Edward Furlong

Edward Furlong

Birth name: Edward Walter Furlong
Born: August 2, 1977
Age: 47
Birthplace: Glendale, California, U.S.
Popularity:
Biography

Edward Walter Furlong (born August 2, 1977) is an American actor and musician. A former teen idol, Furlong won Saturn and MTV Movie Awards for his breakthrough performance as John Connor in Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991). The following year he gave an Independent Spirit Award-nominated turn opposite Jeff Bridges in American Heart, and earned a second Saturn Award nomination for his work in Pet Sematary Two. He won a Young Artist Award for his performance alongside Kathy Bates in A Home of Our Own (1993), and shared a further ensemble nomination with the cast of the film.

Furlong received acclaim for his starring roles in the 1998 motion pictures Pecker co-starring Christina Ricci, and American History X, co-starring Edward Norton. Other noteworthy titles from his early career include Little Odessa (1994), Brainscan (1994), The Grass Harp (1995), and Before and After (1996), also starring Meryl Streep and Liam Neeson. He reprised his role as John Connor in the international Universal Studios parks attraction T2 3-D: Battle Across Time (1996). Furlong briefly followed a singing career, releasing a 1991 album, Hold on Tight, which was only sold in Japan.

Furlong's last significant roles were in the comedy Detroit Rock City (1999) and the crime drama Animal Factory (2000). His career subsequently declined due to multiple arrests and court cases, and chronic substance abuse and alcoholism. Furlong played the title character in the direct-to-video horror film The Crow: Wicked Prayer (2005). In 2011 he played a supporting role in The Green Hornet.

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Early life

Edward Furlong was born in Glendale, California, the son of Eleanor Torres (née Tafoya), a youth-center worker. He has a younger half-brother, Robert Torres, from his mother's marriage to Moises Torres; Furlong's former stepfather. By the time of his debut in Terminator 2, the couple were divorced. Furlong is of Mexican descent on his mother's side, and has also described himself as "half-Russian".

His mother's sister, Nancy Tafoya, and their half-brother Sean Furlong obtained custody of him for several years, including 1990-91, when he began his acting career. Initially, the two served as Furlong's managers.

By the time he was 16, Furlong had become romantically involved with 29-year-old Jacqueline Domac, his sometime tutor and stand-in. This led to a split with his aunt and uncle, and eventually to his emancipation at age 16. The two lived together and Domac also served as his manager. They were engaged to be married, but split in 1998. In 1999, Domac sued Furlong for money she claimed was owed to her, but being withheld by him; primarily for her role as his manager. She also claimed physical abuse by Furlong.

Career

1990s

In 1991, Furlong began his film career as John Connor in Terminator 2: Judgment Day, a role that earned him an MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Role and a Saturn Award for best young actor. He was discovered for the part by casting director Mali Finn while visiting the Pasadena Boys and Girls Club in September 1990.

He followed this role with a string of moderately successful high-profile films and indies, sharing the screen with Meryl Streep and Liam Neeson in Before and After; Tim Roth, Maximilian Schell, and Vanessa Redgrave in Little Odessa; Jeff Bridges in "American Heart"; and Anthony Edwards and Clancy Brown in Pet Sematary Two.

In 1993, Furlong was featured in Aerosmith's music video for "Livin' on the Edge". This was also the only major Aerosmith video from Get a Grip not to feature Alicia Silverstone. He played the lead role of Michael Brower, a horror and videogame-obsessed teen in the 1994 film Brainscan. In 1995, he starred in the film adaptation of Truman Capote's The Grass Harp.

In 1998, he starred in American History X alongside Edward Norton and appeared in his first comedy role in Pecker, directed by John Waters. Of his title role in Pecker, Furlong stated, "It's true most of the characters that I've played so far are kind of like suicidal. Really dark roles, which I like. But I wanted to do something different and John gave me a chance to do that."

In 1998, he starred in the film Detroit Rock City. During filming he met Natasha Lyonne, whom he then dated. Furlong played a young convict in Steve Buscemi's film Animal Factory, filmed in 1999.

2000s

Furlong's career and stardom declined considerably after 2000, with most of his subsequent films being released straight to DVD. In 2001 he took a role in I Cavalieri che fecero l'impresa aka The Knights of the Quest, a little-seen film by Italian filmmaker Pupi Avati.

Furlong was expected to play John Connor again in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. However, Nick Stahl was cast just before filming began in April 2002.

He appeared in a music video for Metallica's "The Unnamed Feeling", released in February 2004.

He starred as Jimmy in the low budget independent film Jimmy & Judy in 2004, during which time he met Rachael Bella. The two became romantically involved and later married.

In 2003, Furlong played the lead in the fourth film in The Crow series, The Crow: Wicked Prayer, alongside David Boreanaz and Tara Reid. The film was planned for a theatrical release, but after one week in limited theatres, it was released to DVD in 2005.

In 2006 and again in 2010, Furlong appeared in five episodes of the television program CSI: NY as character Shane Casey.

Furlong appeared in the 2009 remake of the 1988 horror classic Night of the Demons, shot in New Orleans. The film was released straight to DVD.

2010s

Furlong appeared in two scenes of the 2011 Seth Rogen film, The Green Hornet. Next he starred in This Is Not a Movie, an English-language Mexican film written and directed by Olallo Rubio and co-starring Peter Coyote and Edi Gathegi. The film was scored by Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash. The film was released in Germany in 2010 and Mexico in January 2011. Most recently, he featured in the crowd-funded pilot, Star Trek: Renegades as the character "Fixer".

Other work

In October 1992, Furlong released an album in Japan called Hold on Tight, which included a cover of the Doors song "People Are Strange".

Personal life

Furlong married Rachael Bella on April 19, 2006. The couple's son was born in September 2006. On July 8, 2009, Rachael Bella filed for divorce citing irreconcilable differences. She alleged in court documents that their son tested positive for cocaine, which led a judge to rule Furlong's visits had to be supervised.

In early October 2012 a Furlong impersonator on Twitter publicly asked fans for financial help, saying: "I need donations from fans to pay for new liver ... Please PM me if you are willing to part cash." He stopped tweeting on October 19.

Substance abuse and legal problems

Furlong has battled alcoholism and drug addiction, which derailed his career. He went into rehab in October 2000.

Furlong said in December 2006 that from 22 to 26 he was "on and off" hard drugs, adding that, "I was a heroin and cocaine addict. It was really scary." In the same interview, he said, "I don't even think about anymore. It seems lonely now: running and clubbing and doing coke. I have nightmares about doing hard drugs. I'll wake up and I'm like, 'Did I relapse?'"

In 2010, Furlong was placed on three years' probation for violation of a civil protective order obtained by Rachael Kneeland. In March 2013 Furlong was sentenced to 180 days in jail for violation of probation after he "used force" against ex-girlfriend Monica Keena, and for violation of a protective order prohibiting contact with Keena.

Furlong was arrested again in May 2013 and avoided a jail sentence after agreeing to go to rehab for drug addiction for 90 days, and to undergo 52 weeks of domestic violence counselling. He had already served 61 days in jail.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1991 Terminator 2: Judgment Day John Connor MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Performance
Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor
1992 Pet Sematary Two Jeff Matthews Nominated - Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor
American Heart Nick Kelson Nominated - Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male
1993 A Home of Our Own Shayne Lacey Young Artist Award for Best Youth Actor Leading Role in a Motion Picture Drama
Nominated - Young Artist Award for Outstanding Youth Ensemble in a Motion Picture
1994 Brainscan Michael Brower
Little Odessa Reuben Shapira
1995 The Grass Harp Collin Fenwick
1996 T2 3-D: Battle Across Time John Connor
Before and After Jacob Ryan
1998 Pecker Pecker
American History X Daniel Vinyard Nominated - Young Artist Award for Best Supporting Young Actor Performance in a Feature Film
1999 Detroit Rock City Hawk
2000 Animal Factory Ron Decker
2001 The Knights of the Quest Simon di Clarendon
2003 3 Blind Mice Thomas Cross
2005 Venice Underground Gary
Intermedio Malik
Nice Guys Tye Released as High Hopes
The Crow: Wicked Prayer Jimmy Cuervo/The Crow
Cruel World Philip Markham
2006 Jimmy and Judy Jimmy Wright
The Visitation Brandon Nichols Premiered on DVD
The Covenant: Brotherhood of Evil David Goodman
Warriors of Terra Chris
Canes David Goodman Premiered in Cannes film festival. DVD elsewhere
2007 Living & Dying Sam
2008 Dark Reel Adam Waltz
2009 Stoic Harry Katish
Night of the Demons Colin Levy
Darfur Adrian Archer Released as Attack on Darfur
2010 Kingshighway Dino Scarfino
Crave Ravi
This Is Not a Movie Pete Nelson
The Mortician Petrovsky
2011 The Green Hornet Mr. Tupper
Tequila Smith
For The Love of Money Tommy
Bind Teddy
Witness Insecurity Johnny
2012 The Zombie King Samuel Peters/The Zombie King
Remnants Brad
Arachnoquake Charlie
Below Zero Jack/Frank
Aftermath Brad
2013 Assault on Wall Street Sean
2013 Matt's Chance Matt
2014 Stitch Marsden
2015 Awaken Berto
2015 Star Trek: Renegades Fixer

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1991 Saturday Night Live John Connor Episode: Linda Hamilton/Mariah Carey
2006 CSI: NY Shane Casey Episode: Hung Out to Dry
Episode: Raising Shane
2010 Episode: Redemption
Episode: Vacation Getaway
Episode: The 34th Floor
2012 Perception Pete Episode: Nemesis
2012 The Glades Wayne Baldinger Episode: Public Enemy

Awards

Year Award Category Film Result
1992 MTV Movie Award Best Breakthrough Performance Terminator 2: Judgment Day Won
1992 Saturn Award Best Performance by a Younger Actor Terminator 2: Judgment Day Won
1993 Saturn Award Best Performance by a Younger Actor Pet Sematary Two Nominated
1994 Independent Spirit Award Best Supporting Male American Heart Nominated
1994 Young Artist Award Best Youth Actor Leading Role in a Motion Picture Drama A Home of Our Own Won
1994 Young Artist Award Outstanding Youth Ensemble in a Motion Picture (shared with Miles Feulner, Clarissa Lassig, Amy Sakasitz and Sarah Schaub) A Home of Our Own Nominated
1999 Young Artist Award Best Supporting Young Actor Performance in a Feature Film American History X Nominated

[ Source: Wikipedia ]

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