Michael Pitt
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| Michael Pitt | |
 Michael Pitt in GQ |
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| Born | April 10, 1981 West Orange, New Jersey |
| Years active | 1998–present |
| Notable roles | Justin Pendleton in Murder by Numbers Matthew in The Dreamers |
Michael Carmen Pitt (born April 10, 1981 in West Orange, New Jersey) is an American actor.
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[edit] Biography
Born in West Orange, New Jersey, Pitt is the youngest of four children. At age 10, he announced to his parents that he wished to become an actor. He moved to New York City from New Jersey when he was 16 years old, where he took a job as a bike messenger and lived in a one-bedroom apartment with nine others. During this period, Pitt spent time living on the streets near the New York University recreation center.
In 1999, Pitt made his off-Broadway debut in the play The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek at the New York Theatre Workshop. A casting agent, whom Pitt mistook as a police officer attempting to arrest him, noticed him and recommended him for a role on the television series Dawson's Creek. His breakout role as the lover of a transgendered rock star in Hedwig and the Angry Inch in 2001 led to supporting roles in Bully and in mainstream Hollywood fare such as Murder by Numbers, as well as the lead in Bernardo Bertolucci's The Dreamers. His role in The Dreamers was notable in that he had a couple of full frontal nude scenes, including one close-up scene, which is very rare for American actors.
In Last Days, he plays a rock star based on former Nirvana frontman, Kurt Cobain. He performed all of the songs himself and closely resembles Cobain's guitar and singing styles. On set, he met Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth, who had been hired by Gus Van Sant to serve as the film's music consultant. The pair formed a close bond, with Moore writing, "[Gus] wanted me to hang out with Michael and talk about his character, and let him be in character. We ended up spending a lot of time together. My daughter Coco still relates to Michael as Blake from Last Days." [1]
In 2007, he will star opposite Keira Knightley in Silk, adapted from the novel by Alessandro Baricco. He will play the lead role of Hervé Joncour, a French silkworm smuggler who falls in love with a baron's concubine while in Japan. Filming began in mid-2006.
He also stars in the romantic-comedy Delirious. He plays the lead role of Toby Grace, a homeless, young man who befriends paparazzi member Les Galantine ( Steve Buscemi) and falls into the celebrity lifestyle when he meets and falls in love with pop singer K'harma Leeds (Alison Lohman). The movie appeared at the Sundance Film Festival.
He sings and plays guitar in his band Pagoda, whose self-titled debut album has been released by Universal / Fontana / Ecstatic Peace.
Though they share the same last name, Michael is unrelated to fellow actor Brad Pitt.
[edit] Selected Filmography
| Year | Film | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | The Last Crew | Frank White |
| Silk | Hervé Joncour | |
| 2006 | Delirious | Toby Grace |
| The Hawk is Dying | Fred | |
| 2005 | Last Days | Blake |
| 2004 | The Village | Finton Coin |
| The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things | Buddy | |
| Jailbait | Randy | |
| 2003 | Wonderland | Gopher |
| Rhinoceros Eyes | Chep | |
| The Dreamers | Matthew | |
| 2002 | Murder by Numbers | Justin Pendleton |
| 2001 | Bully | Donny Semenec |
| Yellow Bird | Stuff | |
| Hedwig and the Angry Inch | Tommy Gnosis | |
| 2000 | Finding Forrester | John Coleridge |
| 1999 | Even Housewives in Minnesota Have Those Daydreams | Petey |
| 1998 | Hi-Life | Boy Teen |
| 54 | Dance Student (uncredited) |
[edit] Trivia
- With the Twins Of Evil, he performed "Hey Joe" which can be heard in Bernardo Bertolucci's The Dreamers.
- Has stated that My Own Private Idaho is his favorite film.
- Appeared with then-girlfriend Alexis Dziena in the 2002 video for Joey Ramone cover of "What A Wonderful World."
- Purported to be a close friend of enigmatic author, JT LeRoy. His name appears in the acknowledgements of The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things and has gone on to play a role in the film adaptation.
- Is often noted for his uncanny resemblance to Leonardo DiCaprio.
- A leading member of The Eastsiders, the group of New York actors that formed in the loft of Lori Eastside's NYC Casting loft. The group also included Alexis Dziena, Ryan Donowho, and Rodrigo Lopresti.
