| Alexx O'Nell | |
|---|---|
| Born | Alexander Leonard O'Neill July 26, 1980 Connecticut, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Boston University |
| Occupation | Actor, Musician |
| Years active | 2007–present |
| Spouse | Sweta Keswani (2008–2011; separated) |
Alexx O'Nell (born Alexander Leonard O’Neill on July 26, 1980) is an American actor and musician who is based in India [1] and has appeared in numerous films and television programs in English and Indian languages.[2]
O'Nell began his acting career with community and regional theater in the United States,[3][4] later working in television advertisements in India and internationally,[1][2][5] and finally landing character roles and appearances in films such as the blockbuster Hindi feature Cheeni Kum (starring Indian superstars Amitabh Bacchan and Tabu) and the English feature “Loins of Punjab Presents”.[1][2] He later gained recognition as a contestant on the hugely popular Indian celebrity dance competition Nach Baliye (season 3). O'Nell's first leading role in a big-budget production came with Madrasapattinam in which he was cast opposite Amy Jackson (Miss Teen World) and well-known south Indian actor Arya.[2] Following Madrasapattinam, ONell starred in supporting roles in the yet to be released Hindi Language features Jo Dooba So Paar and Chittagong, both slated for late 2011 release.[1] He returned to television to star in the ongoing Indian primetime historical drama Jhansi Ki Rani (JKR) in mid 2010,[2] and in early 2011 he also appeared in a guest role on the popular contemporary drama Dhoondh Legi Manzil Humein (DLMH).[6] In late 2010 O'Nell also returned to film with lead roles in the multilingual Urumi,[7][8] (in which he plays a double role), and the English language Vasco Da Gama,[7][8] (in which he plays a triple role) both simultaneously directed by acclaimed Indian director “Santosh Sivan”. Urumi and Vasco Da Gama are expected to release mid 2011 and Late 2011 respectively. In February 2011 O'Nell began work on Shirish Kunder’s Akshay Kumar and Sonakshi Sinha starrer Joker anticipated to complete in late 2011 and be released in 2012.[1]
Following a high-profile relationship with Indian actress Sweta Keswani, ONell and Keswani were married in October and November 2008 in four different ceremonies.[9]
ONell and Keswani lived together in Mumbai, India until their separation in mid 2011. [9]
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O'Nell began working at various jobs from an early age and continued to change his career frequently throughout his adult life including working in counseling marketing and modeling.[10] It was a marketing firm that sent him abroad and first introduced him to India, a second firm would extend his experience in India and expand it to South Africa, the Philippines and the UK.
After working in theater, and then briefly as a fashion / print model for brands like Hyundai and Lenovo, O'Nell’s onscreen career began with acting in advertisements.[4] His most notable campaigns included Panasonic Air Conditioners and Esys Computers as well as being the brand ambassador for Moulin Glaciere perfumes from 2006 to 2009.[4][10]
O'Nell performed on guitar and lead vocals extensively in the United States until 2005, and appeared on lead vocals and guitar with acclaimed Indian singer/songwriter Shibani Kashyap at the Hard Rock Cafe, Mumbai, India in September 2008.[11] He also appeared in Kashyap’s music video Alvida.[12] He is reported to have recorded with music directors The Meet Brothers,[13] however none of his original music has released and other musical performances have been rare.
O'Nell’s film career began with the English comedy Loins of Punjab Presents (2007) in which he played the minor but memorable role of a flabbergasted New Jersey hotel manager (Wesminton) [5] in the mist of a chaotic Indian American-Idol-like competition. Though Loins was his first film shot, his first cinematic release would be the dry Hindi comedy Cheeni Kum (2007) in which he appeared as a bumbling English waiter who takes the brunt of the boss’s (Amitabh Bacchan) ire.[14]
In the same year, O'Nell gained recognition as a contestant on the hugely popular Indian celebrity dance competition Nach Baliye (season 3) where he participated with his wife, Indian actor Sweta Keswani and enjoyed widespread praise for his effort, dancing and lipsynch,[14][15] The Times of India commenting "when Shweta Keswani and beau Alexx O'Nell perform on stage all eyes naturally are on Alexx".[16] He holds the distinction of being the first non-Indian participant seen in a significant capacity on Indian national primetime television.
Following Nach Baliye, O'Nell appeared in a cameo in the 2010 Hindi language feature Malik Ek, which, despite a cast of well known and well respected actors including Jackie Shroff (in the title role), Smriti Irani, Rajeshwari Sachdeva, Shakti Kapoor, and Divya Dutta, was almost unanimously regarded as a "miserable" film [17] with "shoddy script, bad direction, [and] poor camerawork".[18] Among the few positive mentions, critics commented about the supporting cast: "Alex O’Neil … and the rest lend fair support."[19]
O'Nell's first leading role in a big-budget production came in 2010 with the English/Tamil language 1940’s period drama Madrasapattinam in which he starred opposite Amy Jackson (Miss Teen World) and well-known south Indian actor Arya. His performance as a spurned lover and sadistic police commissioner in 1940’s colonial south India attracted praise from both critics and audiences alike.[20][21][22][23] Critics commented "Alex O’Neill as the menacing Robert Ellis provides the ample antagonism and evokes sympathy...".[24] Madrasapattinam became the 4th highest grossing and the 8th most profitable film in its industry in 2010.[25][26] Despite its critical acclaim and commercial success in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, Madrasapattinam did not fare well outside its region, (perhaps due to the lack of subtitling) despite releasing in Hindi speaking markets in India, and internationally in English speaking markets in Europe and the United States, and therefore did not in itself further O'Nell’s career outside south India. Madrasapattinam was re-released as "1947 - A Love Story" in Telugu in the south east of India in August 2011 to positive reviews from critics.
Following work on Madrasapattinam, O'Nell completed filming supporting roles in the yet to be released Hindi language features 'Jo Dooba So Paar and Chittagong,[4] both shot in 2009 & 2010 and slated for late 2011 release.[8] He also appeared with real-life wife Sweta Keswani as her husband in a cameo for friend-director Rohit Roy’s yet unreleased Chaar Mulakatein.[27]
Jo Dooba So Paar is a contemporary drama in which O'Nell plays an American who’s Italian girlfriend (Sita Spada) gets kidnapped in the Indian state of Bihar.[8] The film also stars notable Indian actors Vinay Pathak and Rajat Kapoor.[8]
Chittagong, a period drama based on historical events, deals with the East Indian Chittagong armoury raid of 1930. O'Nell plays Charles Johnson, the British Official in charge of law and order, who is pitted against a school teacher named Suriya Sen (played by indian actor Manoj Bajpai) and a group of students who go on to famously defeat the imperial force for the first time in the history of British India. Due to similar subject matter, Chittagong is being compared to the Abhishek Bachchan starrer Khele Hum Jee Jaan Sey[28] which received a lukewarm reception in 2011.[29][30] O'Nell has commented that Chittagong is a "grittier" depiction of the events.[8] Chittagong also stars notable India-based British actor and acting instructor Barry John.[8]
In mid 2010 O'Nell returned to television for the first time since Nach Baliye to star in the Zee TV Indian primetime historical drama Jhansi Ki Rani (JKR) wherein he played Robert Ellis, a British officer sympathetic to the plight of a revolutionary Indian queen in her struggle against the British colonial rule of the 1850s.[31] His character is loosely based on the real-life historical figure of the same name who’s relationship with the queen (Rani Lakshmibai) is the controversial subject of a historical fiction novel Rani – a work which has attracted protest and was subsequently banned in present day Jhansi.[32][33][34] O'Nell appears to have incorporated the author’s creative interpretation into his performance, commenting: “I’ll be portraying the role of a British officer named Ellis who has an affair with an Indian Queen (Jhansi Ki Rani).” [35]
In early 2011 O'Nell also appeared in a guest role on the popular Star One TV contemporary drama Dhoondh Legi Manzil Humein (DLMH) as Ralph, the jealous and borderline abusive boyfriend of the protagonist[6] – a role that showed him in stark contrast to his brooding yet loveable and heroic performance in JKR. DLMH was his first portrayal of a character with “negative shades”[6] on Indian national primetime television.
In early 2011, while continuing to shoot for JKR and DLMH, O'Nell completed filming for lead roles in the multilingual Urumi and the English language Vasco Da Gama, both simultaneously directed by acclaimed Indian director Santosh Sivan.[7]
O'Nell was approached for Urumi after being recommended to Santosh Sivan by multiple sources, including Madrasapattinam director A. L. Vijay as well as Italian Actor Sita Spada (with whom O'Nell acted in Jo Dooba So Paar).[7][8] After casting O'Nell for the character Estêvão da Gama, Sivan expanded the role, and later offered him the role of Vasco Da Gama as well.[3] Therefore, in Urumi, O'Nell plays both Vasco da Gama and Vasco’s son Estêvão da Gama. Sivan reportedly decided to shoot additional scenes and make a 90 minute English feature entitled Vasco da Gama, and offered O'Nell an additional character of a modern day traveler, and therefore he is expected to appear in three roles in the film Vasco da Gama.[36] Both films have as their subject matter the travels of the 15th century explorer Vasco Da Gama and the Indian warriors that set out to assassinate him, but the two have very different plot lines and perspective.[7] The two films are expected to release 2011. Urumi will release in Malylam, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and English languages mid year. And Vasco da Gama in English late in 2011. Speaking about working with Sivan, O'Nell commented in an interview that "Sivan is the Steven Spielberg of Indian cinema".[8]
2011 Marked a significant turning point for O'Nell’s career in terms of the volume of work, the significance of roles, and the array of languages in which they will release. Four films are expected to release, two in Hindi in supporting roles, one in multiple languages including Hindi and English in a leading role, and one in English in a leading role. A fifth (in Hindi) is in progress for 2012 release.
In February 2011 O'Nell began work on Shirish Kunder’s Akshay Kumar and Sonakshi Sinha starrer Joker, anticipated to complete in late 2011 and be released in December 2011 or early 2012.[1][37] O'Nell’s first comedy since Cheeni Kum, details of Joker are not yet available, except that it is slated to be the first Indian live action feature film to be shot in 3D[38] in which O'Nell and Kumar play “Rivals… pitted against each other”.[1]
The son of a Dutch Mother and Irish-American Father, ONell was born in the US state of Connecticut[1] and has one sister who was married in September 2007.[39]
O’Nell’s relationship with Indian actress Sweta Keswani, began in 2006[40] and saw the two compete successfully in the Indian Celebrity dance competition “Nach Baliye” Season 3 in 2007. Their relationship was not free of scandal. O'Nell was linked to India-based British actor Hazel Crowney in April 2008,[41] and an article alleges “Shweta's parents were dead against her marrying Alex who is an American. When Sweta made up her mind to marry him finally against her parents wishes – her parents parted ways with her.”[42] Nevertheless, their relationship and subsequent marriage was widely regarded as an ideal coming together of eastern and western cultures with significant attention paid to the pair.[39][43][44][45][46][47] O'Nell and Keswani were married in October and November 2008 in four different ceremonies including Court (Legal), Buddhist, Hindu, and Christian.[47] The Hindu wedding was a secret affair closed to the media and took place in Mumbai[48] The Christian wedding took place on a private beach in the Indian state of Goa.[49] Their honeymoon in Egypt was marred by the Mumbai Terror Attacks of 2008, and they returned shortly after.[50] Following their wedding O'Nell and Keswani appeared as a couple in the news, magazines (including the cover of India Today, Simply Mumbai, December 2007) and on various television programs including “Star Vivaah”, and "Ghar Ghar Mein".[42] They reportedly played a couple in yet to be released film “Chaar Mulakatein” directed by friend of the couple Rohit Roy.[27] O'Nell and Keswani lived together in Mumbai India until their separation in 2011.[9] Preferring to keep their relationship out of the public eye, the two initially issued a joint statement to the media,[51] but later both parties broke their silence.[52][53] Explaining why they were apprehensive to speak to the media O'Nell commented in an interview "People like drama and sensationalism, but unfortunately or fortunately, there's none here. Sweta and I are very close and there's no bad blood. I wish people understand that we wish well for each other.”[52] Keswani cited “different goals, desires and needs [as well as] professional commitments [that] kept us apart” as reason for the breakup.[53] The separation and subsequent relationship appears amicable, Keswani commenting: “Alexx … remains my close friend”[53] and O'Nell adding: "We've got no plans of cutting each other out of our lives".[52]
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Loins of Punjab Presents | Wesminton | |
| 2007 | Cheeni Kum | English Waiter | |
| 2009 | "Chaar Mulakatein" | Unknown | Not Released |
| 2010 | “Madrasapattinam” | Robert Ellis | |
| 2010 | Malik Ek | MacMillian | |
| 2011 | Urumi | Vasco da Gama, Estêvão da Gama | Completed |
| 2011 | Vasco Da Gama | The Traveler, Vasco da Gama, Estêvão da Gama | In Post Production |
| 2011 | Chittagong | Charles Johnson | In Post Production |
| 2011 | Jo Dooba So Paar | Mike | In Post Production |
| 2012 | Joker | Unknown | Filming |
| Year | Project | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Nach Baliye | Contestant | TV Celebrity Dance Competition; Jodi (Couple) #1, Competed along side then girlfriend Actor Sweta Keswani. Eliminated in the top 4 of 11 couples. |
| 2009 | Ghar Ghar Mein | Self, with wife Sweta Keswani | TV series, Zee TV (one episode: 23 February) |
| 2009 | Vivaah | Self, with wife Sweta Keswani | TV series, Star Plus (one episode: 5 June) |
| 2009–2010 | Jhansi Ki Rani (TV series) | Robert Ellis | TV series, Zee TV |
| 2010 | Dhoondh Legi Manzil Humein | Ralph | TV series, Star One |
]