 |page=148 |quote= Michael Fishman has two kids and is divorcing his wife. He also has a unique and funny personality, and a lot of talent and potential that I hope he continues to bring forth.}}</ref>
==Early life== Fishman was born in Los Angeles County, California, to a family of Jewish descent.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thejewishnews.com/2018/01/24/celebrity-jews-4/|title=Hollywood's Celebrity Jews, News, Movies and More…}}</ref>
He grew up in Cypress, California, and attended Arnold Elementary School.{{citation needed|date=September 2020}}
==Career== ===''Roseanne'': 1988–1997, 2018=== Fishman's acting career began after he met Roseanne Barr during an early audition. She asked him to tell her a joke. He said, "Why did the turtle cross the road? It was the chicken's day off." She was impressed,<ref>{{cite web |last=Fishman |first=Michael |title= Roseanne's Talk Show (about 29:00) |website=YouTube |url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yANQihkYPkc |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/yANQihkYPkc |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live}}{{cbignore}}</ref> and although he had no experience, Barr fought for Fishman to play D.J. Conner. He worked on ''Roseanne'' from age six to fifteen.{{Citation needed|date=September 2011}}
On April 28, 2017, it was announced that an eight-episode revival of ''Roseanne'' was in the works and being shopped around to various networks and that it would feature most of the original main cast. However, at the time, it was unknown if Fishman would reprise his role as D.J. Conner.<ref>{{Cite news |url= http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/roseanne-revival-works-article-1.3113625 |title= ''Roseanne'' TV show revival in the works with main cast set to reprise roles |work=New York Daily News |access-date=2017-04-28|last=Burke|first=Minyvonne|date=28 April 2017}}</ref> On May 16, 2017, it was confirmed that Fishman had signed on to appear in the revival, to air mid-season in 2018 on ABC.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/roseanne-revival-abc-1202428775 |title= 'Roseanne' Revival Lands at ABC |website=Variety |first=Joe |last= Otterson |date=May 16, 2017 |access-date= May 16, 2017}}</ref>
===1997–2017=== Fishman continued to act while attending the Orange County High School of the Arts at Los Alamitos High School<ref name=Barrett>{{cite magazine |last=Barrett |first=Barbara DeMarco |date=December 1997 |title=A guide to Orange County's specialized public schools |magazine=Orange Coast Magazine |volume=23 |issue=12 |page=173 |issn=0279-0483 |access-date=April 4, 2011 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Af4DAAAAMBAJ&q=%22michael+fishman%22+%22Los+alamitos%22&pg=PA173 |quote=Current students include Michael Fishman of ''Roseanne'' fame [...]. ''Orange County High School of the Arts, Los Alamitos High School'' [...]}}</ref> in the Musical Theater and Technical Theater departments.
He appeared in guest roles on ''Walker, Texas Ranger'' and ''Seinfeld'', and earned a recurring role alongside Andrew Dice Clay on ''Hitz'' just before it was canceled. Fishman also appeared in films, including Steven Spielberg's ''A.I. Artificial Intelligence''. He then reconnected with Barr as a co-host of ''The Roseanne Show'', which ran for two years before it was canceled in 2000.
Fishman has also worked on many television shows and films in other roles aside from acting, including executive producing, writing, directing, set building, production staff and camera operating. Some of his credits include ''Great Job, Thanks!'', ''The Real Roseanne Show'', and ''Sport Science''.
In 2013, he was cast in Joseph Mazzello's directorial debut sports comedy-drama film ''Undrafted'' as Antonelli. The film was released on July 15, 2016.
===''The Conners'': 2018–2022=== On June 21, 2018, ABC announced a spin-off from ''Roseanne'', titled ''The Conners'', with all the original cast (excluding Barr) to return; the show premiered on October 16, 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Grant |first=Sarah |date=2018-06-22 |title='Roseanne' Spinoff 'The Conners' to Air Without Roseanne Barr |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-news/roseanne-spinoff-the-conners-to-air-without-roseanne-barr-665885/ |access-date=2026-01-26 |website=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}</ref> On March 22, 2019, ABC announced that the show had been renewed for a second season. Fishman was not listed as part of the returning main cast, but the network press release said that additional cast would be announced at a later date.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.wdtvpress.com/abc/shows/the-conners/press-releases/ |title= ABC Picks Up Television's No. 1 New Comedy, 'The Conners,' for a Second Season |date= March 22, 2019 |publisher= Walt Disney Television Press |access-date= April 29, 2019 }}</ref>
On October 5, 2020, Fishman announced he would be directing the seventh episode of the show's third season. Although it was the seventh episode to be filmed, it aired in the second week of the show, as the Halloween special.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.inquisitr.com/6316238/the-conners-halloween-episode/|title = 'The Conners' Star Michael Fishman Shares Script for Upcoming Halloween Episode as He Makes Directorial Debut|date = 5 October 2020|website=Inquisitr News|last=Miller|first=Victoria}}</ref>
Fishman was told he would not return for season 5 of ''The Conners''.<ref name="ew-fishman-not-returning">{{cite news |last1=Romano |first1=Nick |title=Michael Fishman says he 'was told' he wouldn't return to 'The Conners' |url=https://ew.com/tv/michael-fishman-the-conners-exit-told-i-would-not-be-returning/ |access-date=4 September 2022 |work=EW.com |date=August 30, 2022 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="variety-1235354424">{{cite news |last1=Otterson |first1=Joe |title='The Conners' Star Michael Fishman Addresses Series Exit: 'I Was Told I Would Not Be Returning' |url=https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/the-conners-michael-fishman-series-exit-season-5-1235354424/ |access-date=4 September 2022 |work=Variety |date=30 August 2022}}</ref>
===2023=== In 2023, Fishman starred in ''Abducted By My Teacher: The Elizabeth Thomas Story'' as part of its "Ripped From the Headlines" feature films where he portrayed Tad Cummins who was responsible for the kidnapping of Elizabeth Thomas.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.etonline.com/interview-elizabeth-thomas-reflects-on-being-abducted-by-her-teacher-getting-closure-exclusive-209634|title=Elizabeth Thomas Reflects on Being Abducted by Her Teacher, Getting Closure|work=ET Online|first=Miguel A.|last=Melendez|date=August 11, 2023|access-date=August 12, 2023}}</ref>
==Personal life== Fishman and Jennifer Briner married on October 22, 1999. They were separated as of June 16, 2017, according to a formal application for legal separation Briner filed on December 27, 2018. On April 22, 2019, Briner officially filed for divorce.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://people.com/tv/michael-fishman-wife-files-for-divorce/ |title= Michael Fishman's Wife Files for Divorce After Nearly 20 Years of Marriage |last= Stone |first= Natalie |date= April 23, 2019 |publisher= People Magazine |access-date= April 29, 2019 }}</ref> The couple have two children.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.etonline.com/the-conners-star-michael-fishman-and-wife-jennifer-split-after-19-years-of-marriage-116347|title='The Conners' Star Michael Fishman & Wife Split After 19 Years|work=Entertainment Tonight|first=Liz|last=Calvario|date=December 28, 2018|access-date= December 31, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.etonline.com/the-conners-star-michael-fishman-reveals-surprising-reason-he-chose-legal-separation-over-divorce|title='The Conners' Star Michael Fishman Reveals Surprising Reason He Chose Legal Separation Over Divorce|publisher=TMZ.com|first=Jennifer |last=Drysdale|date= December 30, 2018|access-date= December 31, 2018|quote=Among the reasons for not getting a regular divorce is the shared desire to keep Jenny covered by my health insurance...}}</ref>
==Filmography== ===Film=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- | 1997 | ''Little Bigfoot 2: The Journey Home'' | Mike Holliday | |- | 2001 | ''A.I. Artificial Intelligence'' | Teen in Van | |- | 2016 | ''Undrafted'' | Antonelli | |- |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- | 1988–1997, 2018 | ''Roseanne'' | D.J. Conner | 220 episodes |- | 1991 | ''Little Rosey'' | Little D.J. (voice) | Episode: "Roseanne, Not Rosey" |- | 1992 | ''The Jackie Thomas Show'' | D.J. Conner | Episode: "The Joke" |- | 1993 | ''The Jackie Thomas Show'' | Jake | Episode: "One Flu Over the Cuckoo’s Nest" |- | 1996 | ''Hey Arnold!'' | Joey (voice) | Episode: "Spelling Bee" |- | 1997 | ''Seinfeld'' | Gregg | Episode: "The Apology" |- | 1997 | ''Hitz'' | Jimmy | 2 episodes |- | 1999 | ''Walker, Texas Ranger'' | Snake | Episode: "Lost Boys" |- | 1999 | ''The Roseanne Show'' | Himself | 38 episodes |- | 2011 | ''Roseanne's Nuts'' | Himself | Episode: "Passover" |- | 2018–2022 | ''The Conners'' | D.J. Conner | 36 episodes |- | 2023 | ''Abducted By My Teacher: The Elizabeth Thomas Story'' | Tad Cummins | Television film |- |}
==Awards and nominations== '''Emmy Award''' * 2007: Nominated, "Outstanding Production Design / Art Direction" – ''Sports Science''
'''TV Land Award''' * 2008: '''Won''', "Innovator Award" – ''Roseanne''
'''Young Artist Award''' * 1989: Nominated, "Best Young Actor Under Nine Years of Age" – ''Roseanne'' * 1991: Nominated, "Best Young Actor Under Nine Years of Age" – ''Roseanne'' * 1995: '''Won''', "Best Performance: Young Actor in a TV Comedy Series" – ''Roseanne''
'''YoungStar Awards''' * 1997: Nominated, "Best Performance by a Young Actor in a Comedy TV Series" – ''Roseanne''
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|0279896}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Fishman, Michael}} Category:1981 births Category:American male child actors Category:20th-century American male actors Category:21st-century American male actors Category:American male film actors Category:American male television actors Category:Living people Category:Male actors from Long Beach, California Category:Orange County School of the Arts alumni Category:Jewish American male actors Category:Los Alamitos High School alumni