Sam Rockwell

Not to be confused with Samuel Rockwell.

Samuel Rockwell (born November 5, 1968) is an American actor known for such films as Lawn Dogs (1997), Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002), Matchstick Men (2003), The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005), Moon (2009), Seven Psychopaths (2012), Mr. Right (2015), and Richard Jewell (2019). He has also played supporting roles in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990), A Midsummer Night's Dream (1999), The Green Mile (1999), Galaxy Quest (1999), Charlie's Angels (2000), Frost/Nixon (2008), Iron Man 2 (2010), Conviction (2010), Cowboys & Aliens (2011), The Way, Way Back (2013), Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017), Vice (2018), and Jojo Rabbit (2019).

In 2017, Rockwell's performance as a troubled police officer in the crime film Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri won him the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He was nominated in the same category the following year for his portrayal of George W. Bush in the 2018 political satire Vice. In 2019, he portrayed Bob Fosse in the FX biographical miniseries Fosse/Verdon, earning him a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series and winning the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie.

On stage, Rockwell has appeared in plays including Zoo Story (2001), A Behanding in Spokane (2010) and Fool for Love (2015). He has voiced characters in F is for Family (2015–2021), Trolls World Tour (2020) and The One and Only Ivan (2020).

Early life and education

Rockwell was born November 5, 1968, in Daly City, California. He is the only child of actors Pete Rockwell and Penny Hess. After their divorce when he was five, he was raised by his father in San Francisco, and spent his summers with his mother in New York. At age 10, he made a brief stage appearance playing Humphrey Bogart in an East Village improv comedy sketch with his mother.

He started high school at the San Francisco School of the Arts with Margaret Cho and Aisha Tyler, but received his high school diploma from Urban Pioneers, an Outward Bound-style alternative school. Rockwell explained, "I just wanted to get stoned, flirt with girls, go to parties." The school "had a reputation as a place stoners went because it was easy to graduate." The school helped him regain an interest in performing. After appearing in an independent film during his senior year, he moved to New York to pursue an acting career. He later enrolled in the Professional Actor Training Program at the William Esper Studio in New York.

Career

Further information: Sam Rockwell filmography

Early films

After his debut role in the horror film Clownhouse in 1989, which he filmed while living in San Francisco, he moved to New York and trained at the William Esper Studios with teacher William Esper. His career slowly gained momentum in the early 1990s, when he alternated between small-screen guest spots in TV series like The Equalizer, NYPD Blue and Law & Order and small roles in films such as Last Exit to Brooklyn and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. He also appeared as the title character in The Search for One-eye Jimmy (1994). During this time, Rockwell worked in restaurants as a busboy and delivered burritos by bicycle. At one point, Rockwell even worked as a private detective's assistant. "I tailed a chick who was having an affair and took pictures of her at this motel", he told Rolling Stone in 2002. "It was pretty sleazy." A well-paying Miller commercial in 1994 finally allowed him to pursue acting full-time.

The turning point in Rockwell's career was Tom DiCillo's film Box of Moonlight (1996), in which he played an eccentric man-child who dresses like Davy Crockett and lives in an isolated mobile home. The ensuing acclaim put him front and center with casting agents and newfound fans alike, with Rockwell himself acknowledging that "That film was definitely a turning point...I was sort of put on some independent film map after 10 years in New York."

He also received strong reviews for the film Lawn Dogs (1997), where he played a working-class lawn mower who befriends a wealthy 10-year-old girl (Mischa Barton) in an upper-class gated community in Kentucky; Rockwell's performance won him Best Actor honors at both the Montreal World Film Festival and the Catalan International Film Festival. In 1999, Rockwell played prisoner William "Wild Bill" Wharton in the Stephen King prison drama The Green Mile. At the time of the film's shooting, Rockwell explained why he was attracted to playing such unlikable characters. He said, "I like that dark stuff. I think heroes should be flawed. There's a bit of self-loathing in there, and a bit of anger... But after this, I've really got to play some lawyers, or a British aristocrat, or they'll put a label on me."

Hollywood recognition

From left: Robert Downey Jr., Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson, and Rockwell at the 2009 San Diego Comic-Con International

After appearances as a bumbling actor in the sci-fi parody Galaxy Quest (1999), as Francis Flute in the Shakespeare adaptation A Midsummer Night's Dream (1999), and as gregarious villain Eric Knox in Charlie's Angels (2000), Rockwell won the then-biggest leading role of his career as The Gong Show host Chuck Barris in George Clooney's directorial debut, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002). Rockwell's performance was well-received, and the film earned generally positive reviews.

Rockwell has also received positive notices for his role opposite Nicolas Cage in Ridley Scott's Matchstick Men (2003), with Entertainment Weekly calling him "destined by a kind of excessive interestingness to forever be a colorful sidekick." He received somewhat more mixed reviews as Zaphod Beeblebrox in the film version of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005). He then had a notable supporting role as Charley Ford, brother of Casey Affleck's character Robert Ford, in the well-received drama The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007), in which Brad Pitt played the lead role of Jesse James. According to an interview on The Howard Stern Show, director Jon Favreau considered casting him as the titular character in Iron Man as the studio was initially hesitant to work with Robert Downey Jr., who had been considered for his role in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Rockwell eventually appeared in Iron Man 2, released in 2010, as Tony Stark's rival weapons developer, Justin Hammer. He is said to have accepted the role without reading the script. He had never heard of the character before he was contacted about the role and was unaware that Hammer is an old man in the comic books.

In addition to big-budget feature films, Rockwell has also appeared in indie films such as The F Word and played a randy, Halloween-costume-clad Batman in a short, Robin's Big Date, opposite Justin Long as Robin. He also starred in the film Snow Angels (2008) opposite Kate Beckinsale. He has worked on several occasions with the comedy troupe Stella (Michael Ian Black, Michael Showalter and David Wain), making cameo appearances in their short films and eponymous TV series.

Rockwell played Victor Mancini in the film Choke (2008), based on the novel by Chuck Palahniuk. Critic Roger Ebert said of his performance that he "seems to have become the latter-day version of Christopher Walken – not all the time, but when you need him, he's your go-to guy for weirdness."

In 2007, Rockwell guest-starred in the web series Casted: The Continuing Chronicles of Derek Riffchyn, Greatest Casting Director in the World. Ever. He appears opposite Jonathan Togo as Derek and Justin Long as Scott. Rockwell plays an aspiring young actor named Pete Sampras. In 2009, he starred in the critically acclaimed science fiction film Moon, directed by Duncan Jones. His performance as a lonely astronaut on a long-term solo mission to the Moon was widely praised, with some critics calling for an Academy Award for Best Actor nomination. On May 3, 2010, it was announced that Rockwell would team up again with Iron Man 2 director Jon Favreau for Favreau's adaptation of the graphic novel Cowboys & Aliens. He played a bar owner named Doc who joins in the pursuit of the aliens.

Rockwell at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival

Rockwell also had key roles in Martin McDonagh's Seven Psychopaths (2012), and Nat Faxon and Jim Rash's The Way, Way Back (2013). For his performance in The Way, Way Back, some critics felt he again deserved an Academy Award nomination.

In January 2014, it was announced that Rockwell was cast in The Eel, in which he played an escaped convict. The film was produced by Kevin Walsh, Nat Faxon, and Jim Rash, marking Rockwell's second collaboration with all three. Additionally, Rockwell starred in the 2015 remake of Poltergeist. On May 3, 2016, it was announced that Rockwell would voice Mortimer Ramsey in the action video game Dishonored 2. Rockwell was cast along with other Marvel Cinematic Universe actors.

Rockwell re-teamed with McDonagh for the 2017 film Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. His performance as a racist, bullying police officer Jason Dixon won several accolades, including his first Academy Award, as well as the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture, two Screen Actors Guild Awards and the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. In August 2017, Rockwell was cast to play George W. Bush in Adam McKay's Vice, a biopic of Dick Cheney; he received his second nomination for the Best Supporting Actor Academy Award as a result. Rockwell was cast as Bob Fosse with Michelle Williams as Gwen Verdon in the 2019 miniseries Fosse/Verdon, for which he received critical acclaim and a Primetime Emmy Award nomination. That same year, Rockwell appeared in two acclaimed films, Richard Jewell and Jojo Rabbit. In 2020, he had a voice role in DreamWorks Animation's Trolls World Tour, also serving as a performer on the film's soundtrack; and also voiced Ivan the gorilla in the 2020 Disney+ film The One and Only Ivan.

Theatre

Since 1992, Rockwell has been a member of the New York-based LAByrinth Theater Company, where John Ortiz is a co-artistic director. In 2005, Philip Seymour Hoffman directed him in Stephen Adly Guirgis' hit play The Last Days of Judas Iscariot. Rockwell workshopped a LAByrinth production, North of Mason-Dixon, which debuted in London in 2007 and then premiered in New York later the same year. Other plays in which Rockwell has performed include: Dumb Waiter (2001), Zoo Story (2001), The Hot L Baltimore (2000), Goosepimples (1998), Love and Human Remains, Face Divided, Orphans, Den of Thieves, Dessert at Waffle House, The Largest Elizabeth, and A Behanding in Spokane.

In 2022 he is set to return to the Broadway stage in a revival of David Mamet's American Buffalo alongsisde Laurence Fishburne and Darren Criss.

Personal life

Rockwell has never been married and stated in a 2007 interview, "I definitely don't want to become a parent. It's not my bag." He has been in a relationship with actress Leslie Bibb since 2007, when they reportedly met in Los Angeles as he was filming Frost/Nixon. They both appeared in Iron Man 2 and Don Verdean.

Awards and nominations

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Sam Rockwell

His performance as a troubled police deputy in the crime-drama Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, a Golden Globe and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. In 2018, his portrayal of George W. Bush in the biopic Vice earned him his second Academy Award nomination in the same category.

Who is Sam Rockwell?

Sam Rockwell is an American film actor known for his work in films, such as 'Confessions of a Dangerous Mind', 'Cowboys & Aliens' and 'Seven Psychopaths'. Born in Daly City, California, he developed an interest in acting at an early age and made his stage debut at the age of ten. At the age of twenty, he made his film debut, playing an important role in the film 'Clownhouse'. The film was about three mental patients who attack three young brothers, disguised as clowns.In the early 1990s, he appeared mostly in TV shows in guest roles. He came to popularity after he played a main role in the comedy drama film 'Box of Moonlight' and the lead role in 'Lawn Dogs'. The latter won him two Best Actor awards at two film festivals. More recently he has been seen in important roles in films, such as 'Seven Psychopaths' and 'The Way, Way Back'. In recognition of his brilliant performances, Sam Rockwell has been awarded at several film festivals such as the 'Montreal World Film Festival' and the 'Sundance Film Festival'.

Childhood & Early Life

Sam Rockwell was born on 5th November 1968, in Daly City, California. His father Pete Rockwell and his mother Penny Hess were both actors. They divorced when Sam was quite young.

He made his stage debut at the early age of ten, in a play that also starred his mother.

Rockwell attended San Francisco School of the Arts for some time. However, he dropped out before his graduation. Later his parents enrolled him in ‘Urban Pioneers’, an Outward Bound-style education program where he thrived.

Career

Sam Rockwell made his film debut with a role in the 1989 horror film 'Clownhouse'. He played the role of one of the three brothers who are attacked by a team of three madmen disguised as clowns. The film was directed by Victor Salva. Over the next few years, he appeared mostly in guest roles in TV shows such as 'Law & Order' and 'Lifestories: Families in Crisis'.

After playing minor roles in films such as 'Somebody to Love' (1994), 'Glory Daze' (1995) and 'Mercy' (1995), he gained recognition after playing a main role in the 1996 comedy drama 'Box of Moonlight'. It was directed by Tom DiCillo. He also gained appreciation for his role in the film 'Lawn Dogs', which was directed by John Duigan.

The other projects he appeared in during the late 1990s include 'Jerry and Tom' (1998), 'The Green Mile' (1999) and 'Galaxy Quest' (1999). He played the most significant lead role of his career in the 2002 film 'Confessions of a Dangerous Mind'. Directed by George Clooney, the film was about the popular game show host and producer Chuck Barris.

Rockwell's performance in the film was praised though the film didn't do very well commercially. The movie won him the Silver Bear for Best Actor at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2003.

His popularity increased with his roles in films such as 'Matchstick Men' (2003), 'The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford' (2007), and 'Choke' (2008).

Sam Rockwell also earned appreciation for his performance in the 2009 science fiction film 'Moon.' Directed by Duncan Jones, the film received a lot of praise from critics. It was an average success commercially. It also earned a nomination for the BAFTA Award for Best British Film.

He played a main role in the 2010 legal drama film 'Conviction'. Directed by Tony Goldwyn, the film was based on the true story of a woman struggling to free her wrongfully convicted brother. The film was a commercial failure, though it earned mostly positive reviews. Rockwell's performance won him several awards and nominations. The same year, he also appeared in the film 'Iron Man 2'.

Rockwell's role in the 2012 film 'Seven Psychopaths' was also widely appreciated. Directed by Martin McDonagh, the film was a commercial success. Over the next few years, he appeared in films, such as 'The Way, Way Back' (2013), 'Mr. Right' (2015) and 'Don Verdean' (2015).

Since 2015, he has been playing a voice role in the animated web series ‘F is for Family.’

Major Works

Sam Rockwell’s role in the 2010 legal drama ‘Conviction’ can be considered one of the most significant works of his career. Directed by Tony Goldwyn, the film also starred Hilary Swank, Minnie Driver, Melissa Leo, Peter Gallagher and Juliette Lewis. The film was based on the true story of a woman named Betty Anne Waters, a single mother, and her struggles to free her brother, Kenny, who had been wrongfully convicted of murder. Though the film was a commercial failure, it was met with positive reviews.

Rockwell has also gained a lot of popularity for his role in the 2013 comedy drama film ‘The Way, Way Back’. Directed by Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, the film also starred Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Allison Janney, Anna Sophia Robb and Maya Rudolph. The story revolved around a fourteen-year-old guy and his relationship with his family. The film was a commercial success, and grossed more than four times its budget. It also received positive reviews from critics.

Awards & Achievements

Sam Rockwell’s role in the film ‘Lawn Dogs’ won him the Best Actor Awards at the Montreal World Film Festival and at the Sitges International Film Festival.

He won a Best Actor Award at the ‘Berlin International Film Festival’ for his role in the film ‘Confessions of a Dangerous Mind’ (2002).

He won a Special Jury Prize (shared with cast) at the Sundance Film Festival for his performance in the film ‘Choke’ (2008).

He won a Best Actor Award at the Seattle International Film Festival for his work in the film ‘Moon’ in 2009.

In 2010, he was awarded the ‘Hollywood Film Award’ for ‘Supporting Actor of the Year’.

His work in the film ‘Conviction’ won him a Best Actor Award at the Boston Film Festival.

He also won a Best Actor Award at the Newport Beach Film Festival for his role in the film ‘A Single Shot’ in 2013.