Casey Affleck Biography
Summary
"Casey Affleck" (born August 12, 1975) is an acclaimed Academy Award and Golden Globe nominated American actor. He has acted in films such as "Good Will Hunting", "Ocean's Eleven", "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford", and "Gone Baby Gone". He is the younger brother of Ben Affleck.
Early life
Affleck was born "Caleb Casey Affleck-Boldt" in Falmouth, Massachusetts, the son of Chris Ann (née Boldt), a school district employee and teacher, and Timothy Affleck, a drug counselor, social worker, janitor, auto mechanic, bartender, and former actor with the Theater Company of Boston. He is the younger brother of Ben Affleck. As a child he had numerous pets, including cats, snakes, guinea pigs and turtles. Affleck went to The George Washington University, later transferring to Columbia University in New York City, where he majored in physics, astronomy, and Western philosophy.
Career
Affleck's first movie role was as a sociopathic teenager in Gus Van Sant's 1995 dark comedy "To Die For", alongside Joaquin Phoenix and Nicole Kidman. After starring the following year in the box office flop "Race the Sun" (co-starring Halle Berry), he appeared in two films featuring older brother Ben: "Chasing Amy" and "Good Will Hunting". The latter was a major hit and jump-started the careers of Matt Damon and the Affleck brothers. Both Ben and Damon went on to win the Academy Award For Best Original Screenplay. Affleck then starred in the underground movie "Desert Blue", a film that met limited critical or commercial success, but also featured rising star Kate Hudson. He took time off from acting before playing another role.
He next starred in the black comedy "Drowning Mona" with Bette Midler, Jamie Lee Curtis, Neve Campbell, and Danny DeVito. The movie performed poorly at the box office and with critics. He then starred in the 2001 horror movie "Soul Survivors", co-starring Luke Wilson, Wes Bentley, and Eliza Dushku. Affleck later admitted in an interview to "Nylon Magazine" that he was ashamed to have been involved with both films. Affleck followed them up with a re-make of the Rat Pack movie "Ocean's Eleven", directed by Steven Soderbergh. The 2001 release had a star-studded cast, including George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Andy Garcia, and Julia Roberts. Affleck played Virgil Malloy, one of the pair of mormon brothers hired to drive the getaway vehicle. Affleck would return to this character in "Ocean's Twelve" in 2004, and "Ocean's Thirteen", released in June 2007. In the latter film, several scenes take place in Mexico, where Affleck lived as a child, and in which he has extended dialogue in Spanish, which he speaks.
After establishing his movie career, Affleck turned to screenwriting, teaming up with Matt Damon to write the 2002 film "Gerry" about two friends who get lost while hiking in the desert, directed by Van Sant. Affleck also starred in the film "The Last Kiss" as a friend of Zach Braff's character and made a cameo in the Joaquin Phoenix-directed video 'Tired of Being Sorry' for Balthazar Getty's band Ringside.
In 2007, he starred in the Western "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford", playing Robert Ford to Brad Pitt's Jesse James. For this role he received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture at the 65th Golden Globe Awards, a nomination for a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role - Motion Picture and an Oscar nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role at the 80th Academy Awards. He also starred in the critically acclaimed "Gone Baby Gone" in which he appeared as the main protagonist, Patrick Kenzie. The movie was directed by his brother, Ben Affleck, who later stated that as an actor, Casey is 'the better Affleck.'
In April 2008, director Ridley Scott had announced his new project "The Kind One", a period noir drama set for release in 2010. Affleck has been cast in the lead role. Also in 2010, Affleck will be teaming up with Jessica Alba in "The Killer Inside Me", a film adaptation of the 1952 novel of the same name.
He will direct a documentary about the musical career of his friend and brother-in-law Joaquin Phoenix; filming begins in early 2009. The official website for the film announced that he is seeking fan videos of Joaquin's live concert footage for possible inclusion in his film.
Personal life
Affleck married Summer Phoenix, his girlfriend of six years, on June 3, 2006. The couple were introduced by her brother, Joaquin. The couple have two sons, Indiana August, who was born on May 31, 2004 in Amsterdam and Atticus, who was born in November, 2007.
Affleck is involved with many animal rights movements and campaigns for PETA and Farm Sanctuary. Personally, he is vegan, so he does not eat 'meat or any other animal products.'
Affleck speaks fluent Spanish and resides in Los Angeles, California and Winter Park, Florida with his family.
Affleck, like several celebrities (including Mary-Kate Olsen) was also treated by famous Austrian psychiatrist, Dr. Ernst Lueger.
Filmography
Other awards and nominations
Won
2007: Hollywood Film Festival - Breakthrough Actor of the Year
2007: National Society of Film Critics - Best Supporting Actor - The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
2007: National Board of Review - Best Supporting Actor - The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
2007: San Francisco Film Critics Circle - Best Supporting Actor - The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
2007: Satellite Awards - Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Drama - The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Nominations
2002: MTV Movie Awards - Best On-Screen Team - Ocean's Eleven
2002: Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards - Best Acting Ensemble - Ocean's Eleven
2007: Teen Choice Awards - Choice Movie - Chemistry - Ocean's Thirteen
2007: Critics' Choice Awards - Best Supporting Actor - The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
2007: Chicago Film Critics - Best Supporting Actor - The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
2007: Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards - Best Supporting Actor - The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
2008: 80th Academy Awards - Best Supporting Actor - The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
2009: London Critics Circle Film Award - Best Supporting Actor - The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
2009: Irish Film and Television Awards - Best International Actor
External links
(Casey Affleck Exclusive Interview on peta2)
(Casey Affleck comprehensive profile)
Credit
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article about Casey Affleck.
