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Stephen Lang

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Stephen Lang
Lang in February 2014.
Born (1952-07-11) July 11, 1952 (age 72)
Occupation(s)Actor, playwright
Years active1984–present
Spouse
Kristina Watson
(m. 1980)
Children4
Parent(s)Eugene Lang
Theresa Volmer
RelativesJane Lang (sister)

Stephen Lang (born July 11, 1952) is an American actor and playwright. He started in Broadway theatre, but is more widely known for his film roles in Gods and Generals (2003), Avatar (2009) and Don't Breathe (2016). From 2004 to 2006, he was a co–artistic director of the Actors Studio.

Personal life

Lang was born in New York City, the youngest child of Theresa (née Volmer, d. 2008) and Eugene Lang, a prominent entrepreneur and philanthropist.[1] He has two elder siblings - Jane, an attorney and activist, and David, who served as an executive at REFAC, the company their father founded in 1952.[2] Lang's father has donated much of his net worth (in excess of $150 million) to charity and will not leave an inheritance to his children, believing they each needed to learn to become self-sufficient.[3] Lang's mother was of German-Irish Catholic descent, and his father is Jewish (Lang's paternal grandparents were immigrants from Hungary).[2][4]

Lang attended school in Jamaica Estates, Queens.[5][6] For high school, he attended George School, a Quaker boarding school in Newtown, PA. He graduated from Swarthmore College in 1973 with a degree in English Literature; on May 30, 2010, Swarthmore awarded him an Honorary Degree from College in recognition of his distinguished career in theatre, television, and film.[7] His youngest son, Noah, received his bachelor's degree during the same ceremony.[7] He also holds an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from Jacksonville University and was an artist in residence at Northeastern University in 2011.[8] In the fall of 2015, Lang served as a Jury Member for the Woodstock Film Festival.[9]

Lang has been married to Kristina Watson, a costume designer and teacher, since June 1, 1980. They have four children.[1][2]

Career

Lang played Harold (Happy) Loman in the 1984 Broadway revival of Death of a Salesman and the 1985 television film with Dustin Hoffman as Willy Loman, and appeared in the first Hannibal Lecter film Manhunter (1986), as reporter Freddy Lounds.[10] He played attorney David Abrams in the television series Crime Story (1986–88). He played the title role in the NBC movie Babe Ruth (1991). He later played the "One Armed Man" in the 2000 revival of The Fugitive starring Tim Daly. The series was a modest success but lasted only one season because of its large production budget.

In 1992, he was nominated for a Tony Award for his lead role in The Speed of Darkness. His film role in Last Exit to Brooklyn (1989) garnered him widespread critical acclaim, but its limited release prevented the film from reaching a wider audience. On stage, he was the first to play the role of Colonel Nathan Jessup in A Few Good Men, a role made famous on film (1992) by Jack Nicholson. He is the winner of over half a dozen theatre awards including the Drama Desk and Helen Hayes awards.

In films, he played Maj. Gen. George E. Pickett in Gettysburg (1993) and the lead role of Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson in the Gettysburg prequel Gods and Generals (2003), both from director Ronald F. Maxwell. He considers Gods and Generals to be his finest performance. Arguably, his most famous film role, before Avatar, was his portrayal of the villainous Ike Clanton in the successful Western Tombstone (1993) with Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer.

Lang with Senator Daniel Inouye
Lang (left) with Senator Daniel Inouye in 2005

Shortly before Arthur Miller's death in February 2005, Lang appeared in his long-time friend's last play, titled Finishing the Picture. It premiered in 2004 at Chicago's Goodman Theatre, where Lang had the second run of his own play Beyond Glory, which had premiered in Arlington, Virginia, early in 2004, and his Tony-nominated portrayal for The Speed of Darkness. Lang also performed Beyond Glory, a one-man show, for troops deployed overseas.[11] In 2006, he played the role of Colonel Littlefield in John Patrick Shanley's play Defiance. He brought Beyond Glory to Roundabout's Off-Broadway Laura Pels Theatre in 2007.[12] Since its New York City premiere, Beyond Glory has been nominated for a Drama Desk Award and a Lucille Lortel Award both for outstanding solo performance.[13][14]

Lang has a role in the ESPN miniseries The Bronx Is Burning, as well as roles in independent features Save Me and From Mexico with Love. He plays a lead role in James Cameron's sci-fi epic Avatar as the villainous Colonel Quaritch.[15]

In 2009, he appeared in Michael Mann's film Public Enemies as Texas Ranger Charles Winstead,[16] the man widely considered to have fired the shots that killed John Dillinger[17][18] and in Grant Heslov's The Men Who Stare at Goats alongside Jeff Bridges, Kevin Spacey, Ewan McGregor and George Clooney.[19]

Also in 2009, he narrated the audiobook Road Rage—which combines the short stories "Duel" by Richard Matheson and "Throttle" by Stephen King and Joe Hill—and guest-starred in the Law & Order: Criminal Intent Season 8 finale, "Revolution" in the role of Axel Kaspers. In 2010 he performed the narration for "The Gettysburg Story: Battlefield Auto Tour,"[20] the top-selling audio tour of the Gettysburg Battlefield at Gettysburg National Military Park in Gettysburg, PA. Written and produced by filmmaker Jake Boritt and based on works by historian Gabor Boritt it tells the story of the Battle of Gettysburg and Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address in Gettysburg National Cemetery. Lang is also the narrator of the companion Public Television documentary The Gettysburg Story presented by Maryland Public Television.

Lang played the villain Khalar Zym in the 2011 Conan the Barbarian reboot starring Jason Momoa.[21] He also played one of the leads, Nathaniel Taylor, in the Steven Spielberg-produced[22] TV series Terra Nova.[23]

In February 2012, he signed on to play Mary Shannon's estranged father in a three episode arc on the final season of the USA television series In Plain Sight.[24]

In 2013 Lang appeared in The Monkey's Paw for Chiller TV.

Lang has been confirmed as reprising his role as Colonel Miles Quaritch in the upcoming sequels to Avatar.[25]

He plays Increase Mather, in a recurring role, on WGN America's first original scripted series, Salem.[26]

Lang is part of the cast of AMC's martial arts drama Into the Badlands, and played The Blind Man in Fede Alvarez's hit horror-thriller Don't Breathe (2016).[27][28] He will next appear in Braven alongside Jason Momoa and Hostiles from director Scott Cooper.[1] [2]

In February 2016, Lang was reportedly lobbying for the role of Cable in the Deadpool sequel through captioned Instagram pictures.[29]

Filmography

Lang at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival
Lang at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1985 Death of a Salesman Happy
1985 Twice in a Lifetime Keith
1986 Band of the Hand Joe
1986 Manhunter Freddy Lounds
1987 Project X Watts
1989 Last Exit to Brooklyn Harry Black
1991 The Hard Way Party Crasher
1991 Another You Dibbs
1992 Human Cargo Aramco Contractor
1993 Guilty as Sin Phil Garson
1993 Gettysburg Maj. Gen. George E. Pickett
1993 The Making of Gettysburg Himself/Maj. Gen. George E. Pickett Video Documentary
1993 Tombstone Ike Clanton
1994 Baseball Himself Documentary Mini series by Ken Burns
1995 Tall Tale Jonas Hackett
1995 The Amazing Panda Adventure Michael Tyler
1996 Loose Women Prophet Buddy
1996 The West Himself Documentary mini-series by Ken Burns
1996 Gang in Blue Moose Tavola
1996 An Occasional Hell Alex Laughton
1997 Shadow Conspiracy The Agent
1997 Niagara, Niagara Claude
1997 Fire Down Below Earl Kellogg
1998 Escape: Human Cargo Dennis McNatt TV movie produced by Showtime.
1999 Story of a Bad Boy Spygo
2000 Trixie Jacob Slotnick
2000 Running Mates Ron Noble (Financier) (uncredited) TV movie Shown on the TNT Network.
2001 The Proposal Simon Bacig
2002 D-Tox Jack
2002 The Making of Tombstone Himself/Ike Clanton
2003 The I Inside Mr. Travitt
2003 Code 11-14 Justin Shaw
2003 Gods and Generals Gen. Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson Winner – MovieGuide Awards Grace Award for Acting
2003 Gods and Generals: Journey to the Past Himself/Gen. Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson
2006 The Treatment Coach Galgano
2007 Save Me Ted
2008 From Mexico with Love Big Al Stevens
2008 Medal of Honor Narrator PBS documentary
2009 Public Enemies Charles Winstead
2009 The Men Who Stare at Goats General Hopgood
2009 Avatar Col. Miles Quaritch Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated—Teen Choice Award Choice Movie Villain
Nominated—Teen Choice Award Choice Movie Fight (shared with Sam Worthington)
Nominated—MTV Movie Award for Best Villain
Nominated—MTV Movie Award for Best Fight (shared with Sam Worthington)
Nominated—Scream Award for Best Villain
2010 Christina Inspector Edgar Reinhardt
2010 False Creek Stories Narrator
2010 White Irish Drinkers Patrick
2011 Conan the Barbarian Khalar Zym
2011 Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You Barry Rogers
2013 Officer Down Lieutenant Jake LaRussa
2013 Pawn Charlie
2013 The Gettysburg Story Himself/Narrator Documentary
2013 Pioneer Ferris
2013 The Monkey's Paw Tony Cobb
2013 The Girl on the Train Det. Lloyd Martin
2014 The Nut Job King
2014 In the Blood Casey
2014 Jarhead 2: Field of Fire Major James Gavins
2014 A Good Marriage Holt Ramsey
2014 Gutshot Straight Duffy
2014 23 Blast Coach Farris
2015 Exeter Father Conway
2015 Band of Robbers Injun Joe
2015 Gridlocked Korver
2015 Beyond Glory: Tour of Duty Himself Documentary
2015 Isolation William
2016 Don't Breathe The Blind Man
2017 Solar Eclipse - Depth of Darkness Raina Post-production
2017 Hostiles Filming

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1986–1988 Crime Story Attorney David Abrams 26 episodes
1989 The Equalizer Joseph Morrison Episode: "Lullaby of Darkness"
1995 The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Criminal Gun Shooter Episode: "Bullets Over Bel-Air"
1997 The Outer Limits Dr. James Houghton Episode: "New Lease"
1997 Liberty! The American Revolution George Washington 6 episodes
2000–2001 The Fugitive Ben Charnquist 5 episodes
2002 Ed Jack Foster Episode: "Wheel of Justice"
2003 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Michael Baxter Episode: "Escape"
2005 Johnny Zero Officer Tanner Episode: "To Serve and to Protect"
2005 Law & Order Terry Dorn Episode: "New York Minute"
2007 The Bronx Is Burning Inspector Dowd 3 episodes
2009 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Axel Kaspers Episode: "Revolution"
2009 Psych Mr. Salamatchla Episode: "Shawn Gets the Yips"
2011 Terra Nova Commander Nathaniel Taylor 13 episodes
2012 In Plain Sight James Wiley Shannon 3 episodes
2014–2015 Salem Increase Mather 9 episodes
2015 To Appomattox John Brown Upcoming series
2015 Into the Badlands Waldo 5 episodes

Video games

Year Title Role Notes
2013 Call of Duty: Ghosts Elias Walker[30]

References

  1. ^ a b "Stephen Lang Biography (1952-)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved 2010-05-30.
  2. ^ a b c Stark, John (1990-05-28). "Forgoing His Father's Millions, Stephen Lang Bootstraps to Acting Fame with the Help of a Few Good Men. Vol. 33. № 21.". People.com. Retrieved 2010-05-30. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  3. ^ Breitman, Rachel; Jones, Del (2006-07-26). "Heirs not-so-apparent?". USA Today.
  4. ^ Panarello, Joseph. "The Multiple Personalities of Stephen Lang". broadwayworld.com. Retrieved 2009-08-12.
  5. ^ "Stephen Lang Biography - Yahoo! Movies". Movies.yahoo.com. 1952-07-11. Archived from the original on 13 October 2007. Retrieved 2010-05-30.
  6. ^ Klein, Alvin (1998-04-19). "Stephen Lang, 'An Actor's Actor'". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-04-03.[failed verification]
  7. ^ a b Attendee of the ceremony for his son Sergio's graduation, Ricardo V Rivas, EA, president of the Texas Society of Enrolled Agents and http://www.swarthmore.edu/x28750.xml
  8. ^ Stephen Lang
  9. ^ "Woodstock Film Festival - 2014 MAVERICK Awards".
  10. ^ "STEPHEN LANG - Bing Afbeeldingen". Search.msn.com. Retrieved 2010-05-30.
  11. ^ "In Step With: Stephen Lang". Parade Magazine. June 5, 2005.
  12. ^ Daniel Henninger (2007-08-09). "Wonder Land - WSJ.com". Opinionjournal.com. Retrieved 2010-05-30.
  13. ^ Dziemianowicz, Joe (2008-04-28). "Drama Desk nominees announced". New York: Nydailynews.com. Retrieved 2010-05-30.
  14. ^ Lucille Lortel Awards; Lucille Lortel Foundation; Off-Broadway database. "Lucille Lortel Awards, Off-Broadway Awards". Lortel.org. Archived from the original on February 6, 2010. Retrieved 2010-05-30. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  15. ^ Thompson, Anne (2007-08-02). "Lang, Rodriguez armed for 'Avatar'". Variety.
  16. ^ "Crudup to play Hoover in 'Public' - Entertainment News, Film News, Media". Variety. 2008-04-02. Retrieved 2010-05-30.
  17. ^ Biffle, Kent (6 August 2005). "Who drilled Dillinger? Credit goes to Texan". The Dallas Morning News. Archived from the original on July 12, 2009. Retrieved 15 July 2009. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  18. ^ John Dillinger: The Life and Death ... - Google Books. Books.google.com. 1933-05-22. Retrieved 2010-05-30.
  19. ^ Kit, Borys (2008-10-10). "Rebecca Mader joins 'Goats' herd". Hollywoodreporter.com. Archived from the original on October 13, 2008. Retrieved 2010-05-30. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  20. ^ "Home - The Gettysburg Story". The Gettysburg Story.
  21. ^ Frappier, Rob. "Stephen Lang Talks ‘Conan’ Remake" Screen Rant; June 29, 2010
  22. ^ Sweney, Mark. "Fox unveils Steven Spielberg's Terra Nova as it hunts for new Simon Cowell" The Guardian; May 18, 2010
  23. ^ Rice, Lynette. "Stephen Lang joins Fox's 'Terra Nova'" Entertainment Weekly; September 14, 2010
  24. ^ Hmybrd. "Stephen Lang Cast as Mary's Father on In Plain Sight". TV Fanatic.
  25. ^ Mike Fleming Jr. "James Cameron Books Stephen Lang For Next 3 Avatar Films - Deadline". Deadline.com.
  26. ^ The Deadline Team. "Stephen Lang Joins WGN America's 'Salem'". Deadline.com.
  27. ^ Rebecca Ford (18 June 2015). "Stephen Lang, Jane Levy Join Fede Alvarez's Thriller (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter.
  28. ^ Jeff Sneider (12 May 2015). "'Avatar's' Stephen Lang Joins AMC's 'Into the Badlands,' Returns to 'Salem' (Exclusive)". TheWrap.
  29. ^ Michael Martin (February 14, 2016). "Deadpool 2: Avatar's Stephen Lang Lobbies for Cable Role". IGN. Retrieved August 28, 2016.
  30. ^ "Brandon J. Routh and Stephen Lang confirmed as one of voice actors for Ghosts". Charlie INTEL.
Preceded by
Estelle Parsons
Vacant (2003-2004)
Artistic Director of the Actors Studio
2004-2006
With: Carlin Glynn
and Lee Grant
Succeeded by