Tim Robbins - Details

Biography

Tim RobbinsOne of the film industry's most versatile actors, writers and directors, TIM ROBBINS continues to challenge himself with each new project.

Most recently Robbins wrote, produced and directed Cradle Will Rock, which opened to critical praise including an award for Special Achievement in Filmmaking from the National Board of Review and the Best Film and Best Director Awards from the 2000 Sitges Film Festival. The film, which debuted to standing ovations at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival, chronicles the real-life drama behind the Orson Welles production of Mark Blitzstein's 1930's musical. The ensemble cast includes Hank Azaria, Ruben Blades, John Cusack, Joan Cusack, Cary Elwes, Phillip Baker Hall, Cherry Jones, Angus MacFayden, Bill Murray, Vanessa Redgrave, Susan Sarandon, John Turturro and Emily Watson.

As a filmmaker, Robbins directed, produced and wrote the screenplay to the highly acclaimed film, Dead Man Walking. Adapted from the book by Sister Helen Prejean, Robbins received an Academy Award® nomination for Best Director along with four awards at the Berlin Film Festival, the Christopher Award and two Humanitas Awards. The film also earned a nomination for Best Actor for Sean Penn, as well as the Academy Award® for Best Actress for Susan Sarandon. This followed his directing and screenwriting debut for the award-winning political satire, Bob Roberts. Robbins, who also starred and co-wrote the songs, was lauded for his work on the "mockumentary" about a dubious right-wing candidate's race for the Senate. Bob Roberts was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and won

three awards including Best Film at the Boston Film Festival. Robbins also executive produced The Typewriter, The Rifle and the Movie Camera, a documentary about filmmaker Sam Fuller, which won the 1996 Cable ACE Award for Best Documentary.

As an actor, Robbins received critical acclaim for his portrayal

of the amoral studio chief in Robert Altman's The Player, a performance that earned him the Best Actor Award at the Cannes Film Festival and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy. His starring performance in Bob Roberts also earned him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor.

Other recent acting performances include Mark Pellington's Arlington Road with Jeff Bridges and Joan Cusack, Nothing To Lose with Martin Lawrence, and Frank Darabont's Oscar®-nominated The Shawshank Redemption with Morgan Freeman. Among Robbins' other notable performances are Robert Altman's Short Cuts and Pret-A-Porter opposite Julia Roberts, Tony Bill's Five Corners with Jodie Foster and John Turturro, the Coen Brothers' The Hudsucker Proxy opposite Jennifer Jason Leigh, Adrian Lyne's Jacob's Ladder, Ron Shelton's Bull Durham with Susan Sarandon and Kevin Costner and Brian DePalma's Mission To Mars, co-starring Gary Sinise and Don Cheadle. Robbins will next be seen in Human Nature.

In 1981, Robbins co-founded the Actor's Gang, the highly-acclaimed and respected Los Angeles theatre ensemble dedicated to the production of wild, original and provocative theatre. The Actor's Gang has received numerous Dramalogue, L.A. Weekly and Ovation Awards, and in 1988, received the prestigious Margaret Hartford Award for "continued excellence." Robbins himself was honored with the LA Weekly Award for his direction of the gang's debut production, a midnight performance of Ubu Roi, and earned a nomination for "Best Director" from the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle for the group's production of Brecht's The Good Woman of Setzuan. As producer, Robbins is responsible for production with the Actor's Gang and still serves as Founding Artistic Director with the group.

In October 2000 the Bob Roberts DVD is hitting stores - just in time for the presidential elections.

Events

  • 16th October 1958 - Birth