Michael Budd

Michael Budd

Michael Budd at The Production Show Earls Court London
Born Paddington, Sydney, Australia
Occupation Actor
Years active 1995–present
Children Harris Alister Budd (2014)

Michael Hamish Budd (born 2 July 1974) is an award winning [1] Australian film Actor, Director and Producer. Best known for playing Esmael, alongside Henry Cavill (Man of Steel) and Sigourney Weaver in The Cold Light of Day [2] The film also starred Bruce Willis.

Michael Budd is the first Australian born of African American descent to direct and produce a feature film in Australia.

In 2012/13 he directed and produced "Love of my Life" a Horror/ Thriller which he also stars in alongside Peter O'Brien and Diarmid Heidenreich [3] On the 9th of November it premiered at the 2013 second annual Mt. Hood Independent Film Festival in the state of Oregon U.S.A..[4] The film went on to win Best Horror/Thriller at the festival.[5]

The film has also been set for an April 29, 2014 Video on Demand release with Gravitas Ventures.[6]

His second feature, Life of the Party, is currently in pre-production.[7]

Life

Budd was born in Paddington, Sydney, New South Wales. His mother is an Australian of French descent, his father is African-American, and he has a sister. Michael's cousin is Shawn Budd, Australian professional Snooker player and 4 times Australian Open Snooker Champion.[8] On January 30th, 2014, Michael had his first child, a son named Harris Alister Budd, with long time partner and fashion designer, Allison Berger.[9]

Career

In 1995, Michael Budd was a resident supporting artist in Australian TV program Heartbreak High. Budd's initial break in Hollywood came in 2001 when the Wachowski brothers selected him as a body double and stand in for Laurence Fishburne in The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions. After 200 shoot days the directors cast him in his own role as Zion Controller.[10] In 2008 Budd starred a in a music video for roll deep called Moving in Circles which featured Goldie. Budd studied Acting and Staging in London where he was mentored under a second generation Meisner tutor (Scott Williams)[11] and the teachings of William Ball. After nearly three years with the conservatory, he graduated from the Meisner technique with the Impulse Company in 2010 he then went on to play on stage in works of Chekhov and Shakespeare and Mamet plays, in particular playing othello a shortened version of othello in the Tristan Bate Theatre in Londons in the presitgous West End.

In 2011 Mabrouk El Mechri cast Budd as Esmael in The Cold Light of Day (film) set & shot completely in Spain. He played a Mossad agent, with dialogue in both Hebrew language and English.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.www.hoodrivernews.com/news/2013/nov/13/mt-hood-independent-film-festival-draws-1100-visit/
  2. ↑ Gant, Charles (8 April 2012). "The Cold Light of Day". Variety Reviews. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
  3. ↑ http://www.filmink.com.au/features/enduring-love/
  4. ↑ http://www.hoodrivernews.com/news/2013/oct/30/mt-hood-film-festival-returns-nov-8-10/
  5. ↑ http://www.columbiaarts.org/more-arts/2013/11/Film%20Festival/FilmFestivalSchedule2013.html//
  6. ↑ http://www.imdb.com/company/co0220024/?ref_=fn_al_co_1//
  7. ↑ Soldani, Bianca (2 May 2012). "Budding Aussie talent making a splash in Hollywood". Australian Times. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
  8. ↑ Barrie Jones (8 April 2012). "Australian Billiards & Snooker Council". Australian Billiards & Snooker Councils. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
  9. ↑ Zamiatin, Lara (29 May 2008). "Big Plans Little Details" (PDF). Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 7 Feb 2014.
  10. ↑ "Michael Budd". NY Times. 2010. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
  11. ↑ Dave Matthews (October 4, 2009). "The Meisner Technique (or Sandy who?)". Drama Student. Retrieved 18 May 2012.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Michael Budd.