Matthew Broderick

Broderick in September 2012

**Matthew Dexter Broderick** (born March 21, 1962) is an American actor, comedian and singer. His roles include the title character in *Ferris Bueller's Day Off* (1986) for which he earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, the adult voice of Simba in Disney's *The Lion King* trilogy (1994–2004), David Lightman in the Cold War thriller *WarGames* (1983), and Leo Bloom in the Broadway production of *The Producers*.

Broderick has won two Tony Awards, one for Best Featured Actor in a Play for *Brighton Beach Memoirs* (1983), and one for Best Actor in a Musical for *How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying* (1995). He was also nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his role in *The Producers* (2001), but lost to his co-star Nathan Lane. As of 2016, Broderick is the youngest winner of the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play.

## Early life and education

Broderick was born in Manhattan, New York, the son of Patricia (née Biow), a playwright, actress, and painter, and James Broderick, an actor and World War II veteran. His mother was Jewish (a descendant of immigrants from Germany and Poland). His father was a Catholic of Irish, and some English, descent. Broderick attended grade school at City and Country School (a progressive K–8 school in Manhattan) and high school at Walden School (a defunct private school in Manhattan with a strong drama program).

## Career

Broderick's first major acting role came in an HB Studio workshop production of playwright Horton Foote's *On Valentine's Day*, playing opposite his father, who was a friend of Foote's. This was followed by a supporting role as Harvey Fierstein's gay adopted son, David, in the Off-Broadway production of Fierstein's *Torch Song Trilogy*; then, a good review by *The New York Times* theater critic Mel Gussow brought him to the attention of Broadway. Broderick commented on the effects of that review in a 2004 *60 Minutes II* interview:

> "Before I knew it, I was like this guy in a hot play. And suddenly, all these doors opened. And it's only because Mel Gussow happened to come by right before it closed and happened to like it. It's just amazing. All these things have to line up that are out of your control."
>
>

He followed that with the role of Eugene Morris Jerome in the Neil Simon *Eugene Trilogy* including the plays, *Brighton Beach Memoirs* and *Biloxi Blues*. His first film role was also written by Neil Simon. Broderick debuted in *Max Dugan Returns* (1983). His first big hit film was *WarGames*, a summer hit in 1983, in which he played the main role of David Lightman, a Seattle teen hacker. This was followed by the role of Philippe Gaston in *Ladyhawke*, in 1985.

Broderick then won the role of the charming, clever slacker in the 1986 film *Ferris Bueller's Day Off*. At the age of 23, Broderick played a high school student who, with his girlfriend and best friend, plays hooky and explores Chicago. The film remains a 1980s comedy favorite today,[*citation needed*] and is one of Broderick's best known roles[*citation needed*](particularly with teenage audiences).[*citation needed*]). Also in 1987, he played Air Force research assistant Jimmy Garrett in *Project X*. In 1988, Broderick played Harvey Fierstein's gay lover, Alan, in the screen adaptation of *Torch Song Trilogy*. In the 1989 film *Glory*, he received favorable reviews for his portrayal of the American Civil War officer Robert Gould Shaw, whom Broderick incidentally physically resembled at the time.

In the 1990s, Broderick was the voice of the adult Simba, in Disney's successful animated film *The Lion King*, and also voiced Tack the Cobbler in Miramax's controversial version of *The Thief and the Cobbler*, which had originally been intended as a silent role. He won recognition for two dark comedy roles. The first was that of a bachelor in *The Cable Guy* with Jim Carrey. The second was that of a high school teacher in Alexander Payne's *Election* with Reese Witherspoon.

Broderick returned to Broadway as a musical star in the 1990s, winning a Tony Award for his performance in *How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying* and was nominated for another Tony for his role in the Mel Brooks 2001 stage version of *The Producers*. In the latter production, he played Leopold "Leo" Bloom, an accountant who co-produces a musical designed to fail, but which turns out to be successful. Broderick reprised the role in the 2005 film adaptation of the same name.

Broderick was reunited with his co-star from *The Lion King* and *The Producers*, Nathan Lane, in *The Odd Couple*, which opened on Broadway in October 2005. He appeared on Broadway as a college professor in *The Philanthropist*, running April 10 through June 28, 2009. He returned to the Broadway stage in Spring 2012, to star in the musical *Nice Work If You Can Get It*, directed and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall.

## Personal life

### Family

Broderick met actress Sarah Jessica Parker through her brother. The couple married on May 19, 1997, in a civil ceremony in a historic deconsecrated synagogue on the Lower East Side. Although Broderick considers himself culturally Jewish, the ceremony was performed by his sister, Janet Broderick Kraft, an Episcopal priest.

Parker and Broderick have a son, James Wilkie Broderick, born October, 2002. In April 2009, it was confirmed that Broderick and Parker were expecting twin girls through surrogacy. Broderick and Parker's surrogate delivered their twin daughters, Marion Loretta Elwell and Tabitha Hodge, in June 2009. Broderick is a New York Mets fan, while Parker supports the New York Yankees, and their son the Boston Red Sox.

Although the couple lives in Manhattan, Broderick and Parker spend a considerable amount of time at their holiday home near Kilcar, a village in County Donegal, Ireland, where Broderick spent his summers as a child. They also have a house in The Hamptons.

## References

1. ↑ Matthew Broderick Biography. *Broadway.com*. Retrieved on March 14, 2014.
2. ↑ Biography: Patricia Broderick. Tibor de Nagy (2008). Retrieved on May 19, 2008.
3. ↑ Smolenyak, Megan (February 18, 2011). Matthew Broderick, Who Do You Think You Are?. *The Huffington Post*.
4. ↑ Stated on *Inside the Actors Studio*, 2005
5. ↑ Tugend, Tom (December 16, 2005). Bialystock and Bloom Tell the Truth. *JewishJournal*. Retrieved on May 19, 2008.
6. ↑ Betit, Kyle J. (April 13, 2010). Matthew Broderick: 'Who Do You Think You Are?'. ProGenealogists. Archived from the original on April 13, 2010. Retrieved on May 10, 2013.
7. ↑ McGee, Celia (April 18, 2001). Broderick's Set to Bloom in 'Producers'. *Daily News*. Retrieved on December 13, 2006.
8. ↑ Seal, Mark (January 1, 2006). Magical Mystery Tour. *American Way*. Retrieved on May 19, 2008.
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Kornbluth, Jesse (April 7, 1985). For young Matthew Broderick, stage and movies are his campus. *New York. Milwaukee Journal*.
10. ↑ Siskel, Gene (July 19, 1983). Matthew Broderick toast of Broadway, Hollywood. *Pittsburgh Press*.
11. ↑ Thomas, Bob (June 22, 1986). Matthew Broderick has string of stage, screen successes. *Lawrence Journal-World*.
12. ↑ Jones, Kenneth (February 20, 2009). Broadway's Philanthropist, Starring Broderick, Goes On Sale. *Playbill*.
13. ↑ Jones, Kenneth (June 16, 2011). Kathleen Marshall To Make Matthew Broderick Tap-Happy in Broadway's 'Nice Work' Musical in 2012. *Playbill*.
14. ↑ Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker Wedding. Celebrity Bride Guide. Retrieved on September 2, 2013.
15. ↑ Unreich, Rachelle (June–July 1996). Matthew Broderick: one of the guys. *Detour* 38–42. Archived from the original on November 16, 2006. Retrieved on May 19, 2008.
16. ↑ Bloom, Nate (December 16, 2005). Celebrity Jews. *Jewish News Weekly*. Retrieved on May 19, 2008.
17. ↑ Kappes, Serena (November 10, 2000). Friend Finds He Can Count on Broderick. *People*. Retrieved on May 19, 2008.
18. ↑ Fleeman, Mike (April 28, 2009). Sarah Jessica Parker & Matthew Broderick to Have Twins!. *People*.
19. ↑ Fleeman, Mike (June 23, 2009). Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick Reveal Twins' Names – Babies, Matthew Broderick, Sarah Jessica Parker. *People*.
20. ↑ Mitovich, Matt (June 23, 2009). Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick Welcome Twin Girls. *TV Guide*. Retrieved on June 23, 2009.
21. ↑ Top 100 Celebrity Sports Fans. The Bleacher Report.
22. ↑ Sarah Jessica Parker: Ireland 'Feels like home'. Evoke (June 9, 2015).
23. ↑ Sarah Jessica Parker & Matthew Broderick's Hamptons House. Hooked on Houses (June 18, 2009). Retrieved on May 6, 2010.