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Laura Linney Biography

Posted by Vogt
at May 9, 2008

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This attractive blonde daughter of playwright Romulus Linney didn’t initially set out to be an actress but by her teens had settled on her chosen profession. After working in summer stock and training at Juilliard, Laura Linney began her big screen career with a small role as a young teacher in “Lorenzo’s Oil” (1992). She made an impression as the secretary sleeping with the president in the Ivan Reitman-directed “Dave” (1993). Linney went on to co-star with Steve Martin in “A Simple Twist of Fate” (1994), modernized spin on “Silas Marner” and then landed her first starring roles as the naive transplant to San Francisco Mary Ann Singleton in the PBS adaptation of “Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City” (1994) and as a member of an expedition into the jungles of South America in the critically derided but financially successful “Congo” (1995).

Linney’s ascendancy continued when she nabbed the co-starring role as the former lover now courtroom adversary of Richard Gere in “Primal Fear” and was solidified when Clint Eastwood tapped her to portray his daughter in the political thriller “Absolute Power” (1997). In between her film work, the actress squeezed in Broadway appearances in a revival of “Holiday” (in 1995) and co-starred opposite Jane Alexander in “Honour” (in 1998). Linney also reprised her signature role of Mary Ann Singleton in the Showtime sequel “Armistead Maupin’s More Tales of the City” in 1998.

Perhaps her highest profile role to date came when she was tipped to portray Meryl, the wife of Jim Carrey’s Truman Burbank in the satirical “The Truman Show” (1998). Under Peter Weir’s solid direction, Linney essayed the role of an actress playing the wife of a man whose life is broadcast on TV. Her multi-layered performance as the increasingly unhappy Meryl chafing under her duty to be loyal wife and commercial pitchwoman worked in counterpoint to Carrey’s fine work as the questioning Truman.

With the Sundance hit “You Can Count on Me” (2000), Linney proved her capabilities, turning in a richly nuanced turn as a woman coping with a demanding new boss (Matthew Broderick), raising her six-year old son (Rory Culkin) and the return of her prodigal brother (Mark Ruffalo). The actress’ utterly convincing portrayal never struck a false note and she received an Academy Award nomination as Best Actress for her efforts, as well as several awards wins and nominations from key critics organizations. Such mainstream accolades did not induce Linney to sell out, however: A return to Broadway in “Uncle Vanya” opposite Derek Jacobi followed before she undertook the part of a lusty campaign manager in the TNT original “Running Mates” (2000). Keeping her indie credibility high, Linney then segued to early 20th-century Manhattan as the bitchy society matron Bertha Dorset in the exquisite adaptation of “The House of Mirth” (also 2000).

She kicked off 2001 reprising Mary Ann Singleton in “Armistead Maupin’s Further Tales of the City” (Showtime), brought life and humanity to actor-turned-director Rob Morrow’s sensitive Tourette’s Syndrome indie “Maze” (2001) and then co-starred with Gena Rowlands in “Wild Iris” (2002), a Showtime drama about an estranged mother and daughter forced by circumstances to share a home. The latter featured an agonizingly emotional performance that earned Linney an Emmy nomination as Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie. She also made an appearance in the HBO biopic “The Laramie Project” (2002), which chronicled events in Laramie, Wyoming, following the tragic hate-killing of gay teen Matthew Shepard. Her more commercial-minded efforts such as 2002’s dreary thriller “The Mothman Prophecies,” in which she played a cop who becomes involved with a man (Richard Gere’s) search for the legendary local monster that may have caused his wife’s death. Although she shared some nice scenes with Gere, Linney’s performance was unable to overcome the murky script. Her strong work in 2003′ “The Life of David Gale,” playing a woman involved with a death penalty opponent who suffers a mysterious end, was similarly overwhelmed by the film’s increasingly ludicrous plot twists and overwrought anti-death penalty message.

Linney reunited with Eastwood when she appeared in the director’s highly praised revenge opus “Mystic River” (2003), playing Sean Penn’s strong-willed second wife, and she was the only American in writer-director Richard Curtis’ large ensemble in the multistory romantic comedy “Love Actually” (2003), playing a woman who finally acts on her long-term crush on a co-coworker. In 2004 Linney scored an Emmy for her recurring guest performance as Dr. Frasier Crane’s professional matchmaker and love interest on the final season of the hit sit-com “Frasier,” while on the big screen she starred opposite Liam Neeson in the role of sex researcher Alfred Kinsey’s wife Clara in writer-director Bill Condon’s praised biopic “Kinsey” (2004). Her performance earned Linney Best Supporting Actress nominations for the SAG Awards, Golden Globes and Academy Awards. The actress’ next turn was as a lawyer who takes on a negligent homicide case involving a priest (Tom Wilkinson) who performed an exorcism on a young girl that resulted in her death in fact-based, character-driven thriller “The Exorcism of Emily Rose” (2005). That same year she appeared in writer-director Noah Baumbach’s admired “The Squid and the Whale” as the estranged wife of a failed writer (Jeff Daniels) who achieves literary success herself and engages in a painful back-and-forth with her ex built on their mutal affairs and attempts to raise their young sons.

Linney next shot two films simultaneously: Barry Levinson’s “Man of the Year” (lensed 2005), about a late night talk shot host (Robin Williams) who runs for president as a stunt and actually ends up winning, and “Breach” (lensed), a thriller which tells the story of FBI traitor Robert Hanssen.

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Jenny Agutter Biography

Posted by Vogt
at May 9, 2008

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Jenny Ann Agutter was born on 20th December 1952 in Taunton, Somerset, England, UK. She was the daughter of a British Army Officer and spent her childhood travelling and living in many different countries. Her film career began in 1964 at the age of 12 in East of Sudan and was quickly followed by Ballerina in 1965 and A Man Could Get Killed in 1966. Other films and television appearances in her early career include Gates to Paradise and Long After Summer (1967); Star! (1968); I Start Counting (1969); The Great Inimitable Mr Dickens and The Wild Duck (1970).

In 1970 she appeared in what was probably her real big break as a child star - The Railway Children - playing the part of Bobbie. In 1971 Jenny went to Hollywood where she made many more films and television appearances. These include (1971) The Cherry Orchard; Walkabout and The Snow Goose with Richard Harris for which she received an Emmy Award, (1972) A War of Children and Shelley.

In 1976 another big break came when she starred in the science fiction film Logan’s Run in which she played Jessica alongside Michael York. In 1976 she also starred alongside Richard Chamberlain in the television production of The Man In The Iron Mask and The Eagle Has Landed with Michael Caine and Donald Sutherland. In 1977 she play Jill Mason in Peter Shaffer’s Equus with Richard Burton. Other films and TV appearances during the 70s included Dominique; School Play; The Riddle of the Sands and Mayflower: The Pilgrim’s Adventure.

In 1981 Jenny played Desdemona opposite William Marshall in Othello. Other Shakespeare performances include King Lear; Love’s Labour Lost as Rosaline for the BBC and Romeo and Juliet as Lady Capulet in 1994. During the 80s Jenny continued to make numerous films and television series including Sweet William and the TV mini series “Beulah Land” (1980); The Survivor; Amy and An American Werewolf in London (1981); This Office Life and Secret Places (1984); Silas Marner: The Weaver of Raveloe (1985); Dark Tower (1987); Miss Right (1988) and King of the Wind (1989).

In the 90s Jenny has concentrated mainly on television with roles in TECX; Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less; The All New Alexei Sayle Show; The Buccaneers with Sean Pertwee, Ewan McGregor and Catherine Zeta-Jones; And the Beat Goes On; September with Edward Fox, Michael York, Virginia McKenna and Jacqueline Bisset; A Respectable Trade with Warren Clarke, Anna Massey and Richard Briers. Films during this period included Child’s Play 2; Darkman with Liam Neeson; and Blue Juice. Jenny’s most recent television appearance was in 1998 as Mrs Bruce in two feature length episodes of the popular ITV series Bramwell in which she appeared with Jemma Redgrave. She has also made several guest appearances in TV shows The Red Dwarf; Boon; The Equalizer with Edward Woodward; The Twilight Zone; Magnum P.I. and The Six Million Dollar Man.

Jenny has been married to Johan Tham since the late 1980s. They have one son Jonathan, born in 1990, and live in Cornwall, England, UK. Her particular love is charity work for The Diabetic Association and NCH Action for Children - a charity which provides home and other help for homeless children - a charity she has been involved with for 5 years.

Celebrity Biography