title	The Advocate
image file	Advocate-Issue994.jpg
editor	Matthew Breen
editor title	Editor in Chief
frequency	Monthly
circulation	175,000
category	Newsmagazine
company	Here Media
firstdate	1967
country
language	English
website	www.Advocate.com
issn	0001-8996 }}

''The Advocate'' is an American LGBT-interest magazine, printed monthly and available by subscription. The Advocate brand also includes a web site. Both magazine and web site have an editorial focus on news, politics, opinion, and arts and entertainment of interest to LGBTs. The magazine was established in 1967, and is the oldest continuing LGBT publication in the United States.

History

''The Advocate'' was first published as a local newsletter by the activist group PRIDE (Personal Rights in Defense and Education) in Los Angeles, California. The newsletter was inspired by a police raid on Los Angeles gay bar the Black Cat Tavern. Richard Mitch (using the pseudonym "Dick Michaels") and Bill Rau (under the name "Bill Rand") joined PRIDE and, along with artist Sam Winston, transformed the newsletter into a newspaper, which they titled ''The Los Angeles Advocate''. The first issue bore a cover date of September 1967. By early 1968, PRIDE was struggling to stay viable and Mitch and Rau paid the group one dollar for ownership of the paper in February of that year. In 1969 the newspaper was renamed ''The Advocate'' and distributed nationally. By 1974, Mitch and Rau were printing 40,000 copies for each issue.

It attracted the attention of David Goodstein, an investment banker from San Francisco who bought the publication in 1974. Under Goodstein's direction, ''The Advocate'' transformed into a national news magazine covering events important to the GLBT community, including the gay rights movement, art and culture. Goodstein also worked toward reducing sex-oriented advertisements in favor of more mainstream sponsors.

Goodstein and Dr. Rob Eichberg created "The Advocate Experience". Loosely based on the then-popular EST (Erhardt Seminars Training), it was a two-weekend, all-day series of extensive self-realization workshops to bring self-acceptance, awareness and tolerance within the LGBT community. Goodstein and Eichberg facilitated the workshops for much of their duration. Goodstein's later editorials remained strongly opposed to state intervention during the early years of the AIDS epidemic. He argued even though "our lifestyle can become an elaborate suicidal ritual, ...our safety and survival depends on each of us and our individual behaviour", as opposed to government public health regulations.

Soon after Goodstein's death in 1985, the magazine was transformed from a tabloid-size newspaper format in two sections (with the second section carrying sexually explicit advertisements), to a standard magazine format, beginning with the October 1, 1985 issue. The magazine stopped carrying sexually explicit advertisements in 1992, with the launch of a newly created sister publication, ''Advocate Classifieds''. The magazine changed hands through a series of mergers and acquisitions, and is published by Here Media.

Starting in 2010, Here Media consolidated the distribution for ''The Advocate'' and ''Out'' magazines. The Advocate print version continues to be published and is available enclosed with ''Out'' as a combination package via subscription.

In 2010 there were press reports of freelance writers not being paid for their work.

Contributors

Notable writers, present and past

Notes

References

Hogan, Steve and Lee Hudson (1998) ''Completely Queer: The Gay and Lesbian Encyclopedia''. New York, Henry Holt. ISBN 0805036296

Tobin, Kay and Randy Wicker (1972). ''The Gay Crusaders''. New York, Paperback Library. LOC 79-187694.

Further reading

External links

http://www.heremedia.com/

Category:Magazines established in 1967 Category:American LGBT-related magazines Category:American news magazines Category:American monthly magazines Category:LGBT-related websites

cs:The Advocate de:The Advocate es:The Advocate eo:The Advocate fr:The Advocate id:The Advocate it:The Advocate he:אדבוקט (ירחון) hu:The Advocate nl:The Advocate ja:アドボケート (雑誌) pl:The Advocate pt:The Advocate ru:The Advocate sr:Адвокат (часопис) sh:The Advocate fi:The Advocate sv:The Advocate tr:The Advocate

Name	Diane Savino
State senate	New York
District	23th
Term start	January 1, 2005
Profession	Caseworker
Party	Democratic
Religion	}}

Diane Savino is a Democratic elected official from New York City, USA.

She currently represents the 23rd Senate District in the New York State Senate, in northern Staten Island and parts of southern Brooklyn, including Sunset Park and Coney Island. She was elected in 2004.

On December 2, 2009, Savino voted for same sex marriage legislation, which failed to pass the Senate. Her speech on marriage equality became popular on the internet.

Personal

Savino's boyfriend is fellow independent Democratic state senator Jeffrey Klein. She lives by herself in Staten Island. The Italian American politician is known for her ''early to bed, early to rise'' lifestyle and weekly commutes every Sunday afternoon to Albany during the legislative session. She is a self-admitted "neurotic cleaner." State member of the assembly Matthew Titone once tricked her into cleaning his apartment.

Election results for state senate in 2004

Diane J. Savino : 39,833 votes

Al Curtis : 23,361 votes

See also

2009 New York State Senate leadership crisis

External links

New York State Senate: Diane J. Savino

References

Category:Living people Category:Women state legislators in New York Category:New York State Senators Category:New York Democrats

birthname	James Edward Franco
birth date	April 19, 1978
birth place	Palo Alto, California, U.S.
occupation	Actor, director, author, screenwriter, producer, professor, painter, pilot, model, musician
yearsactive	1997–present

James Edward Franco (born April 19, 1978) is an American actor, film director, producer, screenwriter, author, painter, performance artist and professor at New York University. He left college in order to pursue acting and started off his career by making guest appearances on television series in the 1990s. Franco landed a lead part on the short-lived cult hit television program ''Freaks and Geeks'' and later achieved recognition for playing the titular character in the TV biographical film ''James Dean'' (2001), for which he was awarded a Golden Globe Award. He achieved international fame with his portrayals of Harry Osborn in Sam Raimi's ''Spider-Man'' trilogy.

Franco is critically acclaimed as an actor. He has done both dramatic and comedic work in projects and has appeared in an eclectic range of projects since the 2000s, ranging from period to contemporary pieces, and from major Hollywood productions to less publicized indie films, as well as fantasy movies to biopics and soap operas. Other notable films include ''Pineapple Express'', a stoner comedy that earned him his second Golden Globes nomination, the Harvey Milk-biopic ''Milk'' (both 2008) as well as Danny Boyle's 2010 movie ''127 Hours'', about real-life mountain climber Aron Ralston's struggle to free his hand from a boulder. His performance in ''127 Hours'' earned him nominations for many high-profile awards, including the Academy Awards, Golden Globe and SAG Awards.

Franco has hosted ''Saturday Night Live'' twice as well as the 83rd Academy Awards with Anne Hathaway. He volunteers for the Art of Elysium charity.

Franco is currently teaching a class at New York University about transferring poetry to film.

Early life and family

Nicknamed "Ted", James Edward Franco was born in Palo Alto, California. His mother, Betsy Lou (née Verne), is a poet, author, and editor, and his father, Douglas Eugene Franco, runs a non-profit agency and a shipping container company; the two met as students at Stanford University. Franco's father is of Portuguese and Swedish descent and Franco's mother is Jewish, a descendant of immigrants from Russia (her family's surname had been changed from "Verovitz" to "Verne"). His paternal grandmother, Marjorie (Peterson) Franco, is a published author of young adult books; his maternal grandmother, Mitzie (Levine) Verne, owns the Verne Art Gallery, a prominent art gallery in Cleveland, and was an active member in the National Council of Jewish Women.

Franco's family upbringing was "academic, liberal and largely secular." He grew up in California with his two younger brothers, Tom and Dave ("Davy"), the latter of whom is also an actor. Talented at mathematics, Franco interned at Lockheed Martin. Franco was often encouraged by his father to get good grades and did exceptionally well on his SATs. He graduated from Palo Alto High School in 1996, where he acted in plays. In his high school years, Franco was arrested for underage drinking, graffiti and for being a part of a group that stole designer fragrances from department stores and sold them to classmates. These arrests led to him briefly becoming a ward of the state. Facing the possibility of juvenile hall, a judge decided to give Franco a second chance. "It was teen angst. I was uncomfortable in my own skin. I was shy. I changed my ways just in time to get good grades", he recalled of his troubles with the law.

Although the idea of becoming a marine zoologist interested him, Franco had always secretly wanted to become an actor but feared rejection. He enrolled at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) as an English major, but dropped out after his freshman year against his parents' wishes to pursue a career as an actor, since he would have to have waited two years to audition for their acting program. Franco instead chose to take acting lessons with Robert Carnegie at the Playhouse West. Around this time, Franco took up a late-night job at McDonald's to support himself since his parents refused to do so. He was a vegetarian until working there. While working at the establishment, for his acting classes, he would practice accents on customers. Knowing that the aspiring actor was doing his best to follow his passion, Carnegie poignantly told Franco to pay him what he could and later on pay him back.

Acting career

Early work

After 15 months of training, he began auditioning in Los Angeles, and started professionally acting in 1997 with guest roles on television shows. His first break came in 1999, after he was cast in a leading role on the short-lived but well-reviewed television series ''Freaks and Geeks''. The program, which ran for 18 episodes and was canceled due to low viewership, later became a cult hit among audiences. He has since described the series as "one of the most fun" work experiences that he has had. In another interview, Franco said: "When we were doing ''Freaks and Geeks'', I didn’t quite understand how movies and TV worked, and I would improvise even if the camera wasn’t on me ... So I was improvising a little bit back then, but not in a productive way." Franco made his film debut in a brief role in the 1999 Drew Barrymore-starring ''Never Been Kissed'' and his first major movie was the romantic teen comedy ''Whatever It Takes'' (2000), in which he played popular jock Chris. The latter is a modern day remake of the 1897 play ''Cyrano de Bergerac''.

He was subsequently cast as the title role in director Mark Rydell's 2001 TV biographical film ''James Dean''. To immerse himself in the role, Franco went from being a non-smoker to smoking two packs of cigarettes a day, dyed his dark brown hair blond, and learned to ride a motorcycle as well as play guitar and the bongos. To have a greater understanding of Dean, Franco spent hours with two of Dean's associates. Other research included reading books on Dean and studying his movies. While filming ''James Dean'', the actor, to get into character, cut off communication with his family and friends, as well as his then-girlfriend. "It was a very lonely existence," he notes. "If I wasn't on a set, I was watching James Dean. That was my whole thinking. James Dean. James Dean." Despite already being a fan of Dean, Franco feared he might be typecast if he'd captured the actor too convincingly. Ken Tucker of ''Entertainment Weekly'' wrote: "Franco could have walked through the role and done a passable Dean, but instead gets under the skin of this insecure, rootless young man." He received a Golden Globe Award and nominations for an Emmy Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award (SAG).

2002–2007

In the 2002 superhero film ''Spider-Man'', Franco played Harry Osborn, the son of the villainous Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe) and best friend of the title character (Tobey Maguire). Originally, Franco was considered for the lead role of Spider-Man/Peter Parker in the film, though the lead went to Maguire. Todd McCarthy of ''Variety'' noted that there are "good moments" between Maguire and Franco in the film. ''Spider-Man'' was a commercial and critical success. The movie grossed $114 million during its opening weekend in North America and went on to earn $822 million worldwide. He next starred in ''Sonny'', a 2002 release in which he was directed by fellow actor Nicolas Cage. It was Cage's involvement that had attracted Franco to the film. Set in 1980s New Orleans, ''Sonny'' follows the titular character (Franco) returning home after just being discharged from the Army. To prepare for his role, he met with sex workers or people who had previously been prostitutes. The movie was panned by critics, with the ''New York Post''s Lou Lumenick calling it an "instant candidate for worst movie of the year." Franco was cast as a homeless drug addict in the drama ''City by the Sea'' (2002) after co-star Robert De Niro saw a snippet of his work in ''James Dean''. He lived on the streets for several days to better understand the subject of the matter as well as talk to former or still using drug addicts. Both projects were released in September.

Following ''City by the Sea'', he co-starred alongside Neve Campbell in Robert Altman's ballet movie ''The Company'' (2003). The success of the first ''Spider-Man'' film led Franco to reprise the role in the 2004 sequel, ''Spider-Man 2''. The movie was well received by critics, and it proved to be a big financial success, setting a new opening weekend box office record for North America. With revenue of $783 million worldwide, it became the second highest grossing film in 2004. The following year he made and starred in the black comedy ''The Ape'' and the 2005 war film ''The Great Raid'', in which he portrayed Robert Prince, a captain in the United States Army's elite Sixth Ranger Battalion. In 2006, Franco co-starred with Tyrese Gibson in ''Annapolis'' and played legendary hero Tristan in ''Tristan & Isolde'', a period piece dramatization of the Tristan and Iseult story also starring English actress Sophia Myles. For the former, he did eight months of boxing training and for the latter, he practiced horseback riding and sword fighting. He then completed training for his Private Pilot Licence in preparation for his role in ''Flyboys'', which was released in September 2006; the same month, Franco appeared briefly in ''The Wicker Man'', the remake of the seminal horror film. Also in 2006, he made a cameo appearance in the romantic comedy ''The Holiday''.

He again played Harry Osborn in ''Spider-Man 3'' (2007). In contrast to the previous two films' positive reviews, ''Spider-Man 3'' was met with a mixed reception by critics. Nonetheless, with a total worldwide gross of $891 million, it stands as the most successful film in the series, and Franco's highest grossing film to date. In this same year, Franco made a cameo appearance as himself in the Apatow-directed comedy ''Knocked Up'', which starred ''Freaks and Geeks'' alumni Seth Rogen, Jason Segel and Martin Starr. Franco co-starred with Sienna Miller in the low-budget independent films ''Camille'', a dark fantasy dramedy about a young newly wed couple and ''Interview'', where he appears in a voice only role, both 2007 movies that were ignored by audiences and critics alike. Among his other 2007 projects were ''Good Time Max'', which Franco wrote, directed and starred in. The movie premiered at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival and centers around two talented brothers who take very diverse paths in life, one going on to become a doctor whilst the other sibling (Franco) experiences unemployment and uses drugs. The actor chose to cast himself in that role because, "It was really just a process of elimination. I was better suited for this role than the responsible surgeon."

2008–2010

He next starred in ''Pineapple Express'' (2008), a stoner comedy co-starring and co-written by Rogen and produced by Apatow. Of Franco's character, Apatow said, "You tell him, 'Okay, you're going to play a pot dealer,' and he comes back with a three-dimensional character you totally believe exists. He takes it very seriously, even when it's comedy." In her ''New York Times'' review, critic Manohla Dargis wrote: "He’s delightful as Saul, loosey-goosey and goofy yet irrepressibly sexy, despite that greasy curtain of hair and a crash pad with a zero WAF (Woman Acceptance Factor). It’s an unshowy, generous performance and it greatly humanizes a movie that, as it shifts genre gears and cranks up the noise, becomes disappointingly sober and self-serious." His performance earned him a second Golden Globe nomination, for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy. He has stated in some interviews that he no longer uses cannabis (although he has occasionally alluded to his smoking marijuana, most notably during an extended segment on ''The Colbert Report''.) He was awarded ''High Times'' magazine's Stoner of the Year Award for his work in ''Pineapple Express''. In 2008 he also appeared in two films by American artist Carter, exhibited at the Yvon Lambert gallery in Paris. On September 20, 2008, he hosted the sketch comedy show ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL''), and a second time on December 19, 2009.

Franco starred opposite Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, and Emile Hirsch in Gus Van Sant's ''Milk'' (2008). In the film, he played Scott Smith, the boyfriend of Harvey Milk (Penn). Kenneth Turan of the ''Los Angeles Times'', in review of the film, wrote: "Franco is a nice match for him [Penn] as the lover who finally has enough of political life." For his performance in the film, Franco won the Independent Spirit Award in the category for Best Supporting Actor. In late 2009, he joined the cast of the daytime soap opera ''General Hospital'' on a recurring basis. He plays Franco, a multimedia artist much like himself, who comes to Port Charles with unfinished business with mob enforcer Jason Morgan (Steve Burton). Franco has called his ''General Hospital'' role performance art. In March 2011, he will reprise his role in two episodes of ''General Hospital''. In September 2011, Franco will reprise his role as Robert "Franco" Frank for an extended stay.

2010 was a prolific year for Franco. He kicked off the year by making an appearance on the sitcom ''30 Rock'' where he played himself and carried on a fake romance with Jenna Maroney (Jane Krakowski) in a scheme concocted by their respective agents. After appearing in the commercial successes ''Date Night'', an action comedy, and ''Eat Pray Love'', an adaption of a self-help novel, Franco played poet Allen Ginsberg in the drama ''Howl'', released on September 24. The latter, about his most known poem and the trial about the work, premiered at the Berlin Film Festival and earned modest reviews.

His next project was ''127 Hours'', directed by Academy Award winner Danny Boyle, where Franco portrayed real-life mountain climber Aron Ralston. It was given a limited release starting on November 5, 2010. ''127 Hours'' centered on Ralston trying to free his hand after it became trapped under a boulder in a ravine while canyoneering alone in Utah and resorting to desperate measures in order to survive, eventually amputating his arm. During the five-week, 12-hours-per-day shoot, Franco would only leave the gully set to use the lavatory and would read books such as academic textbooks to keep busy. Franco later called making ''127 Hours'' a once in a life time experience. To date, ''127 Hours'' is one of his most well-reviewed movies and was also a commercial success, commissioning $57.5 million against an $18 million budget. His performance earned him universal acclaim from critics. Subsequently, he was nominated for most of the high-profile awards, notably an Academy Award, Golden Globe and SAG as well as winning an Independent Spirit Award.

2011–present

On February 23, Franco made a cameo appearance on NBC's ''Minute to Win It'' where the real-life Ralston was participating as a contestant playing for charity. After having an uncredited cameo in the opening scene of ''The Green Hornet'' (2011), he starred opposite Natalie Portman and Danny McBride in the Medieval fantasy comedy ''Your Highness'' on April 8. In it he plays Fabious, a prince who teams up with his brother (McBride) to rescue Fabious' soon to be bride (played by Zooey Deschanel). In May 2010, he was cast to star in Rupert Wyatt's $90 million budgeted ''Rise of the Planet of the Apes'', a reboot of the ''Planet of the Apes'' series which was released on August 5. Franco has also announced that in the fall of 2011, he will appear on Broadway with Nicole Kidman in the upcoming revival of ''Sweet Bird of Youth'' by Tennessee Williams, which will be directed by David Cromer. Franco will star alongside Winona Ryder in a film entitled ''The Stare'', which is to be directed by Jay Anania. Production is expected to begin in New York on May 6, 2011. He was cast as a drug-addicted lawyer in ''Cherry'', which will start shooting the following month in California and also star Heather Graham. He dropped out of the indie ''While We're Young'' to star in ''Oz: The Great and Powerful'', a Disney prequel to L. Frank Baum's ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' (1900), as the Wizard, superseding Johnny Depp. Filming began in July.

At the end of September 2010, the actor acquired the rights to Stephen Elliott's ''The Adderall Diaries'', with the intentions to adapt, direct and star in it. It was announced in January 2011 that the actor has planned to not only star in but direct himself in ''The Night Stalker'', a film version of author Philip Carlo's book about the 1980s serial killer, Richard Ramirez. Co-screenwriter to the screenplay, Nicholas Constantine, was initially unconvinced that Franco would be right for the movie, until he learned of Franco's desire to be a director and later watched three of his short films, one of which featured a serial killer, ultimately confirming to the writer that the actor had a darker side. One of his other upcoming projects, ''The Iceman'', with reunite Franco with Michael Shannon, after the two worked together on the short film ''Herbert White''. The movie is based upon real-life contract murderer Richard Kuklinski, who notoriously froze his victims. The actor also has plans to direct a film version of William Faulkner's ''As I Lay Dying''.

Other projects

Franco produced and directed a documentary titled ''Saturday Night'' documenting a week in the production of an episode of ''SNL''. The film began as a short for an NYU class but grew due to his two episodes as host, while short stories he wrote for other classes appeared in ''Esquire'' and ''McSweeney's''. In summer 2010, the fictional Franco from ''General Hospital'' held an exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, while the real Franco held an exhibit at the museum based on his experiences on the soap opera.

One of his short movies, ''The Clerk's Tale'', was screened in competition at the Hamptons Film Festival at the end of 2010. The short was also shown at the Cannes Festival. During an interview with Screen Comment’s Ali Naderzad, Franco had this to say about his Cannes experience: "Cannes is a huge honor. As a film student, having my short play on the closing night of Critic’s Week is the best thing I could ask for. The festival has honored so many of my favorite films and so many of my heroes, it is still hard to believe I will be involved with such an amazing festival. It is so nice to be recognized as a director."

On October 19, 2010 Scribner published a collection of short stories called ''Palo Alto: Stories'' by Franco. The book is named after the California city where Franco grew up and is dedicated to many of the writers he worked with at Brooklyn College. Inspired by some of Franco's own teenage memories, ''Palo Alto'' consists of life in Palo Alto as experienced by a series of teenagers who spend most of their time indulging in driving drunk, using drugs and taking part in unplanned acts of violence. Each passage is told by a young narrator. The book has received mixed reviews; ''Los Angeles Times'' called it "the work of an ambitious young man who clearly loves to read, who has a good eye for detail, but who has spent way too much time on style and virtually none on substance." ''The Guardian'' said that Franco's "foray into the literary world may be met with cynicism in some quarters, but this is a promising debut from a most unlikely source." Writing in the ''New York Times'', reviewer and fellow author Joshua Mohr praised Franco for how, in the story "American History", he juxtaposed historical parts with a present-day social commentary that "makes the we wonder how much we’ve actually evolved in post-bellum America."

Publisher's Weekly reviewed the collection, stating "The author fails to find anything remotely insightful to say in these 11 amazingly underwhelming stories."

In January, the actor screened his multimedia project entitled ''Three's Company The Drama'', in which he merges video and art to update the former sitcom, at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. Franco reunited with ''Milk'' director Van Sant to make ''Unfinished'', a project that features two movies: ''Endless Idaho'' and ''My Own Private River''. ''Endless Idaho'' showcases edited outtakes, deleted scenes and behind-the-scenes footage from the 1991 movie ''My Own Private Idaho'', while ''My Own Private River'' focuses on the late actor River Phoenix. The idea for the exhibition was conceived after Van Sant introduced unused footage from the 1991 film to Franco, inspiring him to turn it into something more. ''Unfinished'' opened from February 26 to April 9 at the Gagosian Gallery in Beverly Hills.

On February 27, 2011, he and Anne Hathaway hosted the 83rd Academy Awards. The two were selected to help the awards show achieve its goal of attracting a younger audience. Franco had previously said that he accepted the job for the experience and because it was like a once in a lifetime opportunity. Numerous media viewers criticized Franco for his discontent and lack of energy on stage and the show was widely panned, with some reviewers dubbing it the worst telecast in its history. The actor later spoke about his hosting in an interview on ''The Late Show with David Letterman''. He explained that when accepting the job he never had high hopes, adding “It was never on my list of things to do. It doesn’t mean I didn’t care and it doesn’t mean I didn’t try, right?” Regarding allegations that he was under the influence of marijuana while hosting, Franco commented "I think the Tasmanian Devil would look stoned standing next to Anne Hathaway. She has a lot of energy!" He concluded that he tried his best and could have had "low energy" during the telecast.

In May, Franco made his dance-theater directorial debut at New York's Stella Adler studios, where he narrated all the performances. Entitled "Collage" and described as a "mixed-media piece", the show featured live dance, theater, music, and poetry. Tickets were free but were be distributed on a first come, first serve basis. The actor will also direct two short films for songs ("Blue" and "That Someone Is You") by R.E.M. from their album ''Collapse Into Now'' (2011). Franco continued his career as a filmmaker with ''The Broken Tower'', a 90-minute docudrama shot in black and white about poet Hart Crane, who committed suicide by jumping off the steamship ''SS Orizaba''. It originally started out as his masters thesis. After being screened at 2011's Los Angeles Film Festival among more than 200 feature films, short projects, and music videos from more than 30 countries to be selectedit is slated for a 2012 theatrical release.

In the media

He has been described as having "an unusually high metabolism for productivity...a superhuman ability to focus". Viewed as a sex symbol, Franco was named the Sexiest Man Living in 2009 by Salon.com.

There has often been frequent media coverage of Franco, particularly regarding his interest in going to colleges. In addition to that, Franco has also claimed to have been strongly misquoted by reports in the media and news outlets reporting erroneous information about him. This led to the actor being parodied in an episode of ''SNL''s Weekend Update segment, which an ''Entertainment Weekly'' writer deemed "clever". In a 2011 interview, he stated:

"I’ve been perceived as this guy yelling, 'Hey, look at me. I want attention.' I’m not going to school to get articles written about me. I’m just going to school. But the fact that I’m going to school or that someone takes a picture of me sleeping is like, 'We’re gonna jump on that and criticize him for his antics.' What antics? I write. I make movies. I’m going to school. I hosted the Oscars. I take these projects seriously."

In response to questions regarding his sexuality now that he has portrayed three gay characters during his acting career, he insists he finds plenty more dimensions to the characters than their bedroom proclivities. "Or, you know what," he quipped, "maybe I’m just gay." Those rumors led to a Gawker article linking him to a ''New York Post'' Page Six blind item about a closeted gay actor, nicknamed "the Gay Rapist". Despite the victim of the alleged attack denying that it was Franco, two magazines then contacted Franco's lawyer to alert them that they might run stories suggesting his involvement, but were unable to as at least part of their stories were fabricated. However, Gawker refused to take their article down as they were simply reporting what another outlet published and instead offered him a chance to make a comment about the speculation on its website. He declined, hoping it would die down. The actor later called the episode very offensive because he has friends who have been raped.

Personal life

In 2008, he was named as the new face of Gucci's men's fragrance line. Regarding his secular upbringing, Franco told ''The Guardian'' that he feels as if he has "missed out on the Jewish experience", but has been told not to worry about that by his Jewish friends. He said in the same interview that he likes "the idea of religion as a source of community." When asked if he was a "believer", he responded "In God? I don't know. Yes. To a certain extent. It's a complicated question." After meeting on the set of ''Whatever It Takes'', Franco dated co-star Marla Sokoloff for five years. He was in a relationship with actress Ahna O'Reilly for several years since around 2006. He confirmed their separation in an interview for ''Playboy'' magazine's August 2011 issue, saying that his interest in education got between them.

Education

Franco has received an extensive education, and continues to do so. Dissatisfied with his career's direction, Franco reenrolled at UCLA in the fall of 2006 as an English major with a creative writing concentration. He received permission to take as many as 62 course credits per quarter compared to the normal limit of 19, while still continuing to act. He received his undergraduate degree in June 2008 with a GPA over 3.5. For his degree, Franco prepared his departmental honors thesis as a novel under the supervision of Mona Simpson. While at the university, the actor studied French, the Holocaust, philosophy of science, and American literature among other things. To continue acting, he would study on film sets.

He was selected as the commencement speaker at his alma mater, UCLA, and was to speak at the ceremony on June 12, 2009. On June 3, however, a press release announced Franco's cancellation due to a scheduling conflict, making it the second cancellation in a row, after commencement speaker Bill Clinton had canceled the appearance. On January 26, 2011, Franco and the Harvard Lampoon released a satirical video on prominent comedy website Funny or Die mocking his last-minute cancellation.

He moved to New York to simultaneously attend graduate school at Columbia University's MFA writing program, New York University's Tisch School of the Arts for filmmaking (NYU), and Brooklyn College for fiction writing, while occasionally commuting to North Carolina's Warren Wilson College for poetry. He received his MFA from Columbia in 2010. Franco is a Ph.D. student in English at Yale University and will also attend the Rhode Island School of Design. The actor opted against watching the 2011 Academy Award nominees be announced (where he was a top contender) in favor of attending class. "I’m not gonna miss class to go and presume that I’m going to be nominated, but if you want to bring out a camera crew to Yale and wait and see if I get nominated, I’d be happy to step out of class and say I’m very grateful", he commented.

He has been accepted to the University of Houston for the doctoral (Ph.D.) program – one of 20 people to be selected out of 400 applicants – in literature and creative writing and plans to enroll in fall 2012. Having previously shown a desire to teach, in March 2011, it was announced that Franco will teach a fall semester course on modifying poetry into short films to ten to twelve third-year graduate film students at NYU. The course will focus mainly on production, meaning that the students will be in charge of creating their own film based on poetry. At the time of the announcement the actor had yet to put together a syllabus, but has until the summertime to do so.

When asked about his education, Franco said that he loves school and that it keeps him focused as well as grounded. "I go to school because I love being around people who are interested in what I’m interested in and I’m having a great experience… I’m studying things that I love so it’s not like it’s a chore", he told the ''Washington Post'', according to a ''New York Magazine'' article. Franco has also credited his education for helping him "take acting seriously" when his parents did not see it as a successful post-college career. Franco developed an aptitude for art—painting in particular—during his high school years while attending the California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSSA). Franco has said painting was the "outlet" he needed in high school, and he "has actually been painting longer than he has been acting." His paintings were displayed publicly for the first time at the Glü Gallery in Los Angeles, from January 7, through February 11, 2006. He launched his first European art exhibition in 2011 at Peres Projects in Berlin.

He enjoys reading on the set of his films. ''Pineapple Express'' producer Judd Apatow has said of him: "He's a very education-minded person. We used to laugh because in between takes he'd be reading ''The Iliad'' on set. We still haven't read ''The Iliad''. It was a very difficult book. With him, it was always James Joyce or something."

Charitable work

Franco has said aiding others is "the key to life, the key to happiness" and, "as an actor, you can get wrapped up in yourself and your career...A little secret is one of the greatest ways to break that is to stop thinking about yourself for a second." When Franco was at a point in his life where he wanted to give back but was unsure how, he asked his ''Spider-Man'' co-star Kirsten Dunst for advice. At the suggestion of Dunst, he started volunteering at the charity Art of Elysium, where she also volunteers, which helps children with serious medical conditions. He said the experience helped save his life. In January 2011, at the Art of Elysium Heaven Gala in Los Angeles, Franco was honored for his work at the hospital, receiving the Spirit of Elysium accolade.

On March 31, 2011, the actor took part in "An Evening with James Franco", a Washington DC dinner benefit for 826DC, a non-profit foundation created to help neighborhood students reach their goals, as well as provide after-school literature programs and workshops which encourage them to improve their writing skills. Franco became involved with Dave Egger's 826 National after Eggers asked him to do a conceptual idea for the program, and he directed a documentary for them and has since been a supporter of them. At the event, Franco spoke about how he thought schools needed to be more original with their literature programs. "Writing can do things that video cannot", he added.

In April, Franco autographed a T-shirt that will be auctioned-off through the Yoshiki Foundation, with the proceeds being donated for the Japanese tsunami relief occurring in 2011. On June 14, he was honored by amfAR, the foundation for AIDS research, at the Museum of Modern Art. Franco received the Piaget Award of Inspiration for his humanitarian work and contributions to men’s style.

Filmography

+ Film
! Year	! Title	! Role	Notes
1998	''1973''	Greg	TV film
1999	''To Serve and Protect''	Matt Carr	TV film
1999	''Never Been Kissed''	Jason Way
2000	''At Any Cost''	Mike
2000	''If Tomorrow Comes''	Devin
2000		Chris
2001	''Mean People Suck''	Casey
2001	''Some Body''	Apartment guy 3	Uncredited
2001		James Dean	TV filmBroadcast Film Critics Association
2002	''Blind Spot''	Danny
2002	''Mother Ghost''	Skateboarder guy
2002		Sonny Phillips	limited release
2002	''[[City by the Sea''	Joey	Nominated—Chlotrudis Award for Best Supporting Actor
2002		Harry Osborn
2002	''Deuces Wild''	Tino
2003	''''	Josh
2004	''Spider-Man 2''	Harry Osborn
2005	''''	Harry Walker	Direct-to-video
2005	''''	Captain Prince
2005	''Fool's Gold''	Brent	Also writer and director
2006	''Grasshopper''	Travis	Short film
2006		Tristan
2006		Jake Huard
2006	''''	Bar guy No.1
2006		Blaine Rawlings
2006	''''	Derek
2006	''''	Himself	Uncredited
2007	''Spider-Man 3''	Harry Osborn / New Goblin	Nominated—Saturn Award for Best Supporting ActorNominated—MTV Movie Award for Best Fight (with Tobey Maguire)
2007	''Knocked Up''	Himself	Uncredited
2007	''In the Valley of Elah''	Sergeant Dan Carnelli
2007	''Finishing the Game''	Dean Silo/"Rob Force"
2007	''''	Andy
2007		Boyfriend on phone
2007		Silas Parker
2007	''Good Time Max''	Max Verbinski	Also writer and director
2008		Saul Silver
2008	''Nights in Rodanthe''	Dr. Mark Flanner	Uncredited
2008			Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best CastIndependent Spirit Award for Best Supporting MaleNominated—Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting ActorNominated—MTV Movie Award for Best KissNominated—Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion PictureNominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
2010	''Shadows & Lies''	William Vincent
2010	''Date Night''	Thomas Tripplehorn/ Felton
2010	''Eat Pray Love''	David
2010		Allen Ginsberg
2010	''127 Hours''	Aron Ralston	Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best ActorIndependent Spirit Award for Best Male LeadIndiana Film Journalists Association Award for Best ActorLas Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Best ActorNew York Film Critics Online Award for Best ActorSanta Barbara International Film Festival Award for Outstanding PerformanceUtah Film Critics Association Award for Best ActorNominated—Academy Award for Best ActorNominated—BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading RoleNominated—Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best ActorNominated—Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best ActorNominated—Detroit Film Critics Society Award for Best ActorNominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture DramaNominated—Houston Film Critics Society Award for Best ActorNominated—MTV Movie Award for Best WTF MomentNominated—Online Film Critics Society Award for Best ActorNominated—Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best ActorNominated—San Diego Film Critics Society 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—St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Award for Best ActorNominated—Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best ActorNominated—Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor
2011		Danny "Crystal" Clear	Cameo uncredited
2011	''Your Highness''	Fabious
2011		Hart Crane	Also director, writer, editor and producer
2011	''Sal''	Milton Katselas	James also wrote and directed this film. The film is set to premier at the Venice Film Festival on September 2nd
2011	''Rise of the Planet of the Apes''	Will Rodman
2011	''Maladies''	James	''post-production''. Franco is also producing
2012	''The Stare''	Tyrone	''post-production''. Franco is also producing
2012			''Filming''
2013	''Oz: The Great and Powerful''	Oz	Filming

+ Series television
! Year	! Title	! Role	Notes
1997		Brian
1999		Stevie
1999–2000	''Freaks and Geeks''	Daniel Desario
2001	''The X-Files''	Officer No.2
2009–2011	''General Hospital''
2010	''30 Rock''	Himself	Episode: "Klaus and Greta"

Selected works

Franco, James. "A Star, a Soap and the Meaning of Art." ''The Wall Street Journal'', December 4, 2009.

Franco, James. "Just Before the Black." ''Esquire'', March 24, 2010.

References

External links

Category:1978 births Category:20th-century actors Category:21st-century actors Category:Actors from California Category:American people of Russian descent Category:American people of Swedish descent Category:American film actors Category:American Jews Category:American people of Portuguese descent Category:American people of Russian-Jewish descent Category:American soap opera actors Category:American television actors Category:Best Miniseries or Television Movie Actor Golden Globe winners Category:Columbia University alumni Category:Independent Spirit Award winners Category:Jewish actors Category:Living people Category:Palo Alto High School alumni Category:People from Palo Alto, California Category:University of California, Los Angeles alumni Category:Yale University alumni

ar:جيمس فرانكو cs:James Franco da:James Franco de:James Franco el:Τζέιμς Φράνκο es:James Franco fa:جیمز فرانکو fr:James Franco hy:Ջեյմս Ֆրանկո hi:जेम्स फ्रेंको id:James Franco it:James Franco he:ג'יימס פרנקו jv:James Franco ka:ჯეიმზ ფრანკო hu:James Franco ms:James Franco nl:James Franco ja:ジェームズ・フランコ no:James Franco pl:James Franco pt:James Franco ro:James Franco ru:Франко, Джеймс sq:James Franco sk:James Franco sr:Џејмс Франко sh:James Franco fi:James Franco sv:James Franco th:เจมส์ แฟรนโก tr:James Franco uk:Джеймс Франко vi:James Franco zh:詹姆斯·弗朗科

Name	Busta Rhymes
Religion	Islam
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Trevor Tahiem Smith, Jr.
Alias
Birth date	May 20, 1972
Origin	Brooklyn, New York, United States
Occupation	Rapper, Actor
Genre	Hip hop
Years active	1989–present
Label	Conglomerate Records
Associated acts	Leaders of the New School, Flipmode Squad, Spliff Star, Def Squad, Wu-Tang Clan, DMX, A Tribe Called Quest, Q-Tip, Mary J.Blige, J Dilla, Missy Elliott, Rampage The Last Boy Scout, Mariah Carey, Dr. Dre, Game, Chris Brown, Lil Wayne
Website	Official Website }}

Trevor Tahiem Smith, Jr., better known by his stage name Busta Rhymes (born May 20, 1972), is an American rapper, producer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the alias Busta Rhymes after NFL wide receiver George "Buster" Rhymes. Early in his career, he was known for his wild style and fashion, and today is best known for his highly skilled rapping technique, which involves rapping at a much faster rate, and to date has received nine Grammy nominations for his musical work.

Early life

Busta was born in Red Hook, Brooklyn, New York, to Jamaican parents Geraldine Green and Trevor Smith in 1972. Smith attended George Westinghouse Information and Technology High School, alongside with Jay-Z, DMX and The Notorious B.I.G. He went to Uniondale High School on Long Island, graduating in 1990.

Music career

Hip-hop crew Leaders of the New School began recording in 1989 and released their debut album ''A Future Without a Past'' in 1991 on Elektra Records. In early 1992 the group appeared on A Tribe Called Quest's posse cut "Scenario," in which Busta's climactic verse propelled him into the cultural consciousness. In 1993, they released ''T.I.M.E. (The Inner Mind's Eye)''. Soon after, however, internal problems arose because of Busta's increasing popularity, and the group broke up on the set of ''Yo! MTV Raps''.

The Coming & When Disaster Strikes (1996-1997)

Busta broke out with a 1996 solo hit single, "Woo Hah!! Got You All in Check" from his platinum record album ''The Coming''. His second album, ''When Disaster Strikes'', released in 1997, produced the hit singles "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See" and "Fire It Up".

Extinction Level Event (Final World Front) (1998-1999)

In 1998, Busta recorded ''Extinction Level Event (Final World Front)''. Its lead single, "Gimme Some More" — which sampled Bernard Herrmann's theme from ''Psycho'' — reached number 6 in the UK singles chart in January 1999. Busta enjoyed further transatlantic success in April when the single "What's It Gonna Be?!", featuring Janet Jackson, reached the US and UK Top 11. The album received prominent notice for featuring the fastest rapping Busta has ever performed, particularly on a song called "Iz They Wildin Wit Us?", featuring a guest appearance by Mystikal.

J/Arista/BMG

Anarchy & Genesis (2000-2001)

After Busta signed to J Records, a label started by the then recently ousted Arista Records chief and founder Clive Davis, he released a greatest hits collection alongside a new album of original work. Continuing the Biblical theme of his previous albums, he titled his record ''Genesis''. The album featured collaborations with Mary J. Blige, P. Diddy, Kelis, and others. Genesis was powered by the hit single with Kelis, "What It Is," and his solo single released in November 2001, "Break Ya Neck." The final single was the summer smash "Pass the Courvoisier, Part II", which featured Pharrell and P. Diddy. Despite the success of the two singles, this album did not sell as well as previous releases.

It Aint Safe No More (2002-2004)

In 2002, Busta released his sixth studio album ''It Ain't Safe No More''. The album was moderately successful, with a hit song featuring Mariah Carey and the Flipmode Squad called "I Know What You Want". Another hit song was "Make It Clap", featuring Spliff Starr. The remix of "Make It Clap" featured Sean Paul. After its release, he left J Records. In 2004, he signed with Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment.

Aftermath/Interscope

The Big Bang (2006)

His seventh studio album, ''The Big Bang'', became the first #1 album of his career. The CD sold over 209,000 copies in its first week to earn the top spot on The Billboard Top 200. The album also became his highest charting album in the UK, peaking at #19. Some of the album was leaked on the Internet, and as a result several songs were left off the album and new ones added. ''The Big Bang'' featured more production by Dr. Dre than Busta's previous releases, as well as appearances by Raekwon and Nas. The singles that have been released from the album are, "Touch It", "I Love My Chick", featuring Kelis and Will.I.Am, "New York Shit",featuring Swizz Beatz and "In The Ghetto". Busta also had a stint opening for Mariah Carey's The Adventures of Mimi Tour. Also, Busta performed with Eminem on "Touch It Remix Part 5" and performed a verse on the aforementioned rapper's song, "I'll Hurt You". On July 17, 2008, Busta left Interscope/Aftermath due to a creative clash with Interscope head Jimmy Iovine.

Universal Motown

Back on My B.S. (2007-2009)

He also made a song featuring Linkin Park called "We Made It". It was later revealed that Busta inked a deal with Universal Motown, who released his eighth studio album, ''Back on My B.S.'', on May 19, 2009. He also appeared on Asher Roth's debut album, ''Asleep in the Bread Aisle''. The album debuted at #5 on the Billboard 200, selling 56,000 copies, and was his first album to not receive an RIAA certification, selling 122,000 copies to date. The singles that have been released from the album are, "Arab Money", featuring Ron Browz, "Hustler's Anthem '09", featuring T-Pain and "Respect My Conglomerate". The song "World Go Round", featuring British singer Estelle, was released in France on April 6, 2009 due to the heavy rotation of a leaked version. The single was released in the UK on July 13, 2009. Due to controversial content, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has banned the album. ''Back on My B.S.'' was released internationally, but because of one song, "Arab Money", it is not available to buy as a CD there (however, the album can still be purchased via iTunes). According to the National Media Council, the lyrics were considered to be offensive to Arabs and to Islam, and permission for distribution was therefore denied. Some DJs, artists and fans have lambasted the track, saying it portrayed Arabs in a stereotypical way. The first part out of three of the remix by Rhymes contains verses from the Quran. In November, when "Arab Money" was released as a single, DJ Dany Neville and the Iraqi rapper The Narcicyst responded by recorded a reply. Busta later apologized. DJs in the country said they had not received an order banning the record from being spun in nightclubs, and they had mixed feelings on whether the record was offensive or not. DJ Saif of Dubai said: The Emirati DJ Bliss, who has his own show on Radio 1 in Dubai, also says he no longer plays "Arab Money". He added:

Conglomerate Records & E.L.E. 2 (2010-present)

Busta announced that he was working on his ninth studio album, alongside Canadian producer Boi-1da, entitled ''The Chemo''. He says that his next project is 80 percent finished. Busta has reportedly changed the title of his forthcoming Chemo album to Extinction.Level.Event.2 (E.L.E. 2). Some new songs are being considered for the album, including "C'mon (Catch 'Em By Surprise) by Tiësto and Diplo and "Look at Me Now" alongside Chris Brown and Lil Wayne. The trend of album sequels continues with Busta adding another chapter to his 1998 opus E.L.E. (Extinction Level Event): The Final World Front. Busta's manager Chris Lighty sent out the message via Twitter. He said; "Extinction.Level.Event 2 ......prepare yourself." Like the first, E.L.E. 2 is inspired by movies of impending destruction on planet Earth, Lighty said; "From the Intro of the new Busta Album you're going to know you're in trouble and you just turned on 2012 the movie on warp speed,".

DJ Premier, in an August 6, 2010 interview on Conspiracy Worldwide Radio said Busta Rhymes has received over eight beats which he didn't want to use but Premier hoped his next beat would be chosen for inclusion on the album. On DJ Premier's Live From Headqcourterz radio show Premier confirmed that one of his beats were to be included in ''E.L.E. 2''. In 2010, Busta Rhymes formed his new label Conglomerate Records (With later on having rosters such as N.O.R.E., and Spliff Star). He was featured on C'mon (Catch 'Em By Surprise) by Tiësto and Diplo.

Also in, 2011 Rhymes has recorded a song with Chris Brown.

In 2011, Rhymes recorded "Look at Me Now" with Chris Brown and Lil Wayne on Brown's F.A.M.E. album

On May 1, 2011 Rhymes appeared on the launch show for MNET's Big Brother Africa 6: Amplified and performed some of his songs.

In 2011, Busta Rhymes performed at the Gathering of the Juggalos.

Personal life

Religion

Busta Rhymes is Muslim and talked about it in an interview in Hollywood TV.

Busta had been a member of The Nation of Gods and Earths since the age of 15.

Legal issues

On August 20, 2006, he was arraigned for charges of third-degree assault after attacking a man who reportedly spat on his car in New York City on August 12 after the AmsterJam Music Festival on Randall's Island.

On October 24, 2006, he appeared at Manhattan Criminal Court as the district attorney's office attempted to amend previous charges against him to include weapons possession for a machete found in his car. The judge, ShawnDya Simpson, refused to add the charge and adjourned the case.

On February 20, 2007, Busta refused a plea deal offered by the prosecutors office for the assault of his former driver, Edward Hatchett. The deal would have entailed six months in jail and pleading guilty to two assaults, the attack on Hatchett, and the attack on the former fan. The dispute with Hatchett is believed to have originated over back pay Hatchett felt he was owed. Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Becki Rowe offered Busta another option, pleading guilty to third-degree assault. The conditions of the proposed sentence would include five days of community service, two weeks of youth lectures and six months of anger management classes, as well as three years of probation. On March 18, 2008 a judge in New York City sentenced Busta to three years' probation, 10 days' community service, $1250 in fines (plus court costs), and to enroll in a drunken driving program.

On September 25, 2008, he was temporarily refused entry to the United Kingdom due to "unresolved convictions".

On October 14, 2009, a Brooklyn judge ordered Busta to pay a concert goer $75,000 in compensation for an assault which occurred in 2003.

Discography

''The Coming'' (1996)

''When Disaster Strikes'' (1997)

''E.L.E. (Extinction Level Event): The Final World Front'' (1998)

''Anarchy'' (2000)

''Genesis'' (2001)

''It Ain't Safe No More'' (2002)

''The Big Bang'' (2006)

''Back on My B.S.'' (2009)

''TBA '' (2011)

Awards and Nominations

Busta Rhymes has been nominated for 9 Grammy Awards during his 15 year solo career, but has yet to win one.

Grammy Awards

!Year	!Nominated work	!Award	!Result
align=center	"Woo-Hah! Got You All in Check"	Best Rap Solo Performance
align=center	"Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See"	Best Rap Solo Performance
align=center	"Dangerous"	Best Rap Solo Performance
align=center	"Gimme Some More"	Best Rap Solo Performance
align=center	"What's It Gonna Be?"	Best Rap Performance By a Duo or Group
align=center	''E.L.E. (Extinction Level Event): The Final World Front''	Best Rap Album
align=center	"Fire"	Best Music Video, Short Form
align=center	"Pass the Courvoisier Pt. 2"	Best Performance By a Duo or Group
align=center	"Touch It"	Best Rap Solo Performance

Busta Rhymes has been nominated for 10 MTV Video Music Awards during his 15 year solo career, but has yet to win one.

MTV Video Music Awards

!Year	!Nominated work	!Award	!Result
align=center	"Woo-Hah! Got You All in Check"	Best Breakthrough Video
align=center	"Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See"	Best Rap Video
align=center	"Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See"	Best Male Video
align=center	"Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See"	Best Breakthrough Video
align=center	"What's It Gonna Be?"	Best Hip-Hop Video
align=center	"Gimme Some More"	Best Breakthrough Video
align=center	"Pass the Courvoisier Pt. 2"	Best Hip-Hop Video
align=center	"I Know What You Want"	Best Hip-Hop Video
align=center	"Touch It"	Best Rap Video
align=center	"Touch It"	Best Male Video

See also

List of number-one U.S. dance hits

List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance chart

References

External links

Category:1972 births Category:Living people Category:Actors from New York City Category:African American film actors Category:African American Muslims Category:African American rappers Category:Aftermath Entertainment artists Category:American people convicted of assault Category:American rappers of Jamaican descent Category:Members of the Nation of Gods and Earths Category:People from Brooklyn Category:Rappers from Long Island Category:Rappers from New York City

ar:بستا رايمز cs:Busta Rhymes da:Busta Rhymes de:Busta Rhymes el:Busta Rhymes es:Busta Rhymes fa:باستا رایمز fr:Busta Rhymes fy:Busta Rhymes ko:버스타 라임즈 hr:Busta Rhymes it:Busta Rhymes he:באסטה ריימס ka:ბასტა რაიმზი ht:Busta Rhymes lt:Busta Rhymes hu:Busta Rhymes nl:Busta Rhymes ja:バスタ・ライムス no:Busta Rhymes pl:Busta Rhymes pt:Busta Rhymes ro:Busta Rhymes ru:Баста Раймс fi:Busta Rhymes sv:Busta Rhymes th:บัสตา ไรมส์ tr:Busta Rhymes uk:Busta Rhymes zh:巴斯达韵

name	Al Pacino
birth name	Alfredo James Pacino
birth date	April 25, 1940
birth place	New York City
occupation	Actor, director, screenwriter, producer
years active	1968–present
children	2 daughters, 1 son }}

Alfredo James "Al" Pacino (born April 25, 1940) is an American film and stage actor and director. He is famous for playing mobsters, including Michael Corleone in ''The Godfather'' trilogy, Tony Montana in ''Scarface'', Alphonse "Big Boy" Caprice in ''Dick Tracy'' and Carlito Brigante in ''Carlito's Way'', though he has also appeared several times on the other side of the law — as a police officer, detective and a lawyer. His role as Frank Slade in ''Scent of a Woman'' won him the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1992 after receiving seven previous Oscar nominations.

He made his feature film debut in the 1969 film ''Me, Natalie'' in a minor supporting role, before playing the leading role in the 1971 drama ''The Panic in Needle Park''. Pacino made his major breakthrough when he was given the role of Michael Corleone in ''The Godfather'' in 1972, which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Other Oscar nominations for Best Supporting Actor were for ''Dick Tracy'' and ''Glengarry Glen Ross''. Oscar nominations for Best Actor include ''The Godfather Part II'', ''Serpico'', ''Dog Day Afternoon'', ''...And Justice for All'' and ''Scent of a Woman''.

In addition to a career in film, he has also enjoyed a successful career on stage, picking up Tony Awards for ''Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie?'' and ''The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel''. A longtime fan of Shakespeare, he made his directorial debut with ''Looking for Richard'', a quasi-documentary on the play ''Richard III''. Pacino has received numerous lifetime achievement awards, including one from the American Film Institute. He is a method actor, taught mainly by Lee Strasberg and Charles Laughton at the Actors Studio in New York.

Although he has never married, Pacino has had several relationships with actresses and has three children.

Early life and education

Pacino was born in East Harlem, New York City to Italian American parents Rose and Salvatore Pacino, who divorced when he was two years old. When he was two, his mother moved to the South Bronx near the Bronx Zoo, to live with her parents, Kate and James Gerardi, who originated from Corleone, Sicily. His father moved to Covina, California, and worked as an insurance salesman and restaurateur. Pacino attended Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School in New York. During his teenage years 'Sonny', as he was known to his friends, aimed to become a baseball player, though he was also nicknamed 'The Actor'. Pacino flunked nearly all of his classes except English and dropped out of school at 17. His mother disagreed with his decision; they had an argument and he left home. He worked at a string of low-paying jobs, including messenger boy, busboy, janitor, and postal clerk, in order to finance his acting studies.

He started smoking at age nine, drinking and casual marijuana use at age thirteen, but never took hard drugs. His two closest friends died young of drug abuse at the ages of 19 and 30. Growing up in a deprived area, he got into occasional fights and was something of a troublemaker at school.

He acted in basement plays in New York's theatrical underground but was rejected for the Actors Studio while still a teenager. Pacino then joined the Herbert Berghof Studio (HB Studio), where he met acting teacher Charlie Laughton, who became his mentor and best friend. During this period, he was frequently unemployed and homeless, and sometimes had to sleep on the street, in theaters, or at friends' houses. In 1962, his mother died at the age of 43. The following year, his grandfather, James Gerardi, one of the most influential people in his life, also died.

Actors Studio training

After having spent four years at HB Studio, Pacino successfully auditioned for the Actors Studio. The Actors Studio is a membership organization for professional actors, theatre directors and playwrights in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. Pacino studied "method acting" under acting coach Lee Strasberg, who later appeared with Pacino in the films ''The Godfather Part II'' and in ''...And Justice for All''. During later interviews he spoke about Strasberg and the Studio's effect on his career. "The Actors Studio meant so much to me in my life. Lee Strasberg hasn’t been given the credit he deserves ... Next to Charlie, it sort of launched me. It really did. That was a remarkable turning point in my life. It was directly responsible for getting me to quit all those jobs and just stay acting." During another interview he added, "It was exciting to work for him [Lee Strasberg] because he was so interesting when he talked about a scene or talked about people. One would just want to hear him talk, because things he would say, you’d never heard before ... He had such a great understanding... he loved actors so much."

Pacino is currently co-president, along with Ellen Burstyn and Harvey Keitel, of the Actors Studio.

Stage career

In 1967, Pacino spent a season at the Charles Playhouse in Boston, performing in Clifford Odets' ''Awake and Sing!'' (his first major paycheck: $125 a week); and in Jean-Claude Van Itallie's ''America, Hurrah'', where he met actress Jill Clayburgh while working on this play. They went on to have a five-year romance and moved together back to New York City.

In 1968, Pacino starred in Israel Horovitz's ''The Indian Wants the Bronx'' at the Astor Place Theater, playing Murph, a street punk. The play opened January 17, 1968, and ran for 177 performances; it was staged in a double bill with Horovitz's ''It's Called the Sugar Plum'', starring Clayburgh. Pacino won an Obie Award for Best Actor for his role, with John Cazale winning for Best Supporting actor and Horowitz for Best New Play. Martin Bregman saw the play and offered to be Pacino's manager, a partnership that became fruitful in the years to come, as Bregman encouraged Pacino to do ''The Godfather'', ''Serpico'' and ''Dog Day Afternoon''. Pacino and this production of ''The Indian Wants the Bronx'' traveled to Italy for a performance at the Festival dei Due Mondi in Spoleto. It was Pacino's first journey to Italy; he later recalled that "performing for an Italian audience was a marvelous experience". Pacino and Clayburgh were cast in "Deadly Circle of Violence", an episode of the ABC television series ''N.Y.P.D.'', premiering November 12, 1968. Clayburgh at the time was also appearing on the soap opera ''Search for Tomorrow'', playing the role of Grace Bolton. Her father would send the couple money each month to help.

On February 25, 1969, Pacino made his Broadway debut in Don Petersen's ''Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie?'' at the Belasco Theater. It closed after 39 performances on March 29, 1969, but Pacino received rave reviews and won the Tony Award on April 20, 1969. Pacino continued performing onstage in the 1970s, winning a second Tony Award for ''The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel'' and performing the title role in ''Richard III''. In 1980s Pacino again achieved critical success on the stage while appearing in David Mamet's ''American Buffalo,'' for which Pacino was nominated for a Drama Desk Award. Since 1990 Pacino's stage work has included revivals of Eugene O'Neill's ''Hughie'', Oscar Wilde's ''Salome'' and in 2005 Lyle Kessler's ''Orphans''.

Pacino made his return to the stage in summer 2010, as Shylock in a Shakespeare in the Park production of ''The Merchant of Venice''. The acclaimed production transferred to Broadway at the Broadhurst Theatre in October, earning US$1 million at the box office in its first week. The performance also garnered him a Tony Award nomination for Best Leading Actor in a Play.

Film career

Early film career

Pacino found acting to be enjoyable and realized he had a gift for it while studying at The Actors Studio. However, his early work was not financially rewarding. After his success on stage, Pacino made his movie debut in 1969 with a brief screen appearance in ''Me, Natalie'', an independent film starring Patty Duke. In 1970, Pacino signed with the talent agency Creative Management Associates (CMA).

1970s

It was the 1971 film ''The Panic in Needle Park'', in which he played a heroin addict, that brought Pacino to the attention of director Francis Ford Coppola, who cast him as Michael Corleone in the blockbuster Mafia film ''The Godfather'' (1972). Although several established actors – including Robert Redford, Warren Beatty, and then little-known Robert De Niro – also tried out for the part, Coppola selected the relatively unknown Pacino, much to the dismay of studio executives. He was even teased on the set because his short stature. Pacino's performance earned him an Academy Award nomination, and offered a prime example of his early acting style, described by Halliwell's Film Guide as "intense" and "tightly clenched". Pacino boycotted the Academy Award ceremony, as he was insulted at being nominated for the Supporting Acting award, noting that he had more screen time than costar and Best Actor winner Marlon Brando – who was himself boycotting the awards.

In 1973, he co-starred in ''Scarecrow'', with Gene Hackman, and won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. That same year Pacino was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor after starring in ''Serpico'', based on the true story of New York City policeman Frank Serpico, who went undercover to expose the corruption of fellow officers. In 1975, he enjoyed further success with the release of ''Dog Day Afternoon'', based on the true story of bank robber John Wojtowicz. It was directed by Sidney Lumet, who also directed him in ''Serpico'' a few years earlier, and Pacino was again nominated for Best Actor.

In 1977, Pacino starred as a race-car driver in ''Bobby Deerfield'', directed by Sydney Pollack, and received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Motion Picture Actor – Drama for his portrayal of the title role, losing out to Richard Burton, who won for ''Equus''. His next film was the courtroom drama ''...And Justice for All'', which again saw Pacino lauded by critics for his wide range of acting abilities, and nominated for the Best Actor Oscar for a fourth time. and the comedy-drama ''Author! Author!'' were critically panned. However, 1983's ''Scarface'', directed by Brian De Palma, proved to be a career highlight and a defining role. Upon its initial release, the film was critically panned, but did fairly well at the box office, grossing over US$45 million domestically. Pacino earned a Golden Globe nomination for his role as Cuban born american drug lord resulting in a four-year hiatus from films. During this time Pacino returned to the stage. He mounted workshop productions of ''Crystal Clear'', ''National Anthems'' and other plays; he appeared in ''Julius Caesar'' in 1988 in producer Joseph Papp's New York Shakespeare Festival. Pacino remarked on his hiatus from film: "I remember back when everything was happening, '74, '75, doing ''The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui'' on stage and reading that the reason I'd gone back to the stage was that my movie career was waning! That's been the kind of ethos, the way in which theater's perceived, unfortunately." Pacino returned to film in 1989's ''Sea of Love'', in which he portrayed a detective hunting a serial killer who finds victims through the singles column in a newspaper. The film earned solid reviews.

1990s

Pacino received an Academy Award nomination for playing Big Boy Caprice in the box office hit ''Dick Tracy'' in 1990, in which critic Roger Ebert wrote that Pacino is "the scene-stealer". Later in the year he followed this up by a return to one of his most famous characters, Michael Corleone, in ''The Godfather Part III'' (1990). The film received mixed reviews, and had problems during pre-production due to script rewrites and the withdrawal of actors shortly before production. In 1991, Pacino starred in ''Frankie and Johnny'' with Michelle Pfeiffer, who co-starred with Pacino in ''Scarface''. Pacino portrays a recently paroled cook who begins a relationship with a waitress (Pfeiffer) in the diner he works in. It was adapted by Terrence McNally from his own Off-Broadway play ''Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune'' (1987), which featured Kenneth Welsh and Kathy Bates. The film received mixed reviews, although Pacino later said he enjoyed playing the part. Janet Maslin in ''The New York Times'' wrote, "Mr. Pacino has not been this uncomplicatedly appealing since his "Dog Day Afternoon" days, and he makes Johnny's endless enterprise in wooing Frankie a delight. His scenes alone with Ms. Pfeiffer have a precision and honesty that keep the film's maudlin aspects at bay."

In 1992, Pacino won the Academy Award for Best Actor, for his portrayal of the blind U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade in Martin Brest's ''Scent of a Woman''. That year, he was also nominated for Best Supporting Actor for ''Glengarry Glen Ross'', making Pacino the first male actor ever to receive two acting nominations for two different movies in the same year, and to win for the lead role.

Pacino starred alongside Sean Penn in the crime dramas ''Carlito's Way'' in 1993, in which he portrayed a gangster who is released from prison with the help of his lawyer (Penn) and vows to go straight. Pacino starred in Michael Mann's ''Heat'' (1995), in which he and Robert De Niro appeared on-screen together for the first time (though both Pacino and De Niro starred in ''The Godfather Part II'', they did not share any scenes).

In 1996, Pacino starred in his theatrical docudrama ''Looking for Richard'', which is both a performance of selected scenes of William Shakespeare's ''Richard III'' and a broader examination of Shakespeare's continuing role and relevance in popular culture. The cast brought together for the performance included Alec Baldwin, Kevin Spacey and Winona Ryder. Pacino played Satan in the supernatural thriller ''The Devil's Advocate'' (1997) which co-starred Keanu Reaves. The film was a success at the box office, taking US$150 million worldwide. Roger Ebert wrote in the ''Chicago Sun-Times'', ‘The satanic character is played by Pacino with relish bordering on glee.’ In ''Donnie Brasco'' Pacino played mafia gangster "Lefty", in the true story of undercover FBI agent Donnie Brasco (Johnny Depp) and his work in bringing down the mafia from the inside. Pacino also starred as real life ''60 Minutes'' producer Lowell Bergman in the multi-Oscar nominated ''The Insider'' opposite Russell Crowe, before starring in Oliver Stone's ''Any Given Sunday'' in 1999.

2000s

Pacino has not received another nomination from the Academy since ''Scent of a Woman'', but won two Golden Globes since the year 2000, the first being the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2001 for lifetime achievement in motion pictures.

In 2000, Pacino released a low budget film adaptation of Ira Lewis' play ''Chinese Coffee'' to film festivals. Shot almost exclusively as a one-on-one conversation between the two main characters, the project took almost three years to complete and it was funded entirely by Pacino. ''Chinese Coffee'' was included along with Pacino's two other rare films he has been involved in producing, ''The Local Stigmatic'' and ''Looking for Richard'', on a special DVD boxset titled ''Pacino: An Actor's Vision'' which was released in 2007. Pacino produced prologues and epilogues for the discs containing the films.

Pacino turned down an offer to reprise his role as Michael Corleone in the computer game version of ''The Godfather''. As a result, Electronic Arts was not permitted to use Pacino's likeness or voice in the game, although his character does appear in it. He did allow his likeness to appear in the video game adaptation of the remake of 1983's ''Scarface'', titled ''Scarface: The World is Yours''.

Director Christopher Nolan worked with Pacino for ''Insomnia'', a remake of the Norwegian film of the same name, co-starring Robin Williams. ''Newsweek'' stated that "he [Pacino] can play small as rivetingly as he can play big, that he can implode as well as explode". The film and Pacino's performance were well-received, gaining a favorable rating of 92 percent on the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes. The film did moderately well at the box office, taking in $113 million dollars worldwide. His next film, ''S1m0ne'', was one that Pacino liked, but which did not gain much critical praise or box office success.

He played the part of a publicist in ''People I Know'', a small film that received little attention despite Pacino's well-received performance. Rarely taking a supporting role since his commercial breakthrough, he accepted a small part in the box office flop ''Gigli'' in 2003 as a favor to director Martin Brest. and was described by Pacino as something he "personally couldn't follow".

Pacino starred as Shylock in Michael Radford's 2004 film adaptation of ''The Merchant of Venice'', choosing to bring compassion and depth to a character traditionally played as a villainous caricature. In ''Two for the Money'', Pacino portrays a sports gambling agent and mentor for Matthew McConaughey, alongside Rene Russo. The film was released on October 8, 2005 and received mixed reviews. Desson Thomson wrote in ''The Washington Post'', "Al Pacino has played the mentor so many times, he ought to get a kingmaker's award (...) the fight between good and evil feels fixed in favor of Hollywood redemption."

On October 20, 2006, the American Film Institute named Pacino the recipient of the 35th AFI Life Achievement Award. On November 22, 2006, the University Philosophical Society of Trinity College, Dublin awarded Pacino the Honorary Patronage of the Society.

Pacino starred in Steven Soderbergh’s ''Ocean's Thirteen'' alongside George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Elliott Gould and Andy García as the villain Willy Bank, a casino tycoon targeted by Danny Ocean and his crew. The film received generally favorable reviews.

''88 Minutes'' was released on April 18, 2008 in the United States, having already been released in various other countries in 2007. The film co-starred Alicia Witt and was critically panned, although critics found the fault to be in the plot instead of Pacino's acting. In ''Righteous Kill'', Pacino and Robert De Niro co-star as New York detectives searching for a serial killer; rapper 50 Cent also stars in it. The film was released to theaters on September 12, 2008. Although it was an anticipated return for the two stars, it was not well received by critics. Lou Lumenick of ''The New York Post'' gave ''Righteous Kill'' one star out of four, saying: "Al Pacino and Robert De Niro collect bloated paychecks with intent to bore in ''Righteous Kill'', a slow-moving, ridiculous police thriller that would have been shipped straight to the remainder bin at Blockbuster if it starred anyone else."

2010s

Pacino played Dr. Jack Kevorkian in an HBO Films biopic entitled ''You Don't Know Jack'', which premiered April 2010. The film is about the life and work of the physician-assisted suicide advocate. The performance earned Pacino his second Emmy Award for lead actor and his fourth Golden Globe award.

Pacino and Robert De Niro are reportedly set to star in the upcoming project ''The Irishman'', that will be directed by Martin Scorsese and co-star Joe Pesci. He's also filming a biographical picture about Phil Spector.

It was announced in May 2011 that Pacino was to be honored with the "Glory to the Film-maker" award at the 68th Venice International Film Festival. The award will be presented ahead of the premier of his film ''Wilde Salome'', which is the third film Pacino has directed. Pacino, who plays the role of Herod in the film, describes it as his "most personal project ever".

Personal life

Although he has never married, Pacino has three children from two of his many relationships. The eldest, Julie Marie (born 1989), is his daughter with acting coach Jan Tarrant. He also has twins, son Anton James and daughter Olivia Rose (born 2001), with actress Beverly D'Angelo, with whom he had a relationship from 1996 until 2003. Pacino had a relationship with Diane Keaton, his co-star in the Godfather Trilogy. The on-again, off-again relationship ended following the filming of ''The Godfather Part II''. Other women he has had relationships with include Tuesday Weld, Marthe Keller, Kathleen Quinlan and Lyndall Hobbs.

Filmography

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1969	''Me, Natalie''	Tony	Film debut
1971	''''	Bobby
1972	''''	Michael Corleone	Nominated—Academy Award for Best Supporting ActorNominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama
1973		Francis Lionel 'Lion' Delbuchi
1973	''Serpico''	Frank Serpico	Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture DramaNominated—Academy Award for Best Actor
1974	''''	Michael Corleone
1990	''''	Michael Corleone	Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama
1991		Johnny
1992			Nominated—Academy Award for Best Supporting ActorNominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture
1992	''Scent of a Woman''	Frank Slade	Academy Award for Best Actor
1996		John Pappas
1997
1997	''''	John Milton
1999	''''	Lowell Bergman
1999	''Any Given Sunday''	Tony D'Amato
2000	''Chinese Coffee''	Harry Levine	Also director; filmed in 1997
2002		Will Dormer
2002	''S1m0ne''	Viktor Taransky
2002	''People I Know''	Eli Wurman
2003	''''	Walter Burke
2003	''Gigli''	Starkman
2003		Roy Cohn	Emmy Award for Best Lead Actor – Miniseries or a MovieGolden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion PictureScreen Actors Guild Award–Best Actor in A Mini-Series or Television Movie
2004	''''	Shylock
2005		Walter Abrams
2007	''Ocean's Thirteen''	Willie Bank
2007	''88 Minutes''	Dr. Jack Gramm
2008	''Righteous Kill''	Detective David "Rooster" Fisk
2010		Dr. Jack Kevorkian	TV filmEmmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor – Miniseries or a Movie Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Screen Actors Guild Award–Best Actor in A Mini-Series or Television Movie
2011	''The Son of No One''	Detective Stanford
2011	''Wilde Salome''		director
2011		Himself
2013		Aniello Dellacroce

Awards and nominations

Pacino has been nominated and has won many awards during his acting career including eight Oscar nominations (winning one), 15 Golden Globe nominations (winning four), five BAFTA nominations (winning two), two Emmy Awards for his work on Television and two Tony Awards for his work on the Stage. In 2007 the American Film Institute awarded Pacino with a lifetime achievement award and in 2003 British television viewers voted Pacino as the greatest film star of all time in a poll for Channel 4.

Notes

References

External links

Al Pacino at Emmys.com

Category:1940 births Category:Actors from New York City Category:Actors Studio alumni Category:American film actors Category:American film directors Category:American people of Italian descent Category:American people of Sicilian descent Category:American stage actors Category:BAFTA winners (people) Category:Best Actor Academy Award winners Category:Best Actor BAFTA Award winners Category:Best Drama Actor Golden Globe (film) winners Category:Best Miniseries or Television Movie Actor Golden Globe winners Category:Cecil B. DeMille Award Golden Globe winners Category:Drama Desk Award winners Category:Emmy Award winners Category:Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School alumni Category:Living people Category:Obie Award recipients Category:Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie Screen Actors Guild Award winners Category:People from Harlem Category:People from New York City Category:People from the Bronx Category:Tony Award winners Category:Article Feedback 5

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