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Tracy Letts

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Tracy Letts
Letts in 2022
Born (1965-07-04) July 4, 1965 (age 59)
Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S.
Occupations
  • Playwright
  • screenwriter
  • actor
Years active1988–present
Spouse
​
(m. 2013)​
Children2
Parent(s)Billie Letts
Dennis Letts
AwardsPulitzer Prize for Drama
Tony Award for Best Play
Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play

Tracy S. Letts (born July 4, 1965) is an American actor, playwright, and screenwriter. He started his career at the Steppenwolf Theatre before making his Broadway debut as a playwright for August: Osage County (2007), for which he received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Play. As an actor, he won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for the Broadway revival of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (2013).[1]

As a playwright, Letts is known for having written for the Steppenwolf Theatre, Off-Broadway and Broadway theatre. His works include: Killer Joe, Bug, Man from Nebraska, August: Osage County, Superior Donuts, Linda Vista, and The Minutes. Letts adapted three of his plays into films, Bug and Killer Joe, both directed by William Friedkin, and August: Osage County, directed by John Wells. His 2009 play Superior Donuts was adapted into a television series of the same name. As a stage actor, Letts has performed in various classic plays with the Steppenwolf Theatre since 1988. He made his acting Broadway debut as George in the revival of Edward Albee's play Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, which earned him a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play. He continued acting on the Broadway stage in The Realistic Joneses, All My Sons, and The Minutes.

In film and television, he is known for his portrayal of Andrew Lockhart in seasons 3 and 4 of Showtime's Homeland, and pyramid-scheme con-artist Nick on the HBO comedy Divorce. In 2017, Letts starred in three critically acclaimed films: Azazel Jacobs' The Lovers, Greta Gerwig's Lady Bird, and Steven Spielberg's The Post. Lady Bird earned Letts a nomination for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. In 2019, he portrayed Henry Ford II in James Mangold's Ford v Ferrari and Mr. Dashwood in Gerwig's Little Women, the two also receiving Best Picture nominations.

Early life

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Letts was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to author Billie Letts (née Gipson) and college professor and actor Dennis Letts.[2][3] He has two brothers, Shawn, a musician, and Dana. Letts was raised in Durant, Oklahoma, and graduated from Durant High School in the early 1980s. He moved to Dallas, where he waited tables and worked in telemarketing while beginning his acting career. He appeared in Jerry Flemmons' O Dammit!, which was part of a new playwrights' series sponsored by Southern Methodist University.

Letts moved to Chicago at the age of 20, working for the next 11 years at Steppenwolf Theatre Company and Famous Door. He is still an active member of Steppenwolf. He was a founding member of Bang Bang Spontaneous Theatre, whose members included Greg Kotis, Michael Shannon, Paul Dillon, and Amy Pietz.[4] In 1991, Letts wrote the play Killer Joe. Two years later, the play premiered at the Next Lab Theater in Evanston, Illinois, followed by the 29th Street Rep in New York City. Since then, Killer Joe has been performed in a number of countries in 12 languages.[5]

His mother, Billie Letts, has said of his work, "I try to be upbeat and funny. Everybody in Tracy's stories gets naked or dead."[5] Letts's plays have depicted people struggling with moral and spiritual questions. He says he was inspired by the plays of Tennessee Williams and the novels of William Faulkner and Jim Thompson. Letts states that he considers sounds to be effective "storytelling tools" for theater.[6]

Career

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Theatre

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During the late 1980s through the late 2000s, Letts acted in many of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company's productions, starring in Steve Martin's Picasso at the Lapin Agile (1994).

In 2012, Letts gained attention for his Broadway debut performance in the revival of Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? at the Booth Theatre.[7] He received positive reviews and won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play.[8]

In 2019, Letts appeared in the Broadway revival of Arthur Miller's All My Sons with Annette Bening at Roundabout Theatre Company's American Airlines Theatre. The show officially opened on April 22, 2019 and closed on June 23, 2019.[9]

Letts has written over ten plays.[citation needed] His most famous, August: Osage County, premiered at the Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago on June 28, 2007. It had its Broadway debut at the Imperial Theatre on December 4, 2007; the production transferred to Broadway's Music Box Theatre on April 29, 2008. The Broadway show closed on June 28, 2009, after 648 performances and 18 previews. The show went on to receive seven Tony Award nominations, winning six, including Best Play.[10] The play won Letts the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2008. Letts has also been a finalist for the Pulitzer drama prize for his plays Man from Nebraska and The Minutes; the Pulitzer committee described The Minutes as a "shocking drama set in a seemingly mundane city council meeting that acidly articulates a uniquely American toxicity that feels both historic and contemporary."[11][12] Letts starred in the Broadway production of The Minutes, his first time acting in one of his own plays.[13]

Television

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Early in his acting career, in the 1990s through the mid 2000s, Letts acted in TV shows including Prison Break, The District, Strong Medicine, Profiler, Judging Amy, The Drew Carey Show, Seinfeld, Early Edition, and Home Improvement.

In 2013–14, Letts joined the cast of Showtime's Homeland as US Senator Andrew Lockhart. He was nominated with the rest of the cast for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Ensemble.

In 2016, Letts joined HBO's marital comedy-drama Divorce.[14]

In 2018, Letts was cast in the second season of USA Network's anthology crime drama series The Sinner, opposite Bill Pullman and Carrie Coon.[15] He played Jack McKinney in HBO's 2022 series Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.

Film

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Letts has starred in Adam McKay's 2015 ensemble piece, The Big Short,[16] 2016's Wiener-Dog, Christine, and Elvis & Nixon; and James Schamus's film adaptation of the Philip Roth novel, Indignation,[17][18] as well as the true-story crime thriller adaptation Imperium.[19]

Letts then appeared in the 2017 films The Lovers, The Post,[20] and Lady Bird.[21][22]

In 2019, Letts portrayed Henry Ford II in James Mangold's sports drama film Ford v Ferrari, and played Mr. Dashwood in Little Women, a film adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's novel of the same name.[23]

Letts has written screenplays for three feature films based on his plays: Bug (directed by William Friedkin), Killer Joe (also directed by Friedkin); and August: Osage County (directed by John Wells). He also wrote the screenplay for the 2021 Netflix feature film The Woman in the Window, starring Amy Adams, based on the eponymous psychological thriller by A.J. Finn.

Personal life

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Letts and Carrie Coon at the premiere of August: Osage County, Toronto Film Festival 2013

Letts was an alcoholic and drug addict in his 20s, until shortly after he wrote his first play. He married actress Carrie Coon in September 2013.[24] They have two children, born in 2018[25][26] and 2021.[27][28] He has been sober since 1993.[29] Letts was once engaged to actress Sarah Paulson.[30]

Work as an author

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Theatre

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Year Title Notes Ref.
1993 Killer Joe
1996 Bug
2003 Man from Nebraska
2007 August: Osage County
2008 Superior Donuts
2009 Three Sisters Adaptation [31]
2015 The Stretch [32]
2016 Mary Page Marlowe [33]
2017 Linda Vista [34]
2017 The Minutes [35]

Screenwriter

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Year Title Notes
2006 Bug Adaptation of his play
2007 Cop Show Short film
2011 Killer Joe Adaptation of his play
2013 August: Osage County Adaptation of his play
2021 The Woman in the Window

Work as an actor

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Theatre

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Year Title Role Theatre
1988 The Glass Menagerie Chicago, Steppenwolf Theatre
1991–1995 Bang Bang Spontaneous Theatre Various characters Chicago, No Exit Cafe
1994 Picasso At The Lapin Agile Freddy Chicago, Steppenwolf Theatre
1999 Three Days of Rain Walker Chicago, Steppenwolf Theatre
2001 Glengarry Glen Ross John Williamson Chicago, Steppenwolf Theatre
2002 The Dazzle Chicago, Steppenwolf Theatre
2002 Miracle on 34th Street Lawyer Chicago Center for Performing Arts
2003 Homebody/Kabul Chicago, Steppenwolf Theatre
2004 The Dresser Norman Chicago, Steppenwolf Theatre
2005 Last of the Boys Chicago, Steppenwolf Theatre
2005 Orson's Shadow Kenneth Tynan Off-Broadway, Barrow Street Theatre
2005 The Pain and the Itch Cash Chicago, Steppenwolf Theatre
2006 The Pillowman Tupolski Chicago, Steppenwolf Theatre
2006 The Well-Appointed Room Stewart Chicago, Steppenwolf Theatre
2007 Betrayal Robert Chicago, Steppenwolf Theatre
2009 American Buffalo Walter "Teach" Cole Chicago, Steppenwolf Theatre
2010 Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? George Chicago, Steppenwolf Theatre
2012 Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? George Broadway, Booth Theatre
2014 The Realistic Joneses Bob Jones Broadway, Lyceum Theatre
2019 All My Sons Joe Keller Broadway, American Airlines Theatre
2020 The Minutes Mayor Superba Broadway, Cort Theatre
2022 The Minutes Mayor Superba Broadway, Studio 54[36]

Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1988 Paramedics Van Owner
1992 Straight Talk Sean
1998 Chicago Cab Sports Fan
U.S. Marshals Sheriff Poe
1999 Guinevere Zack
2007 Cop Show Michael Cooke Short film
2015 The Big Short Lawrence Fields
2016 Wiener-Dog Danny
Christine Michael Nelson
Elvis & Nixon John Finlator
Indignation Hawes D. Caudwell
Imperium Dallas Wolf
2017 The Lovers Michael
Lady Bird Larry McPherson
The Post Fritz Beebe
2019 Ford v. Ferrari Henry Ford II
Little Women Mr. Dashwood
2020 French Exit Franklin "Small Frank" Price (voice)
2021 The Woman in the Window Dr. Landy Uncredited
Ghostbusters: Afterlife Jack Uncredited
2022 Deep Water Don Wilson
2023 Eric Larue Bill Verne
2024 McVeigh[37] Richard Snell
Saturday Night Herb Sargent [38]
TBA Rosebush Pruning Filming

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1995 Home Improvement Henry Episode: "Jill's Surprise Party"
1996–1997 Early Edition Jonathan / Marksman 2 episodes
1997 Seinfeld Counterguy Episode: "The Strike"
1998 The Drew Carey Show Lomax Episode: "Drew and the Conspiracy"
1999 Judging Amy Mr. Kleinman Episode: "Pilot"
2000 Profiler Mr. Adams Episode: "Train Man"
2001 Strong Medicine Ken Episode: "Wednesday Night Fever"
2001 The District Brad Gilroy Episode: "Melt Down"
2006 Prison Break Peter Tucci 2 episodes
2013–2014 Homeland Senator/Director Andrew Lockhart 17 episodes
2016–2019 Divorce Nick 17 episodes
2017 Comrade Detective Vasile (voice) Episode: "No Exit"
2018 The Sinner Jack Novack 7 episodes
2022–2023 Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty Jack McKinney 9 episodes
2024 Mr. Throwback Mitch Grossman 5 episodes
2024 The Simpsons Himself (voice) Episode: "Desperately Seeking Lisa"

Awards and nominations

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Theatre awards

Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
2004 Pulitzer Prize Drama Man from Nebraska Nominated [39]
2008 August: Osage County Won [40]
2008 Tony Awards Best Play Won [41]
2008 Drama Desk Awards Outstanding Play Won [42]
2013 Tony Awards Best Leading Actor in a Play Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Won [43]
2018 Pulitzer Prize Drama The Minutes Nominated [44]
2022 Tony Awards Best Play The Minutes Nominated

Film and television awards

Year Award Category Nominated Work Result
2013 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Homeland Nominated
2014 Nominated
2014 Writers Guild of America Awards Best Adapted Screenplay August: Osage County Nominated
2014 Critics' Choice Movie Awards Best Adapted Screenplay Nominated
2014 Chicago Film Critics Association Best Adapted Screenplay Nominated
2014 Phoenix Film Critics Society Best Adapted Screenplay Nominated
2014 Seattle Film Critics Awards Best Adapted Screenplay Nominated
2018 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Lady Bird Nominated
2022 Golden Raspberry Awards Worst Screenplay The Woman in the Window Nominated
2024 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty: The New World Nominated

References

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  1. ^ "The 2008 Pulitzer Prize Winners – Drama". pulitzer.org.
  2. ^ "Interview with Billie Letts". readersread.org.
  3. ^ "Dennis Letts, 73, a Professor Who Became Broadway Actor, Dies". The New York Times. Associated Press. 2008-02-25. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  4. ^ "Tracy Letts's Productions at Steppenwolf". Steppenwolf Theatre Company. 2008. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  5. ^ a b Carlton Stowers (27 November 2003). "Sweet Revenge". The Dallas Observer. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  6. ^ Aifen Wang (2008). "In-your-face Theatre with In Your Face Sound Design". Stage Research. Archived from the original on 2008-06-12. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  7. ^ Gans, Andrew (May 17, 2012). "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, with Tracy Letts and Amy Morton, Will Arrive On Broadway in September". Playbill. Retrieved 2019-03-17.
  8. ^ Schuessler, Jennifer (2013-06-06). "'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?' at the Tonys". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-03-17.
  9. ^ "All My Sons". Broadway.com. Retrieved 2019-03-17.
  10. ^ "Tony Winners: 'In the Heights,' 'August: Osage County'". www.vulture.com. 16 June 2008. Retrieved 2019-03-17.
  11. ^ "Finalists Tracy Letts" pulitzer.org, retrieved April 16, 2018
  12. ^ "2018 Pulitzer Prize Winners: Full List". The New York Times. 16 April 2018. Retrieved 2018-04-16.
  13. ^ McKinley, Jesse (26 February 2020). "Tracy Letts Can't Fight With His Playwright". The New York Times. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  14. ^ Otterson, Joe (2018-11-02). "'Divorce' Renewed for Season 3 at HBO With New Showrunner, Smaller Episode Count". Variety. Retrieved 2019-03-17.
  15. ^ Nguyen, Hanh (2018-05-18). "'The Sinner' Season 2 Reveals First-Look Photos and Who's Joining Carrie Coon in the Mystery Crime Series". IndieWire. Retrieved 2019-03-17.
  16. ^ "The Big Short Gets 5 Oscar Nominations Including Best Picture". oscar.go.com. Retrieved 2019-03-17.
  17. ^ Debruge, Peter (2016-01-25). "Sundance Film Review: 'Indignation'". Variety. Retrieved 2019-03-17.
  18. ^ "Indignation (2016)", Rotten Tomatoes, retrieved 2019-03-17
  19. ^ "Imperium (2016)", Rotten Tomatoes, retrieved 2019-03-17
  20. ^ "Fritz Beebe, portrayed by Tracy Letts - 'The Post': 16 of the Film's Stars and Their Real-Life Inspirations". The Hollywood Reporter. 22 December 2017. Retrieved 2019-03-17.
  21. ^ "Lady Bird (2017)", Rotten Tomatoes, retrieved 2019-03-17
  22. ^ Surrey, Miles (2017-12-13). "SAG Awards Nominations: 'Lady Bird' Cleans Up, 'Phantom Thread' Flops". The Ringer. Retrieved 2019-03-17.
  23. ^ "Oscar Nominations 2020: The Complete List". Variety. 2020-01-13. Archived from the original on January 13, 2020. Retrieved 2020-01-13.
  24. ^ Fierberg, Ruthie (August 18, 2017). "Why Tony Nominee Carrie Coon and Pulitzer Prize Winner Tracy Letts Got Married in a Hospital". Retrieved March 16, 2024.
  25. ^ "Carrie Coon and Husband Tracy Letts Expecting Their First Child". Peoplemag. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
  26. ^ "It's a Boy! The Post Stars Carrie Coon and Tracy Letts Welcome Son Haskell". Peoplemag. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
  27. ^ Hogan, Michael (2021-08-15). "Actor Carrie Coon: 'My husband says I have ice-water in my veins'". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
  28. ^ "How Carrie Coon Hid Her Pregnancy on 'The Gilded Age' (Exclusive)". Entertainment Tonight. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
  29. ^ "The Interview Show | Tracy Letts". 26 January 2018. Archived from the original on 2021-11-17. Retrieved Oct 17, 2021 – via www.youtube.com.
  30. ^ Schulman, Michael (March 2, 2016). "Sarah Paulson Opens Up About Acting, Marcia Clark and Dating Older Women". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 21, 2020. Retrieved September 9, 2018. Closed access icon
  31. ^ "Three Sisters by Anton Chekhov, adapted by Tracy Letts". Artists Repertory Theatre. Retrieved October 26, 2009. This adaptation of the Russian masterpiece was commissioned by Artists Rep as part three of its four-part Chekhov project. Letts offers a fresh, new look at the decay of the privileged class and the search for meaning in the modern world, through the eyes of three dissatisfied sisters who desperately long for their treasured past.
  32. ^ ""TEN" earns its rating at The Gift Theatre - Chicago Sun-Times".
  33. ^ "Carrie Coon Among Cast Of 19 For Steppenwolf's World Premiere Of Tracy Letts Play". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved December 7, 2015.
  34. ^ "Linda Vista | Steppenwolf Theatre". www.steppenwolf.org. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  35. ^ "The Minutes | Steppenwolf Theatre". www.steppenwolf.org. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  36. ^ "Tracy Letts' Pulitzer Finalist 'The Minutes' Sets Post-COVID 2022 Broadway Reopening, Plans Venue Switch". www.msn.com. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
  37. ^ ‘McVeigh’ Review: Alfie Allen Impresses In This Chilling Account Of The Radicalization Of The Oklahoma Bomber – Tribeca Film Festival
  38. ^ Debruge, Peter (2024-09-01). "'Saturday Night' Review: Jason Reitman Finds the Right Ensemble to Capture the Lunacy From Which 'SNL' Was Born". Variety. Retrieved 2024-10-02.
  39. ^ "Man from Nebraska, by Tracy Letts". pulitzer.org. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  40. ^ "August: Osage County, by Tracy Letts". pulitzer.org. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  41. ^ "August: Osage County". americantheatrewing.org. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  42. ^ "August: Osage County". marintheatre.org. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  43. ^ "Steppenwolf's Tracy Letts Wins Best Actor in a Play Tony Award". nbcchicago.org. 10 June 2013. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  44. ^ "Finalist: The Minutes, by Tracy Letts". pulitzer.org. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
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