John C. Reilly

John C. Reilly

Reilly in June 2009
Born John Christopher Reilly
May 24, 1965 (1965-05-24) (age 45)
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Occupation Actor
Years active 1989–present
Spouse Alison Dickey (1992-present)

John Christopher Reilly (born May 24, 1965) is an American film and theatre actor. Debuting in Casualties of War in 1989, he is one of several actors whose careers were launched by Brian De Palma. To date, he has appeared in more than fifty film productions, including three separate films in 2002, each of which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Chicago and a Grammy Award for the song "Walk Hard", which he wrote and performed in Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.

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Early life

Reilly was born and raised in Chicago, the fifth of six children of an Irish American father and a Lithuanian American mother.[1][2] He was raised Catholic and attended Brother Rice High School, a Catholic school.[3][4] Reilly graduated from DePaul University in Chicago. While discussing life in Chicago on the set of the film Step Brothers, Reilly and co-star Richard Jenkins realized that when Reilly was four years old, the two had met when Jenkins worked for Reilly's father.[5][6]

Film career

Reilly in February 2007

Reilly made his film debut in the Brian De Palma film Casualties of War (1989) as P.F.C. Herbert Hatcher.[7] Although the role of Hatcher was written as a small one, De Palma liked Reilly's performance so much that the role was significantly expanded. Also notable in his film work throughout the 1990s was his supporting role alongside Mark Wahlberg in Paul Thomas Anderson's 1997 film Boogie Nights, in which he played the pornographic film star Reed Rothchild.

His profile as a film actor was significantly raised in 2002 when he appeared in three of the year's Academy Award for Best Picture nominees – Chicago, Gangs of New York and The Hours. The three movies were nominated for a total of thirty-two Oscars, including one for Best Supporting Actor for Reilly's performance as Renée Zellweger's trusting husband in Chicago. Ultimately, Gangs of New York won none, Chicago won six, and The Hours won one.

Reilly appeared in Martin Scorsese's 2004 Howard Hughes biopic, The Aviator, as Hughes' (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) trusted business partner, Noah Dietrich. Of the role Reilly said, “Noah was almost a father figure to Hughes... Howard would have a scheme, and it was Noah who had to say, ‘We don’t have the money.’ He was one of his few friends.”[8] He appeared in Adam McKay's Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby in 2006, as Cal Naughton, Jr., the title character's best friend, alongside Will Ferrell. He also starred alongside Woody Harrelson, Meryl Streep, and Lindsay Lohan among others in the Robert Altman film A Prairie Home Companion. In 2007, Reilly starred as the title character in parody bio-pic Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, singing various songs parodying Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, and others. The next year, Reilly reunited with Ferrell to star in Step Brothers.

In 2008 he was among the many notable actors to perform in the online political musical, Proposition 8 - The Musical.

Reilly has recently stated that he would be very determined to play the lead role of Nathan Detroit if a revival of the musical Guys and Dolls were to occur.[9]

Music

Reilly performed on two tracks of the 2006 compilation Rogue's Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs, and Chanteys: “Fathom the Bowl” and “My Son John”.[10]

In 2007, Reilly starred in the biopic parody Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story. In addition to his acting role, he also performed as a vocalist and songwriter on the movie's soundtrack, for which he was nominated for a Grammy.[11] Reilly went on a concert performance tour in the US, performing as his character Dewey Cox in the Cox Across America 2007 Tour.[12]

Television

Reilly provided the voice of himself in The Simpsons episode “Any Given Sundance”. He also frequently appeared on Tim & Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! as Dr. Steve Brule spawning a spinoff series, Check It Out! with Dr. Steve Brule Also in 1999 John appeared in an episode of HBO series "Tenacious D"; "Death of a Dream", as Sasquatch, a role which he reprised in the 2006 film "Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny".

Filmography

Year Film Role Notes
1989 Casualties of War PFC. Herbert Hatcher
We're No Angels Young Monk
1990 Days of Thunder Buck Bretherton
State of Grace Stevie McGuire
1992 Shadows and Fog Cop at Police Station
Out on a Limb Jim Jr.
Hoffa Pete Connelly
1993 What's Eating Gilbert Grape Tucker Van Dyke
1994 The River Wild Terry
1995 Dolores Claiborne Const. Frank Stamshaw
Georgia Herman
1996 Hard Eight John Finnegan
Boys Officer Kellogg Curry
1997 Nightwatch Deputy Inspector Bill Davis uncredited
Boogie Nights Reed Rothchild Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Cast
Nominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
1998 Hellcab Steve
The Thin Red Line Sergeant Storm
1999 The Settlement Pat
Never Been Kissed Augustus Strauss
For Love of the Game Gus Sinski
Magnolia Jim Kurring Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Cast
Nominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
2000 The Perfect Storm Dale 'Murph' Murphy
2001 The Anniversary Party Mac Forsyth Nominated — Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male
2002 The Good Girl Phil Last Nominated — Chlotrudis Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated — Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male
Nominated — Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture
Gangs of New York Happy Jack Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor also for The Hours and Chicago
Chicago Amos Hart Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Cast
Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor also for The Hours and Gangs of New York
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Nominated — Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture
Nominated — Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast
The Hours Dan Brown Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor also for Gangs of New York and Chicago
Nominated — Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast
Nominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
2003 Anger Management older monk Arnie Shankman
Piggie
2004 The Aviator Noah Dietrich Nominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Criminal Richard Gaddis
2005 Are You the Favorite Person of Anybody?
Dark Water Mr. Murray
2006 A Prairie Home Companion Lefty Nominated — Gotham Award for Best Ensemble Cast
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby Cal Naughton, Jr.
Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny Sasquatch
2007 Year of the Dog Al
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story Dewford "Dewey" Cox Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Best Song
Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song
Nominated — Grammy Award for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
2007– present Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! Dr. Steven Brule TV series
2008 The Promotion Richard Wehlner
Step Brothers Dale Doback
2009 9 5 voice only
Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant Larten Crepsley
Check It Out!, With Steve Brule Dr. Steve Brule TV series
2010 The Extra Man Gershon
Cyrus John
2011 Cedar Rapids Dean Ziegler
We Need to Talk About Kevin Franklin

References

External links