Ed Harris

American actor and directorTemplate:SHORTDESC:American actor and director[[Category:**Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Pagetype/config' not found.**s with short description]]

Template:Other people

**Edward Allen Harris** (born November 28, 1950) is an American actor, producer, director, and screenwriter. His performances in *Apollo 13* (1995), *The Truman Show* (1998), *Pollock* (2000) and *The Hours* (2002) earned him critical acclaim in addition to Academy Award nominations. Harris has appeared in several leading and supporting roles, such as in *The Right Stuff* (1983), *The Abyss* (1989), *State of Grace* (1990), *Glengarry Glen Ross* (1992), *Nixon* (1995), *The Rock* (1996), *Stepmom* (1998), *A Beautiful Mind* (2001), *Enemy at the Gates* (2001), Radio (2003), *A History of Violence* (2005), *Gone Baby Gone* (2007), *Snowpiercer* (2013), and *Mother!* (2017). In addition to directing *Pollock*, Harris also directed the western *Appaloosa* (2008).

In television, Harris is notable for his roles as Miles Roby in the miniseries *Empire Falls* (2005) and as United States Senator John McCain in the television movie *Game Change* (2012); the latter earned him the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film. He currently stars as the Man in Black in the HBO science fiction-Western series *Westworld* (2016–present), for which he earned a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.

## Early life

Harris was born at Englewood Hospital in Englewood, New Jersey and was raised in Tenafly, New Jersey, the son of Margaret (*née* Sholl), a travel agent, and Robert L. "Bob" 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. Harris was raised in a middle-class Presbyterian family. His parents were from Oklahoma. He graduated from Tenafly High School in 1969, where he had played on the football team and served 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 (such as the Jewel Box Theater in Oklahoma City), 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

### Early plays

Harris began his career on the stage. In 1976, he played an FBI agent in the world premiere of Thomas Rickman's play, *Baalam* at the Pasadena Repertory Theatre located at the historic The Hotel Carver. He followed that at the Pasadena Repertory Theatre in 1976 playing Lot in the West Coast premiere of Tennessee Williams's play *Kingdom of Earth* (aka *The Seven Descents of Myrtle*).

### Television roles

From the mid 1970s to the mid 1980s, Harris found steady work on television. He had a role in one episode of *Gibbsville* (1975)*,* in one episode of *Delvecchio* (1977), in one episode of *The Rockford Files* (1978), in one episode of *David Cassidy - Man Undercover* (1978), two episodes of *The Seekers* (1979), one episode of *Barnaby Jones* (1979), one episode of *Paris* (1980), three episodes of *Lou Grant* (1979, 1980, and 1981), one episode of *CHiPs* (1981), one episode of *Hart to Hart* (1981), one episode of *Cassie & Co.* (1981), and one episode of *American Playhouse* (1984).

### Subsequent success and acting career

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*, directed by George A. Romero. The following year, he has a small role as Hank Blaine in *Creepshow*, also directed by Romero.Template:Citation needed

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.Template:Citation needed

Also in 1984 he co-starred along with Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell in the Jonathan Demme directed World War II biopic *Swing Shift* and in 1985 played abusive husband Charlie Dick to Jessica Lange's Patsy Cline in the HBO film *Sweet Dreams*.

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 Harry Nash in the HBO television thriller film *The Last Innocent Man*.

In 1988, he acted in Agnieszka Holland's *To Kill a Priest*, starring Christopher Lambert, based on Jerzy Popiełuszko and his murder under the Polish communist regime. It was well received by critics.

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.Template:Citation needed

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).Template:Citation needed

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 Apollo Mission Control Director Gene Kranz in *Apollo 13*. In 1996, Harris starred in and executive produced the television adaptation of *Riders of the Purple Sage*. That same year, he returned to Broadway 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). From June to July 2002, he starred in adverts for the Vauxhall Vectra in the United Kingdom.

 File:Ed Harris at TIFF 2005.jpg
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. Also that year, he played a vengeful mobster in David Cronenberg's *A History of Violence* (2005) starring Viggo Mortensen. 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 2008, he co wrote, directed and starred along with Viggo Mortensen in the western *Appaloosa*. 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*.

In 2013, 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 space 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.

In 2016, he also began playing the villainous Man in Black in HBO's sci-fi thriller series *Westworld*, and had a co-starring role in the ensemble cast of Warren Beatty's romantic comedy drama *Rules Don't Apply*, with Lily Collins and Alden Ehrenreich. In 2017, he appeared in Dean Devlin's sci-fi film *Geostorm*, alongside Gerard Butler and Andy García. Harris had been previously set to star in Alejandro González Iñárritu's Starz drama series *The One Percent* with Hilary Swank and Ed Helms.

Harris co-starred in Darren Aronofsky's horror film *Mother!* (2017), alongside Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Domhnall Gleeson.

On 5 November 2019, Harris took over the role of Atticus Finch in Aaron Sorkin's stage adaptation of *To Kill a Mockingbird* on Broadway. The role was previously played by original cast member Jeff Daniels.

## 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 May 3, 1993).

On March 20, 2012, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) merged to form a new union, SAG-AFTRA. Harris, along with others including Edward Asner, Martin Sheen, Valerie Harper, Michael Bell, and Wendy Schaal, were opposed to the merger and sued SAG President Ken Howard and several SAG Vice Presidents, seeking to have the merger undone. They were unsuccessful. 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." On March 13, 2015, he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, located at 6712 Hollywood Boulevard, for his work in motion pictures. Harris received an honorary degree from Muhlenberg College on May 17, 2015.

Harris is one of several actors who have been dubbed "the thinking woman's sex symbol" (others include Hugh Laurie and Denzel Washington).

## Filmography

*Main article: List of Ed Harris performances*

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Template:Cite episode
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Barnes, Mike (February 16, 2014). "Bob L. Harris, Father of Actor Ed Harris, Dies at 91". http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/bob-l-harris-father-actor-680639.
3. ↑ Stein, Ruthe (January 9, 2000). "Ed Harris Has the Righteous Stuff, Too: Actor plays a particularly convincing priest in `The Third Miracle'", *San Francisco Chronicle*. Retrieved on December 10, 2007.
4. ↑ Pearlman, Cindy (February 6, 2000). "Love the sinner: Harris repents for 'money' roles", *Chicago Sun-Times*. Retrieved on December 10, 2007.
5. ↑ Koenenn, Joseph C. (March 16, 1986). "Ed Harris: Inhabiting his characters", *Newsday*.
6. ↑ Rohan, Virginia (June 18, 2007). "North Jersey-bred and talented too", *The Record*. Retrieved on June 25, 2007. "Ed Harris: Class of 1969, Tenafly High School." Template:Dead link
7. ↑ Stein, Ruthe (March 25, 2001). "They're Ready For Their Close-Ups: Camped out at Oscars, the starstruck wait to sneak a peek", *San Francisco Chronicle*. Retrieved on May 31, 2007. "She's hoping to score a seat near the front and catch the eye of Oscar nominee Ed Harris, who went to Tenafly High School in New Jersey with her mother."
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Kachka, Boris (October 9, 2006). "Man, Oh, Man Ed Harris is not a control freak. Got that?", *New York*.
9. ↑ Thompson, Ryan. "Method Man: Ed Harris". https://therake.com/stories/icons/method-man-ed-harris/. Retrieved 18 January 2019.
10. ↑ "The Unforgettable Performance Ed Harris Doesn't Remember", *NPR* (8 March 2014). Retrieved on 18 January 2019.
11. ↑ "Ed Harris: Performer". *Playbill*. http://www.playbillvault.com/Person/Detail/77208/Ed-Harris. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
12. ↑ Template:Citation
13. ↑ Ebert, Roger (March 24, 1989). "Jacknife Movie Review & Film Summary". RogerEbert.com. http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/jacknife-1989.
14. ↑ Nassour, Ellis (October 16, 1996). "Ed Harris Seeks the Man Behind the Uniform". *Playbill*. http://www.playbill.com/features/article/ed-harris-seeks-the-man-behind-the-uniform-100825.
15. ↑ "The Truman Show – 1998 Academy Awards Profile". http://www.boxofficemojo.com/oscar/movies/?id=trumanshow.htm. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
16. ↑ Fleeman, Michael (January 24, 1999). "'Private Ryan', Spielberg Win Golden Globes". *The Washington Post*. https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/digest/daily/jan99/globes24.htm.
17. ↑ Helmore, Edward (February 25, 2001). "Ed Harris: The ultimate splasher movie". *The Guardian*. https://www.theguardian.com/film/2001/feb/25/features.awardsandprizes.
18. ↑ Michael, David (February 12, 2003). "Ed Harris – The Hours Interview", *BBC News*.
19. ↑ "Ad of the Week: Vauxhall puts Vectra on trial". www.telegraph.co.uk. 18 June 2002. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/2765561/Ad-of-the-Week-Vauxhall-puts-Vectra-on-trial.html. Retrieved 21 September 2017.
20. ↑ Hernandez, Ernio (May 28, 2005). "Philip Seymour Hoffman and Paul Newman Star in "Empire Falls" HBO Film, Debuts May 28–29". *Playbill*. http://www.playbill.com/news/article/philip-seymour-hoffman-and-paul-newman-star-in-empire-falls-hbo-film-debuts-126159.
21. ↑ "How Ed Harris learned Beethoven", BBC News (November 2, 2006).
22. ↑ "Ed Harris Joins Ben Affleck's 'Gone, Baby, Gone'", *MovieWeb* (April 20, 2006).
23. ↑ Brevet, Brad (March 28, 2007). "Mirren and Harris Join 'National Treasure 2'". ComingSoon.net. http://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/515911-mirren\_and\_harris\_join\_national\_treasure\_2.
24. ↑ Lopez, John (November 11, 2010). "Could Ed Harris Finally Win an Oscar for The Way Back?". *Vanity Fair*. http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2010/11/could-ed-harris-finally-win-an-oscar-for-the-way-back.
25. ↑ McNary, Dave (October 29, 2010). "Ed Harris joins Summit's 'Man on a Ledge'". *Variety*. http://www.variety.com/2010/film/news/ed-harris-joins-summit-s-man-on-a-ledge-1118026626/.
26. ↑ Rose, Lacey (March 23, 2011). "Ed Harris to Play John McCain in HBO's 'Game Change'". *The Hollywood Reporter*. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ed-harris-play-john-mccain-170608.
27. ↑ Fleming Jr, Mike (April 17, 2012). "January Jones And Ed Harris Star In 'Sweetwater'". http://www.deadline.com/2012/04/january-jones-and-ed-harris-star-in-sweetwater-257461/.
28. ↑ McClintock, Pamela (February 8, 2011). "Diane Keaton, Ed Harris to Star in 'Look of Love'". *The Hollywood Reporter*. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/diane-keaton-ed-harris-star-97522.
29. ↑ Cochran, Amanda (March 8, 2014). "Did you spot Ed Harris in "Gravity"?". CBS News. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/ed-harris-played-unseen-role-in-oscar-winning-gravity.
30. ↑ Kroll, Justin (August 5, 2013). "Ed Harris to Co-Star With Ethan Hawke in 'Cymbeline'". *Variety*. http://www.variety.com/2013/film/news/ed-harris-cymbeline-ethan-hawke-1200574325/.
31. ↑ Gerard, Jeremy (October 8, 2015). "'American Horror Story's Taissa Farmiga Joins Ed Harris, Amy Madigan In 'Buried Child' Revival". http://www.deadline.com/2015/10/taissa-farmiga-buried-child-revival-1201570959/.
32. ↑ Kroll, Justin (January 30, 2015). "James Franco Assembles Cast for Adaptation of 'In Dubious Battle'". *Variety*. http://www.variety.com/2015/film/news/james-franco-assembles-cast-for-john-steinbeck-adaptation-of-john-steinbeck-in-dubious-battle-1201419696/.
33. ↑ Stedman, Alex (August 11, 2014). "Ed Harris Joins HBO's 'Westworld' as Key Villain". *Variety*. http://www.variety.com/2014/tv/news/ed-harris-westworld-hbo-1201280242/.
34. ↑ Kit, Borys (August 15, 2014). "Jim Sturgess, Abbie Cornish in Talks to Join Gerard Butler in 'Geostorm' (Exclusive)". *The Hollywood Reporter*. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/jim-sturgess-abbie-cornish-talks-725810.
35. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (July 22, 2014). "Ed Helms, Hilary Swank & Ed Harris In Talks To Star In Alejandro González Iñárritu's MRC Series 'One Percent'". http://www.deadline.com/2014/07/ed-helms-hilary-swank-ed-harris-to-star-in-alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu-mrc-series-one-percent-807830/.
36. ↑ McNary, Dave (April 15, 2016). "Domhnall Gleeson, Michelle Pfeiffer Join Jennifer Lawrence in Darren Aronofsky Drama". *Variety*. http://www.variety.com/2016/film/news/jennifer-lawrence-darren-aronofsky-movie-domhnall-gleeson-michelle-pfeiffer-1201754767/.
37. ↑ "Ed Harris to Replace Jeff Daniels in To Kill a Mockingbird on Broadway" (in en). https://www.broadway.com/buzz/196172/ed-harris-to-replace-jeff-daniels-in-to-kill-a-mockingbird-on-broadway/.
38. ↑ "Ed Harris to succeed Jeff Daniels as Atticus Finch in Broadway's 'To Kill a Mockingbird'" (in en). https://ew.com/theater/2019/06/14/ed-harris-to-kill-a-mockingbird-aaron-sorkin/.
39. ↑ "Biography: Ed Harris". http://www.lifetimetv.co.uk/biography/biography-ed-harris.
40. ↑ Template:Cite journal
41. ↑ Template:Cite journal
42. ↑ Template:Cite journal
43. ↑ "Ed Harris". http://www.walkoffame.com/ed-harris.
44. ↑ "Dr. Ronald Crutcher, national leader in higher education, announced as Commencement Speaker". April 29, 2015. http://www.muhlenberg.edu/latestnews/name,332409,en.html.
45. ↑ Template:Cite journal

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