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Michael Fassbender
Fassbender at the 2015 San Diego Comic-Con International promoting X-Men: Apocalypse
Born (1977-04-02) 2 April 1977 (age 47)
Heidelberg, West Germany
Alma materDrama Centre London
Occupation(s)Actor, producer
Years active2001–present

Michael Fassbender (born 2 April 1977)[2] is a German-Irish[3][4] actor of stage and screen whose career includes roles in both independent and blockbuster films.

His feature film debut was in the fantasy war epic 300 (2007) as a Spartan warrior; his earlier roles included various stage productions, as well as starring roles on television such as in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers (2001) and the Sky One fantasy drama Hex (2004–05). He first came to prominence for his biographical role as IRA activist Bobby Sands in the historical drama Hunger (2008), for which he won a British Independent Film Award for Best Actor. Subsequent roles included the independent film Fish Tank (2009), earning his second BIFA nomination; as a Royal Marines lieutenant in the Quentin Tarantino war film Inglourious Basterds (2009); as Edward Rochester in the 2011 film adaptation of Jane Eyre; as psychiatry innovator Carl Jung in historical drama A Dangerous Method (2011); as a sentient android in the Ridley Scott science fiction film Prometheus (2012); and in the musical comedy-drama Frank (2014) as an eccentric musician loosely inspired by Frank Sidebottom.

In 2011, Fassbender debuted as the Marvel Comics antihero Magneto in the prequel X-Men: First Class; he would go on to share the role with Ian McKellen in X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014). Also in 2011, Fassbender's performance as a sex addict in Shame received critical acclaim. He won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival and was nominated for Golden Globe and BAFTA Awards. In 2013, his role as slave owner Edwin Epps in slavery epic 12 Years a Slave was similarly praised, earning him his first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. 12 Years a Slave marked Fassbender's third collaboration with Steve McQueen, who also directed Hunger and Shame. In 2013, Fassbender appeared in another Ridley Scott film, The Counselor. In 2015, he portrayed Steve Jobs in the Danny Boyle-directed biopic of the same name, and played Macbeth in Justin Kurzel's adaptation of William Shakespeare's play. For the former, he has received Academy Award, BAFTA, Golden Globe and SAG nominations for Best Actor. As well as acting, Fassbender produced the 2015 western Slow West which he also starred in.

Early life and education

Fassbender was born in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, West Germany.[5] His mother, Adele, is from Larne, County Antrim, in Northern Ireland, and his father, Josef Fassbender, is German.[6] According to Fassbender "family lore," his mother is the great-grand-niece of Michael Collins, an Irish leader during the War of Independence.[5][7] When he was two years old, his parents moved to Killarney, County Kerry, in the Republic of Ireland, where they ran the West End House, a restaurant where his father worked as a chef.[5][6] Fassbender was raised Catholic, and served as an altar boy[8] at the church his family attended. He has an older sister, Catherine, who works at the University of California, Davis, as a neuropsychologist.[9]

Fassbender and his sister spent summer holidays in Germany, and he speaks German fluently.[10] He attended Fossa National School,[11] and St. Brendan's College, both in Killarney, County Kerry.[12] He discovered he wanted to be an actor at age 17 when he was cast in a play by Donal Courtney. At 19, he moved to London to study at the Drama Centre London. In 1999, he dropped out of the Drama Centre and toured with the Oxford Stage Company to perform the play Three Sisters.[9][13]

Career

Early work

Fassbender at the premiere of 12 Years a Slave, 2013 Toronto Film Festival

Before Fassbender found work as an actor, he had a period of doing "auditions interspersed with bartending stints, [and] postal delivery".[14] His first screen role was that of Burton "Pat" Christenson in Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg's award-winning television miniseries Band of Brothers (2001).[15] He played the character of Azazeal in both series of Hex on Sky One and starred as the main character in the music video for the song "Blind Pilots," by the British band The Cooper Temple Clause. In the video, he plays the part of a man out with friends on a stag night who slowly transforms into a goat due to wearing a cowbell necklace.[15]

Fassbender played Jonathan Harker in a ten-part radio serialisation of Dracula produced by BBC Northern Ireland and broadcast in the Book at Bedtime series between 24 November and 5 December 2003. He was also seen in early 2004 in a Guinness television commercial, The Quarrel, playing a man who swims across the ocean from Ireland to apologise personally to his brother in New York;[16] this commercial won a gold medal at the 2005 FAB Awards.[17][18]

During the 2006 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Fassbender played Michael Collins in Allegiance, a play by Mary Kenny based on the meeting between Collins and Winston Churchill.[19] In addition, he produced, directed, and starred in a stage version of Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs,[15] along with his production company.

He appeared in Angel (UK title: The Real Life of Angel Deverell), about the rise and fall of an eccentric young British writer (played by Romola Garai) in the early 20th century. Fassbender plays her love interest, an average painter named Esmé.[15] The drama—the first English-language effort by French director François Ozon and based on the novel by Elizabeth Taylor—premiered on 17 February 2007 at the Berlin International Film Festival and on 14 March 2007 in Paris. He then made a brief appearance in Dean Cavanagh and Irvine Welsh's Wedding Belles as Barney, speaking with a Scottish accent.

Mainstream success

Fassbender at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival

In 2006, Fassbender played the role of Stelios, a young Spartan warrior, in 300, a fantasy action film directed by Zack Snyder. The film was a commercial success.[20] In preparation for his role as Provisional Irish Republican Army prisoner Bobby Sands in Steve McQueen's 2008 film Hunger, Fassbender underwent a crash diet that restricted him to 600 calories a day. He received the British Independent Film Award for his performance.[21] One year after his success at the Cannes Film Festival with Hunger, he appeared in two films. The first was Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds, in which he played the British officer Lieutenant Archie Hicox. The other film was Fish Tank directed by Andrea Arnold. Both films were critically acclaimed and Fassbender's work in them also well received.

In 2010, Fassbender appeared as Burke in Jonah Hex, a Western film.[22] In an interview at San Diego Comic-Con International, a comic book convention, Fassbender commented of the role: "I kind of developed this character and really pushed it – I’ll see how far I pushed it ... I had this idea about the character, he’s kind of psychotic, he gets his kicks in perverted ways. I didn’t want to make it very obvious or like something you’ve seen before."[23] Hex received predominately negative reviews.[24] Responding to criticism of Jonah Hex in 2011, Fassbender commented: "Pretty awful, was it? I haven't seen it myself."[25] He portrayed Quintus Dias in Neil Marshall's bloody Roman war-thriller-drama film Centurion.[26] and was cast as 'Richard Wirth' in the Joel Schumacher film Blood Creek alongside Dominic Purcell. The story centres on a West Virginia man who comes to terms with his moral qualms and helps his brother wipe out a family that had been protecting a Nazi occultist and who had kept his brother captive for him to feed off for years. Fassbender played Edward Rochester in the 2011 film Jane Eyre, featuring Mia Wasikowska in the title role, with Cary Fukunaga directing.[27]

Fassbender (right), Megan Fox and Josh Brolin promoting the 2010 film Jonah Hex at Comic-Con in 2009.

Fassbender portrayed Magneto in the superhero blockbuster X-Men: First Class, the prequel to X-Men. Set in 1962, it focuses on the friendship between Charles Xavier (played by James McAvoy) and Magneto and the origin of their groups, the X-Men and the Brotherhood of Mutants. The film was released on 3 June 2011 to general acclaim and financial success and promoted Fassbender to being more of a popular movie star. In 2011, Fassbender starred in A Dangerous Method by director David Cronenberg, playing Swiss psychiatrist and psychologist Carl Jung. The film premiered at the 2011 Venice Film Festival.[28]

He also starred in Shame, as a man in his thirties struggling with his sexual addiction. Shame reunited him with director Steve McQueen and premiered at the 2011 Venice Film Festival, where Fassbender won a Volpi Cup Best Actor Award for his portrayal of Brandon.[29] Fassbender was a serious contender for an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, but he was not nominated, and according to various sources his full-frontal nudity and depiction of sexual encounters inspired voters "to fantasize, and not actually vote."[30][31] Fassbender achieved critical acclaim for his portrayal in Shame and received nominations for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama and a BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. Starring in the film raised Fassbender's profile leading to roles in larger films.

Fassbender (right) with Prometheus co-star Charlize Theron and director Ridley Scott (left) at Wondercon 2012 in Anaheim, California on 17 March 2012

In 2012, he appeared as an MI6 agent in Haywire, an action-thriller directed by Steven Soderbergh,[22] and in Ridley Scott's science fiction film Prometheus. Reviews praised both the film's visual aesthetic design and the acting, most notably Fassbender's performance as the android David. Fassbender played the title role in Ridley Scott's The Counselor, a 2013 film based on the Cormac McCarthy script.[32][33] In 2013, he starred in 12 Years a Slave, his third collaboration with Steve McQueen. Fassbender's portrayal of Edwin Epps earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Fassbender reprised the role of Magneto in X-Men: Days of Future Past (released 23 May 2014), the sequel to X-Men: First Class.[34] Fassbender stars in the title role in Frank (released late summer 2014),[35] a comedy loosely inspired by Frank Sidebottom, a comic persona created by English comedian Chris Sievey.

Fassbender at the 2013 TIFF

Fassbender co-starred in Slow West, a western starring Kodi Smit-McPhee and Ben Mendelsohn, in 2015. He played Silas, an enigmatic traveller.[36] The film has premiered at Sundance Film Festival on 24 January 2015.

Fassbender played late Apple founder and CEO Steve Jobs in the Danny Boyle-directed film Steve Jobs, which began filming in January 2015, in San Francisco, U.S., and premiered in September of that year. The film is an adaptation of Walter Isaacson's book Steve Jobs.[37] The screenplay was written by Aaron Sorkin. Fassbender became attached after Christian Bale dropped out of the project.[38] His performance saw him nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor.

Fassbender took on the Shakespearean role of Macbeth in a film directed by Justin Kurzel, where he teamed up with Academy Award winner Marion Cotillard as Lady Macbeth and David Thewlis as King Duncan.[39] Filming for the production began in January 2014 and the film premiered at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival.[40]

Fassbender has filmed Trespass Against Us, with fellow Irishman Brendan Gleeson.[41] He will also star in The Light Between Oceans, based on the novel written by M. L. Stedman and directed by Derek Cianfrance, which began filming in New Zealand in late September 2014, for a September 2, 2016, release.[42][43]

Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard and Justin Kurzel at the Cannes premiere of Macbeth in 2015.

Future projects

In November 2013, Fassbender announced a sequel to Prometheus, in which he will reprise his role as the android David.[44] Production for the film is scheduled to begin January 2016.[45] He will co-produce and star in the film adaptation of Assassin's Creed along with Marion Cotillard which is set for release on 21 December 2016.[46][47]

In 2015, Fassbender was announced in The Snowman, an adaptation of a Jo Nesbo book directed by Tomas Alfredson and co-starring Rebecca Ferguson and Charlotte Gainsbourg. Filming began in January 2016 and the film will hit theaters in 2017.[48]

Together with screenwriter Ronan Bennett, Fassbender has formed a production company, Finn McCool Films. Fassbender and Bennett are currently developing a film about the Irish mythological hero Cú Chulainn.[49]

Personal life

Shifting between European and North American films, Fassbender resides in east London, where he has lived since 1996.[1][50] Fassbender still lives in the same modest flat in Hackney, East London, that he has owned since his late 20s, when he was struggling to get enough work to make ends meet.[51] He speaks German, though he stated before filming Inglourious Basterds that he had needed to brush up a bit on his spoken German because "it was a bit rusty."[52][53] He has also expressed interest in performing in a German language film or theatre production one day.[54] He is a lapsed Catholic.[12][55]

Relationships

From 2006 to 2008, Fassbender dated the Australian singer Maiko Spencer,[56][57] they lived together in London.[58] From 2008 to 2009, he dated American model Leasi Andrews.[59] In 2011, Fassbender was in a brief relationship with actress Zoë Kravitz, whom he met on the set of X-Men: First Class.[60] Fassbender confirmed he was seeing Nicole Beharie, his co-star in Shame in 2012,[61] though by early 2013 the couple confirmed they had split.[62] In May 2013, he had a brief relationship with British Olympian Louise Hazel.[63] In September 2013, Fassbender started dating actress and model Mădălina Diana Ghenea, but they split in early 2014.[64] Since 2014, he has been dating Swedish actress Alicia Vikander. [65]

Filmography

Main article: Michael Fassbender filmography

Selected filmography

Awards and nominations

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Michael Fassbender

References

  1. ^ a b "Michael Fassbender: the man to take on Brando's mantle". The Guardian. 20 May 2012. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
  2. ^ "Michael Fassbender Biography: Actor (1977–)". Biography.com (FYI / A&E Networks). Archived from the original on 3 September 2013. Retrieved 28 January 2015. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; 3 September 2014 suggested (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ "Michael Fassbender gushes about girlfriend Alicia Vikander: 'She gives great performances'". Irish Independent.
  4. ^ "The Year Of Michael Fassbender". Irish America.
  5. ^ a b c Garratt, Sheryl (18 October 2008). "Michael Fassbender on Playing Bobby Sands in Hunger". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 9 February 2009. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ a b "Blood, Sweat, Tears". The Irish Times. 5 April 2008. Retrieved 4 June 2011. (subscription required)
  7. ^ Mottram, James (9 August 2009). "Interview: Michael Fassbender – Lean and Mean". The Scotsman. Archived from the original on 1 October 2013. Retrieved 4 June 2011. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ "Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender for W". Tom & Lorenzo. 16 March 2011. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  9. ^ a b McClintock, Pamela (18 January 2012). "Fassbender on Fire". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 26 December 2013.
  10. ^ Day, Elizabeth (20 May 2012). "Michael Fassbender: the man to take on Brando's mantle". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 27 December 2013. Retrieved 26 December 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  11. ^ "Fossa National School, Fossa, Killarney, Co. Kerry, Ireland". Fossanationalschool.com. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
  12. ^ a b "Michael Fassbender Opens Up About '12 Years A Slave,' Religion, and Assassin's Creed". Daily Beast. 16 October 2013. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  13. ^ Jim Maloney (3 September 2012). Michael Fassbender – The Biography: The Biography. John Blake Publishing, Limited. p. 21. ISBN 978-1-78219-075-2.
  14. ^ 10/15/2013 10:08 am EDT (15 October 2013). "Michael Fassbender Opens Up About Dating, Women And The Trouble Of Maintaining Relationships". Huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved 10 October 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  15. ^ a b c d "Michael Fassbender- Biography". Yahoo! Movies. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
  16. ^ "Michael Fassbender. Guinness". youtube. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
  17. ^ "Michael Fassbender". michaelfassbender.org. Retrieved 23 August 2014.
  18. ^ "Fabawards winners" (PDF).
  19. ^ O'Doherty, Cahir (16 February 2011). "Michael Fassbender Is Officially a Hollywood Leading Man". IrishCentral. Retrieved 16 February 2011.
  20. ^ "300". Box Office Mojo. 11 March 2007. Retrieved 11 March 2007.
  21. ^ "2008 Winners at British Independent Film Awards". Bifa.org.uk. 16 June 2011. Retrieved 23 June 2011.
  22. ^ a b "Knockout has begun filming in Dublin | Life of a Married Man". Alesrybarik.com. 16 February 2010. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
  23. ^ "In 2009". Screen Crave. 19 August 2009. Retrieved 9 March 2009.
  24. ^ "Jonah Hex Movie Reviews, Pictures". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved 5 October 2010.
  25. ^ "Michael Fassbender, future superstar". Salon. 8 March 2011. Retrieved 9 March 2012.
  26. ^ "Get Ready To Jump in New 'Centurion' Clip". Bloody-disgusting.com. Retrieved 23 June 2011.
  27. ^ Bartyzel, Monika (9 February 2010). "Casting Bites: From Weisz's 'Dream' to Wasikowska's 'Eyre' – The Moviefone Blog". Cinematical.com. Retrieved 23 June 2011.
  28. ^ Maytum, Matt (11 September 2011). "Venice 2011: Michael Fassbender Wins Best Actor for Shame". TotalFilm.com. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
  29. ^ Nikkhah, Roya (10 September 2011). "Michael Fassbender Wins Best actor at Venice for Sex-Addict role". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  30. ^ "Oscars 2012: Did Michael Fassbender's Big Part Cost Him a Nom?". Los Angeles Times. 25 January 2012. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
  31. ^ "Michael Fassbender's Penis Caused Oscar Snub?". The Huffington Post. 26 January 2012. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
  32. ^ Fleming, Mike. "TOLDJA! Michael Fassbender Commits To Ridley Scott-Directed 'The Counselor'". Deadline.com. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
  33. ^ Sneider, Jeff (4 September 2012). "Fassbender, Gleeson set for 'Frank'". Variety. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
  34. ^ Konow, David (5 August 2012). "X-Men: Day of Future Past gets detailed". tgdaily.com. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
  35. ^ "Sundance: Magnolia Acquires Michael Fassbender's 'Frank'". Variety. 24 January 2014. Retrieved 23 August 2014.
  36. ^ White, James (21 October 2013). "Michael Fassbender Heads For Slow West". Empire Online. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
  37. ^ "Kerry superstar Michael Fassbender lands Steve Jobs role in major Hollywood biopic". evoke.ie. 29 January 2014.
  38. ^ "Universal Buys Steve Jobs Movie; Boyle and Fassbender Remain – /Film". Slashfilm.com. 25 November 2014. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
  39. ^ "Something SMOLDERING this way comes: Michael Fassbender makes Macbeth sexy in new poster". evoke.ie. 16 May 2014.
  40. ^ Keslassy, Elsa. "Marion Cotillard Set to Topline 'MacBeth' Opposite Michael Fassbender". Retrieved 21 August 2013.
  41. ^ De-Burca, Demelza (7 April 2014). "Michael Fassbender set to team up with Brendan Gleeson to play Traveller in upcoming flick". Irish Mirror. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  42. ^ Bullbeck, Pip (14 August 2014). "DreamWorks confirms NZ shoot for Michael Fassbender starrer 'The Light Between Oceans'". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
  43. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (9 February 2016). "Oscar Bait Fassbender-Vikander Film 'The Light Between Oceans' Dated For Next Awards Season". Deadline.com. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
  44. ^ Risley, Matt. "Michael Fassbender says Prometheus 2 'is going to happen'". Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  45. ^ Perry, Spencer (3 August 2015). "Prometheus 2 to Begin Production in January". comingsoon.net.
  46. ^ Fleming, Mike (13 February 2015). "Marion Cotillard To Star In 'Assassin's Creed' With Michael Fassbender". Deadline. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
  47. ^ Fleming, Jr., Mike (29 April 2014). "Michael Fassbender poised to re-team with 'MacBeth' Helmer on 'Assassin's Creed'". Deadline.com. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
  48. ^ "Universal Sets Release Date for Michael Fassbender's 'The Snowman'". The Hollywood Reporter. 18 December 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  49. ^ Dawtrey, Adam (17 February 2012). "Michael Fassbender preps Cuchulain project". Variety. Retrieved 20 February 2012.
  50. ^ "Michael Fassbender: LA is too soft". Belfast Telegraph. 9 May 2012. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
  51. ^ Elizabeth Day. "Michael Fassbender: the man to take on Brando's mantle | Elizabeth Day | From the Observer | The Observer". Theguardian.com. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
  52. ^ Cheney, Alexandra (2 June 2011). "Michael Fassbender, Supervillain with a Sensitive Side". The Wall Street Journal.
  53. ^ "Irish Actor Michael Fassbender Brushes Up on His German for 'Inglourious Basterds'". Irishcentral.com. 21 August 2009. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
  54. ^ "A Michael Fassbender Fan Blog: June 2010". Fassinatingfassbender.com. 4 June 2010. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
  55. ^ Brockes, Emma (6 January 2012). "What's a nice boy like Michael Fassbender doing in a film like Shame?". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
  56. ^ "A hunger to shock: The men behind the film depiction of Bobby Sands' hunger strike explain themselves". Daily Mail. 30 October 2008. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  57. ^ "Stock Photo – Michael Fassbender and Maiko Spencer on the red carpet at the Irish Film and Television Awards 2008 Dublin Republic of Ireland". alamy.com. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  58. ^ "Michael Fassbender – The Biography by Jim Maloney". books.google.com/. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  59. ^ "Michael Fassbender and Leasi Andrews". whosdatedwho.com. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  60. ^ "X-Men Costars Zoe Kravitz, Michael Fassbender Take Relationship Public". U.S Magazine. 1 June 2011. Retrieved 6 October 2012.
  61. ^ "Michael Fassbender Dating Costar Nicole Beharie". People Magazine. 15 May 2012. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  62. ^ "Michael Fassbender 'splits from Shame co-star Nicole Beharie'". Metro.co.uk. 13 January 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  63. ^ "Michael Fassbender Dating Louise Hazel, Olympic Heptathlete". U.S Magazine. 31 May 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  64. ^ Pearson, Jennifer; Davison, Rebecca (17 January 2014). "Pictured: Michael Fassbender enjoys romantic PDA with new 'girlfriend' Madalina Ghenea as they holiday in Milan". Daily Mail. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  65. ^ http://www.vogue.com/13374233/alicia-vikander-january-2016-cover/?mbid=social_twitter
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