Biography: Ralph Fiennes

Ralph Fiennes recently completed his portrayal of the evil Lord Voldemort in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, the finale of the blockbuster film franchise. Fiennes had also played Voldemort in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1.

Upcoming, Fiennes stars in Mike Newell‘s screen adaptation of Charles Dickens‘ Great Expectations, with Helena Bonham Carter and Jeremy Irvine, and in the highly anticipated Skyfall, the next film in the Bond series, from director Sam Mendes. He recently made his feature film directorial debut with a contemporary version of Shakespeare’s political thriller Coriolanus, in which he also starred with Gerard Butler and Vanessa Redgrave. In 2010, Fiennes first played Hades in the hit Clash of the Titans, with Liam Neeson and Sam Worthington.

Fiennes has been honored with two Academy Award® nominations, the first in 1994 for his performance in Steven Spielberg‘s Oscar®-winning Best Picture, Schindler’s List. Fiennes’ chilling portrayal of Nazi Commandant Amon Goeth also brought him a Golden Globe nomination and a BAFTA Award, as well as Best Supporting Actor honors from numerous critics groups, including the National Society of Film Critics, and the New York, Chicago, Boston and London Film Critics associations. Four years later, Fiennes earned his second Oscar® nomination, for Best Actor, in another Best Picture winner, Anthony Minghella‘s The English Patient. He also garnered Golden Globe and BAFTA Award nominations, as well as two Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award® nominations, one for Best Actor and another shared with the film’s ensemble cast. Read more

Biography: Donald Sutherland

Donald Sutherland is one of the most prolific and versatile of motion picture actors, with an astonishing resume of well over one hundred and thirty films, including such classics as Robert Aldrich’s “The Dirty Dozen;” Robert Altman’s “M*A*S*H;” John Schlesinger’s “The Day of the Locust;” Robert Redford’s “Ordinary People;” Bernardo Bertolucci’s “1900;” Philip Kaufman’s “Invasion of the Body Snatcher;”  Nicolas Roeg’s “Don’t Look Now” with Julie Christie; Alan Pakula’s “Klute” with Jane Fonda; Federico Fellini’s “Fellini’s Casanova” and  in Brian Hutton’s “Kelly’s Heroes” with Clint Eastwood, who later directed him in “Space Cowboys.”

Sutherland has appeared as Nicole Kidman’s father in Anthony Minghella’s “Cold Mountain,” as Charlize Theron’s father in F. Gary Gray’s “The Italian Job,” and as ‘Mr. Bennett,’ Keira Knightley’s father, in “Pride and Prejudice.”  For the latter he received a Chicago Film Critics nomination.

Recently he starred in the highly-successful long form adaptation of Ken Follett’s best-seller, “The Pillars of the Earth;” in the Roman epic adventure, “The Eagle,” opposite Channing Tatum and Jamie Bell for director Kevin Macdonald; in Simon West’s “The Mechanic” with Jason Statham and Ben Foster; in Seth Gordon’s “Horrible Bosses” as Colin Farrell’s father; in Mary McGuckian’s “Man on the Train” with U2’s Larry Mullen, Jr.; and  in a new film adaptation of “Moby Dick,” with William Hurt, Ethan Hawke and Gillian Anderson. Read more

Biography: Bryan Cranston

Bryan Cranston is well known for his award-winning turns as Walter White on AMC’s “Breaking Bad” and as Hal on Fox’s “Malcolm in the Middle.”

With just those two roles, Cranston has earned three Emmy® Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, three Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, a Television Critics Association award, three Golden Globe® nominations and three Screen Actors Guild Award® nominations.

On the big screen Cranston recently starred in Nicolas Winding Refn’s “Drive” and Steven Soderbergh’s “Contagion.” He will next star as the villain, Vilos Cohaagen, in the highly anticipated Len Wiseman remake of “Total Recall” and then in the big-screen adaptation of the musical “Rock of Ages.” He will also star in Ben Affleck’s “Argo” this fall.

His other feature-film credits include “Larry Crowne,” “The Lincoln Lawyer,” “Little Miss Sunshine,” “Saving Private Ryan,” “Seeing Other People” and “That Thing You Do!”

Cranston’s other television credits include a recurring role on “Seinfeld,” HBO’s “From the Earth to the Moon” and the miniseries “I Know My First Name Is Steven,” among others. He has also guest-starred on programs such as “Chicago Hope,” “Touched by an Angel,” “The X-Files” and many more. Read more

David Strathairn will join Jessica Chastain on Broadway in ‘The Heiress’

It was just announced that Academy Award® nominee and Emmy® Award winner David Strathairn will join Academy Award® nominee Jessica Chastain in the Tony Award®-winning play The Heiress. 

Written by Ruth Goetz & Augustus Goetz, The Heiress will be directed by Tony Award® nominated playwright and director Moisés Kaufman and will open in the Fall of 2012 at a theatre to be announced.

This production marks 17 years since the celebrated play was last seen on Broadway. The Heiress is based on the classic Henry James novel Washington Square and became an Academy Award-winning film.

Strathairn won the Volpi Cup at the Venice Film Festival and in 2006 earned nominations from the Academy, Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild, BAFTA and Independent Spirit Awards for his compelling portrait of legendary CBS news broadcaster Edward R. Murrow in George Clooney’s Oscar-nominated drama Good Night, and Good Luck. He won an Emmy in 2010 for Best Supporting Actor in the HBO project, Temple Grandin. He’s kept a high profile in the theatrical world with roles at such venues as the Manhattan Theatre Club, the New York Shakespeare Festival, SoHo Rep, the Hartford Stage Company, Ensemble Studio Theatre and Seattle Repertory. Read more

Biography: Dominic West

Dominic West has successfully combined a career in both the U.K. and the U.S., with leading roles in international film, in American television and on the London stage.

After graduating from Trinity College Dublin and then from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, West won the Ian Charleson award for Best Newcomer for his performance in Sir Peter Hall’s production of “The Seagull.”

A very successful film career soon followed with West winning leading roles in studio movies including “28 Days” opposite Sandra Bullock; “Mona Lisa’s Smile,” with Julia Roberts; and “The Forgotten,” with Julianne Moore. He also starred as Theron in Warner Bros.’ “300.”

Further credits include “Chicago,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “True Blue,” “Hannibal Rising,” “Rock Star,” “The Phantom Menace,” “Surviving Picasso” and “Richard III.”

In 2000, he won the role of McNulty in HBO’s “The Wire,” one of the most critically acclaimed television programs ever made in the U.S. The show ran for five seasons, with West directing an episode in the final season. Read more

Biography: John Lithgow

John Lithgow’s roots are in the theater. In 1973, he won a Tony Award three weeks after his Broadway debut, in David Storey’s The Changing Room. Since then, he has appeared on Broadway 19 more times, earning another Tony, three more Tony nominations, four Drama Desk Awards, and induction into the Theatre Hall of Fame. Ensuing stage performances have included major roles in My Fat Friend, Trelawney of the “Wells,” Comedians, Anna Christie, Bedroom Farce, Beyond Therapy, M. Butterfly, The Front Page, Retreat from Moscow, All My Sons, the Off-Broadway premieres of Mrs. Farnsworth and Mr. and Mrs. Fitch, and the musicals Sweet Smell of Success (his second Tony), and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.

In 2007 he was one of the very few American actors ever invited to join The Royal Shakespeare Company, playing ‘Malvolio’ in Twelfth Night at Stratford-upon-Avon. In 2008 he devised his own one-man show Stories by Heart for The Lincoln Center Theater Company, and has been touring it around the country ever since, including a triumphant six-week run at The Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles.

In the early 1980’s Lithgow began to make a major mark in films. At that time, he was nominated for Oscars in back-to-back years, for The World According to Garp and Terms of Endearment. In the years before and after, he has appeared in over 30 films. Notable among them have been All That Jazz, Blow Out, Twilight Zone: the Movie, Footloose, 2010, Buckaroo Banzai, Harry and the Hendersons, Memphis Belle, Raising Cain, Ricochet, Cliffhanger, Orange County, Shrek, Kinsey, and a flashy cameo in Dreamgirls. This summer, Lithgow was seen on the big screen in Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Fox’s prequel to Planet of the Apes. Read more

Filmography: Elizabeth Olsen

Elizabeth Olsen is not only a vivacious and engaging young actress, but she is also a full time student at New York University’s prestigious Tisch School of the Arts.

Recently, Olsen started in Martha Marcy May Marlene from Fox Searchlight, for which she received a Best Actress nomination from the Film Independent Spirit Awards. The film is a drama that follows a young woman who is living with her older sister after escaping a cult. Olsen stars opposite Hugh Dancy, John Hawkes, Sarah Paulson, and Brady Corbet. Martha Marcy May Marlene was also selected in the Un Certain Regard as part of the 2011 Cannes Film Festival and Olsen has received a Gotham Award, Critics Choice, and FIND Spirit Award nomination for Lead Actress for her performance. She has been named best actress for her performance from the following critic associations:  Indiana (Winner), Ghent (Winner), Florida (Winner – Breakout), Chicago (Winner – Olsen/Most Promising), Phoenix (Winner), Central Ohio (Winner), Vancouver (Winner). She was also nominated for the following: Detroit (Nominee – Olsen/Breakthrough), St. Louis (Nominee), Chicago (Nominee), Las Vegas (Nominee), Houston (Nominee), Online Film Critics (Nominee), IPA (Nominee), San Diego (Nominee) and Denver (Nominee).  Read more

Q&A: Jason Isaacs on the Acting Challenges of ‘Awake’ and the Main Difference on UK & US Sets

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 21:14 — 14.6MB)

In the new NBC drama, Awake, Jason Isaacs stars as Michael Britten, a homicide Detective who is coping with the aftermath of a devastating car accident that involved him and his wife and son.

When he wakes up after the accident, he realizes that he exists in two realities. One reality has the son that survived the crash and his wife does not, and the other where his son is the one who died while his wife survives. Not wanting to face either loss, Britten begins to exist in both realities. 

In this interview, Jason talks about the show, how he got involved, the acting challenges he faces and how working in the UK is different from the US.

Awake airs on Thursdays at 10/9c  on NBC

With your character Michael Britten living in these two separate realities, does it ever feel like you’re working on two different shows with different casts simultaneously?

Jason Isaacs: It does actually. I have two different sets of people I work with. I work with Wilmer and Laura who plays my wife and whatever is going on that side of the story. And then I work with Dylan who plays my son and Steve Harris is my partner.

Laura Innes who plays a police captain in both are the only person that overlaps although as the season goes on the writers started to be slightly more insane and very imaginative things happen where people cross over.

But yes I feel like I’m the hub. There’s all this – there’s a cast that normally feels like a family but most of them only have scenes with me and I’m the only common thread.

But it’s less really that my colleagues are split, more that I have to really work to remember what has happened in what world in exactly the same way that Michael Britten does. And hopefully it’s me struggling through that is entertaining to watch because we all like to watch other people suffer. Read more

Filmography: Greta Gerwig

Greta Gerwig made her mark starring in independent films such as HANNAH TAKES THE STAIRS and NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS. In 2010 she appeared opposite Ben Stiller in Noah Baumbach’s GREENBERG, for which she was nominated for both a Gotham and an Independent Spirit Award.

Born in Sacramento, California, Gerwig studied ballet until her early teens and performed with the Sacramento Ballet, including playing the lead in “The Nutcracker.” She fenced competitively in high school, ranking in the top eight nationally in the Junior Fencers category. At the same time she began acting in numerous plays, with a particular fondness for musicals: she appeared in productions of Into the Woods; A Chorus Line; You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown; The Wiz (as Dorothy); The Boyfriend; and Babes in Arms.

She attended the same Sacramento Catholic girls’ school as DAMSELS’ Analeigh Tipton – then went to Barnard College at Columbia University on a scholarship, where she studied English and Philosophy, continued acting, and wrote two absurdist plays: Eloise in Suits and The There There. After graduating Magna Cum Laude from Barnard in 2006, she was a writer-in-residence at the Vassar College and New York Stage & Film’s Powerhouse Theater Festival. Soon after, Gerwig went to Chicago to play the title role in Joe Swanberg’s HANNAH TAKES THE STAIRS (which she co-wrote), where she met her co-star Mark Duplass and his brother Jay, which led to her playing a lead role in their film BAGHEAD. She followed by teaming with Joe Swanberg to co-write, co-direct, and star in NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS. As low-budget films by Swanberg, the Duplass brothers, Andrew Bujalski and others came to be known as “Mumblecore,” Gerwig became somewhat emblematic movement. Her other film credits include Mary Bronstein’s YEAST, and Ti West’s THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL. Read more

Michael Caine on Why He Continues to Maintain A Busy Schedule on Making ‘Journey 2′ for His Grandchildren

Sir Michael Caine, now in his late seventies, is rather famous for not turning roles down, even if the role is, well, terrible. 

In fact, one of his most infamous roles is the lead in Jaws IV: The Revenge (he would later reportedly remark, “I have never seen it, but by all accounts it is terrible. However, I have seen the house that it built, and it is terrific!”). 

So while his appearance in Journey 2: The Mysterious Island won’t win him his third Oscar, Caine explains to the Chicago Sun-Times that he took the role not only because he simply loves acting, but also so his grandchildren could finally know what their grandfather does for a living.

Caine has one reason for his constant appearances in movies: he loves to act.  He explains that his amateur roots paved the way for feeling like he has spent decades in his dream job, saying, “I’m lucky that I started out as an amateur actor. Amateur means you do something because you love it. I’ve been doing something and getting well paid for it for decades, and it’s something I used to do for pleasure.”  Showing his wit, he adds, “Wait, I’m making myself sound like a hooker.” Read more

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