Thomas Haden Church Biography
Summary
"Thomas Haden Church" (born June 17, 1960) is an Emmy-winning, Academy Award-nominated American film and television actor.
Biography
Early life
Church, the third of six children, was born in El Paso, Texas to an Army officer/health care worker father and a homemaker mother. He was raised in Laredo, Texas and graduated from Harlingen High School, Harlingen, Texas in 1979, going on to attend the University of North Texas.
Career
Church started in the entertainment business as a radio personality. A part in an independent film convinced him to move to California to pursue an acting career. He also played the part of dim-witted airport mechanic Lowell Mather for six seasons (1990-1995) on the NBC sitcom "Wings". He worked in television for two more seasons with a lead role on "Ned and Stacey" opposite Debra Messing. He has had supporting roles in films such as "George of the Jungle" and "The Specials". Church often plays villains or comic relief in films, most evident by turns in "Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight" and "Over the Hedge" to name a few.
After having small roles in films such as "Monkeybone" and "3000 Miles to Graceland", Church made his directorial debut "Rolling Kansas" in 2003.
Church later took a break from films and relocated back to his native Texas. He has also done voiceover work in commercials, such as for Merrill Lynch and Icehouse Beer.
In 2003 Payne, a close friend of Church who had promised him a part in his next film, cast the actor in "Sideways" as Jack, the selfish best friend to Paul Giamatti's character, looking to have one last fling before getting married. "Sideways" earned acclaim for Church, for which he won an IFP Independent Spirit Award and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Church has since appeared in films such as "Idiocracy", did voice-overs for films such as "Over the Hedge" and starred in one of AMC's highest rated television productions, "Broken Trail", with Robert Duvall, in 2006, for which he won an Emmy. In 2007, Church appeared as the villain Sandman in "Spider-Man 3", the third installment of the franchise, released in May of 2007.
In 2005, Church was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
On September 16, 2007, Church won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie for his role of Tom Harte on AMC's "Broken Trail".
Personal life
Church resides on his large ranch in Kerrville, Texas, where film director Alexander Payne personally visited Church to offer him the role of 'Jack' in "Sideways". He is a full-time rancher. He is married to Mia Zottoli and has a daughter named Cody. His wife Mia used to be a porn star, her last film came out in 2004.
Filmography
"Wings" (1990-1995)
"Tombstone" (1993)
"Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight" (1995)
"Ned and Stacey" (1995-1997)
"One Night Stand" (1997)
"George of the Jungle" (1997)
"Susan's Plan" (1998)
"Mr. Murder" (1998)
"Free Money" (1998)
"Goosed" (1999)
"The Specials" (2000)
"3000 Miles to Graceland" (2001)
"Monkeybone" (2001)
"The Badge" (2002)
"Lone Star State of Mind" (2002)
"Rolling Kansas" (2003)
"George of the Jungle 2" (2003)
"Spanglish" (2004)
"Sideways" (2004)
"Over the Hedge" (2006)
"Broken Trail" (2006)
"Idiocracy" (2006)
"Charlotte's Web" (2006)
"Spider-Man 3" (2007)
"Smart People" (2007)
"NowhereLand" (2008)
"Laundry Warrior" (2008)
"All About Steve" (TBA)
Awards
2007 Emmy Award Best Actor in a Miniseries
2007 Western Heritage Award Television Motion Picture (Broken Trail)
2005 Broadcast Film Critics Association Award Best Supporting Actor (Sideways)
2005 Central Ohio Film Critics Award Best Supporting Performance (Sideways)
2005 Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actor (Sideways)
2005 Independent Spirit Award Best Supporting Male (Sideways)
2005 Iowa Film Critics Award Best Supporting Actor (Sideways)
2005 Kansas City Film Critics Circle Award Best Supporting Actor (Sideways)
2005 National Society of Film Critics Best Supporting Actor (Sideways)
2005 Online Film Critics Society Best Supporting Actor (Sideways)
2005 Satellite Award Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Comedy or Musical (Sideways)
2005 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by Cast in a Motion Picture (Sideways)
2005 Utah Film Critics Society Best Supporting Actor (Sideways)
2004 Boston Society of Film Critics Best Supporting Actor (Sideways)
2004 Chicago Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actor (Sideways)
2004 Florida Film Critics Circle Best Supporting Actor (Sideways)
2004 Los Angeles Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actor (Sideways)
2004 National Board of Review Best Supporting Actor (Sideways)
2004 Phoenix Film Critics Society Best Supporting Actor (Sideways)
2004 San Francisco Film Critics Circle Best Supporting Actor (Sideways)
2004 Seattle Film Critics Award Best Supporting Actor (Sideways)
2004 Southeastern Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actor (Sideways)
Nominated
2007 Golden Globe Award Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Broken Trail)
2007 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries (Broken Trail)
2005 Academy Award Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role (Sideways)
2005 Golden Globe Award Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture (Sideways)
2005 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role (Sideways)
Credit
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article about Thomas Haden Church.
