Susan Sarandon Biography
Summary
"Susan Sarandon" (born October 4, 1946) is an Academy Award-winning American actress.
Biography
Early life
Sarandon, the eldest of nine children, was born "Susan Abigail Tomalin" in New York City, the daughter of Lenora Marie (née Criscione) and Phillip Leslie Tomalin, who worked as an advertising executive, television producer, and nightclub singer during the big band era. Sarandon's father was of English, Irish, and Welsh ancestry and her mother was of Sicilian/Italian descent. Sarandon has said that her maternal grandmother, Anita Regali, was connected to the mafia. Sarandon was raised in a large Roman Catholic family. She graduated from Edison High School in 1964, and then attended The Catholic University of America from 1964 to 1968 where she attained a BA in drama. Since her rise to fame, Sarandon has disavowed all relationship with the school due to its conservative policies, particularly regarding abortion and homosexuality. While in college, she met and married fellow student Chris Sarandon in 1967. They divorced in 1979 and she retained her married name as her stage name.
Career
In 1969, Sarandon went to a casting call for the motion-picture "Joe" with her then husband Chris Sarandon; although he did not get a part, she received the major role of the disaffected teen who disappears into the seedy underworld (the film was released in 1970). Susan did not follow up on the success of that movie, taking roles in lesser films such as "Lovin' Molly"; it was five more years before she appeared in "The Rocky Horror Picture Show", a cult classic. That same year, she also played the female lead in "The Great Waldo Pepper", opposite Robert Redford. Susan was nominated for an Oscar in 1981 for "Atlantic City". Her most controversial film appearance was in 'The Hunger' in 1983, a modern Vampire story which turned out to be a critical and box office flop. The film is remembered, however, and has gained some cult status, for a rather graphic lesbian love scene between Sarandon and co-star Catherine Deneuve. It was the first mainstream American film to feature such a scene between two star actresses. But Sarandon did not become a 'household name' until her breakthrough in the 1988 film "Bull Durham". which became a huge commercial and critical success.
Sarandon received four Academy Award nominations in the 1990s, finally winning in 1996 for "Dead Man Walking". Her other movies include, "Stepmom" (1998), "Anywhere But Here" (1999), "Cradle Will Rock" (1999) (portraying Mussolini's mistress), "The Banger Sisters" (2002), "Shall We Dance" (2004), "Alfie" (2004), "Romance & Cigarettes" (2005) and "Elizabethtown" (2005).
Sarandon appeared in "The Simpsons" as herself, in an episode which aired in March 2006; she has appeared on the show once before as a ballet teacher. She has also made appearances on the shows "Friends", "Malcolm in the Middle", "Mad TV", " Saturday Night Live", "Chappelle's Show", and "Rescue Me". She is also noted for portraying characters who display copious décolletage.
Most recently, Sarandon joined the cast of the adaptation of"The Lovely Bones", opposite Rachel Weisz, and appeared with her daughter, Eva Amurri, in "Middle of Nowhere"; both of the movies were filmed in 207..
Personal life
In the mid-1980s, Sarandon dated director Franco Amurri, with whom she had a daughter in 1985, actress Eva Amurri. Since 1988, Sarandon has been in a relationship with actor Tim Robbins, whom she met while filming "Bull Durham". The couple have two children: Jack Henry (born 1989) and Miles Guthrie (born 1992). She and Robbins are both well-known for their involvement in liberal social causes, which makes them a frequent target of criticism by conservatives.
Sarandon has expressed support for various tolerance and human rights causes. In 1995 she was one of many Hollywood actors, directors and writers who were interviewed for a documentary called The Celluloid Closet which looked at how Hollywood films have depicted homosexuality.
In the early 1980s she was one of several celebrities to support Jack Henry Abbott, a career criminal who, through a friendship with Norman Mailer had shown promise as a writer. At the time Abbott was in prison for various offenses, including the the murder of a fellow inmate. Sarandon, Mailer, and several other celebrities campaigned for Abbott's release from prison in light of his writing talent and contributions to society. In 1981 Abbott was released, only to kill again within six weeks. His victim was Richard Adan, a young writer himself, who Abbott murdered following an argument at a restaurant owned by Adan's father-in-law. The argument had been over Abbot's insistence on using the restaurant's restroom, which was for employees only. Sarandon has never publically expressed any regret for her role in Abbott's release and continued to support him during his trial for killing Adan. Seven years after Adan's murder she named her son Jack Henry in honor of Abbott.
In 1999, she was appointed UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and in that capacity has actively supported the organization's global advocacy as well as the work of the Canadian UNICEF Committee.
Sarandon spoke out against the 2003 invasion of Iraq, expressing interest in portraying 'peace mom' Cindy Sheehan in a movie about Sheehan's crusade. Also in 2003, Sarandon appeared in a 'Love is Love is Love' commercial, promoting the acceptance of gay, lesbian and transgender individuals. In 2000, she supported Ralph Nader's run for President. In 2004 she tried to persuade Nader not to run for President. However when she appeared on an episode of HBO's Real Time With Bill Maher she referred to Nader as 'your guy' (to Maher), implying that she had not supported Nader and appeared at his Madison Square Garden rally in October 2000.
Sarandon hosted a section of the Live 8 concert in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 2005. In 2006, she participated in the 2006 Winter Olympics opening ceremony by carrying the Olympic flag in Turin, Italy.
In 2007, Sarandon appeared at an anti-war rally in Washington, D.C., with people such as Tim Robbins, and Jane Fonda. Her stance was, 'Let us resist this war' 'Let us hate war in all its forms, whether the weapon used is a missile or an airplane'. Sarandon, and 10 of her relatives (including her significant other Tim Robbins and her son Miles), traveled to Wales to track her family's Welsh genealogy. Their journey was documented by the BBC Wales programme 'Coming Home: Susan Sarandon'.
As reported by the New York Post on November 17, 2007 Susan Sarandon crossed a pro-Palestinian anti-Israeli apartheid/Israeli ethnic cleansing picket line. To quote the Post: 'SUSAN Sarandon will cross a picket line - if there are diamonds on the other side.'
She crossed a line of picketers protesting a cocktail party celebrating the New York opening of Leviev Jewelers. Leviev is a large retail/distribution company involved in the sale of jewelery and precious gems worldwide. The ownership of Leviev's is involved heavily in the construction of illegal settlements on the West Bank. It also had extensive business dealings with South Africa during Apartheid.
Filmography
"Joe" (1970) - Melissa Compton
"Lady Liberty" (1971) - Sally
"The Apprentice" (1971) - Elizabeth Hawkins
"Lovin' Molly" (1974) - Sarah
"The Rimers of Eldritch" (1974) - Patsy Johnson
"The Front Page" (1974) - Peggy Grant
"The Great Waldo Pepper" (1975) - Mary Beth
"The Rocky Horror Picture Show" (1975) - Janet Weiss
"Dragonfly" (1976) - Chloe
"Checkered Flag or Crash" (1977) - C.C, Wainwright
"The Other Side of Midnight" (1977) - Catherine Alexander Douglas
"The Last of the Cowboys" (1977) - Ginny
"Pretty Baby" (1978) - Hattie
"King of the Gypsies" (1978) - Rose
"Something Short of Paradise" (1979) - Madeline Ross
"Atlantic City" (1980) - Sally Matthews
"Loving Couples" (1980) - Stephanie
"Tempest" (1982) - Aretha Tomalin
"The Hunger" (1983) - Dr. Sarah Roberts
"The Buddy System" (1984) - Emily
"Compromising Positions" (1985) - Judith Singer
"The Witches of Eastwick" (1987) - Jane Spofford
"Bull Durham" (1988) - Annie Savoy
"Sweet Hearts Dance" (1988) - Sandra Boon
"The January Man" (1989) - Christine Starkey
"A Dry White Season" (1989) - Melanie Bruwer
"White Palace" (1990) - Nora Baker
"Thelma & Louise" (1991) - Louise Elizabeth Sawyer
"The Player" (1992) (Cameo) - Herself
"Light Sleeper" (1992) - Ann
"Bob Roberts" (1992) - Tawna Titan
"Lorenzo's Oil" (1992) - Michaela Odone
"The Client" (1994) - Regina 'Reggie' Love
"Little Women" (1994) - Abigail 'Marmee' March
"Safe Passage" (1994) - Margaret 'Mag' Singer
"Dead Man Walking" (1995) - Sister Helen Prejean
"James and the Giant Peach" (1996) (voice) - Miss Spider
"Twilight" (1998) - Catherina Ames
"Illuminata" (1998) - Calimene
"Stepmom" (1998) - Jackie Harrison
"Our Friend, Martin" (1999) (voice) (direct-to-video) - Mrs. Clark
"Cradle Will Rock" (1999) - Margherita Sarfatti
"Anywhere But Here" (1999) - Adele August
"Joe Gould's Secret" (2000) - Alice Neel
"Rugrats in Paris: The Movie" (2000) (voice) - Coco LaBouche
"Cats & Dogs" (2001) (voice) - Ivy
"Goodnight Moon" (2001) (voice) (short subject) - Narrator
"Igby Goes Down" (2002) - Mimi Slocumb
"The Banger Sisters" (2002) - Lavinia Kingsley
"Moonlight Mile" (2002) - Jojo Floss
"Little Miss Spider" (2002) (narrator) (short subject) - Narrator
"Icebound (2003) - Dr. Jerri Nielsen
"Noel" (2004) - Rose Collins
"Jiminy Glick in Lalawood" (2004) (Cameo) - Herself
"Shall We Dance" (2004) - Beverly Clark
"Alfie" (2004) - Liz
"Elizabethtown" (2005) - Hollie Baylor
"Irresistible" (2006) - Sophie
"Romance & Cigarettes" (2005) - Kitty
"Mr. Woodcock" (2007) - Beverly Farley
"In the Valley of Elah" (2007) - Joan Deerfield
"Enchanted" (2007) - Queen Narissa
"Emotional Arithmetic" (2007) - Melanie Lansing Winters
"Bernard and Doris" (2007) - Doris Duke
"The Lovely Bones (2008) - Grandma Lynn
"Speed Racer" (2008) - Mom Racer
"The Colossus" (2008)
Television
"A World Apart" as Patrice Kahlman (1970 - 1971)
"Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law" as Joyce (1971) 1 episode
"Wide World Mystery" (1973) 1 episode
"The Satan Murders" (1974) as Kate (TV movie)
"June Moon" (1974) as Eileen (TV movie)
"The Rimers of Eldritch" (1974) as Pasty Johnson (TV movie)
"Who Am I This Time?" (1982) as Helene Shaw (TV movie)
"Oxbridge Blues" (1984) as Natalie (mini tv series)
"Faerie Tale Theatre" as Beauty (1984) 1 episode
"A.D" as Livilla (1985) (mini tv series)
"Mussolini: The Decline and Fall of Duce II" (1985) as Edda Mussolini Ciano (TV movie)
"Women of Valor" (1986) as Col. Margaret Ann Jessup (TV movie)
"All Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever!" (1994) as Bitsy (TV)
"The Simpsons" voice of The Ballet Teacher (1995) 1 episode
"Earthly Possessions" as Charlotte Emory (1999) (TV movie)
"Friends" as Jessica Lockhart (2001) 1 episode
"Cool Women In History" (2001) The Host (Season 1)
"Malcolm in the Middle" as Meg (2002) 2 episodes
"Children of Dune" as Princess Wensicia Corrino (2003) (mini tv series)
"Troy: The Passion of Helen" (2004) The Host (TV)
"The Exonerated" as Sunny Jacobs (2005) (TV movie)
"Mad TV" (2005) 2 episodes
"Rescue Me" as Alicia (2006 - 2007)
Documentaries
Christa McAuliffe: Reach for the Stars (2006) (narrator) (... more)
"When the Mountains Tremble" (1983)
"Through the Wire" (1990) (narrator)
"Wildnerness: The Last Stand" (1993) (narrator)
"The Celluloid Closet" (1995)
"Tell the Truth and Run: George Seldes and the American Press" (1996) (narrator)
"The Need to Know" (1997) (narrator)
"Father Roy: Inside the School of Assassins" (1997) (narrator)
"187: Documented" (1997) (narrator)
"For Love of Julian" (1999) (narrator)
"Light Keeps Me Company" (2000)
"Iditarod: A Far Distant Place" (2000) (narrator)
"This Is What Democracy Looks Like" (2000) (narrator)
"Dying to be Thin" (2000) (narrator)
"Uphill All the Way" (2001) (narrator)
"900 Women" (2001) (narrator)
"The Shaman's Apprentice" (2001) (narrator)
"Rudyland" (2001) (narrator)
"Ghosts of Attica" (2001) (narrator)
"Last Party 2000" (2001)
"The Next Industrial Revolution" (2002) (narrator)
"Tibet: Cry of the Snow Lion" (2002) (narrator)
"XXI Century" (2003)
"The Nazi Officer's Wife" (2003) (narrator)
"Burma: Anatomy of Terror" (2003) (narrator)
"Journey of the Heart: The Life of Henri Nouwen" (2003) (narrator)
"Fragile Hopes from the Killing Fields" (2004) (narrator)
"A Whale in Montana" (2005) (narrator)
"On the Line: Dissent in an Age of Terrorism" (2005)
"Secrets of the Code" (2006) (narrator)
Upcoming
"This Child of Mine" (2007) (narrator)
"World Beyond Wiseguys: Italian Americans & the Movies" (2007)
Academy Awards and nominations
1981 - Nominated - Best Actress in a Leading Role - "Atlantic City"
1991 - Nominated - Best Actress in a Leading Role - "Thelma & Louise"
1992 - Nominated - Best Actress in a Leading Role - "Lorenzo's Oil"
1994 - Nominated - Best Actress in a Leading Role - "The Client"
1995 - Won - Best Actress in a Leading Role - "Dead Man Walking"
External links
(Susan Sarandon's political donations) at newsmeat.com
Credit
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article about Susan Sarandon.
