Jay Karnes
Detective Holland Wagenbach

Jay Karnes plays the master detective ‘Holland ‘Dutch’ Wagenbach,’ partner of Detective Claudette Wyms on THE SHIELD. This season, Dutch is caught between his own ambitions and his loyalty to Claudette, whose apparent self-destructive behavior is holding Dutch back.

Karnes, a native of Omaha, Nebraska, attended Kansa University at Lawrence where he majored in Theatre and Political Science.

After college, Karnes began a career in the regional theatre, which included work at Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Missouri Repertory Theatre, South Coast Repertory, California Shakespeare Festival and Oregon Shakespeare Festival, among others.

Producer Joe Stern (“Law & Order,” “Judging Amy”) saw Karnes play ‘Mercutio’ in the Shakespeare/Los Angeles production of “Romeo and Juliet” and asked him to join the new The Matrix Theatre Company. In their inaugural production “The Tavern,” Karnes met his wife, actress Julia Campbell.

After settling in Los Angeles, Karnes began working steadily in film and television. His film work includes “The Joyriders” and “The Next Best Thing.” He has guest starred on numerous television shows including “Ally McBeal,” “Judging Amy,” “Nash Bridges,” “Chicago Hope,” “The Pretender,” “Star Trek Voyager” and “Frasier.”

Karnes has continued his work with The Matrix Theatre Company in productions of “The Seagull” and “Dangerous Corner,” as well as starring as ‘Stanley Webber’ in the company’s production of Harold Pinter’s enigmatic “The Birthday Party.”