Woody Harrelson
(55th anniversary)
23 July 1961
Midland, Texas, USA
5' 11" (1.80 m)
He was soon cast as Woody on TV series Cheers (1982), which wound up being one of the most-popular TV shows ever and also earned Harrelson an Emmy for his performance in 1989.
While he dabbled in film during his time on Cheers (1982), that area of his career didn't fully take off until towards the end of the show's run. In 1991, Doc Hollywood (1991) gave him his first widely-seen movie role, and he followed that up with Los blancos no la saben meter (1992), Una proposición indecente (1993) and Asesinos natos (1994). Recently, Harrelson has been seen in No es país para viejos (2007), Bienvenidos a Zombieland (2009), 2012 (2009), and Con derecho a roce (2011), along with the acclaimed HBO movie Game Change (2012).
In 2011, Harrelson snagged the coveted role of fan-favorite drunk Haymitch Abernathy in the big-screen adaptation of Los juegos del hambre (2012), which ended up being one of the highest-grossing movies ever at the domestic box office. Harrelson is set to reprise that role for the sequels, which are scheduled for release in November 2013, 2014 and 2015. Harrelson has received two Academy Award nominations, first for his role as controversial Hustler founder Larry Flynt in El escándalo de Larry Flynt (1996) and then for a role in The Messenger (2009). He also received Golden Globe nominations for both of these parts.
Harrelson was briefly married to Nancy Simon in the 80s, and later married his former assistant, Laura Louie, with whom he has three daughters. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Anonymous and Anne-Marie Cowsill
While he dabbled in film during his time on Cheers (1982), that area of his career didn't fully take off until towards the end of the show's run. In 1991, Doc Hollywood (1991) gave him his first widely-seen movie role, and he followed that up with Los blancos no la saben meter (1992), Una proposición indecente (1993) and Asesinos natos (1994). Recently, Harrelson has been seen in No es país para viejos (2007), Bienvenidos a Zombieland (2009), 2012 (2009), and Con derecho a roce (2011), along with the acclaimed HBO movie Game Change (2012).
In 2011, Harrelson snagged the coveted role of fan-favorite drunk Haymitch Abernathy in the big-screen adaptation of Los juegos del hambre (2012), which ended up being one of the highest-grossing movies ever at the domestic box office. Harrelson is set to reprise that role for the sequels, which are scheduled for release in November 2013, 2014 and 2015. Harrelson has received two Academy Award nominations, first for his role as controversial Hustler founder Larry Flynt in El escándalo de Larry Flynt (1996) and then for a role in The Messenger (2009). He also received Golden Globe nominations for both of these parts.
Harrelson was briefly married to Nancy Simon in the 80s, and later married his former assistant, Laura Louie, with whom he has three daughters. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Anonymous and Anne-Marie Cowsill
Trade Mark
Southern accent
Trivia
Is a vegan.Moonlights as the lead singer in the band Manly Moondog and the Three Kool Hats.
Graduated from Hanover College in 1983 with a degree in theater arts & English. Member Sigma Chi fraternity.
Was married to Neil Simon's daughter, Nancy Simon. Has had relationships with: Carol Kane, Ally Sheedy and Moon Unit Zappa.
Was arrested in Columbus (Ohio) in June 1983, charged of disorderly conduct - he was dancing in the street, halting traffic; he later jumped out of a moving police van laughing maniacally and finally punched one of the two arresting officers to the ground.
Brother of Brett Harrelson and Jordan Harrelson.
Father Charles Harrelson was sentenced to two life sentences for the murder of Federal Judge John Howland Wood on the orders of drug dealer Jimmy Chagra, who reportedly paid him $250,000. Harrelson has claimed to be one of the "hobos" taken away from "the grassy knoll" right after the shooting of John F. Kennedy.
Admits to having been a sex addict.
Claims to have had 17 jobs in one year.
Chosen by People magazine as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People.
Activist for the legalization of marijuana.
A jury in Beattyville, Kentucky dismissed a marijuana possession charge against him. He was arrested in 1996 for planting 4 marijuana hemp seeds in rural Kentucky and in his defence he said he was challenging a state law that makes no distinction between marijuana and hemp, even though hemp contains little of the drug found in marijuana and can be used to make a variety of industrial products. [August 2000]
Woody and approximately a dozen other hemp activists and environmentalists took a bicycle tour down the west coast of America, starting in Seattle, Washington and 1000 miles later ending at the University of Santa Barbara in California. The tour was escorted by the Mothership, a Chicago city transit bus fueled by hemp oil and powered by solar panels. [April 2001]
The ex-son-in-law of playwright Neil Simon, one of Woody's first plays was Simon's "Biloxi Blues" in 1984.
He is on the board of the directors for the Ex'pression Center For New Media, an art school in Emeryville, California.
Is the owner of an oxygen bar in West Hollywood, California.
Lives with Laura Louie and their children in Costa Rica
Was set to star in the Danny Boyle's firefighter drama "Worcester Cold Storage" with Ed Harris, but the project never came to fruition.
He is the first and, as of 2005, only regular cast member from Cheers (1982) to receive a nomination for an Academy Award.
Wanted to play Jake Brigance in Tiempo de matar (1996), but author John Grishamobjected to his casting.
Good friends with the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Lovingly refers to his three daughters as the "Goddess trilogy".
Woody and his wife, Laura, became the parents of their third daughter, Makani Ravello, on Maui on June 3, 2006.
Although he is a vegan, he is a raw foodist (which means he only eats raw and dried foods).
He climbed the Golden Gate Bridge and put up a sign that read, "Hurwitz. Aren't ancient redwoods more precious than gold?" in protest of MAXXAM/Pacific Lumber CEO Charles Hurwitz, who once stated, "He who has the gold, makes the rules".
He and Nancy Simon were married in Tijuana, Mexico.
Daughters: Deni Montana Harrelson (born March 5, 1994), Zoe Giordano Harrelson (born September 22, 1996) and Makani Ravello Harrelson (born June 3, 2006).
Lives in Hawaii [2006].
His father, convicted murderer Charles Harrelson died on March 15th, 2007 in a federal super-maximum prison in Colorado.
Friend of Owen Wilson.
His friends Darius Rucker, Mark Bryan, Dean Felber and Jim 'Soni' Sonefeld of the rock band Hootie & the Blowfish wrote the song "Woody" about him. The number can be found on the group's eponymous 2003 album.
Close friend of Michael J. Fox.
In 1991 he went to Nairobi, Kenya and lived in a tent on the outskirts of town for a few weeks to experience Africa and get away from it all.
He was inducted into the Texas Film Hall of Fame in March 2003 in Austin, Texas.
Was considered for the role of Lester Burnham in American Beauty (1999).
Maintains his residence on Hana in Maui, and his neighbors include Kris Kristofferson and Willie Nelson. The three have been known to play poker together.
He has played the same character (Woody Boyd) in three different series: Cheers (1982), Los Simpson (1989) and Frasier (1993).
Big fan of Bill Murray. Bill appeared in Bienvenidos a Zombieland (2009) as a favor to Woody.
His ancestry includes English, Scottish, German, and distant Dutch and Welsh.
Attended the 2009 Comic-Con International in San Diego, California. [July 2009]
Along with Owen Wilson, he attended the Sony Ericsson Open in Key Biscayne, Florida on April 5th. [April 2008]
Attended the 10th Annual Palm Beach International Film Festival in Florida. [April 2005]
Attended the 56th Berlinale International Film Festival in Berlin, Germany. [February 2006]
Attended the 2002 London Film Festival in England. [November 2002]
Attended the 32nd Annual Toronto International Film Festival in Canada. [September 2007]
Attended the 2004 Maui Film Festival in Hawaii. [June 2004]
Attended The Messenger premiere at the 59th Berlin Film Festival in Germany. [February 2009]
Attended the 2008 Cannes Film Festival in France. [May 2008]
Attended the 2009 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. [January 2009]
Attended the North County premiere in London, England on Feb. 1st. [February 2006]
Is close friends with Wesley Snipes.
He became co-owner of the boutique organic hotel Inn at the Black Olive located in Baltimore, Maryland.
Personal Quotes
When I let up from the weed, and the drinking too, I cried every day. And I liked that. I like crying. And now I not only wanna cry and show my crying to other people, I wanna just split myself down the middle and open my guts and just throw everything out!Well for six years during Cheers (1982), I couldn't get another job. So I was getting to the mindset of, 'Wow, so this is it. I thought the career was just starting and apparently it's just over.' Fortunately then, I got a role in Doc Hollywood (1991) and then Los blancos no la saben meter (1992). Those I was doing during my hiatus from Cheers (1982), and then I did Una proposición indecente (1993) during my last hiatus. And then Una proposición indecente (1993) came out literally the day after we wrapped Cheers (1982). And then I started work on Asesinos natos (1994). So I was fortunately able to segue, but for awhile I thought, 'Jeez, this is it'. And I felt that I could do so much more. I really wanted to express myself a little more. Not to say that "Woody Boyd" was not a great role!
It was very interesting. I read that book and I honestly had no idea what the hell was going on. Then I did the movie because I just wanted to do it. I wanted to work with Richard Linklater, Keanu Reeves, 'Robert Downey Jr.' and Winona Ryder. I wanted to do it, but I really still don't know what the hell that film is about. But I just know it's really interesting (On A Scanner Darkly (2006)).
I never was disillusioned with acting because I love acting. But I just felt at one point that I was on a hamster wheel, you know? Just doing movie after movie and thinking so much about career related things and I think missing out on hanging with my friends and family as much I needed to. So I just took some time off. I was maybe going to do two or three years and it turned into five years. But certainly, I'd say it was the best thing I ever did. And now I come back to this whole thing really energized about it. (2005 quote)
Most people take it pretty badly and just go crazy - I was no exception. But I feel like I've come out of it with my spirit still intact. (2002 quote on fame)
I've found that every time you stand up for something and open your mouth, you alienate someone. I spent a lot of time wanting to become rich and famous, then when I got there, I found it was hollow. What is important to me is my connection with family and friends, and to nature, and to stand up for what I believe in. It really makes you feel good to follow through with your convictions. Granted, between opening my mouth and some of the movies I've chosen to do, I've alienated a lot of my fans, I'm sure. Hopefully I'll make better movies, but I'll never stop opening my large, prominent mouth. (1997 quote)
(On environmental issues) I've been concerned for years. When I was in the seventh grade, I did a report about the environment and the loss of species. It was supposed to be only a few pages, but ended up being nearly 50. I've always had an intense relationship with nature, something which I think all of us have somewhere inside of us. Getting involved environmentally, really stepping out there, happened when I was doing Cheers (1982). Ted Danson couldn't make it to a couple of his meetings with the American Oceans Campaign, and he asked me if I would step in for him.
I don't think anybody watches a two-hour movie and decides they're going to become a serial killer. (On the furor over whether or not Natural Born Killers provoked a couple of teenagers to commit murder)
[on a scary moment in Dubrovnik] These guys were coming down from the hillside. They were the toughest-looking motherf***ers you ever saw - some kind of Croatian judo gang or something - and they were coming down basically to kill me for being with these red-hot girls. They were ready to tear me apart, and it got mind-blowingly tense. But then one of these f***ing guys recognises me from American TV, so we end up going out for drinks with them. I swear if I had not been on Cheers (1982), I'd have died right there on that beach in Croatia.
[on how Paul McCartney got him out of trouble when he attacked a photographer] I was feeling awful about it (the attack), and I ran into Sir Paul McCartney. We've been friends for a long time through our shared passion for veganism and many other issues. He's got such a great capacity for happiness. I told him what happened and also that I'd just finished this movie called Bienvenidos a Zombieland (2009), and Paul said, 'That's it, man. Just tell the press you thought the cameraman was a zombie.' So that's what we went with.
I was about 24 years old and I had tons of acne and mucus. I met some random girl on a bus who told me to quit dairy and all those symptoms would go away three days later. By God, she was right!
I personally get freaked out watching horror films. I liked Zombies Party (Una noche... de muerte) (2004) because I like horror comedies. But 28 días después... (2002)? I was sleepless, man.
I am not loving Obama - he made this statement when they were talking about trying to accomplish with the new legislation about global warming and he said "Let's not let great be the enemy of good." That just stayed with me and haunted me. "Great be the enemy of good" - let's not make great, firm international legislation and try to settle for what we can get. Lyndon Johnson probably would have said that.
[on the arrest of Roman Polanski] I have a daughter who is 13 and the thought of some guy giving her a Quaalude...then I was torn over the fact that it had been 32 years and the girl had forgiven him, so I don't know. I do think that what he did was wrong.
I've always believed the road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom.
[on his daughter going to college] It was one of the single most difficult experiences of my life when it was time to separate and she walked off to the dorm and we drove away. I bawled my eyes out.
I was in a taxi the other night, and we started talking about life and the taxi driver goes, "Chaos and creativity go together. If you lose one per cent of your chaos, you lose your creativity." I said that's the most brilliant thing I've heard. I needed to hear that years ago.
