Who is Chaplain Steve? Meet St. Denis Medical Star Stephen Schneider
Before becoming an on-screen chaplin on St. Denis Medical, Stephen Schneider starred in tons of other TV shows.
NBC’s hospital comedy St. Denis Medical focuses on a team of hardworking nurses and doctors who make up the team in the ER department at a fictional Oregon hospital. There are a few other employees who aren’t medical professionals but are just as devoted to helping people, one of which being Chaplain Steve (portrayed by Stephen Schneider).
Viewers were first introduced to him in Episode 3, “Weird Stuff You Can’t Explain,” as he gave religious support to one of the patients. The newest nurse, Matt (Mekki Leeper), immediately got suspicious of Steve’s explanation of a part of the Bible and, thanks to his own hyper-religious background, was sure that Chaplain Steve was telling the information all wrong.
SPOILER ALERT for St. Denis Medical Episode 3.
Matt got him fired from the hospital after convincing executive director Joyce Henderson (Wendi McLendon-Covey) to double-check his qualifications for the job, only to find out he never went to divinity school.
Related: St. Denis Medical Cast Gives Their Best Bad Advice: “I Should Probably Not Say This Out Loud”
Ultimately, Joyce rehires Steve and while Matt thinks there’s no hard feelings between the two of them, given their obvious devotion to their faith. However, the chaplain makes it clear with a certain finger gesture that the nurse just got his first workplace enemy.
If you watched the episode and recognized the hospital’s "chaplain," you're not alone. Read on to learn more about St. Denis Medical actor Stephen Schneider.
What TV shows has St. Denis Medical's Stephen Schneider been in?
Before joining the cast of St. Denis Medical, Schneider was consistently working in television for over a decade.
One of his first roles was in the short-lived NBC series Best Friends Forever. He portrayed Rav Stark, a close friend of lead Lennon Walker (Lennon Parham) and love interest of Jessica Black, played by Parks and Recreation star Jessica St. Clair.
Schneider went on to play movie director Ty Wyland in You’re the Worst. The ex-boyfriend of PR executive Gretchen Cutler (played by Aya Cash), the two had an on again-off again relationship, despite the fact that she was simultaneously dating another man. Out of the show’s five seasons, he was featured in a total of six episodes sprinkled throughout Seasons 1, 2, and 4.
His additional acting credits include reoccurring roles in The Righteous Gemstones, Lucifer, and NBC’s Save Me.
Stephen Schneider's Wife Jen Proske Is a Fellow Actor
Schneider is not the only performer in his family. In fact, his wife Jenn Proske is a well-known actress.
One of her most notable roles was her appearance in Season 13, Episode 13, “Theatre Tricks,” of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
She played Meghan Weller, a theatre performer who was assaulted during a live performance. Despite the xrime occurring in the audience, the attendees believe that it was a part of the show. Since everyone in the crowd was wearing masks, it made it difficult for the team of detectives to find the culprit.
Proske's most recent role was starring alongside Jake Gyllenhaal in the Universal Pictures film Ambulance, which is streaming now on Peacock (and you can get access to the streaming service right here.)
How long does this rivalry between Chaplain Steve and Matt last? How many more secrets is Schneider's character hiding? Curious fans will just have to tune in to more St. Denis Medical to find out.
Catch new episodes of St. Denis Medical when they premiere on Tuesday on NBC at 8/7c to find out. Episodes are available to stream on Peacock the next day.
