Ed Harris

Ed Harris

Born: November 28, 1950
Age: 73
Birthplace: Englewood, New Jersey, U.S.
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Biography

Edward Allen "Ed" Harris (born November 28, 1950) is an American actor, producer, director, and screenwriter. He is known for his performances in films such as The Right Stuff (1983), The Abyss (1989), Nixon (1995), The Rock (1996), A Beautiful Mind (2001), Enemy at the Gates (2001), Radio (2003), A History of Violence (2005), Gone Baby Gone (2007), The Way Back (2010), Man on a Ledge (2012), Gravity (2013), and Run All Night (2015). Harris is set to star in Alejandro G. Iñárritu's upcoming Starz drama series The One Percent.

He is a three-time nominee of the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performances in Apollo 13 (1995), The Truman Show (1998), and The Hours (2002). He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for playing artist Jackson Pollock in his directorial debut Pollock (2000). He also won a Golden Globe Award for playing Senator John McCain in Game Change (2012). In 2015, Harris received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

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Early life

Harris was born November 28, 1950, at the Englewood Hospital in Englewood, New Jersey, and was raised in Tenafly, New Jersey, the son of Margaret (née Sholl), a travel agent, and Bob L. Harris (1922-2014), who sang with the Fred Waring chorus and worked at the bookstore of the Art Institute of Chicago. He has two brothers, Paul and Robert. His parents were originally from Oklahoma. Harris was raised in a middle class Presbyterian family. He graduated from Tenafly High School in 1969, where he played on the football team, serving as the team's captain in his senior year.

A star athlete in high school, Harris competed in athletics at Columbia University in 1969. When his family moved to New Mexico two years later, Harris followed, having discovered his interest in acting in various theater plays. He enrolled at the University of Oklahoma to study drama. After several successful roles in local theaters, he moved to Los Angeles and enrolled at the California Institute of the Arts, where he spent two years and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1975.

Career

Harris began his career on the stage. Harris' first film role came in 1978 with a minor part in the suspense film Coma, starring Michael Douglas. His first major role in a film came two years later with Borderline (1980), in which he starred alongside Charles Bronson. In 1981, Harris played the lead, William "Billy" Davis, a king of a motorcycle-riding renaissance-fair troupe (a role modeled after King Arthur), in Knightriders. The following year, he co-starred as Hank Blaine in the black comedy horror anthology film Creepshow, directed by George A. Romero. In 1983, Harris became well-known after portraying astronaut John Glenn in The Right Stuff. In 1984, he co-starred in the Robert Benton-directed drama film Places in the Heart; during production of this film, Harris met and married his wife Amy Madigan.

In 1986, he received a Tony Award nomination in the Best Actor in a Play category for his role in George Furth's Precious Sons. He also won the Theatre World Award and Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play for his performance. Harris then portrayed William Walker, a 19th-century American who appointed himself President of Nicaragua, in Walker (1987). That same year, he played the main role of Harry Nash in the HBO television thriller film The Last Innocent Man. In 1989, his role as David "Dave" Flannigan in Jacknife earned him his first Golden Globe Award nomination, for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture. Also in 1989, he portrayed Virgil "Bud" Brigman in the sci-fi film The Abyss, directed by James Cameron.

In 1992, Harris co-starred as Dave Moss in the drama film Glengarry Glen Ross, based on the play of the same name by David Mamet. He won the Valladolid International Film Festival Award for Best Actor for his performance in the film. He next appeared in the films The Firm (1993) and Needful Things (1993), before portraying the lead role of Kyle Bodine in the neo-noir film China Moon (1994). In 1995, Harris portrayed Watergate figure E. Howard Hunt in the Oliver Stone biopic Nixon, and received his first Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor nomination for his performance as NASA flight director Gene Kranz in Apollo 13. The following year, Harris starred in and executive produced the television adaptation of Riders of the Purple Sage. Also in 1996, Harris returned to the Broadway stage, appearing as Major Steve Arnold in the Ronald Harwood play Taking Sides. In 1998, his co-starring role in The Truman Show earned him a second nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, and a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture win.

Harris made his directorial debut in 2000 with the drama biopic Pollock, in which he also starred as artist Jackson Pollock. He was nominated for his first Academy Award for Best Actor (and third Oscar overall) for his performance. To prepare for the role, he built a small studio in which to copy the painter's techniques. Two years later, Harris was nominated for his fourth Academy Award (third in the Best Supporting Actor category) for his role as Richard Brown in the British-American drama film The Hours. In between the two Oscar nominated roles, he appeared in the biographical drama A Beautiful Mind (2001) and portrayed German sniper Major Erwin König in the war thriller Enemy at the Gates (2001).

For his lead role as Miles Roby in the 2005 miniseries Empire Falls, Harris was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Miniseries or Television Film. He then appeared as a vengeful mobster in David Cronenberg's A History of Violence (2005). In 2006, he portrayed composer Ludwig van Beethoven in the film Copying Beethoven, and starred in the television documentary film The Armenian Genocide as American diplomat Leslie Davis. He next appeared alongside Casey Affleck and Morgan Freeman in the Ben Affleck-directed neo-noir mystery film Gone Baby Gone (2007). Harris then co-starred as the antagonist Mitch Wilkinson in National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007), alongside Nicolas Cage.

In 2010, he and wife Amy Madigan appeared together in Ash Adams' independent crime drama Once Fallen. Later that same year, Harris starred in the survival drama The Way Back as Mr. Smith. His performance received much critical praise, and he was suggested by critics to receive a fifth Oscar nomination. In 2012, he co-starred alongside Sam Worthington in the thriller film Man on a Ledge for Summit Entertainment. He then won the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Series, Miniseries or Television Film and was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie for his performance as Senator John McCain in the HBO made-for-television drama Game Change. The following year, he appeared in the western thriller Sweetwater, and starred opposite Annette Bening in the romantic drama film The Face of Love. Harris then voiced Mission Control in Alfonso Cuarón's sci-fi epic Gravity (2013), starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney.

In 2015, he portrayed the title character in the film version of the Shakespeare tragedy Cymbeline. In 2016, he appeared alongside Madigan and Taissa Farmiga in The New Group's revival of Sam Shepard's Buried Child, for which he was nominated for the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play. Harris is then set to co-star in James Franco's In Dubious Battle, based on the novel of the same name by John Steinbeck. Also in 2016, he will portray the villainous Man in Black in HBO's sci-fi thriller series Westworld, and will have a role in the ensemble cast of Warren Beatty's romantic comedy-drama Rules Don't Apply, also starring Lily Collins and Alden Ehrenreich. In 2017, he is set to appear in Dean Devlin's sci-fi film Geostorm, alongside Gerard Butler and Andy García. That same year, Harris will star in Alejandro González Iñárritu's Starz drama series The One Percent with Hilary Swank and Ed Helms. Harris has also been cast in Darren Aronofsky's untitled drama film, alongside Jennifer Lawrence and Domhnall Gleeson.

Personal life

Harris married actress Amy Madigan on November 21, 1983, while they were filming Places in the Heart together. They have one daughter, Lily Dolores Harris, born on May 3, 1993.

On March 20, 2012, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) completed a merger of equals to form a new union SAG-AFTRA. Harris, along with Edward Asner, Martin Sheen, Valerie Harper, Michael Bell, and Wendy Schall (to name a few) were adamantly opposed to such a merger and filed a lawsuit against SAG President Ken Howard and several SAG Vice Presidents, seeking to have the merger overturned and the two unions separated to their pre-merger organizations. The lawsuit was dismissed on May 22, 2012.

Harris has a reputation for being serious on the film set. He told a journalist in 2006: "I don't like bullshittin'... so, I guess that comes across as serious." He was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on March 13, 2015. Harris received an honorary degree from Muhlenberg College on May 17, 2015.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1978 Coma Pathology Resident
1980 Borderline Hotchkiss "the Marine"
1981 Knightriders William "Billy" Davis
1982 Creepshow Hank Blaine
1983 The Right Stuff John Glenn
1983 Under Fire Oates
1984 Swing Shift Jack Walsh
1984 Places in the Heart Wayne Lomax
1985 Code Name: Emerald Gus Lang
1985 Alamo Bay Shang Pierce
1985 Sweet Dreams Charlie Dick
1987 Walker William Walker
1988 To Kill a Priest Police Captain Stefan
1989 Jacknife David "Dave" Flannigan
1989 Field of Dreams The Voice Voice
1989 The Abyss Virgil "Bud" Brigman
1990 State of Grace Frankie Flannery
1991 Paris Trout Harry Seagraves
1992 Glengarry Glen Ross Dave Moss
1993 The Firm Wayne Tarrance
1993 Needful Things Sheriff Alan Pangborn
1994 Milk Money Tom Wheeler
1994 China Moon Kyle Bodine
1995 Nixon E. Howard Hunt
1995 Apollo 13 Gene Kranz
1995 Just Cause Blair Sullivan
1996 Eye for an Eye Mack McCann
1996 The Rock Gen. Francis X. Hummel
1997 Absolute Power Det. Seth Frank
1998 The Truman Show Christof
1998 Stepmom Luke Harrison
1999 The Third Miracle Father Frank Shore
2000 Pollock Jackson Pollock Also director and producer
2000 The Prime Gig Kelly Grant
2000 Waking the Dead Jerry Charmichael
2001 A Beautiful Mind William Parcher
2001 Buffalo Soldiers Colonel Berman
2001 Enemy at the Gates Major Erwin König
2002 The Hours Richard Brown
2003 Masked and Anonymous Oscar Vogel
2003 Radio Coach Harold Jones
2003 The Human Stain Lester Farley
2005 Winter Passing Don Holden
2005 A History of Violence Carl Fogarty
2006 Two Tickets to Paradise Melville
2006 Copying Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven
2007 Gone Baby Gone Det. Remy Bressant
2007 Cleaner Eddie Lorenzo
2007 National Treasure: Book of Secrets Mitch Wilkinson
2008 Touching Home Charlie Winston
2008 Appaloosa Virgil Cole Also writer, director and producer
2010 Once Fallen Liam Ryan
2010 The Way Back Mr. Smith
2010 Virginia Sheriff Dick Tipton
2011 That's What I Am Mr. Steven Simon
2011 Salvation Boulevard Dr. Peter Blaylock
2012 Man on a Ledge David Englander
2013 Phantom Captain Demi
2013 Pain & Gain Ed Du Bois, III
2013 Snowpiercer Minister Wilford
2013 Sweetwater Sheriff Cornelius Jackson
2013 The Face of Love Tom Young / Garret Mathis
2013 Gravity Mission Control Voice
2014 Planes: Fire & Rescue Blade Ranger Voice
2014 Frontera Roy McNary
2015 Cymbeline King Cymbeline
2015 Run All Night Shawn Maguire
2015 The Adderall Diaries Neil Elliott
2016 In Dubious Battle Joy Post-production
2016 Rules Don't Apply Mr. Bransford Completed
2017 Geostorm Secretary Dekkom Post-production

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1976 Gibbsville Steve Episode: "Trapped"
1977 Delvecchio Davey Bresnihan Episode: "Cancelled Contract"
1977 The Amazing Howard Hughes Russ Television film
1978 The Rockford Files Rudy Kempner Episode: "Kill the Messenger"
1978 David Cassidy: Man Undercover Ben Episode: "Deadly Convoy"
1979 The Seekers Lt. William Clark Television film
1979 Barnaby Jones Glenn Morgan Episode: "School of Terror"
1979-81 Lou Grant Warren 3 episodes
1980 Paris John Dantley Episode: "America the Beautiful"
1980 The Aliens Are Coming Chuck Polcheck Television film
1981 CHiPs Lonny Episode: "Vegabonds"
1981 Hart to Hart Arnold Harmon Episode: "Hart of Darkness"
1984 American Playhouse Jimmy Wing Episode: "A Flash of Green"
1987 The Last Innocent Man Harry Nash Television film
1992 Running Mates Hugh Hathaway Television film
1994 The Stand General Starkey Miniseries, episode: "The Plague"
1995 Frasier Guest Caller Rob Episode: "Leapin' Lizards"
1996 Riders of the Purple Sage Jim Lassiter Television film; also executive producer
2005 Empire Falls Miles Roby Miniseries
2006 The Armenian Genocide Leslie Davis Documentary
2012 Game Change John McCain Television film
2016 Westworld The Man in Black Upcoming series
2017 The One Percent Nathaniel Cobb Upcoming series

Other credits

Video games

Year Title Role Notes
2010 Call of Duty: Black Ops Jason Hudson Voice

Stage

Year Title Role Location
1983 Fool for Love Eddie Douglas Fairbanks Theater, Off-Broadway
1986 Precious Sons Fred Longacre Theatre, Broadway
1994 Simpatico Lyle Carter The Public Theater, Off-Broadway
1996 Taking Sides Major Steve Arnold Brooks Atkinson Theatre, Broadway
2003 Trumbo: Red, White and Blacklisted Dalton Trumbo Westside Theatre, Off-Broadway
2006 Wrecks Edward Carr The Public Theater, Off-Broadway
2013 The Jacksonian Bill Perch Theatre Row, Off-Broadway
2016 Buried Child Dodge The New Group, Off-Broadway

Awards and nominations

Year Award Nominated work Result
1983 New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor The Right Stuff Nominated
1984 Obie Award for Distinguished Performance by an Actor Fool for Love Won
1986 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play Precious Sons Nominated
Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play Won
Theatre World Award Won
1989 Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture Jacknife Nominated
Saturn Award for Best Actor The Abyss Nominated
1992 Valladolid International Film Festival Award for Best Actor Glengarry Glen Ross Won
1995 Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Supporting Actor Nixon, Apollo 13, and Just Cause Won
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Nixon Nominated
Apollo 13 Won
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role Won
Southeastern Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor Won
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated
Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture Nominated
Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor Runner-up
Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated
Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Lead Actor Simpatico Won
1996 Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie Riders of the Purple Sage Nominated
Bronze Wrangler for Television Feature Film Won
1998 Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Supporting Actor — Drama The Truman Show Won
Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture Won
National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actor Won
Southeastern Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor Won
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated
BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role Nominated
Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated
Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated
2000 Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor Pollock Won
Academy Award for Best Actor Nominated
Satellite Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama Nominated
2001 Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture A Beautiful Mind Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Nominated
2002 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor The Hours Nominated
BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role Nominated
Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture Nominated
Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Acting Ensemble Nominated
Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor 3rd Place
London Film Critics Circle Award for Actor of the Year Nominated
Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role Nominated
Italian Online Movie Award for Best Cast Won
Italian Online Movie Award for Best Supporting Actor Won
2005 Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Miniseries or Television Film Empire Falls Nominated
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie Nominated
Satellite Award for Best Actor - Miniseries or Television Film Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie Nominated
Women's Image Network Award for Best Actor in a Made-for-TV Movie/Miniseries Won
National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actor A History of Violence Won
2007 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Solo Performance Wrecks Nominated
Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Solo Performance Nominated
2008 Boston Film Festival Prize for Best Screenplay Adaptation Appaloosa Won
Bronze Wrangler for Theatrical Motion Picture Won
Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Acting Ensemble Gone Baby Gone Nominated
2012 Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Series, Miniseries or Television Film Game Change Won
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie Nominated
Golden Nymph Award for Best Performance by an Actor - Television Film Nominated
2016 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play Buried Child Nominated

[ Source: Wikipedia ]


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