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Sam Rockwell

Sam Rockwell has emerged as one of the most dynamic actors of his generation by continuing to take on challenging roles in both independent and studio productions. Rockwell recently wrapped production on David Gordon Green's The Sitter, opposite Jonah Hill. On stage, Rockwell will next be seen alongside Jessica Hecht in A Streetcar Named Desire. The production, directed by David Cromer, will launch the seasons at the Williamstown Nikos Stage Theatre Festival.

Rockwell recently starred, opposite Christopher Walken, in Martin McDonagh's critically acclaimed production of A Behanding in Spokane, on Broadway. Rockwell was last seen in Tony Goldwyn's Conviction, opposite Hilary Swank; Jon Favreau's Iron Man 2, opposite Robert Downey Jr.; and Duncan Jones' Moon, for Sony Pictures Classics, which won the Michael Powell Award at the 63rd Edinburgh International Film Festival.

Rockwell has created memorable characters in several films including Andrew Dominik's critically acclaimed film The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, starring opposite Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck; David Gordon Green's acclaimed film Snow Angels, opposite Kate Beckinsale; the Russo brothers' comedy Welcome to Collinwood, opposite George Clooney, Patricia Clarkson, Jennifer Esposito and William H. Macy; David Mamet's Heist, opposite Gene Hackman, Rebecca Pidgeon and Danny DeVito; the blockbuster Charlie's Angels, with Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz and Lucy Liu; and Frank Darabont's Oscar-nominated The Green Mile, opposite Tom Hanks. Rockwell also appeared in DreamWorks' box-office hit Galaxy Quest, opposite Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman and Tony Shalhoub.

His additional credits include Everybody's Fine, opposite Robert De Niro; Frost/Nixon, opposite Frank Langella; Joshua, opposite Vera Farmiga; The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, opposite Zooey Deschanel, Mos Def and Martin Freeman; and the Warner Bros.' comedy-drama Matchstick Men, directed by Ridley Scott and starring Nicolas Cage. He has also appeared in Woody Allen's Celebrity; Michael Hoffman's A Midsummer Night's Dream, with Kevin Kline and Michelle Pfeiffer; John Duigan's Lawn Dogs; John Hamburg's Safe Men; Saul Rubinek's dark comedy Jerry and Tom; Tom DiCillo's Box of Moonlight, opposite John Turturro; Peter Cohn's Drunks, with Richard Lewis, Parker Posey and Faye Dunaway; Paul Schrader's Light Sleeper, with Willem Dafoe; Uli Edel's Last Exit to Brooklyn, with Jennifer Jason Leigh; and his feature film debut in Victor Salva's Clownhouse, while he was still a student at San Francisco School of the Arts.

Rockwell won critical praise, as well as the Berlin International Film Festival's Silver Berlin Bear Award and Movieline's Breakthrough Performance of the Year Award, for his portrayal of Chuck Barris in George Clooney's Confessions of a Dangerous Mind. He starred opposite Clooney, Drew Barrymore and Julia Roberts in this adaptation of Barris' memoirs. His other awards include Best Actor at the Sitges International Film Festival of Catalonia, for his performance in Joshua, and the Decades Achievement Award from the Rehoboth Beach Independent Film Festival.

On stage, Rockwell was seen in The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, opposite Eric Bogosian, at The Public Theater. Philip Seymour Hoffman directed the LAByrinth Theater Company production. Rockwell has also appeared in Face Divided as part of The Ensemble Studio Theatre Marathon series, as well as the off-Broadway production of Goose-Pimples, which was written by noted film writer/director Mike Leigh. He has also appeared in The Dumb Waiter and Hot L Baltimore for the Williamstown Theatre Festival, both of which were directed by Joe Montello.


Note: This profile was written in or before 2011.
Read earlier biographies on this page.

Sam Rockwell Facts

OccupationActor
BirthdayNovember 5, 1968 (55)
SignScorpio
BirthplaceDaly City, California, USA
Height5' 9" (1m75)  How tall is Sam Rockwell compared to you?

Selected Filmography

Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2003)
Matchstick Men (2003)
Welcome to Collinwood (2002)
Charlie's Angels (2000)
A Midsummer Night's Dream (1999)
Galaxy Quest (1999)
The Green Mile (1999)
Box of Moonlight (1997)
The Search for One Eye Jimmy (1992) user recommendation as Hoyt
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)
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