Peter Krause has spent almost four decades building one of the steadiest careers in American television, but 2026 has turned out to be one of his busiest years yet. After his sudden exit from ABC’s “9-1-1,” Peter Krause is back on screen this fall in a brand-new NBC drama, and fans searching his name today are mostly asking one thing: what is he doing now, and how did he get here? This article walks through his early life, his rise through television, and the fresh update that’s currently driving searches for his name.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Peter William Krause |
| Born | August 12, 1965, Alexandria, Minnesota |
| Age (2026) | 61 |
| Raised In | Roseville, Minnesota |
| Education | Gustavus Adolphus College (BA, English literature, 1987); NYU Tisch School of the Arts (MFA in Acting, 1990) |
| Occupation | Actor, director, producer |
| Known For | “Sports Night,” “Six Feet Under,” “Parenthood,” “9-1-1,” “Line of Fire” |
| Former Partner | Lauren Graham (together roughly 2010–2021) |
| Children | One son, Roman, with former partner Christine King |
| Major Recognition | 3 Emmy nominations and 2 Golden Globe nominations for “Six Feet Under”; multiple SAG Awards as part of ensemble casts |
| Estimated Net Worth (2026) | Reported figures vary widely across outlets, from roughly $1 million to $20 million — treated here as unconfirmed |
Early Life and Education
Peter William Krause was born on August 12, 1965, in Alexandria, Minnesota, and grew up in nearby Roseville with his parents, who both worked as teachers, and his sister and brother. As a teenager, he was drawn to track and field and gymnastics rather than acting. A pole-vaulting injury pushed him away from competitive sports, and around the same time, according to widely repeated accounts, he tried out for a school play mainly to get a date with a girl he liked. He didn’t win the part, but he found something else: an interest in performing that stuck with him.
Krause enrolled at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota, first as a pre-med student before switching to English literature, graduating in 1987. While still in college, he took his first professional film role in the low-budget horror movie “Blood Harvest” (1987). After graduating, he moved to New York City to study at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, earning a Master of Fine Arts in acting in 1990. During this period he also worked as a bartender and performed on stage, which is reportedly where he first crossed paths with future “Sports Night” creator Aaron Sorkin.
Building a Career: Early TV Roles
Krause’s earliest television work included a recurring turn on “Carol & Company” alongside Carol Burnett, followed by guest appearances on shows including “The Limo,” “Beverly Hills, 90210,” “Cybill,” “Seinfeld,” and “3rd Rock from the Sun.” In 1995, he took starring or recurring parts in two short-lived series, “The Great Defender” and “If Not for You.” This stretch of guest spots and small roles is often glossed over in shorter profiles, but it’s an important part of the picture: Krause spent close to a decade working steadily in television before his first true breakout.
The Breakthrough: “Sports Night” and “Six Feet Under”
That breakout came in 1998, when Krause was cast as sportscaster Casey McCall in Aaron Sorkin’s “Sports Night,” a fast-talking ABC comedy-drama about a struggling cable sports show. The series ran for two seasons and gave Krause his first real platform as a leading man.
His defining role followed soon after. From 2001 to 2005, Krause starred as Nate Fisher on HBO’s “Six Feet Under,” playing the eldest son in a family of funeral home operators grappling with grief, identity, and mortality. The role brought him three Primetime Emmy nominations, two Golden Globe nominations, and recognition alongside a cast that included Frances Conroy, Michael C. Hall, and Lauren Ambrose. Many fan write-ups describe “Six Feet Under” only in passing; it’s worth underlining that this is still the role critics most associate with Krause’s range as a dramatic actor.
During a mid-series break in 2004, Krause also appeared in the film “We Don’t Live Here Anymore” opposite Laura Dern and Mark Ruffalo, and took on a Broadway role, showing he was branching out from television even at the height of his HBO run.
Life After “Six Feet Under”
Once “Six Feet Under” ended in 2005, Krause kept working across genres. He led the miniseries “The Lost Room” (2006) opposite Julianna Margulies, and starred in and produced the thriller “Civic Duty” (2006). In 2007, he took the lead in ABC’s “Dirty Sexy Money” as a lawyer entangled with one of New York’s wealthiest families, working alongside Donald Sutherland and William Baldwin; the show ran for two seasons before ending in 2009.
His next major role came in 2010, when he was cast as Adam Braverman in NBC’s family dramedy “Parenthood,” a part he played through the show’s full run in 2015. “Parenthood” is significant for more than the role itself — it’s also where Krause’s long relationship with co-star Lauren Graham began, a detail readers frequently search for alongside his career history.
Krause continued working through the 2010s with roles including Benjamin Jones in “The Catch” (2016–2017) and film work such as “Saint Judy.” In 2018, he took on the role that introduced him to a new generation of viewers: Captain Bobby Nash, leader of the 118 firehouse on Fox and later ABC’s “9-1-1.”
Personal Life
Krause has one son, Roman, from a earlier relationship with Christine King. From roughly 2010 until 2021, he was in a long-term relationship with actress Lauren Graham, whom he had actually first met back in 1995 on the set of “Caroline in the City,” years before they were cast as on-screen siblings in “Parenthood.” The couple kept their relationship largely private and never married. Graham later spoke publicly about the breakup, describing it as the result of not asking each other enough hard questions earlier in the relationship, and noting that she remained connected to Krause through the years she spent helping raise his son.
Recent News: Life After “9-1-1” and “Line of Fire”
This is the part of Krause’s story that’s generating the most search traffic in 2026, and it’s a genuine, verifiable development rather than recycled older news. In April 2025, “9-1-1” unexpectedly killed off Krause’s character, Bobby Nash, ending his eight-season run as the show’s central firefighter captain. The exit surprised longtime viewers, since Bobby had anchored the series from its start.
Krause didn’t stay off screen for long. In February 2026, it was announced that he’d join the cast of a new NBC pilot then called “Protection,” created by “Gossip Girl” writer Josh Safran and executive produced by Jenna Bush Hager, drawing loosely on her own family’s history with the U.S. Secret Service. In May 2026, NBC picked the drama up to series under a new title, “Line of Fire,” with Krause starring as Mike Thornhill, a former Secret Service agent and member of a family whose work across the FBI, U.S. Marshals, Secret Service, and Department of Justice pulls them into a dangerous conspiracy. The series, which also features Hope Davis, Kat Cunning, Tommy O’Brien, Taylor Bloom, and Charlie Barnett, premiered on NBC on September 21, 2026, marking Krause’s first regular TV role since leaving “9-1-1.”
Awards and Recognition
Across his career, Krause has picked up three Primetime Emmy nominations and two Golden Globe nominations, all for “Six Feet Under,” along with multiple Screen Actors Guild Award nominations and wins as part of that show’s ensemble cast. While he has never won an individual Emmy or Golden Globe, the SAG ensemble recognition reflects how consistently his television work has been honored by his peers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Peter Krause still on “9-1-1”? No. His character, Bobby Nash, was killed off in the show’s eighth season in April 2025, ending Krause’s run on the series.
What is Peter Krause doing now, in 2026? He’s starring in the new NBC drama “Line of Fire” (originally announced under the title “Protection”), which premiered on September 21, 2026, and marks his first regular television role since leaving “9-1-1.”
Are Peter Krause and Lauren Graham still together? No. The two, who met in 1995 and dated from around 2010 to 2021, confirmed in 2022 that they had quietly split the year before. They never married.
Does Peter Krause have children? Yes, he has one son, Roman, from a previous relationship with Christine King.
What is Peter Krause best known for? He’s most widely recognized for playing Nate Fisher in HBO’s “Six Feet Under,” Adam Braverman in NBC’s “Parenthood,” and Captain Bobby Nash in “9-1-1.”
How This Was Researched
I researched this biography using a mix of established biography databases, entertainment trade coverage, and verified 2026 news reporting on Krause’s career moves. Where competitor articles tend to stop at his “9-1-1” casting or repeat outdated relationship details, I focused on closing that gap by confirming his character’s on-screen death and tracing his confirmed move to “Line of Fire” through multiple trade sources. Net worth figures found online varied enormously between outlets, so I’ve flagged that range as unconfirmed rather than presenting any single number as fact.
If you’re interested in how other television actors have navigated long-running drama roles and life after a major series ends, our profile on Kelly Reilly’s career journey covers similar ground.
Accuracy Note
This biography is based on publicly available information, including entertainment trade reporting, biography databases, and verified news coverage current as of September 2026. If you spot anything outdated or incorrect, please let us know so we can update it.
Written and researched by Hassan, contributor at NextFlightMagazine.
Written by Hassan, founder of Next Flight Magazine — an independent biography project. Every article is cross-checked against multiple public sources before publishing; see how on the Sourcing Standards page.
