Woody Harrelson
Woodrow Tracy "Woody" Harrelson (born July 23, 1961) is an American actor.
Harrelson's breakthrough role came in the television sitcom Cheers as bartender Woody Boyd. Notable film characters include basketball hustler Billy Hoyle in White Men Can't Jump, bowler Roy Munson in Kingpin, serial killer Mickey Knox in Natural Born Killers, magazine publisher Larry Flynt in The People vs. Larry Flynt, country singer Dusty in A Prairie Home Companion, bounty hunter Carson Wells in No Country for Old Men, Tallahassee in Zombieland, blind piano player/meat salesman in Seven Pounds, and Charlie Frost in the movie 2012.
Early life Harrelson was born in Midland, Texas, the son of Diane Lou (née Oswald) and Charles Voyde Harrelson, who divorced in 1964; he has two brothers, Jordan and Brett, the latter of whom is a professional motorcycle racer. In 1979, in San Antonio, Federal Judge John H. Wood, Jr. was shot and killed by rifle fire. Woody's father Charles Harrelson, who was a freelance contract killer, was arrested for the killing. He was convicted and eventually died during his life sentence in maximum security prison.Harrelson shares his birthday with his father.
Harrelson grew up in Lebanon, Ohio with his mother. Harrelson attended Lebanon High School, working through much of high school as a wood-carver at Kings Island amusement park. He later attended Hanover College in Hanover, Indiana, where he became a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. He received a bachelor of arts in theater arts and English in 1983.
Television career Harrelson is widely known for his work on the NBC sitcom Cheers. He played bartender Woody Boyd, who replaced Coach (played by Nicholas Colasanto, who died in the third season). He joined the cast in season four and lasted eight seasons on the show. For this role, Harrelson has been nominated for five Emmy Awards, winning once in 1989. His character of Boyd was said to be from Hanover, Indiana, the town where Harrelson attended college.
Movie career After the end of Cheers, Harrelson pursued a film career. His first movie had been Wildcats, a football comedy in 1986 with Goldie Hawn. Harrelson became friends with Wesley Snipes and starred with him in the box-office hit White Men Can't Jump and Money Train.
In 1993 he had a starring role opposite Robert Redford and Demi Moore in the drama Indecent Proposal. After that film's success, Harrelson played Mickey Knox in Oliver Stone's Natural Born Killers and Dr. Michael Raynolds in the Michael Cimino film The Sunchaser. In 1996, he starred in the comedy Kingpin alongside Randy Quaid and Vanessa Angel.
Harrelson's career gained great momentum when he starred in the Milos Forman film The People vs. Larry Flynt, in which he played Larry Flynt, a pornographic publisher and founder of Hustler magazine. The film was a success and Harrelson's performance as Larry Flynt was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award for Best Actor.
Personal life In 1985, Harrelson married Nancy Simon, daughter of playwright Neil Simon, in Tijuana. The two intended to divorce the following day, but the storefront marriage/divorce parlor was closed when they had returned to it, and the two remained married for ten months.
On December 28, 2008, Harrelson married Laura Louie, his girlfriend since 1987. The couple have three daughters, Deni Montana (born February 28, 1993), Zoe Giordano (born September 22, 1996), and Makani Ravello (born June 3, 2006). When announcing Makani's birth, the couple referred to the three as their "goddess trilogy". Laura is his former assistant and a co-founder of Yoganics, an organic food delivery service.
Harrelson's father, a convicted career criminal and hitman, died in Federal Supermax Prison. Harrelson tried to have his father's final conviction for murdering a federal judge reversed, but failed. His father was convicted of murder for hire once before which was related to illegal drug sales, an event which occurred in the late 1960's.
Activist work Harrelson is a supporter and an activist for the legalization of marijuana and hemp.On June 1, 1996, he was arrested in Lee County, Kentucky, after he symbolically planted four hemp seeds to challenge the state law which did not distinguish between industrial hemp and marijuana. Harrelson won the case. Since 2003, Harrelson serves as a member on NORML's advisory board.
Harrelson is also an environmental activist. He once scaled the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco with members of North Coast Earth First! group to unfurl a banner that read, "Hurwitz, Aren't ancient redwoods more precious than gold?" in protest of Maxxam Inc/PALCO CEO Charles Hurwitz, who once stated, "He who has the gold, makes the rules".
He once traveled to the west coast in the U.S. on a bike and a domino caravan with a hemp oil-fueled biodiesel bus (the subject of the independent documentary, Go Further) and narrated the documentary Grass. Harrelson briefly owned an oxygen bar in West Hollywood called "O2". He is a peace activist and has often spoken publicly against the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Harrelson is also a vegan and raw foodist. He did not eat Twinkies for his movie Zombieland, replacing them with vegan faux-Twinkies made from cornmeal.In October 2009, he was conferred an honorary degree by York University for his contributions in the fields of environmental education, sustainability, and activism.
He now lives on Maui, Hawaii in a mostly self-sustained community.
Harrelson's breakthrough role came in the television sitcom Cheers as bartender Woody Boyd. Notable film characters include basketball hustler Billy Hoyle in White Men Can't Jump, bowler Roy Munson in Kingpin, serial killer Mickey Knox in Natural Born Killers, magazine publisher Larry Flynt in The People vs. Larry Flynt, country singer Dusty in A Prairie Home Companion, bounty hunter Carson Wells in No Country for Old Men, Tallahassee in Zombieland, blind piano player/meat salesman in Seven Pounds, and Charlie Frost in the movie 2012.
Early life Harrelson was born in Midland, Texas, the son of Diane Lou (née Oswald) and Charles Voyde Harrelson, who divorced in 1964; he has two brothers, Jordan and Brett, the latter of whom is a professional motorcycle racer. In 1979, in San Antonio, Federal Judge John H. Wood, Jr. was shot and killed by rifle fire. Woody's father Charles Harrelson, who was a freelance contract killer, was arrested for the killing. He was convicted and eventually died during his life sentence in maximum security prison.Harrelson shares his birthday with his father.
Harrelson grew up in Lebanon, Ohio with his mother. Harrelson attended Lebanon High School, working through much of high school as a wood-carver at Kings Island amusement park. He later attended Hanover College in Hanover, Indiana, where he became a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. He received a bachelor of arts in theater arts and English in 1983.
Television career Harrelson is widely known for his work on the NBC sitcom Cheers. He played bartender Woody Boyd, who replaced Coach (played by Nicholas Colasanto, who died in the third season). He joined the cast in season four and lasted eight seasons on the show. For this role, Harrelson has been nominated for five Emmy Awards, winning once in 1989. His character of Boyd was said to be from Hanover, Indiana, the town where Harrelson attended college.
Movie career After the end of Cheers, Harrelson pursued a film career. His first movie had been Wildcats, a football comedy in 1986 with Goldie Hawn. Harrelson became friends with Wesley Snipes and starred with him in the box-office hit White Men Can't Jump and Money Train.
In 1993 he had a starring role opposite Robert Redford and Demi Moore in the drama Indecent Proposal. After that film's success, Harrelson played Mickey Knox in Oliver Stone's Natural Born Killers and Dr. Michael Raynolds in the Michael Cimino film The Sunchaser. In 1996, he starred in the comedy Kingpin alongside Randy Quaid and Vanessa Angel.
Harrelson's career gained great momentum when he starred in the Milos Forman film The People vs. Larry Flynt, in which he played Larry Flynt, a pornographic publisher and founder of Hustler magazine. The film was a success and Harrelson's performance as Larry Flynt was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award for Best Actor.
Personal life In 1985, Harrelson married Nancy Simon, daughter of playwright Neil Simon, in Tijuana. The two intended to divorce the following day, but the storefront marriage/divorce parlor was closed when they had returned to it, and the two remained married for ten months.
On December 28, 2008, Harrelson married Laura Louie, his girlfriend since 1987. The couple have three daughters, Deni Montana (born February 28, 1993), Zoe Giordano (born September 22, 1996), and Makani Ravello (born June 3, 2006). When announcing Makani's birth, the couple referred to the three as their "goddess trilogy". Laura is his former assistant and a co-founder of Yoganics, an organic food delivery service.
Harrelson's father, a convicted career criminal and hitman, died in Federal Supermax Prison. Harrelson tried to have his father's final conviction for murdering a federal judge reversed, but failed. His father was convicted of murder for hire once before which was related to illegal drug sales, an event which occurred in the late 1960's.
Activist work Harrelson is a supporter and an activist for the legalization of marijuana and hemp.On June 1, 1996, he was arrested in Lee County, Kentucky, after he symbolically planted four hemp seeds to challenge the state law which did not distinguish between industrial hemp and marijuana. Harrelson won the case. Since 2003, Harrelson serves as a member on NORML's advisory board.
Harrelson is also an environmental activist. He once scaled the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco with members of North Coast Earth First! group to unfurl a banner that read, "Hurwitz, Aren't ancient redwoods more precious than gold?" in protest of Maxxam Inc/PALCO CEO Charles Hurwitz, who once stated, "He who has the gold, makes the rules".
He once traveled to the west coast in the U.S. on a bike and a domino caravan with a hemp oil-fueled biodiesel bus (the subject of the independent documentary, Go Further) and narrated the documentary Grass. Harrelson briefly owned an oxygen bar in West Hollywood called "O2". He is a peace activist and has often spoken publicly against the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Harrelson is also a vegan and raw foodist. He did not eat Twinkies for his movie Zombieland, replacing them with vegan faux-Twinkies made from cornmeal.In October 2009, he was conferred an honorary degree by York University for his contributions in the fields of environmental education, sustainability, and activism.
He now lives on Maui, Hawaii in a mostly self-sustained community.
Filmography
1986 Wildcats
1988 Cool Blue
1990 L.A. Story
1992 White Men Can't Jump
1993 Indecent Proposal
1994 Natural Born Killers
1994 The Cowboy Way
1995 Money Train
1996 The People vs. Larry Flynt
1997 Wag the Dog
1997Welcome to Sarajevo
1998 The Thin Red Line
1998 Palmetto
1998 The Hi-Lo Country
1999 Play It to the Bone
2002 EDtv
2003 Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
2003 Grass
2003 Anger Management
2003 Go Further
2003 After the Sunset
2003 She Hate Me
2005 North Country
2006 Free Jimmy
2008 A Scanner Darkly
2008 A Prairie Home Companion
2007 The Walker
2007 No Country for Old Men
2007 Battle in Seattle
2007 The Grand
2007 Nanking
2008 Semi-Pro
2008 Sleepwalking
2008 Transsiberian
2008 Surfer, Dude
2008 Management
2008 Seven Pounds
2009 The Messenger
2009 Zombieland
1988 Cool Blue
1990 L.A. Story
1992 White Men Can't Jump
1993 Indecent Proposal
1994 Natural Born Killers
1994 The Cowboy Way
1995 Money Train
1996 The People vs. Larry Flynt
1997 Wag the Dog
1997Welcome to Sarajevo
1998 The Thin Red Line
1998 Palmetto
1998 The Hi-Lo Country
1999 Play It to the Bone
2002 EDtv
2003 Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
2003 Grass
2003 Anger Management
2003 Go Further
2003 After the Sunset
2003 She Hate Me
2005 North Country
2006 Free Jimmy
2008 A Scanner Darkly
2008 A Prairie Home Companion
2007 The Walker
2007 No Country for Old Men
2007 Battle in Seattle
2007 The Grand
2007 Nanking
2008 Semi-Pro
2008 Sleepwalking
2008 Transsiberian
2008 Surfer, Dude
2008 Management
2008 Seven Pounds
2009 The Messenger
2009 Zombieland
