Adam Driver

Adam Driver

Born Adam Douglas Driver
November 19, 1983
San Diego, California, U.S.
Alma mater Juilliard School
Occupation Actor
Years active 2009–present
Spouse(s) Joanne Tucker (m. 2013)

Adam Douglas Driver (born November 19, 1983)[1][2][3] is an American actor of stage, screen and television. He began his career by appearing in several short films, television shows and television films. He made his feature film debut as Walter Lyle in J. Edgar (2011). He also had key roles as Samuel Beckwith in Steven Spielberg's Lincoln (2012), lothario Lev Shapiro in Frances Ha (2012) and as musician Al Cody in the Coen Brothers' film Inside Llewyn Davis (2013). He played aspiring filmmaker Jaime in While We're Young (2014) and won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the 71st Venice International Film Festival for his role as Jude, a despairing father, in Hungry Hearts (2014). Driver has also performed as a theatre actor in several Broadway and Off-Broadway productions.

Driver is mostly known for his current supporting role in the HBO comedy-drama series Girls. For his role as the emotionally incontinent actor Adam Sackler, Driver has received two nominations for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.

Driver will appear in the highly anticipated film Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015).

Early life

Driver was born in San Diego, California, and moved to the town of Mishawaka, Indiana, where he was raised, when he was seven years old.[4] His parents are Nancy (Needham) Wright, a paralegal, and Joe Douglas Driver.[5][6][7] His father's family is from Arkansas and his mother's family is from Indiana. His stepfather is a Baptist minister; his stepmother works for the Arkansas State Library in Little Rock. Driver had a religious upbringing, and sang in choir at church.[8][9] He attended Mishawaka High School, where he graduated in 2001. He appeared in several high school plays and was an accomplished singer in the school's choir.[2]

Shortly after the September 11 attacks, Driver joined the United States Marine Corps.[10] He served for two years and eight months before suffering an injury while mountain biking, and was medically discharged before he could deploy to Iraq.[11] After leaving the Marines, he attended the University of Indianapolis for a year before transferring to the Juilliard School to study drama. He was a member of the Drama Division's Group 38 (2005-2009), along with his future wife Joanne Tucker, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 2009.[12]

Career

Following his graduation from Juilliard in 2009, Driver began acting in New York City, appearing in both Broadway and off-Broadway productions, while occasionally working as a busboy and waiter.[13] Along with appearing in the television film You Don't Know Jack: The Jack Soo Story (2009), he also appeared in several television shows and short films. He made his feature film debut in Clint Eastwood's J. Edgar (2011).

In 2012, Driver was cast in the current HBO hit comedy-drama series Girls, as the lead character's emotionally unstable boyfriend Adam Sackler. To date, he has received two nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his role. Apart from appearing in the short film Not Waving But Drowning and the film Gayby, Driver had key roles in two critically acclaimed films of 2012. He played Samuel Beckwith in Steven Spielberg's Lincoln and played Lev Shapiro in Noah Baumbach's Frances Ha.

Driver appeared in four films in 2013; Bluebird, The F Word, Inside Llewyn Davis as musician Al Cody in the Coen Brothers's film and as photographer Rick Smolan in Tracks.

In 2014, he played despairing father Jude in the Italian film Hungry Hearts, Philip Altman in This Is Where I Leave You, and aspiring filmmaker Jaime in While We're Young. For his role in Hungry Hearts, won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the 71st Venice International Film Festival.[14]

Upcoming films

Driver will star in the Jeff Nichols-directed film Midnight Special.[15] Warner Bros has set the film for November 25, 2015 release.[16]

In late February 2014, Variety reported that Driver would play a villain in the 2015 film Star Wars: The Force Awakens.[17] On April 29, 2014, he was confirmed as a cast member.[18] The Force Awakens will be released on December 18, 2015.[19]

Driver will also star Martin Scorsese's film, Silence.[20] It has an anticipated release date in 2016.[21]

Personal life

Driver and wife Joanne Tucker, September 2014

Driver married his longtime girlfriend, Joanne Tucker, on June 22, 2013.[22] He runs a non-profit organization, Arts in the Armed Forces, which stages performances for military personnel.[13] He considers John Cassavetes to be the model for the type of creative life he would like to emulate.[13]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2009 You Don't Know Jack: The Jack Soo Story Glen Stetson
2011 J. Edgar Walter Lyle
2012 Gayby Neil
2012 Not Waving But Drowning Adam
2012 Lincoln Samuel Beckwith
2012 Frances Ha Lev Shapiro
2013 Bluebird Walter
2013 Inside Llewyn Davis Al Cody
2013 Tracks Rick Smolan
2014 The F Word Allan
2014 Hungry Hearts Jude Volpi Cup for Best Actor
2014 This Is Where I Leave You Phillip Altman
2015 While We're Young Jamie
2015 Midnight Special Post-production
2015 Star Wars: The Force Awakens TBA Post-production
2016 Silence Father Francisco Garrpe Filming

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2009 The Wonderful Maladys Zed Pilot
2009 The Unusuals Will Slansky Episode: "The E.I.D."
2010 Law & Order Robby Vickery Episode: "Brilliant Disguise"
2012–present Girls Adam Sackler Nominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (2013–2014)

Stage

Year Title Role Notes
2009 The Retributionists Dov Kaplinsky Playwrights Horizons
2010 Mrs. Warren's Profession Frank Gardner Roundabout Revival
2010 Angels in America Louis Ironson Signature Theatre Company
2011 Man and Boy Basil Anthony Roundabout Revival
2012 Look Back In Anger Cliff Roundabout Theatre Company

References

  1. ↑ The Retributionists (2009-09-03). "Former Marine Adam Driver Enlists in Off-B'way's The Retributionists | Broadway Buzz". Broadway.com. Retrieved 2014-01-22.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Adam Driver, Boy Among Girls - Page". Interview Magazine. Retrieved 2014-01-22.
  3. ↑ California Births, 1905 - 1995, Adam Driver
  4. ↑ Kennedy, Mark (14 October 2011). "In the driver's seat: Adam Driver's hot career". Reading Eagle. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
  5. ↑ http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/blog/adam-driver-coming-to-a-theater-near-you/
  6. ↑ Grigoriadis, Vanessa. "Adam Driver on Playing Lena Dunham’s Boyfriend". Vulture. Retrieved 2014-01-22.
  7. ↑ "Exploring possibilitiesMishawaka grad takes challenging path on course to Broadway - South Bend Tribune". Articles.southbendtribune.com. 2007-12-28. Retrieved 2014-01-22.
  8. ↑ "Mr. Driver’s Profession - TDF Stages". Wp.tdf.org. Retrieved 2014-01-22.
  9. ↑ Stern, Marlow (2013-05-15). "Adam Driver on ‘Frances Ha,’ His ‘Girls’ Audition, and Juilliard - Newsweek". Mag.newsweek.com. Retrieved 2014-01-22.
  10. ↑ "Famous Veteran: Adam Driver". http://www.military.com''. Military.com. Retrieved 4 July 2014.
  11. ↑ Nathan, Sara (28 February 2014). "Girls' Adam Driver when he signed up to U.S. Marine Corps". Daily Mail. Retrieved 4 July 2014.
  12. ↑ "Adam Driver". The Juillard School. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Ryzik, Melena (13 January 2013). "And in this Corner, the Boys of 'Girls'". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 January 2013.
  14. ↑ "Roy Andersson film scoops Venice Golden Lion award". BBC News. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
  15. ↑ Sneider, Jeff. "Adam Driver Joins Joel Edgerton, Kirsten Dunst in WB’s Sci-Fi Drama ‘Midnight Special’ (Exclusive)". The Wrap. TheWrap.com. Retrieved February 27, 2014.
  16. ↑ "Warner Bros Pushes Ben Affleck’s ‘Live By Night’, Dates ‘Midnight Special’ & 3 Others". deadline.com. 6 May 2014. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
  17. ↑ Kroll, Justin (February 26, 2014). "‘Star Wars’: Adam Driver to Play the Villain (EXCLUSIVE)". variety.com. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
  18. ↑ "Star Wars: Episode VII Cast Announced". StarWars.com. April 29, 2014.
  19. ↑ Breznican, Anthony (November 7, 2013). "'Star Wars: Episode VII': Release set for December 18, 2015". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved November 7, 2013.
  20. ↑ Friedman, Roger. "Exclusive: Scorsese Adding Adam Driver to Next Film "Silence"". Showbiz 411. Showbiz411.com. Retrieved February 27, 2014.
  21. ↑ http://variety.com/2015/film/news/martin-scorsese-locks-funding-for-silence-1201412246/
  22. ↑ Takeda, Allison (June 24, 2013). "Adam Driver Married: Girls Actor Weds Joanne Tucker". Us Weekly. Retrieved June 24, 2013.

External links

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