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Paul Bettany Profile |
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Birth Date: May 27, 1971
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Birth Place: Harlesden, London, England, UK
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Birth Name: Paul Bettany
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Height: 6'3"
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Biography |
Paul Bettany was born in Harlesden, near 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. After two years, he found a new job in a
home for the elderly.
Finally, when he 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).
After an appearance on Sean Bean's series Sharpe, 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 (which later became The Order). He was
impressed by Bettany's audition tape, though he 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.
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.
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 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 is
currently rumoured to be a top candidate for the Joker in
the next Batman movie. However, amongst the slew of actors
that have been rumored for the role Adrien Brody has been
the only actor to actually publically confirm his interest. |
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Other Information |
Son of Thane Bettany. Has one older sister named Sarah, who
lives in Cornwall (England) with her daughter Emaly.
Developed laryngitis after filming A Knight's Tale (2001)
because of all the yelling he had to do as Geoffrey Chaucer.
Also plays the guitar, and used to busk on Westminster
Bridge in London.
Acted for a year with the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Has a stepson named, Kai (mother is Jennifer Connelly).
August 5, 2003 - his wife, Jennifer Connelly, gave birth to
their first child, a boy.
Son's name is Stellan, named after the actor Stellan
Skarsgård who acted with him in Dogville (2003).
Apparently turned down the role of the Tooth Fairy in Red
Dragon (2002) (most probably offered to him after his
frightening appearance as psycho gangster in Gangster No. 1
(2000)) in favour of a much more poorly paid role in Lars
von Trier's Dogville (2003).
Has appeared in many theatre productions, debuting in
Stephen Daldry's production of "An Inspectors Calls,"
grabbing the American film industry's attention in Joe
Penhall's "Love and Understanding." He also appeared in "One
More Waster Year" and "Stranger's House."
Nominated for Best Actor for his role in Gangster No1 by
London Film Critics Circle Awards.
Paul's "acting heroes" are Humphrey Bogart, Al Pacino,
Robert De Niro, Peter O'Toole and Vincent Cassel.
When he was 16, his younger brother Matthew,who was 8, died
in a fall. Consequently, he claimed to be obsesed with
having lots of children.
Won Evening Standard Film Award 2001 for Best Supporting
Actor for his role as Geoffrey Chaucer in _A Knight's Tale_
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Writer/director Brian Helgeland wrote the role of Chaucer in
A Knight's Tale (2001) specifically for Paul. He "refused"
to do the movie without him. The production companies did
not think Bettany was known well enough, Helgeland thought
that if he backed down on his choice of Bettany, he would
have to back down on everything else.
Dated Laura Fraser.
Was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and
Sciences (AMPAS) in June 2004.
Lists his favourite foods as cheese and broccoli; and his
favourite drink is whisky. |
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