Paul Bettany Biography
Summary
"Paul Bettany" (born May 27, 1971) is an English actor best known for his roles as Geoffrey Chaucer in "A Knight's Tale", Charles Herman in "A Beautiful Mind", Stephen Maturin in "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World", Peter Colt in "Wimbledon" and as Silas in "The Da Vinci Code".
Biography
Early life
Bettany was born in Harlesden, London to Thane Bettany, a drama teacher and actor, and Anne Kettle, a school secretary. He has an older sister, Sarah, and a younger brother, Matthew, who died after a fall when he was only eight years old. Matthew's death left the family grief-stricken. Soon after, Bettany left home and went to live on his own in London. He lived in a small flat and earned money by playing his guitar in the streets, busker style. After two years, he found a new job in a home for the elderly.
Career
When Bettany was nineteen, he decided to be an actor, and he pursued that career with determination, studying at the London Drama Centre in Chalk Farm. He made his stage debut in Stephen Daldry's acclaimed West End revival of "An Inspector Calls" at the Aldwych Theatre, playing the part of Eric Birling. He also appeared in the Royal Shakespeare Company's productions of "Richard III", "Romeo and Juliet", and "Julius Caesar" (for which he received a Charleson Award nomination). When Bettany was 21 he appeared in a BBC production of Oliver as Bill Sykes.
After appearing in the finale of Sean Bean's series "Sharpe" as HRH The Prince of Orange at the Battle of Waterloo, he made his film debut with a small part in "Bent", a Holocaust drama which also featured Clive Owen, Jude Law, and Ian McKellen. He continued doing work in stage and television, establishing himself as a gifted actor with wide range. There was Joe Penhall's "Love and Understanding", which played at London's Flatbush Theatre and then ran in Connecticut. His roles in the television productions "Killer Net" and "Coming Home" - during which he met and dated Emily Mortimer - soon followed. He did his last theatre work in "One More Wasted Year" and "Stranger's House" at the Royal Court Theatre.
Bettany had become addicted to cocaine along the way. His drug problem reached its height during the filming of the miniseries "David Copperfield", during which he destroyed a posh hotel room and caused a disturbance on a plane. The director even had to film some of his scenes in slow motion. But Bettany had reached a turning point, and immediately started to turn his back on drugs. He filmed several more movies, including his first leading role in "Gangster No. 1". The British Independent Film Awards nominated him for Best Actor, and the London Critics Circle nominated him for British Newcomer of the Year.
Back in Hollywood, Oscar-winning writer/director Brian Helgeland ("L.A. Confidential") was planning a new film called "The Sin Eater" (also known as "The Order"). He was impressed by Bettany's audition tape, though Bettany eventually decided to film "A Knight's Tale" instead. The studio executives were not impressed, but Helgeland was determined to cast him, even writing the part of Chaucer for him. "A Knight's Tale" would be Bettany's first big Hollywood production, and most American audiences would have their first look at Paul Bettany when he walked onscreen muddy and naked. 'My buttocks entered the American market before I did,' Paul joked on the movie's DVD commentary track.
Critical acclaim poured in after "A Knight's Tale", for which he won the London Critics Circle Award for British Supporting Actor. After the movie wrapped, Helgeland, determined that Hollywood should recognize Bettany's talent, showed the audition tape to many of his peers, including Ron Howard, who promptly cast Bettany in "A Beautiful Mind". It was on that set that Bettany would befriend Russell Crowe and meet his future wife, Jennifer Connelly. Both were already in relationships, so they kept themselves only to friendship for about a year. Finally both single, they began dating. After "A Beautiful Mind", Bettany was offered the role of the brutal serial killer 'The Tooth Fairy' in "Red Dragon", opposite Edward Norton and Anthony Hopkins. To the great displeasure of his managers, he turned down the role in favor of accepting a part with Stellan Skarsgård and Nicole Kidman in controversial director Lars Von Trier's "Dogville".
Bettany's next major project would make his talent undoubtable: he teamed up again with Russell Crowe to film Peter Weir's "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World". His quiet, powerful portrayal of surgeon and naturalist Stephen Maturin brought in even more critical acclaim, including a BAFTA nomination, British Actor of the Year (London Critics Circle), and Best Actor ("Evening Standard"). On June 28, 2004, Bettany and thirteen other actors were included in the 2004 invitation to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
"Dogville" and "The Reckoning" were released in limited cinemas in 2004. In September of that year, Bettany made his leading-man debut in "Wimbledon", a romantic comedy with Kirsten Dunst, proving for anyone who might still have doubts that he could carry a movie. Reviews for the movie were somewhat lukewarm, but every critic had praise for Bettany's performance. In spring 2005, Bettany went to Vancouver to film "Firewall", a thriller starring Harrison Ford and Virginia Madsen, directed by Richard Loncraine ("Wimbledon"). He spent the autumn of 2005 filming "The Da Vinci Code", based on Dan Brown's bestselling novel and starring Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou. In the film he plays an Opus Dei monk called Silas. Ironically however, he was recently quoted in the "Sun" 'I was brought up a Catholic. I'm lapsed. From the age of three I was with nuns. Now I'm an atheist.?
In 2004, Bettany was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
In 2004 and 2005, there were rumours about Bettany and Connelly teaming up to film "Brideshead Revisited", but nothing seems to have come of that project. Bettany was rumored to be in the running for the role of the Joker in the next Batman movie, contending for it against numerous other high-profile actors, such as Crispin Glover, Adrien Brody, Johnny Depp, Lachy Hulme, and others; however, it has been confirmed by studio sources that Heath Ledger has won the coveted role. Another rumor attaches Bettany to the part of Lord Asriel in the film adaptation of Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials", however, it has now been confirmed the role went to Daniel Craig. Bettany has joined the New Line family fantasy "Inkheart", playing the part of a fire-eater named Dustfinger.
Personal life
On New Year's Day of 2003, Bettany married Jennifer Connelly in a Scottish ceremony attended by a small circle of friends and family. He moved to Brooklyn with Jennifer and her son Kai, and the couple welcomed their own son Stellan (named for Stellan Skarsgård) on August 5, 2003.
Awards and nominations
"2005 Empire Awards"
Nominated, Best British Actor for "Wimbledon"
"2005 Jordan Awards"
Won, Best Actor for "Wimbledon"
"2004 GQ Men of the Year Awards"
Won, Actor of the Year
"2004 Elle Style Awards"
Won, Best Actor
"2004 BAFTA Awards"
Nominated, Best Actor in a Supporting Role for "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World"
"2004 Broadcast Film Critics Association"
Nominated, Best Supporting Actor for "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World"
"2004 Evening Standard British Film Awards"
Won, Best Actor for "The Heart of Me" and "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World"
"2004 London Critics Circle"
Won, British Actor of the Year for "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World"
"2002 London Critics Circle"
Won, British Supporting Actor of the Year for "A Knight's Tale"
"2002 Chicago Film Critics Association Awards"
Nominated, Most Promising Performer
"2001 London Critics Circle"
Nominated, British Newcomer of the Year for "Gangster No. 1"
"2001 Screen Actors Guild Awards"
Nominated, Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture for "A Beautiful Mind"
"2001 British Independent Film Awards"
Nominated, Best Actor for "Gangster No. 1"
Credit
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article about Paul Bettany.
