Early life

Daniels was born in Athens, Georgia, to Marjorie J. (née Ferguson) and Robert Lee "Bob" Daniels. He spent the first six weeks of his life in Georgia, where his father was then teaching, and grew up in Chelsea, Michigan. His father owned The Chelsea Lumber Company and was also a onetime mayor of Chelsea.

Daniels was raised Methodist. He attended Central Michigan University and participated in the school's theater program. In the summer of 1976, Daniels attended the Eastern Michigan University drama school to participate in a special Bicentennial Repertory program, where he performed in The Hot l Baltimore and three other plays performed in repertoire. Marshall W. Mason was the guest director at EMU and he invited Jeff to come to New York to work at the Circle Repertory Theatre, where he performed in Fifth of July by Lanford Wilson in the 1977-78 season. Daniels performed in New York in The Shortchanged Review (1979) at Second Stage Theatre. It was the first show of the inaugural season for Second Stage Theatre.

Career

Stage career

Daniels has starred in a number of New York productions, on and off Broadway. On Broadway, he has appeared in Lanford Wilson's Redwood Curtain, A. R. Gurney's The Golden Age and Wilson's Fifth of July, for which he won a Drama Desk Award for Best Supporting Actor. Off-Broadway, he received a Drama Desk nomination for Wilson's Lemon Sky, and an Obie Award for his performance in the Circle Repertory Company production of Johnny Got His Gun. He returned to the stage in 2009, appearing in Broadway's God of Carnage opposite Hope Davis, James Gandolfini and Marcia Gay Harden.

In 1991, he founded the Purple Rose Theatre Company, a nonprofit stage company in Chelsea. Daniels has written more than a dozen plays for the company.

In 2016, Daniels received a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his performance in Blackbird, opposite Michelle Williams.

Film career

Daniels made his screen debut in Miloš Forman's Ragtime in 1981. His next film, the Oscar-winning Terms of Endearment, in which he played Debra Winger's callow and unfaithful husband, was his breakthrough. He garnered a Golden Globe nomination as the star of The Purple Rose Of Cairo, directed by Woody Allen. It was the last film that inspired the name for the theater company he established.

Daniels earned his second Golden Globe nomination for starring in Jonathan Demme's Something Wild as an unassuming businessman swept up into a wild night by a mysterious woman (Melanie Griffith). Daniels then starred in the horror-comedy (or "thrill-omedy", as it was described in the promotion) Arachnophobia in 1990. The next year, Daniels starred in two films (Love Hurts and The Butcher's Wife). His next notable role was as Colonel Joshua Chamberlain in Gettysburg. Daniels reprised the role of Chamberlain ten years later in the prequel film Gods and Generals.

In 1994, Daniels would have one of his most successful films commercially, starring in the Farrelly Brothers's hit Dumb and Dumber alongside Jim Carrey. It was a noted departure for Daniels, owing to his status as a dramatic actor. That same year Daniels appeared with Keanu Reeves in the action blockbuster Speed; the film was an enormous hit, grossing over $350 million at the box office.

Daniels would then host Saturday Night Live a second time before the release of the 1996 Disney live-action remake of 101 Dalmatians. Daniels starred as the owner of a litter of dalmatians stolen by the evil Cruella De Vil (Glenn Close). The film was successful, grossing $320 million. Also in 1996 was the family hit film Fly Away Home with Daniels as the supportive single father of Anna Paquin's goose-raising preteen. Daniels then had a critical and commercial misfire with Trial and Error (1997). Daniels would rebound, however, with 1998's Pleasantville as diner owner Bill Johnson, who learns to act as an individual and rebel against the norm at the urging of Tobey Maguire's David. Also starring Reese Witherspoon, Joan Allen, and Don Knotts, Pleasantville was nominated for three Academy Awards. Daniels starred alongside Christopher Lloyd in the critically and commercially unsuccessful film, My Favorite Martian.

Daniels starred in the TV films The Crossing, Cheaters, and the direct-to-video release Chasing Sleep. At this point, in the early 2000s, Daniels began to focus more on his theater work at The Purple Rose Theatre as well as writing, starring, and directing the films Escanaba in da Moonlight and Super Sucker.

Daniels's next major film role would be in Clint Eastwood's Blood Work, which received mixed reviews and was a commercial failure. He would rebound later that year with Stephen Daldry's Academy Award-winning The Hours. The film was also a financial success, grossing well over $100 million. Gods and Generals followed in 2003, as did the action film I Witness, which co-starred James Spader. Daniels then starred in Imaginary Heroes and the 2004 television film adaptation of fellow Michigander and friend Mitch Albom's bestseller The Five People You Meet in Heaven.

The year 2005 proved to be a strong year for Daniels as he garnered notice as the star of the lauded Noah Baumbach film The Squid and the Whale. Daniels received his third Golden Globe nomination for the film, about a divorcing couple and the effect the split has on their children. That year Daniels also starred in the family film adaptation of Because of Winn-Dixie. He would round out the year with a supporting role in the Oscar-nominated film Good Night and Good Luck, directed by George Clooney.

Daniels then starred as the redneck comic foil to Robin Williams's uptight business man in the vacation comedy RV, directed by Barry Sonnenfeld. He had a supporting role in the Truman Capote biopic Infamous and in two other independent films, Mama's Boy and The Lookout, for which he was nominated for a Satellite Award.

Daniels had a starring voice-over role as the villain Zartog in animated film Space Chimps. He then took back-to-back supporting roles in political thrillers: Traitor with Don Cheadle and State of Play with Russell Crowe and Rachel McAdams. Also in 2009, Daniels would appear in the indie hit Away We Go. 2010 would be a slow year for Daniels. He continued his theater work and had a starring role in the little-seen indie Howl, alongside James Franco as Allen Ginsberg.

In 2012, Daniels became the new announcing voice for Apple with the iPhone 5 ads. In 2014, Daniels reprised his role as Harry Dunne in Dumb and Dumber To. Daniels portrayed CEO John Sculley in the 2015 biographical drama film Steve Jobs, directed by Academy Award winner Danny Boyle, and starring Michael Fassbender in the title role. He played David in the last two films of the Divergent series, The Divergent Series: Allegiant and the upcoming The Divergent Series: Ascendant.

Musical career

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Daniels has focused on recording a number of songs that he has written throughout his life, apparently marking key moments. He has kept busy with frequent gigs and six full-length albums, Jeff Daniels Live and Unplugged, Jeff Daniels Live at The Purple Rose Theater, Grandfather's Hat, Keep It Right Here, Together Again, and Days Like These. Proceeds from the album sales benefit The Purple Rose Theater.

Daniels was featured on the cover of the April-May 2011 issue of Guitar Aficionado magazine as well as the July-August 2011 issue of Making Music, where he discussed his experiences with music.

Personal life

Daniels married his high school sweetheart, Kathleen Rosemary Treado, in 1979. In 1986, Daniels moved back to his native Chelsea, Michigan. The couple has three children: Benjamin (born 1984), Lucas (born 1987), and Nellie (born 1990).

Daniels has appeared as the TV spokesman for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, promoting Michigan's effectiveness in bringing in new companies, featured on CNBC. He was inducted into the Michigan Walk of Fame on May 25, 2006, in Lansing, Michigan, and delivered the winter commencement address at the University of Michigan on December 20, 2009, at which he was granted an Honorary Doctorate in Fine Arts.

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1981	Ragtime	P. C. O'Donnell
1983	Terms of Endearment	Flap Horton
1985	The Purple Rose of Cairo	Tom Baxter/Gil Shepherd	Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
1985	Marie	Eddie Sisk
1986	Something Wild	Charles Driggs	Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
1986	Heartburn	Richard
1987	Radio Days	Biff Baxter
1988	The House on Carroll Street	Cochran
1988	Sweet Hearts Dance	Sam Manners
1989	Checking Out	Ray Macklin
1990	Arachnophobia	Ross Jennings	Saturn Award for Best Actor
1990	Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael	Denton Webb
1991	Love Hurts	Paul Weaver
1991	The Butcher's Wife	Dr. Alex Tremor
1992	Timescape	Ben Wilson	also known as Grand Tour: Disaster in Time International Fantasy Film Award for Best Actor
1992	There Goes the Neighborhood	Willis Embry
1993	Rain Without Thunder	Jonathan Garson
1993	Gettysburg	Colonel Joshua Chamberlain	Nominated—Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor
1994	Speed	Harry Temple
1994	Dumb and Dumber	Harry Dunne
1995	Redwood Curtain	Lyman Fellers
1996	Fly Away Home	Thomas Alden
1996	2 Days in the Valley	Alvin Strayer
1996	101 Dalmatians	Roger Dearly
1997	Trial and Error	Charlie Tuttle
1998	Pleasantville	Bill Johnson	Nominated—Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
1999	My Favorite Martian	Tim O'Hara
1999	It's the Rage	Warren Harding
2000	Chasing Sleep	Ed Saxon
2000	Cheaters	Dr. Gerard Plecki
2001	Escanaba in da Moonlight	Reuben Soady	Also co-writer and director
2002	Super Sucker	Fred Barlow	Also co-writer and director
2002	Blood Work	Jasper "Buddy" Noone
2002	The Hours	Louis Waters	Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
2003	Gods and Generals	Lt. Colonel Joshua Chamberlain
2003	I Witness	James Rhodes
2004	Imaginary Heroes	Ben Travis
2004	The Five People You Meet in Heaven	The Blue Man
2005	The Squid and the Whale	Bernard Berkman	Gotham Award for Best Cast Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Nominated—Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead Nominated—London Film Critics Circle Award for Actor of the Year Nominated—National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor
2005	Because of Winn-Dixie	The Preacher
2005	Good Night, and Good Luck	Sig Mickelson	Nominated—Gotham Award for Best Cast Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
2006	RV	Travis Gornicke
2006	Infamous	Alvin Dewey
2007	The Lookout	Lewis	Nominated—Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture
2007	Mama's Boy	Mert Rosenbloom
2007	A Plumm Summer	Narrator
2008	Space Chimps	Zartog	Voice
2008	Traitor	Carter
2009	State of Play	Representative George Fergus
2009	The Answer Man	Arlen Faber
2009	Away We Go	Jerry Farlander
2009	Paper Man	Richard Dunn
2010	Howl	Professor David Kirk
2012	Looper	Abe
2013	Quad	Mickey
2014	Dumb and Dumber To	Harry Dunne
2015	Steve Jobs	John Sculley
2015	The Martian	Teddy Sanders
2016	The Divergent Series: Allegiant	David

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1980	Breaking Away	College Kid	Episode: "Pilot"
1980	Hawaii Five-O	Neal Forrester	Episode: "The Flight of the Jewels"
1982	American Playhouse	Jed Jenkins	Episode: "The Fifth of July"
1989	No Place Like Home	Mike	Television film
1991	Saturday Night Live	Host	Episode: "Jeff Daniels/Color Me Badd"
1992	The Jackie Presser Story	Tom Noonan	Television film
1993	Frasier	Doug	Episode: "Here's Looking at You"
1995	Saturday Night Live	Host	Episode: "Jeff Daniels/Luscious Jackson"
2000	The Crossing	George Washington	Television film
2000	Cheaters	Dr. Gerard Plecki	Television film
2004	The Goodbye Girl	Elliot Garfield	Television film
2008	Sweet Nothing in My Ear	Dan Miller	Television film
2012-2014	The Newsroom	Will McAvoy	25 episodes Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Television Series Drama Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series Nominated—Satellite Award for Best Actor - Television Series Drama Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series

Purple Rose Theatre Company

The Purple Rose Theatre Company (or PRTC) was founded by Daniels in 1991. Originally known as the Garage Theatre, 'The Rose' takes its name from Woody Allen's 1985 film The Purple Rose of Cairo, which starred Daniels and Mia Farrow. The theatre provides resources for training actors, playwrights and other theatre artists residing in the Midwest region and develops new plays based on life in the Great Lakes Basin. The main performance space and administrative offices occupy a building in Chelsea, Michigan once owned by Daniels' grandfather. The theatre produces four shows a year on a 3/4 thrust stage in a 168-seat house. The PRTC is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization and operates under a Small Professional Theatre (SPT) Agreement with the Actors' Equity Association (AEA).

Apprentice program

The Purple Rose offers a year-long apprenticeship program for young artists entering a career in theatre. Apprentices are paid a 'modest stipend' and work as many as 60-80 hours per week gaining experience in lighting, sound, stage management, design, set construction, and administrative/box office work. The seven apprentices also maintain and clean the theatre's facilities. The program was inspired by Jeff Daniels' experience as an apprentice with the Circle Repertory Company in New York City.

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Work	Result
1981	Drama Desk Award	Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play	Fifth of July	Nominated
1983		Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play	Johnny Got His Gun	Nominated
1986			Lemon Sky	Nominated
	Golden Globe	Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical	The Purple Rose of Cairo	Nominated
1987		Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical	Something Wild	Nominated
1991	Saturn Award	Best Actor	Arachnophobia	Won
1992	International Fantasy Film Award	Best Actor	Timescape	Won
1994	Chicago Film Critics Association Award	Best Supporting Actor	Gettysburg	Nominated
1995	MTV Movie Award	Best On-Screen Duo	Dumb & Dumber	Nominated
1999	Satellite Award	Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical	Pleasantville	Nominated
2002	Video Software Dealers Association	Independent Career Achievement Award		Won
	U.S. Comedy Arts Festival	Audience Award	Super Sucker	Won
2003	Screen Actors Guild Award	Outstanding Performance by a Cast	The Hours	Nominated
	Phoenix Film Critics Society Award	Best Acting Ensemble		Nominated
2005	Gotham Award	Best Ensemble Cast	Good Night, and Good Luck.	Nominated
		Best Ensemble Cast	The Squid and the Whale	Won
2006	Golden Globe	Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical		Nominated
	Independent Spirit Award	Best Male Lead		Nominated
	National Society of Film Critics Award	Best Actor		Nominated
	Screen Actors Guild Award	Outstanding Performance by a Cast	Good Night, and Good Luck.	Nominated
2007	London Critics' Film Circle Award	Actor of the Year	The Squid and the Whale	Nominated
	Satellite Award	Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Drama	The Lookout	Nominated
2008	Las Palmas Film Festival	Honorary Lady Harimaguada		Won
2009	Tony Award	Best Actor in a Play	God of Carnage	Nominated
2012	Satellite Award	Best Actor in a Series, Drama	The Newsroom	Nominated
2013		Best Actor in a Series, Drama		Nominated
	Screen Actors Guild Award	Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series		Nominated
	Online Film & Television Association Award	Best Actor in a Drama Series		Nominated
	Golden Globe	Best Performance by an Actor in a Drama Series		Nominated
	Primetime Emmy Award	Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series		Won
2014		Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series		Nominated
	Screen Actors Guild Award	Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series		Nominated
2015	Primetime Emmy Award	Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series		Nominated
2016	Tony Award	Best Actor in a Play	Blackbird	Pending

[ Source: Wikipedia ]