Name	Paul Haggis
Birthname	Paul Edward Haggis
Birth date	March 10, 1953
Birth place	London, Ontario, Canada
Yearsactive	1975–present
Occupation	Film director, screenwriter, and producer
Spouse	Diane Christine Gettas (1977–94)Deborah Rennard (1997–present) }}

Paul Edward Haggis (born March 10, 1953) is a Canadian screenwriter, producer, and director. He spent his early career producing and directing various American and Canadian television network series.

Early life and education

Haggis was born on March 10, 1953, in London, Ontario, the son of Mary Yvonne (née Metcalf) and Edward H. Haggis. He was raised as a Catholic, but considered himself an atheist until joining the Church of Scientology. The Gallery Theatre in London, Ontario, was owned by his parents, and Haggis gained experience in the field through work at the theatre. He attended St. Thomas More Elementary School, and after being inspired by Alfred Hitchcock and Jean-Luc Godard, proceeded to study art at H. B. Beal Secondary School. After viewing Michelangelo Antonioni's 1966 film ''Blowup'', he traveled to England with the intent of becoming a fashion photographer. Haggis later went back to Canada to pursue studies in cinematography at Fanshawe College. In 1975, Haggis moved to Los Angeles, California, to begin a career in writing in the entertainment industry.

Career

Haggis began to work as a writer for television programs, including ''The Love Boat'', ''One Day at a Time'', ''Diff'rent Strokes'', and ''The Facts of Life''. With ''The Facts of Life'', Haggis also gained his first credit as producer. During the 1980s and 1990s, Haggis wrote for television series including ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', ''Due South'', ''L.A. Law'', and ''EZ Streets''. He helped to create the television series ''Walker, Texas Ranger'', ''Family Law, and Due South''. Haggis served as executive producer on series including ''Michael Hayes'' and ''Family Law''.

He gained recognition in the film industry for his work on the 2004 film ''Million Dollar Baby'', which ''Allmovie'' described as a "serious milestone" for the writer/producer, and as "his first high-profile foray into feature film". Haggis had read two stories written by Jerry Boyd, a boxing trainer who wrote under the name of F.X. Toole. Haggis acquired the rights to the stories, and developed them into the screenplay for ''Million Dollar Baby''. Clint Eastwood portrayed the lead character in the film. Eastwood also directed the film, and used the screenplay written by Haggis. ''Million Dollar Baby'' received four Academy Awards including the Academy Award for Best Picture.

After ''Million Dollar Baby'', Haggis worked on the 2004 film ''Crash''. Haggis came up with the story for the film on his own, and then wrote and directed the film, which allowed him greater control over his work. ''Crash'' was his first experience as director of a major feature film. Critical reception of ''Crash'' was positive, and Roger Ebert called it the best film of 2005. It received Academy Award nominations for Best Picture and Best Director, in addition to four other Academy Award nominations. Haggis received two Academy Awards for the film; Best Picture (as its producer), and Best Writing for his work on the screenplay. With ''Million Dollar Baby'' and then ''Crash'', Haggis became the first individual to have written Best Picture Oscar-winners in two consecutive years.

Personal life

Haggis lives in Santa Monica, California.

After maintaining active membership in the Church of Scientology for 35 years, Haggis left the organization in October 2009. He was motivated to leave Scientology in reaction to statements made by the San Diego branch of the Church of Scientology in support of Proposition 8, the ballot initiative which banned gay marriage in California. Haggis wrote to Thomas Davis, the Church's spokesman, and requested that he denounce these statements; when Davis remained silent, Haggis responded that "Silence is consent, Tommy. I refuse to consent." Haggis went on to list other grievances against Scientology, including its policy of disconnection, and the smearing of its ex-members through the leaking of their personal details. ''The Observer'' commented on defections of Haggis and actor Jason Beghe from Scientology, "The decision of Beghe and Haggis to quit Scientology appears to have caused the movement its greatest recent PR difficulties, not least because of its dependence on Hollywood figures as both a source of revenue for its most expensive courses and an advertisement for the religion." In an interview with ''Movieline'' Haggis was asked about similarities between his film ''The Next Three Days'' and his departure from the Scientology organization; Haggis responded, "I think one’s life always parallels art and art parallels life." In February 2011, ''The New Yorker'' published a 25,000-word story, "The Apostate", by Lawrence Wright, detailing Haggis's allegations about the Church of Scientology. The article ended by quoting Haggis: "I was in a cult for thirty-four years. Everyone else could see it. I don’t know why I couldn’t."

Filmography

Film

{|class="wikitable" border="2" cellpadding="4" background: #f9f9f9; |- align="center" ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Film ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Notes |- |1993 |''Red Hot'' |Screenwriter, Director | |- | rowspan="2"|2004 |''Million Dollar Baby'' |Screenwriter, Producer | |- |''Crash'' |Story, Screenwriter, Composer, Director, Producer | |- | rowspan="4"|2006 |''The Last Kiss'' |Screenwriter | |- |''Flags of Our Fathers'' |Screenwriter | |- |''Letters from Iwo Jima'' |Screenwriter, Executive Producer | |- |''Casino Royale'' |Screenwriter (adaptation) | |- |2007 |''In the Valley of Elah'' |Screenwriter (adaptation), Director, Producer | |- |2008 |''Quantum of Solace'' |Screenwriter | |- |2009 |''Terminator Salvation'' |Writer (rewrite) | |- |2010 |''The Next Three Days'' |Screenwriter, Director | |}

Television

{|class="wikitable" border="2" cellpadding="4" background: #f9f9f9; |- align="center" ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Title ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Notes |- |1987 |''Return of the Shaggy Dog'' |Screenwriter | |- |1987–1988 |''thirtysomething'' |Supervising producer, Writer, Director | |- |1989–1990 |''City'' |Creator | |- |1993–2001 |''Walker, Texas Ranger'' |Co-creator | |- |1994–1999 |''Due South'' |Creator, Executive Producer, Screenwriter, Unit Director | |- |1996–1997 |''EZ Streets'' |Creator, Executive producer | |- |1997 |''Walker, Texas Ranger: Sons of Thunder |Creator, Director | |- |2005 |''Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial By Fire'' |Director | |- |2007 |''The Black Donnellys'' |Creator | |}

Awards and nominations

Haggis has been nominated for dozens of awards.

{|class="wikitable" border="2" cellpadding="4" background: #f9f9f9; |- align="center" ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Award ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Work ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Category ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Result |- |1985 |Humanitas Prize |''CBS Storybreak'': "Zucchini" |Children's Animation Category |style="background: #ffdddd"| Nominated |- | rowspan="3"|1988 | rowspan="2"|Emmy Award | rowspan="2"|''thirtysomething'' |Outstanding Drama Series |bgcolor="#ddffdd"|Won |- |Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series |bgcolor="#ddffdd"|Won |- |Humanitas Prize |''thirtysomething'' |60 Minute Category |bgcolor="#ddffdd"|Won |- |1989 |Writers Guild of America Award |''thirtysomething'' |Episodic Drama |style="background: #ffdddd"| Nominated |- | rowspan="4"|1995 | rowspan="4"|Gemini Award |''Due South'' |Best Dramatic Series |bgcolor="#ddffdd"|Won |- |''Due South'': Pilot (#1.0) |Best TV Movie |bgcolor="#ddffdd"|Won |- |''Due South'' |Best Writing in a Dramatic Series |bgcolor="#ddffdd"|Won |- |''Due South'': Pilot (#1.0) |Best Writing in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series |style="background: #ffdddd"| Nominated |- | rowspan="4"|1996 | rowspan="4"|Gemini Award |''Due South'' |Canada's Choice Award |bgcolor="#ddffdd"|Won |- |''Due South'' |Best Dramatic Series |bgcolor="#ddffdd"|Won |- |''Due South'': "Hawk and a Handsaw" |Best Writing in a Dramatic Series |bgcolor="#ddffdd"|Won |- |''Due South'': "The Gift of the Wheelman" |Best Writing in a Dramatic Series |bgcolor="#ddffdd"|Won |- |1997 |Viewers for Quality Television Award |''EZ Streets'' |Founder's Award |bgcolor="#ddffdd"|Won |- |2001 |Writers Guild of America Award |Contributions to industry |Valentine Davies Award |bgcolor="#ddffdd"|Won |- | rowspan="15"|2005 |Academy Award |''Million Dollar Baby'' |Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay |style="background: #ffdddd"| Nominated |- |Writers Guild of America Award |''Million Dollar Baby'' |Best Adapted Screenplay |style="background: #ffdddd"| Nominated |- |American Screenwriters Association |''Million Dollar Baby'' |Discover Screenwriting Award |bgcolor="#ddffdd"|Won |- |Black Movie Award |''Crash'' |Outstanding Motion Picture |bgcolor="#ddffdd"|Won |- |Deauville American Film Festival |''Crash'' |Grand Special Prize |bgcolor="#ddffdd"|Won |- |European Film Award |''Crash'' |Screen International Award |style="background: #ffdddd"| Nominated |- |Hollywood Film Festival |Directing work |Breakthrough Directing |bgcolor="#ddffdd"|Won |- |Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award |''Crash'' |Best Screenplay |bgcolor="#ddffdd"|Won |- |Online Film Critics Society Award |''Million Dollar Baby'' |Best Screenplay, Adapted |style="background: #ffdddd"| Nominated |- |San Francisco International Film Festival |Screenwriting work |Kanbar Award |bgcolor="#ddffdd"|Won |- | rowspan="2"|Satellite Award |''Million Dollar Baby'' |Best Screenplay, Adapted |bgcolor="#ddffdd"|Won |- |''Crash'' |Outstanding Screenplay, Original |style="background: #ffdddd"| Nominated |- |Southeastern Film Critics Association Award |''Crash'' |Best Screenplay, Original |bgcolor="#ddffdd"|Won |- |USC Scripter Award |''Million Dollar Baby'' |USC Scripter Award |bgcolor="#ddffdd"|Won |- |Washington DC Area Film Critics Association Award |''Crash'' |Best Screenplay - Original |bgcolor="#ddffdd"|Won |- | rowspan="23"|2006 | rowspan="3"|Academy Award | rowspan="3"|''Crash'' |Best Motion Picture of the Year |bgcolor="#ddffdd"|Won |- |Best Writing, Original Screenplay |bgcolor="#ddffdd"|Won |- |Best Achievement in Directing |style="background: #ffdddd"| Nominated |- |Golden Globe Award |''Crash'' |Best Screenplay - Motion Picture |style="background: #ffdddd"| Nominated |- |Writers Guild of America Award |''Crash'' |Best Original Screenplay |bgcolor="#ddffdd"|Won |- |Directors Guild of America Award |''Crash'' |Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures |style="background: #ffdddd"| Nominated |- | rowspan="2"|BAFTA Award | rowspan="2"|''Crash'' |Best Screenplay - Original |bgcolor="#ddffdd"|Won |- |David Lean Award for Direction |style="background: #ffdddd"| Nominated |- |Austin Film Critics Award |''Crash'' |Best Director |bgcolor="#ddffdd"|Won |- | rowspan="2"|Broadcast Film Critics Association Award |''Crash'' |Best Writer |bgcolor="#ddffdd"|Won |- |''Crash'' |Best Director |style="background: #ffdddd"| Nominated |- |Chicago Film Critics Association Award |''Crash'' |Best Screenplay |bgcolor="#ddffdd"|Won |- |David di Donatello |''Crash'' |Best Foreign Film |bgcolor="#ddffdd"|Won |- |Edgar Award |''Crash'' |Best Motion Picture Screenplay |style="background: #ffdddd"| Nominated |- |Humanitas Prize |''Crash'' |Feature Film Category |bgcolor="#ddffdd"|Won |- |Independent Spirit Award |''Crash'' |Best First Feature |bgcolor="#ddffdd"|Won |- | rowspan="2"|London Critics Circle Film Award |''Crash'' |Screenwriter of the Year |bgcolor="#ddffdd"|Won |- |''Crash'' |Director of the Year |style="background: #ffdddd"| Nominated |- | rowspan="2"|Online Film Critics Society Award |''Crash'' |Best Breakthrough Filmmaker |bgcolor="#ddffdd"|Won |- |''Crash'' |Best Screenplay, Original |style="background: #ffdddd"| Nominated |- |Producers Guild of America Award |''Crash'' |Motion Picture Producer of the Year Award |style="background: #ffdddd"| Nominated |- |Robert Award |''Crash'' |Best American Film |style="background: #ffdddd"| Nominated |- |Satellite Award |''Flags of Our Fathers'' |Best Screenplay, Adapted |style="background: #ffdddd"| Nominated |- | rowspan="7"|2007 |Academy Award |''Letters from Iwo Jima'' |Best Writing, Original Screenplay |style="background: #ffdddd"| Nominated |- | rowspan="2"|BAFTA Award | rowspan="2"|''Casino Royale'' |Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film |style="background: #ffdddd"| Nominated |- |Best Screenplay - Adapted |style="background: #ffdddd"| Nominated |- |Saturn Award |''Casino Royale'' |Best Writing |style="background: #ffdddd"| Nominated |- |Edgar Award |''Casino Royale'' |Best Motion Picture Screenplay |style="background: #ffdddd"| Nominated |- | rowspan="2"|Venice Film Festival |''In the Valley of Elah'' |SIGNIS Award |bgcolor="#ddffdd"|Won |- |''In the Valley of Elah'' |Golden Lion |style="background: #ffdddd"| Nominated |- |2008 |David di Donatello |''In the Valley of Elah'' |Best Foreign Film |style="background: #ffdddd"| Nominated |}

See also

List of Canadian directors

List of film and television directors

List of film director and cinematographer collaborations

List of film producers

List of British and Commonwealth Academy Award winners and nominees

List of Big Five Academy Award winners and nominees

List of Big Three Academy Award winners and nominees

List of people who have won multiple Academy Awards in a single year

List of people from Santa Monica, California

List of people from London, Ontario

List of Scientologists

Scientology controversies

Further reading

References

External links

Category:1953 births Category:BAFTA winners (people) Category:Best Original Screenplay Academy Award winners Category:Writers Guild of America Award winners Category:Canadian film directors Category:Canadian film producers Category:Canadian emigrants to the United States Category:Naturalized citizens of the United States Category:Canadian screenwriters Category:Emmy Award winners Category:Fanshawe College alumni Category:Living people Category:People from London, Ontario Category:Producers who won the Best Picture Academy Award Category:Former Scientologists Category:Critics of Scientology Category:Writers from Ontario

bg:Пол Хагис cy:Paul Haggis da:Paul Haggis de:Paul Haggis es:Paul Haggis eu:Paul Haggis fr:Paul Haggis ko:폴 해기스 it:Paul Haggis he:פול האגיס nl:Paul Haggis ja:ポール・ハギス no:Paul Haggis pl:Paul Haggis pt:Paul Haggis ru:Хаггис, Пол fi:Paul Haggis sv:Paul Haggis tr:Paul Haggis

birth name	Russell Ira Crowe
birth date	April 07, 1964
birth place	Wellington, New Zealand
occupation	Actor and musician
years active	1986–present
spouse	Danielle Spencer (2003–present) }}

Russell Ira Crowe (born 7 April 1964) is a New Zealand-born Australian actor and musician. His acting career began in the late 1980s with roles in Australian television series including ''Police Rescue'' and ''Neighbours''. In the early 1990s, Crowe's local prominence peaked when he won the Australian Film Industry Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of an inner-city skinhead in the Geoffrey Wright film, ''Romper Stomper''. In the late 1990s, Crowe transferred his acting ambitions to the USA with his breakout role in ''L.A. Confidential'' (1997). Crowe won the Academy Award for Best Actor for ''Gladiator'' in 2001 and has received three Academy Award nominations for Best Actor in a Leading Role: ''The Insider'' (1999), ''Gladiator'' (2000) and ''A Beautiful Mind'' (2001). He is also co-owner of South Sydney Rabbitohs, a National Rugby League team.

Early life

Crowe was born on 7 April 1964 in Wellington, New Zealand, the son of Jocelyn Yvonne (née Wemyss) and John Alexander Crowe, both of whom were movie set caterers; his father also managed a hotel. Crowe's maternal grandfather, Stan Wemyss, was a cinematographer who was named an MBE for filming footage of World War II. Crowe's maternal great-great-grandmother was Māori, and his paternal grandfather was from Wrexham, Wales; Crowe also has Scottish, Norwegian, English, and German ancestry. His two cousins, Martin and Jeff Crowe, are former New Zealand cricket captains.

When Crowe was four years old, his family moved to Australia, where his parents pursued a career in film set catering. The producer of the Australian TV series ''Spyforce'' was his mother's godfather, and Crowe at age five or six was hired for a line of dialogue in one episode, opposite series star Jack Thompson (in 1994 Thompson played Crowe's father in ''The Sum of Us''). Crowe also appeared briefly in serial ''The Young Doctors''.

He had been educated at the Sydney Boys High School. When he was 14, Crowe's family moved back to New Zealand, where he (along with his brother Terry) attended Auckland Grammar School with cousins Martin Crowe and Jeff Crowe. He then continued his secondary education at Mount Roskill Grammar School, which he left at the age 16 to pursue his ambitions and childhood dreams of becoming a successful actor.

Career

Crowe began his performing career as a musician in the mid-1980s, under guidance from his good friend Tom Sharplin, when he performed as a rock 'n roll revivalist, under the stage name ''Russ Le Roq''. He had a New Zealand single with ''I Just Want To Be Like Marlon Brando''. He managed an Auckland music venue called "The Venue" in the mid '80s.

From 1986 to 1988 he was given his first professional role by director Daniel Abineri in a production of ''The Rocky Horror Show''. He played the role of Eddie/Dr Scott. He repeated this performance in a further Australian production of the show. In the 1988 Australian production of ''Blood Brothers'', Crowe played the role of Mickey. He was also cast again by Daniel Abineri in the role of Johnny in the stage musical ''Bad Boy Johnny and the Prophets of Doom'' in 1989.

Crowe returned to Australia at age 21, intending to apply to the National Institute of Dramatic Art. "I was working in a theatre show, and talked to a guy who was then the head of technical support at NIDA," Crowe recalled. "I asked him what he thought about me spending three years at NIDA. He told me it'd be a waste of time. He said, 'You already do the things you go there to learn, and you've been doing it for most of your life, so there's nothing to teach you but bad habits.'" In 1987 Crowe spent six months busking when he couldn't find other work.

After appearing in the TV series ''Neighbours'' and ''Living with the Law,'' Crowe was cast in his first film, ''The Crossing'' (1990), a small-town love triangle directed by George Ogilvie. Before production started, a film-student protégé of Ogilvie, Steve Wallace, hired Crowe for the film ''Blood Oath'' (1990) (aka ''Prisoners of the Sun'') which was released a month earlier than ''The Crossing'', although actually filmed later. In 1992, Crowe starred in the first episode of the second series of ''Police Rescue.'' Also in 1992 Crowe starred in ''Romper Stomper'', an Australian film which follows the exploits and downfall of a racist skinhead group in blue-collar suburban Melbourne, directed by Geoffrey Wright, for which Crowe won an Australian Film Institute (AFI) award for Best Actor, following up from his Best Supporting Actor award for ''Proof'' in 1991.

After initial success in Australia, Crowe began acting in American films. He first co-starred with Denzel Washington in ''Virtuosity,'' and with Sharon Stone in ''The Quick and the Dead'' in 1995. He went on to become a three-time Oscar nominee, winning the Academy Award as Best Actor in 2001 for ''Gladiator''. Crowe was awarded the (Australian) Centenary Medal in 2001 for "service to Australian society and Australian film production."

Crowe received three consecutive best actor Oscar nominations for ''The Insider'', ''Gladiator'' and ''A Beautiful Mind''. Crowe won the best actor award for ''A Beautiful Mind'' at the 2002 BAFTA award ceremony, as well as the Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award for the same performance. However he failed to win the Oscar that year, losing to Denzel Washington. It has been suggested that his attack on television producer Malcolm Gerrie for cutting short his acceptance speech may have turned voters against him.

All three films were also nominated for best picture, and both ''Gladiator'' and ''A Beautiful Mind'' won the award. Within the six year stretch from 1997–2003, he also starred in two other best picture nominees, ''L.A. Confidential'' and ''Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World'', though he was nominated for neither. In 2005 he re-teamed with ''A Beautiful Mind'' director Ron Howard for ''Cinderella Man''. In 2006 he re-teamed with ''Gladiator'' director Ridley Scott for ''A Good Year'', the first of two consecutive collaborations (the second being ''American Gangster'' co-starring again with Denzel Washington, released in late 2007). While the light romantic comedy of ''A Good Year'' was not greatly received, Crowe seemed pleased with the film, telling STV in an interview that he thought it would be enjoyed by fans of his other films.

In recent years Crowe's box office standing has declined considerably. Crowe appeared in ''Robin Hood'', a film based on the Robin Hood legend, directed by Ridley Scott and released on May 14, 2010.

Crowe starred in the 2010 Paul Haggis film ''The Next Three Days'', an adaptation of the 2008 French film ''Pour Elle''.

On 15 June 2011 it was announced Crowe had been cast as Superman's biological father Jor-El in Zack Snyder's 2013 Superman reboot "Man of Steel".

Al-Qaeda threats

On 9 March 2005, Crowe revealed to ''GQ'' magazine that Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents had approached him prior to the 73rd Academy Awards on 25 March 2001 and told him that the Islamist terrorist group al-Qaeda wanted to kidnap him. Crowe told the magazine that it was the first time he had ever heard of al-Qaeda and was quoted as saying:

Crowe recalled that:

Crowe was guarded by United States Secret Service agents for the next few months, both while shooting films and at award ceremonies (Scotland Yard also guarded Crowe while he was promoting ''Proof of Life'' in London in February 2001). Crowe said that he:

Music

In the 1980s Crowe, going under the name of "Russ le Roq", recorded a song titled "I Want To Be Like Marlon Brando".

In the '80s Crowe and friend Billy Dean Cochran formed a band, "Roman Antix", which later evolved into the Australian rock band 30 Odd Foot of Grunts (abbreviated to TOFOG). Crowe performed lead vocals and guitar for the band, which formed in 1992. The band released ''The Photograph Kills EP'' in 1995 as well as three full length records, ''Gaslight'' (1998),''Bastard Life or Clarity'' (2001) and ''Other Ways of Speaking'' (2003). In 2000 TOFOG performed shows in London, Los Angeles and the now famous run of shows at Stubbs in Austin, TX which became a live DVD that was released in 2001 called ''Texas''. In 2001 the band came to the US for major press, radio and TV appearances for the ''Bastard Life or Clarity'' release and returned Stubbs in Austin, TX to kick off a sold out US tour with dates in Austin, Boulder, Chicago, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, New York City and the last show at the famous Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ.

In early 2005 30 Odd Foot Of Grunts as a group has "dissolved/evolved" with Crowe feeling his future music would take a new direction and he began a collaboration with Alan Doyle of the Canadian band Great Big Sea, and with it a new band: The Ordinary Fear of God which also involved some members of the previous TOFOG lineup. A new single, ''Raewyn'', was released in April 2005 and an album entitled ''My Hand, My Heart'' which was released and is available for download on iTunes. The album includes a tribute song to actor Richard Harris, who became Crowe's friend during the making of ''Gladiator''.

Russell Crowe & The Ordinary Fear of God set out to break the new band in by performing a successful sold out series of dates of Australia in 2005 and then in 2006 returned to the US to promote their new release ''My Hand, My Heart'' with another sold-out US Tour and major press, radio and television appearances.

In March 2010 Russell Crowe & The Ordinary Fear of God's version of the John Williamson song "Winter Green" was included on a new compilation album ''The Absolute Best of John Williamson: 40 Years True Blue'', commemorating the singer-songwriter's milestone of 40 years in the Australian music industry.

In May 2011 there are plans to release a new Russell Crowe & The Ordinary Fear of God recording (co-written with Alan Doyle) and for a US Tour which would be the first live dates in the US since 2006.

On 2 August 2011, the third collaboration between Crowe and Doyle was released on iTunes as ''The Crowe/Doyle Songbook Vol III'', featuring 9 original songs followed by their acoustic demo counterparts (for a total of 18 tracks). Danielle Spencer does guest vocals on most tracks. The release coincided with a pair of live performances at the LSPU Hall in St. John's, NF. The digital album is due to be released on Amazon.com on 9 August 2011. The album has since charted at #72 on the Canadian Albums Chart.

Philanthropy

During location filming of ''Cinderella Man'', Crowe made a donation to a Jewish elementary school whose library had been damaged as a result of arson. A note with an anti-Semitic message had been left at the scene. Crowe called school officials to express his concern and wanted his message relayed to the students. The school’s building fund received donations from throughout Canada and the amount of Crowe’s donation was not disclosed.

On another occasion, Crowe donated a large sum of money ($200,000) to a struggling primary school near his home in rural Australia. Crowe's sympathies were sparked when a pupil drowned at the nearby Coffs Harbour beach in 2001, and he believes the pool will help students become better swimmers and improve their knowledge of water safety. At the opening ceremony he dove into the pool fully clothed as soon as the venue was declared open. Nana Glen principal Laurie Renshall says, "The many things he does up here, people just don't know about. We've been trying to get a pool for 10 years."

Personal life

From his youth to the present, Crowe has had a special love of horses. "They're just like people," he told CraveOnline, "there are some horses that you have a deeper connection with immediately, and you can work on that over time." He has also noted that he sometimes finds it difficult to part with his equine co-stars when a film wraps.

On 7 April 2003, his 39th birthday, Crowe married Australian singer and actress Danielle Spencer. Crowe met Spencer while filming ''The Crossing'' (1990). Crowe and Spencer have two sons: Charles "Charlie" Spencer (born 21 December 2003) and Tennyson Spencer (born 7 July 2006).

Prior to his marriage to Spencer, Crowe had a relationship with Meg Ryan during and after the filming of ''Proof of Life'' in 2000.

Most of the year, Crowe resides in Australia. He has a home in Sydney at the end of the Finger Wharf in Woolloomooloo and a 320-hectare rural property in Nana Glen near Coffs Harbour, New South Wales.

Crowe also owns a house in the North Queensland city of Townsville: he purchased the $450,000 home in the suburb of Douglas on 3 May 2008. It's believed the home is for his niece, who is studying at James Cook University.

Crowe stated in November 2007 that he would like to be baptised, and feels that he has put it off for too long. "I do believe there are more important things than what is in the mind of a man," he says. "There is something much bigger that drives us all. I'm willing to take that leap of faith."

In the beginning of 2009, Crowe appeared in a series of special edition postage stamps called "Legends of the Screen", featuring Australian actors. He, Geoffrey Rush, Cate Blanchett, and Nicole Kidman each appear twice in the series: once as themselves and once as their Academy Award-winning character.

Crowe announced he had quit smoking in July 2010 for the sake of his two sons. He told a press conference that he had started smoking when he was ten, and had probably smoked up to 18,000 cigarettes a year for most of his life. On 10 November 2010 he admitted on the ''Late Show with David Letterman'' that he had smoked over 60 cigarettes a day until stopping, but added that he had smoked heavily on the previous day. In December 2010 the ''Toronto Sun'' reported that Crowe was smoking as heavily as ever during the making of, and the subsequent publicity campaign for, ''The Next Three Days''. By April 2011, it has been officially confirmed that Crowe has taken up smoking again. Since then, he has been spotted smoking just as heavily as before.

Sport

Rugby league

Crowe has been a supporter of the rugby league football team the South Sydney Rabbitohs since childhood. Since his rise to fame as an actor, he has continued appearing at home games, and supported the financially troubled club. Following the Super League war of the 1990s Crowe made an attempt to use his Hollywood connections to convince Ted Turner, rival of Super League's Rupert Murdoch, to save the Rabbitohs before they were forced from the National Rugby League competition for two years. In 1999 Crowe paid A$42,000 at auction for the brass bell used to open the inaugural rugby league match in Australia in 1908 at a fund-raiser to assist Souths' legal battle for inclusion in the League. In 2005, he made the Rabbitohs the first club team in Australia to be sponsored by a film, when he negotiated a deal to advertise his film ''Cinderella Man'' on their jerseys.

He is friends with many current and former players of the club, and currently employs former South Sydney forward Mark Carroll as a bodyguard and personal trainer. He has encouraged other actors to support the club, such as Tom Cruise and Burt Reynolds.

On 19 March 2006, the voting members of the South Sydney club voted (in a 75.8% majority) to allow Crowe and businessman Peter Holmes à Court to purchase 75% of the organisation, leaving 25% ownership with the members. It cost them A$3 million, and they received four of eight seats on the board of directors. A six part television miniseries entitled "South Side Story" depicting the takeover aired in Australia in 2007.

On 5 November 2006, Crowe appeared on ''Tonight Show with Jay Leno'' to announce that Firepower International was sponsoring the South Sydney Rabbitohs for $3 million over three years. During a ''Tonight Show with Jay Leno'' appearance, watched by over 11 million viewers, Crowe showed viewers a Rabbitoh playing jersey with Firepower's name emblazoned on it.

Crowe helped to organise a rugby league game that took place in Jacksonville, Florida between the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the English Super League champions Leeds Rhinos on 26 January 2008 (Australia Day). The game was played at the University of North Florida. Crowe told ITV Local Yorkshire the game wasn't a marketing exercise.

Crowe wrote a letter of apology to a Sydney newspaper following the sacking of South Sydney's coach Jason Taylor and one of their players David Fa'alogo after a drunken altercation between the two at the end of the 2009 NRL season.

Also in 2009 Crowe persuaded young England international forward Sam Burgess to sign with the Rabbitohs over other clubs that were competing for his signature, after inviting Burgess and his mother to the set of ''Robin Hood'', which he was filming in England at the time.

In the 2010 post-season it was reported that Crowe's influence was critical in persuading Greg Inglis, one of the world's best players, to renege on his deal to join the Brisbane Broncos and sign for the Rabbitohs for 2011.

On 5 December 2010 the Sunday Telegraph reported that the NRL was investigating the business relationships Russell Crowe has with a number of media and entertainment companies in relation to the South Sydney Rabbitohs' salary cap. Salary cap auditor Ian Schubert was reported to be delving into Crowe's recent dealings with Channel Nine, Channel Seven, ANZ Stadium and V8 Supercars.

On 26 January 2011 the ''Sydney Morning Herald'' reported that the Rabbitohs were about to embark on a five year multi-million dollar sponsorship deal with the giant Star City Casino. Souths also announced a corporate partnership with the bookmaking conglomerate Luxbet.

Previously Crowe had been prominent in trying to prevent gambling being associated with the Rabbitohs. Reuters, on 3 January 2008, reported that Crowe was "fighting a new gladiatorial combat to wean his countrymen off their addiction to gambling machines."

In May 2011 Crowe was credited for an arrangement with Fox to have the 2011 State of Origin series broadcast live for the first time in the United States, in addition to the NRL Grand Final.

Other sporting interests

In Football (soccer), Crowe acknowledged to be a fan of Bristol City and Leeds United.

Crowe is a big cricket fan. He played cricket in school and his cousins Martin Crowe and Jeff Crowe are former Black Caps Captains. Russell Crowe also captained the 'Australian' Team containing Steve Waugh against an English side in the 'Hollywood Ashes' Cricket Match. On 17 July 2009, Crowe took to the commentary box for the British sports channel, Sky Sports, as the 'third man' during the second test of the 2009 Ashes series, between England and Australia.

Russell Crowe is also a supporter of the Leeds Rhinos in the Super League and Richmond Tigers in the AFL

Crowe is a big supporter of the University of Michigan Wolverines American football team, an interest that stems from his friendship with former Wolverines coach Lloyd Carr. Carr used Crowe's movie ''Cinderella Man'' to motivate his team in 2006 following a disappointing 7–5 season the previous year. Upon hearing of this, Crowe called Carr and invited him to Australia to address his Rugby league team the South Sydney Rabbitohs, an offer Carr took Crowe up on the following summer. In September 2007, after Carr came under fire following the Wolverines' 0–2 start, Crowe traveled to Ann Arbor, Michigan for the Wolverines' 15 September game against Notre Dame to show his support for Carr. He addressed the team before the game and watched from the sidelines as the Wolverines defeated the Irish 38–0.

Crowe is also a fan of the National Football League, and on 22 October 2007, appeared in the booth of a Monday Night game between the Indianapolis Colts and the Jacksonville Jaguars. He is also a devout fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs which stems from his shooting of ''Cinderella Man'' at Maple Leaf Gardens.

Altercations and controversies

Crowe has been involved in a number of altercations in recent years which have given him a reputation for having a bad temper.

In 1999, Crowe was involved in a scuffle at the Plantation Hotel in Coffs Harbour, Australia, which was caught on security video. Two men were acquitted of using the video in an attempt to blackmail Crowe.

When part of Crowe's appearance at the 2002 BAFTA awards was cut out to fit into the BBC's tape-delayed broadcast, Crowe used strong language during an argument with producer Malcolm Gerrie. The part cut was a poem in tribute to actor Richard Harris who was then terminally ill, and was cut for copyright reasons. Crowe later apologised, saying "What I said to him may have been a little bit more passionate than now, in the cold light of day, I would have liked it to have been." Later that year, Crowe was alleged to have been involved in a "brawl" with businessman Eric Watson inside a trendy Japanese restaurant in London. The fight was broken up by British actor Ross Kemp.

In June 2005, Crowe was arrested and charged with second-degree assault by New York City police, after he threw a telephone at an employee of the Mercer Hotel who refused to help him place a call when the system did not work from his room, and was charged with fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon (the telephone). The employee, a concierge, was treated for a facial laceration. Crowe described the incident as "possibly the most shameful situation that I've ever gotten myself in... and I've done some pretty dumb things in my life". He was sentenced to conditional release. Prior to the plea bargain, Crowe settled a lawsuit filed by the concierge, Nestor Estrada. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed but amounts in the six-figure range have been suggested.

Crowe's altercations were lampooned in the ''South Park'' episode, "The New Terrance and Phillip Movie Trailer".

In June 2011, Crowe expressed his views against infant circumcision on Twitter, calling the practice "barbaric" and asking, "Who are you to correct nature? Is it real that [God] requires a donation of foreskin? Babies are [born] perfect." The comments coincided with a debate to ban the procedure on infants in California. Crowe removed the comments the following day and tweeted an apology: "My personal beliefs aside I realize that some will interpret this debate as me mocking the rituals and traditions of others. I am very sorry."

Filmography

+ Films
! Year	! Film	! Role	Notes
1990		Lt. Jack Corbett
1990	''''	Johnny Ryan
1991		Andy	Australian Film Institute
1992		Kim Barrett
1992	''[[Romper Stomper''	Hando	Australian Film Institute
1993	''[[Hammers Over the Anvil''	East Driscoll
1993	''''	The Man (Egan)
1993	''For the Moment''	Lachlan Currie
1993	''Love in Limbo''	Arthur Baskin
1994	''''	Jeff Mitchell
1995	''''	Cort
1995	''No Way Back''	FBI Agent Zack Grant
1995	''Virtuosity''	SID 6.7
1995	''Rough Magic''	Alex Ross
1997		Officer Wendell "Bud" White	Chlotrudis Award for Best ActorNominated—Satellite Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture DramaNominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
1997	''Heaven's Burning''	Colin O'Brien
1997		Steve
1999	''Mystery, Alaska''	Sheriff John Biebe
1999	''''	Jeffrey Wigand	Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best ActorLondon Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor (also for ''Gladiator (2000 film)
2000		[[Maximus Decimus Meridius	Academy Award for Best ActorBlockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Actor – ActionBroadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best ActorDallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best ActorEmpire Award for Best ActorLondon Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor (also for ''The Insider'')San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best ActorNominated—BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading RoleNominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture DramaNominated—Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Best ActorNominated—MTV Movie Award for Best PerformanceNominated—MTV Movie Award for Best FightNominated—Online Film Critics Society Award for Best ActorNominated—Saturn Award for Best ActorNominated—Satellite Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture DramaNominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading RoleNominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
2000	''Proof of Life''	Terry Thorne
2001	''''		BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading RoleBroadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best ActorDallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best ActorGolden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture DramaScreen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading RolePhoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best ActorNominated—American Film Institute Awards 2001
2003	''[[Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World''	Capt. Jack Aubrey	Nominated—Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best ActorNominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama
2005	''Cinderella Man''
2006	''''	Max Skinner
2007		Ben Wade	Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
2007
2008		Detective Cristofuoro
2008		Ed Hoffman
2009		Cal McAffrey
2010		Robin Longstride
2010	''''	John Brennan
2011	''The Man with the Iron Fists''		Filming
2011	''Republic of Doyle''		''TV Series''
2013	''Superman: Man of Steel''	Jor-El	''Pre-production''

References

External links

Russell Crowe: ''American Gangster'' video interview with stv.tv, November 2007

Category:1964 births Category:BAFTA winners (people) Category:Best Actor Academy Award winners Category:Best Actor BAFTA Award winners Category:New Zealand expatriates in Australia Category:Best Drama Actor Golden Globe (film) winners Category:Former students of Mount Roskill Grammar School Category:Former students of Auckland Grammar School Category:Living people Category:Australian film actors Category:Australian Christians Category:New Zealand film actors Category:New Zealand people of Scottish descent Category:New Zealand people of Welsh descent Category:New Zealand Māori people Category:New Zealand rock singers Category:Naturalised citizens of Australia Category:People convicted of assault Category:People from Wellington City Category:People from Sydney Category:New Zealand people of Norwegian descent Category:New Zealand rugby league chairmen and investors Category:Recipients of the Centenary Medal Category:People educated at Sydney Boys High School

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birthname	Elizabeth Maresal Mitchell
birth date	February 10, 1974
birth place	Pittsfield, Massachusetts, U.S.
occupation	Actress
yearsactive	1998–present
spouse	Max Handelman (2003–present; 1 сhild)
homepage	}}

Elizabeth Maresal Mitchell (born February 10, 1974), known professionally as Elizabeth Banks, is an American actress. Banks had her film debut in the low-budget independent film ''Surrender Dorothy''. Since then, she is best known for her roles in the films ''Definitely, Maybe'', ''Zack and Miri Make a Porno'', ''W.'', ''Role Models'', ''Wet Hot American Summer'', ''The Uninvited'' and the ''Spider-Man'' franchise.

On television, Banks currently stars in the recurring role of Avery Jessup on the sitcom ''30 Rock'', which gained her a nomination for an Emmy Award. Previously, Banks had starred in the recurring role of Dr. Kim Briggs on ''Scrubs'' from 2006 to 2009.

Early life and education

Banks was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, the eldest of four children of Ann and Mark Mitchell. As a girl, she loved playing baseball and riding horses. She played little league until she broke her leg sliding into third at a game. Looking for something else, she tried the school play. After that, acting became her very passion.

Her father was a factory worker for General Electric and her mother worked in a bank. As a young teenager, she was a contestant on the Nickelodeon game show ''Finders Keepers''. She graduated from Pittsfield High School in 1992 and attended the University of Pennsylvania where she was a member of the Delta Delta Delta Sorority. Banks graduated ''magna cum laude'' in 1996. In 1998, she completed schooling at the American Conservatory Theater and earned an MFA.

Career

Banks changed her name to avoid confusion with actress Elizabeth Mitchell. She debuted in the independent film ''Surrender Dorothy'', as Elizabeth Casey, and quickly gained widespread exposure through the comedy film ''The 40-Year-Old Virgin''.

In August 2005, at the Williamstown Theatre Festival, Banks starred in William Inge's ''Bus Stop'' as Cherie, the sexy, blond, aspiring nightclub singer. Jeffrey Borak wrote that Banks' portrayal was acted "with poise, clarity and a shrewd feel for Cherie's complexities. Her performance is all of a piece and in harmony, stylistically, with the performances around her...." In 2005, she appeared on the show ''Stella'', and in May 2006, she had a role in the season five finale of the NBC comedy ''Scrubs'' as Dr. Kim Briggs, the love interest of J.D. (Zach Braff). The character has appeared throughout seasons six, seven and eight as a recurring guest star.

In 2006, Banks appeared in the American football drama film ''Invincible'', in which she played Mark Wahlberg's love interest. The film is based on the true story of bartender Vince Papale. Later, she and co-star Wahlberg were nominated for the "Best Kiss" award at the MTV Movie Award. Also that year, she landed the starring role in the comedy-horror ''Slither''. Despite mildly positive reviews from critics, it grossed only $12 million worldwide, less than half the budget of the film.

In 2007, she played the female lead in the comedy ''Meet Bill'', alongside Aaron Eckhart and Jessica Alba. Also that year, Banks had a small role in the Christmas comedy film ''Fred Claus'', co-starring Vince Vaughn and Paul Giamatti. In 2008, she played a love interest in the comedy ''Definitely, Maybe'', alongside Isla Fisher and Ryan Reynolds, starred with Seth Rogen as the eponymous female lead in the Kevin Smith comedy ''Zack and Miri Make a Porno'', and played United States First Lady Laura Bush in ''W.'', Oliver Stone's biopic of George W. Bush.

In 2009, Banks appeared in the thriller ''The Uninvited'', a remake of the Korean horror film ''A Tale of Two Sisters''. The film was about an intrusive stepmother who makes life miserable for the teen daughters of her new husband. Banks based her character, Rachel, on Rebecca De Mornay's character in ''The Hand That Rocks the Cradle''". "It was very important to me that every line reading I gave could be interpreted two ways," says Banks of her role, "So that when you go back through the movie you can see that".

Banks is a frequent co-star of actor Paul Rudd, the two having appeared in five films together to date (''Wet Hot American Summer'', ''The Baxter'', ''The 40-Year-Old Virgin'', ''Role Models'' and ''Our Idiot Brother''). "There was a David O. Russell movie that I really wanted to make with Vince Vaughn that ended up falling apart", said Banks, referring to the film ''H-Man Cometh'', in a January 2009 interview.

On December 8, 2009, it was announced that Banks would appear in at least four episodes of the Emmy-winning sitcom ''30 Rock'' as a love interest for Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin). She went on to appear in nine episodes of the fourth season. Banks is set to star alongside Leslie Mann in ''What Was I Thinking?'', based upon the book by Barbara Davilman and Liz Dubelman.

Personal life

On July 5, 2003, Banks married sportswriter and producer Max Handelman, who had been her boyfriend since she met him on her first day at college, September 6, 1992. She converted to Judaism upon marrying him. She and her husband welcomed their first child, a boy named Felix, via gestational host in March 2011.

Filmography

+ Film
! Year	! Title	! Role	Notes
1998		Vicki	Credited as Elizabeth Casey
2000		Trey's friend	Credited as Elizabeth Maresal Mitchell
2001	''Wet Hot American Summer''	Lindsay
2001	''Ordinary Sinner''	Rachel
2002		Betty Brant
2002		Debi
2002	''Catch Me If You Can''	Lucy Forrest
2002		Woman at yoga class	Short films; direct-to-DVD release
2003	''The Trade''	Sioux Sever
2003		Marcela Howard	Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
2004	''Spider-Man 2''	Betty Brant
2005		Isabel
2005	''Sexual Life''	Sarah
2005		Nancy Pecket
2005	''The Baxter''	Caroline Swann
2005	''The 40-Year-Old Virgin''	Beth
2005	''Daltry Calhoun''	May
2006		Starla Grant
2006		Janet Cantrell	Nominated—MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss
2007	''Spider-Man 3''	Betty Brant
2007		Jess
2007	''Fred Claus''	Charlene
2008	''Definitely, Maybe''	Emily Jones
2008	''Meet Dave''	Gina Morrison
2008	''Lovely, Still''	Alex
2008	''Zack and Miri Make a Porno''	Miriam "Miri" Linky
2008		Laura Bush
2008	''Role Models''	Beth Jones
2009	''Big Breaks''	Starlet	Short film
2009		Rachel Summers
2009			Executive producer
2010	''The Details''	Nealy Lang
2010	''The Next Three Days''	Laura Brennan
2011	''Our Idiot Brother''	Miranda
2012		Effie Trinket	Filming
2012		Trish	Filming
2012	''Movie 43''		Also directorPost-production
2012	''Man on a Ledge''	Lydia Anderson	Post-production
2012	''Welcome to People''	Frankie	Post-production

+ Television
! Year	! Title	! Role	Notes
1999	''Third Watch''	Elaine Elchisak	1 episode: "Patterns"Credited as Elizabeth Maresal Mitchell
2000	''Sex and the City''	Catherine	1 episode: "Politically Erect"
2001	''Law & Order: Special Victims Unit''	Jaina Tobias Jansen	1 episode: "Sacrifice"
2002	''Without a Trace''	Clarissa	1 episode: "Snatch Back"
2005		Tamara	1 episode: "Meeting Girls"
2006–2007, 2009		Dr. Kim Briggs	Recurring role
2007–2008	''Wainy Days''	Shelly	3 episodes: "Shelly", "The Date", "Shelly 2"
2007–2008	''American Dad!''	Becky AranginoLisa Silver	3 episodes: "The Vacation Goo", "1600 Candles", "Escape from Pearl Bailey"
2008		Maggie Tilton	TV mini-series
2009	''Modern Family''	Sal	1 episode: "Great Expectations"
2010–present	''30 Rock''	Avery Jessup	Recurring rolePending—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series

References

External links

Category:American film actors Category:American Jews Category:American television actors Category:Converts to Judaism Category:Jewish actors Category:Actors from Massachusetts Category:People from Berkshire County, Massachusetts Category:University of Pennsylvania alumni Category:1974 births Category:Living people

ca:Elizabeth Banks cs:Elizabeth Banksová da:Elizabeth Banks de:Elizabeth Banks el:Ελίζαμπεθ Μπανκς es:Elizabeth Banks fa:الیزابت بنکس fr:Elizabeth Banks fy:Elizabeth Banks ko:엘리자베스 뱅크스 id:Elizabeth Banks it:Elizabeth Banks he:אליזבת' בנקס lv:Elizabete Benksa nl:Elizabeth Banks ja:エリザベス・バンクス no:Elizabeth Banks pl:Elizabeth Banks pt:Elizabeth Banks ru:Бэнкс, Элизабет sq:Elizabeth Banks fi:Elizabeth Banks sv:Elizabeth Banks th:เอลิซาเบท แบงส์ tr:Elizabeth Banks vi:Elizabeth Banks

name	Bennett Miller
birth date	December 30, 1966
birth place	New York City
occupation	Film director
years active	1998–present
website	}}

Bennett Miller (born December 30, 1966) is an American film director.

Miller is the director of the feature ''Capote'' (2005), a film for which he received an Oscar nomination for Best Director. He also directed the documentary film ''The Cruise'' (1998). He has also directed television commercials and music videos, most recently Bob Dylan's "When the Deal Goes Down."

Miller is featured in a special feature of the DVD edition of ''Knocked Up''; he plays the role of the director (Judd Apatow) in a mockumentary of the directing of the film.

Filmography

''The Cruise'' (1998)

''Capote'' (2005)

''Moneyball'' (2011)

Personal life

Bennett was born in New York City and has known writer Dan Futterman and actor Philip Seymour Hoffman since their childhood. He and Futterman were classmates at Mamaroneck High School, and all three were graduates of the 1984 NYSSSA School of Theatre.

References

External links

the Jewish Journal interview (February 24, 2006)

Category:American film directors Category:People from New York City Category:1966 births Category:Living people

de:Bennett Miller fr:Bennett Miller it:Bennett Miller ja:ベネット・ミラー pl:Bennett Miller pt:Bennett Miller sv:Bennett Miller tr:Bennett Miller

Lawrence Wright (born August 2, 1947) is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American author, screenwriter, staff writer for ''The New Yorker'' magazine, and fellow at the Center for Law and Security at the New York University School of Law. Wright is best known as the author of the 2006 nonfiction book, ''The Looming Tower: Al Qaeda and the Road to 9/11''.

Background and education

Wright graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School (Dallas, Texas) in 1965 and, in 2009, was inducted into Woodrow's Hall of Fame. He is a graduate of Tulane University, and taught at the American University in Cairo in Egypt for two years.

Career

''The Looming Tower''

Wright is the author of six books, but is best known for his 2006 book, ''The Looming Tower: Al Qaeda and the Road to 9/11''. A quick bestseller, ''The Looming Tower'' was awarded the J. Anthony Lukas Book Prize, the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction, and is frequently referenced by media pundits as an excellent source of background information on Al Qaeda and the September 11 attacks. The book's title is a phrase from the Quran: "Wherever you are, death will find you, even in the looming tower," which Osama bin Laden quoted three times in a videotaped speech seen as directed to the 9/11 hijackers.

Other Projects

Among Wright's other books is ''Remembering Satan: A Tragic Case of Recovered Memory'' (1994), about the Paul Ingram false memory case. On June 7, 1996, Wright testified at Ingram's pardon hearing.

Wright also co-wrote the screenplay for the film ''The Siege'' (1998), which tells the story of a terrorist attack in New York City that leads to curtailed civil liberties and rounding up of Arab-Americans.

A script that Wright originally wrote for Oliver Stone was turned instead into a well-regarded Showtime movie, ''Noriega: God's Favorite'' (2000).

A documentary featuring Wright, "My Trip to Al-Qaeda", premiered on HBO in September 2010. It was based on his journeys and experience in the Middle East during his research for ''The Looming Tower.'' "My Trip to Al-Qaeda" covers topics ranging from the current state of the regime in Saudi Arabia to the historic underpinnings of 9/11.

Wright also plays the keyboard.

Books

References

External links

Wright on NPR

The Looming Tower Reviews at Metacritic

AuthorViews video interview about The Looming Tower

Audio of Paul Ingram Pardon Hearing

Biography at lawrencewright.com

Lawrence Wright articles at Byliner

Lawrence Wright Interview: Conversations with History; Institute of International Studies, UC Berkeley

Reporting The Bin Laden Beat, Journalist Lawrence Wright Knows More About Al Qaeda's Leader Than Many CIA Operatives AUSTIN Sept. 9, 2007

Category:Tulane University alumni Category:1947 births Category:Living people Category:American University in Cairo alumni Category:Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction winners

de:Lawrence Wright ja:ローレンス・ライト