Aaron Eckhart

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search
Aaron Eckhart

Eckhart filming Traveling in 2008
Born Aaron Edward Eckhart
March 12, 1968 (1968-03-12) (age 40)
Cupertino, California, U.S.
Years active 1992–present

Aaron Edward Eckhart (born March 12, 1968) is a Golden Globe-nominated American film actor. He has played both leading and supporting roles in a variety of movies, and has won awards for his role as a sociopathic ladies' man in the independent Neil LaBute film In the Company of Men (1997). More recently, he played the character of Harvey Dent and his villainous alter ego Two-Face in the Batman Begins sequel, The Dark Knight.

Contents

[edit] Early life

Eckhart was born March 12, 1968 in Cupertino, California, and is the youngest of three sons born to Mary M. (Lawrence) Eckhart, a children's book author and poet, and James C. Eckhart "Jim Senior", a computer executive.[1] Eckhart's older brothers are James Lawrence Eckhart (born August 29, 1963) and Adam Eckhart (born October 23, 1966).[2][3] He had a Latter-day Saint upbringing.[4][5] As a teenager, he lived with his family in England and Sydney, Australia.[1][6] He took three years off after high school to surf in Hawaii and to serve a mission for the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in France and Switzerland.[4] He enrolled as a film major at Brigham Young University (BYU), graduating in 1994.[6][7]

[edit] Career

During his time at Brigham Young University (BYU),[8] Eckhart appeared in the Mormon-themed film Godly Sorrow and met director/writer Neil LaBute,[8] who cast Eckhart in several of his original plays.[1][6] After graduating from BYU, he appeared in several beer commercials. Eckhart made his television debut as an extra in Beverly Hills, 90210. Eckhart was approached by Neil LaBute to star in a film adaptation of his stage play, In the Company of Men (1997). He played the role of a white-collar guy frustrated with women, who hatches a plan with a buddy to woo a deaf office worker, to gain her affections, then unexpectedly dump her.[9] The following year, he and LaBute collaborated once again in which Eckhart starred in Your Friends & Neighbors.[6][8] In 1999, he made an appearance as an offensive coordinator in Oliver Stone's Any Given Sunday.[1] That same year, Eckhart starred in a lead role in Molly, in which he the brother of an autistic woman who was "cured" by surgery.[10]

In 2000, he gained his first wide exposure as the pony-tailed biker in Erin Brockovich opposite Julia Roberts.[11] That same year, Eckhart teamed up once again with LaBute in Nurse Betty, which also starred Renée Zellweger.[1][6] He starred in Sean Penn's The Pledge, in which he played a young detective partnered with a veteran detective played by Jack Nicholson.[12] His fourth collaboration with LaBute was in Possession (2002).[1][13] The following year, he starred in The Core alongside Hilary Swank, in which he played a geophysicist who tries to detonate a nuclear device and save the world from destruction.[1][6] That same year, Eckhart appeared in Ron Howard's The Missing, in which he played Cate Blanchett's lover,[1][14] and starred in the action thriller Paycheck opposite Ben Affleck.[15]

In 2004, Eckhart had a reocurring role on NBC's television show Frasier, in which he played the boyfriend of Dr. Frasier Crane's matchmaker love interest Charlotte played by Laura Linney.[16][17] That same year, he starred in the thriller Suspect Zero, in which he played an FBI agent tracking down a killer who murders serial killers.[18][19] In 2006, Eckhart starred in Conversations with Other Women opposite Helena Bonham Carter.[20] That same year, he starred in Thank You for Smoking, in which he played Nick Naylor, a tobacco lobbyist whose stated purpose is to research the links between smoking cigarettes and lung cancer. Eckhart also received a nomination for Golden Globe Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.[21] In the Chicago Sun-Times review of the film, critic Roger Ebert writes: "Eckhart has a good line in plausible corporate villains and he is smiling, optimistic, and even trusting (as when he tells girl reporter Katie Holmes things he should know will not be off the record)."[22] He appeared in Brian De Palma's The Black Dahlia (2006), a film noir shot in Los Angeles and Bulgaria.[23]

The following year, Eckhart starred in the romantic comedy No Reservations opposite Catherine Zeta-Jones, in which he played a hotshot up-and-comer chef.[24] That same year, he was cast in Alan Ball's Towelhead, an adaption of Alicia Erian’s novel.[25] In 2008, Eckhart played Harvey Dent/Two-Face in The Dark Knight, directed by Christopher Nolan, the sequel to the 2005 film Batman Begins.[26][27]

[edit] Personal life

Eckhart was engaged to actress Emily Cline, but separated from her in 1998.[6][28] He was then in a relationship with SHeDAISY's Kristyn Osborn from 2006–2007.[28] Eckhart appears in the country group's video, "I'm Taking the Wheel" and makes out with Osborn at the end of the clip.[28] The couple has since parted ways.[29]

[edit] Filmography

Year Film Role Notes and Awards
1992 Double Jeopardy (TV) Dwayne
1996 Aliens in the Family
1997 In the Company of Men Chad Won - Independent Spirit Award for Best Debut Performance
Won - Satellite Awards for Outstanding New Talent
Slaughter of the Innocents Ken Reynolds
1998 Your Friends & Neighbors Barry
Thursday Nick
1999 Molly Buck McKay
Any Given Sunday Nick Crozier
2000 Erin Brockovich George
Nurse Betty Del Sizemore
Tumble "Man"
2001 The Pledge Stan Krolak
2002 Possession Roland Michell
2003 The Core Dr. Josh Keyes
The Missing Brake Baldwin
Paycheck James Rethrick
2004 Suspect Zero Thomas Mackelway
Vapor Nathaniel Powers
2005 Neverwas Zach Riley
2006 Conversations With Other Women the Man
Thank You for Smoking Nick Naylor Nominated - Golden Globes for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
Nominated - Independent Spirit Awards for Best Male Lead
The Wicker Man Truck Stop Patron
The Black Dahlia Sgt. Lee Blanchard
2007 No Reservations Nick Palmer
Towelhead Mr. Vuoso
Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience (voice)
2008 Meet Bill Bill
The Dark Knight Harvey Dent/Two-Face
Traveling Burke Ryan post-production

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Aaron Eckhart Biography". Yahoo!. Retrieved on 2008-07-20.
  2. ^ "Aaron Eckhart Biography (1968-)". Film Reference. Retrieved on 2008-05-13.
  3. ^ B., Lynn. "We're Hangin' With.....". A Girl's World. Retrieved on 2008-05-13.
  4. ^ a b Caddell, Ian (2007-07-19). "Edgy, smedgy–Eckhart just wants you to laugh", Straight.com. Retrieved on 2007-08-07. 
  5. ^ McArthur, Beth (2004-08-26). "Devout Eckhart Prays His New Film Is a Hit". Straight.com. Retrieved on 2008-05-13.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g "Aaron Eckhart Bio.". Tribute. Retrieved on 2008-07-20.
  7. ^ The Sunday Times (2002-10-20). "Heart of darkness". Times Online. Retrieved on 2008-07-23.
  8. ^ a b c Jurgensen, John (2008-07-12). "Just Asking.... Aaron Eckhart". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved on 2008-07-22.
  9. ^ Schwarzbaum, Lisa (1997-08-08). "In the Company of Men". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved on 2008-07-20.
  10. ^ Tucker, Ken (1999-11-05). "Molly Review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved on 2008-07-20.
  11. ^ Travers, Peter (2001-02-09). "Erin Brockovich Review". Rolling Stone. Retrieved on 2008-07-20.
  12. ^ Pierce, Nev (2001-10-08). "BBC Films review - The Pledge". BBC. Retrieved on 2008-07-20.
  13. ^ Gleiberman, Owen (2002-08-14). "Possession (Movie - 2002) review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved on 2008-07-20.
  14. ^ Ebert, Roger (2004-07-30). "The Missing Review". Chicago Sun-Times. Roger Ebert.com. Retrieved on 2008-07-20.
  15. ^ Pierce, Nev (2003-01-14). "BBC Films - Paycheck". BBC. Retrieved on 2008-07-20.
  16. ^ "Miss Right Now". Ken Levine, David Isaacs, and Scott Ellis. Frasier. NBC. 2004-04-06. No. 19, season 11.
  17. ^ "And Frasier Makes Three". Sam Johnson and Scott Ellis. Frasier. NBC. 2004-04-20. No. 20, season 11.
  18. ^ Ebert, Roger (2004-08-27). "Suspect Zero Review". Chicago Sun-Times. Roger Ebert.com. Retrieved on 2008-07-20.
  19. ^ Gilchrist, Todd (2004-08-26). "IGN: Suspect Zero Review". IGN. Retrieved on 2008-07-20.
  20. ^ Scott, A.O. (2006-08-11). "Conversations With Other Women (2005) Review". New York Times. Retrieved on 2008-07-22.
  21. ^ "HFPA - Awards Search". Golden Globes. Retrieved on 2008-07-22.
  22. ^ Ebert, Roger (2006-03-24). "Thank You for Smoking Review". Chicago Sun-Times. Roger Ebert.com. Retrieved on 2008-07-22.
  23. ^ McCarthy, Todd (2006-08-30). "The Black Dahlia Review". Variety. Retrieved on 2008-07-22.
  24. ^ Seitz, Matt Zoller (2007-07-27). "If You Can’t Stand the Analysis of Work and Parenthood, Get Out of the Kitchen". New York Times. Retrieved on 2008-07-22.
  25. ^ Friedman, Roger (2007-09-11). "Kiddie Porn Movie Rocks Toronto as 'Feel-Awful' Film of the Year". Fox News.com. Retrieved on 2008-07-23.
  26. ^ McNary, Dave (2007-02-15). "Eckhart set as Two-Face". Variety. Retrieved on 2008-07-23.
  27. ^ Gilchrist, Todd (2008-06-30). "IGN: The Dark Knight Review". IGN. Retrieved on 2008-07-23.
  28. ^ a b c Rubin, Courtney (2008-07-22). "Aaron Eckhart Would Relocate for the Right Partner". People. Retrieved on 2008-07-23.
  29. ^ Lucy (2008-02-19). "Jennifer Aniston inseparable from Aaron Eckhart on new film set". Fametastic. Retrieved on 2008-05-13.

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_Eckhart"
Personal tools