JASON ISAACS
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'Jason Isaacs' (born 6 June 1963) is a British actor. Raised in Liverpool and later in London, he fell accidentally into acting during his first year at university, and went on to study at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London. Initially known as a TV actor in the UK, his biggest international film break was being selected to portray the villain, Colonel William Tavington, opposite Mel Gibson in the Revolutionary War epic ''The Patriot'' (2000). Other notable roles include Lucius Malfoy in the ''Harry Potter'' (2002 – present) series of films, Captain Hook/Mr. Darling in P. J. Hogan's adaptation of ''Peter Pan'' (2003), and Michael Caffee in the TV series ''Brotherhood'' (2006 – present).
Isaacs has performed on the stage in the UK on numerous occasions. He appeared in the Royal National Theatre's 1993 staging of Tony Kushner's Pulitzer Prize-winning play ''Angels in America'' as Louis Ironson, and more recently in Harold Pinter's play ''The Dumb Waiter'' in 2007 as Ben.
Biography
Early life and education
Isaacs was born on 6 June 1963 in Liverpool, Merseyside, in England[1] and grew up in Liverpool in an "insular" and "closely-knit" Jewish community, of which his Eastern European great-grandparents were founder-members.[2] The third of four brothers,[3] Isaacs attended a Jewish school and a ''cheder'' twice a week.[4] He showed no early interest in performance at all. At the age of 11 his family moved to London. Isaacs has a theory that his entire childhood was a preparation for the relatively unpleasant characters who have come his way. "There is a streak of cruelty in me that comes from having a quite competitive background. There were four boys in the house and we were often pretty unkind to each other. Also, it wasn't a great thing to be a Jewish teenager when the National Front were passing leaflets around the school and attacking us where we gathered at the weekends."[5] He attended the Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School[6] and continually failed to get into the school play. He did, however, eventually manage to appear in a performance of ''God : A Comedy in One Act'', a play by Woody Allen.
Isaacs had initially planned on a career in law, following his more traditionally-inclined brothers who became a doctor, lawyer, and accountant. He therefore started reading law at Bristol University in 1982. Feeling uneasy among peers "who all sounded like Hugh Grant", he fell rather accidentally into acting in the first year of his law studies, stumbling drunkenly into an audition for a part with "Northern accent required". Cast in a play entitled ''Idle Hands'', he ended up dancing naked, covered in chicken's blood – the first of many uncomfortable evenings in the theatre for his parents (in his second, ''The Glory of Love'', he was castrated with a cheese-wire). Although he first became interested in acting in part because "it was a great way to meet girls", Jason soon found an addiction to and a deeper meaning in the theatre (in one interview he was quoted as saying "I could release myself into acting in a way that I was not released socially"). He finished his degree[7] while running Bristol's extra-curricular drama society, acting in or directing 30 or so plays, spending three summers at the Edinburgh Festival, two Easters at the National Student Drama Festival and a Christmas run at The King's Head Theatre in Islington. From 1985 he studied for a further three years at London's Central School of Speech and Drama, graduating in 1988 with an agent, a day's work on ''The Tall Guy'' (1989) and a girlfriend, Emma Hewitt, who was to become his partner.
Career
After completing his training, Isaacs almost immediately began appearing on the stage and on television.
Isaacs was initially known as a TV actor in the UK, having starring roles in the ITV drama ''Capital City'' (1989) and the BBC drama ''Civvies'' (1992), and guest roles in series such as ''Taggart'' and ''Inspector Morse'' in 1992. He made his big-screen debut in 1989 with a minor turn as a doctor in Mel Smith's ''The Tall Guy''. Jason exhibited his versatility in several more TV series and on-stage in such productions as the Royal National Theatre's 1993 staging of Tony Kushner's Pulitzer Prize-winning ''Angels in America''.[8] He also began to find more work onscreen, receiving his first nod of Hollywood recognition in his casting in the Bruce Willis blockbuster ''Armageddon'' (1998). Initially called upon to take a fairly substantial role, Jason was eventually cast in a much smaller capacity as a planet-saving scientist so that he could accommodate his commitment to ''Divorcing Jack'' (1998), a comedy thriller he was making with fellow Harry Potter alumnus David Thewlis. After portraying a priest opposite Julianne Moore and Ralph Fiennes in Neil Jordan's acclaimed adaptation of Graham Greene's ''The End of the Affair'' (1999), Jason got his biggest international break to date when he was picked to portray the villain, Colonel William Tavington, in Roland Emmerich's Revolutionary War epic ''The Patriot'' (2000). Starring opposite Mel Gibson, who played the film's hero, Jason made a memorable impression as a fictional sadistic British army officer. Although his work in the film earned him comparisons to Ralph Fiennes' portrayal of evil Nazi Amon Göth in ''Schindler's List'' (1993) and talks of a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination, Isaacs was not content to be typecast playing historical villains. Thus, he signed on to play none other than a drag queen for his next project, ''Sweet November'' (2001), a romantic comedy-drama starring Charlize Theron and Keanu Reeves.
Isaacs as Lucius Malfoy, in ''Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix''
Isaacs has appeared in many other films, including ''Dragonheart'' (1996), ''Event Horizon'' (1997) and ''Black Hawk Down'' (2001). Notable roles include Lucius Malfoy in the ''Harry Potter'' (2002 – present) series of films, as well as Captain Hook/Mr. Darling in P. J. Hogan's adaptation of ''Peter Pan'' (2003). Isaacs has also appeared in three episodes of ''The West Wing'' in 2004, and stars in the Showtime series ''Brotherhood'' (2006 – present). Jason was also recently seen in the UK mini-series ''The State Within'' (2006) on BBC One and BBC America.
Between 2 February and 24 March 2007, Isaacs appeared on stage at Trafalgar Studios in London as Ben in Harold Pinter's ''The Dumb Waiter'', his first theatre job in six years.
In a 26 November 2006 article published in the ''San Francisco Chronicle'', Isaacs was voted by the author as one of the 13 "Sexiest Men Who Are Real and Alive", while Lucius Malfoy, the character he portrayed in the Harry Potter films, was named as one of the 12 "Sexiest Men Who Were Never Alive".[9]
Despite his frequent appearances on the big screen, TV and stage, Isaac calls himself an "invisible star" who can still travel by the London Underground to film premières unrecognized: "They just think, who's that
★
★
★
Selected work
Film
| Year(s) of appearance | Film | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | ''The Tall Guy'' | Doctor #2 |
| 1994 | ''Shopping'' | Market Trader |
| 1995 | ''Solitaire For Two'' | Harry |
| 1996 | ''Dragonheart'' | Lord Felton |
| 1997 | ''Event Horizon'' | D.J. |
| 1998 | ''Armageddon'' | Dr. Ronald Quincy, Research |
| 1998 | ''Divorcing Jack'' | Cow Pat Keegan |
| 1998 | ''Soldier'' | Mekum |
| 1999 | ''The End of the Affair'' | Father Richard Smythe |
| 2000 | ''The Patriot'' | British Colonel William Tavington |
| 2001 | ''Sweet November'' | Chaz Watley |
| 2001 | ''Black Hawk Down'' | US Army Captain Mike Steele |
| 2002 | ''Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets''[10] | Lucius Malfoy |
| 2002 | ''Passionada'' | Charles Beck |
| 2002 | ''Resident Evil'' | Dr. William Birkin (uncredited)[11] |
| 2002 | ''The Tuxedo'' | Clark Devlin |
| 2002 | ''Windtalkers'' | Major Mellitz |
| 2003 | ''Peter Pan'' | Mr. Darling/Captain Hook |
| 2005 | ''The Chumscrubber'' | Mr. Parker |
| 2005 | ''Elektra'' | DeMarco (uncredited) |
| 2005 | ''Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'' | Lucius Malfoy |
| 2005 | ''Nine Lives'' | Damian |
| 2005 | ''Tennis Anyone!'' | Johny Green |
| 2006 | ''Friends with Money'' | David |
| 2007 | ''Grindhouse'', in the ''faux'' trailer "Don't" | Bearded Man |
| 2007 | ''Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix''[12] | Lucius Malfoy |
| 2008 | ''Good'' | Maurice |
| 2008 | ''Stopping Power'' |
Television
| Year(s) of appearance | Television programme or series | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | ''A Quiet Conspiracy'' | |
| 1989 | ''This Is David Lander'' | French Doctor |
| 1989 (2 seasons) | ''Capital City'' | Chas Ewell |
| 1989 | ''Boon'' | Mike Puckett |
| 1990 | ''TECX'' | Edward Latham |
| 1991 | ''Ashenden'' | Andrew Lehman |
| 1991 | ''Eye Contact'' | Michael |
| 1992 | ''Civvies'' | Frank Dillon |
| 1992 (1 episode) | ''Inspector Morse'' (1997 – 2000) | Dr. Desmond Collier |
| 1992 (3 episodes) | ''Taggart'' (1983 – present) | Barr |
| 1993 (1 episode) | '' (1992 – 1998) | Immortal Zachary Blaine |
| 1995 | ''A Relative Stranger'' | Peter Fairman |
| 1995 (tv movie) | ''Loved Up'' | Des |
| 1996 (tv movie) | ''Guardians'' | Jim Reid |
| 1997 (tv movie) | ''The Fix'' | Tony Kaye |
| 1992 (4 episodes) | ''The Last Don II'' | Father Luca Tonarini |
| 2004 (3 episodes) | ''The West Wing'' (1999 – 2006) | Colin Ayres |
| 2006 | ''Scars'' | Chris |
| 2006 | ''The State Within'' | Sir Mark Brydon, British Ambassador to the USA |
| 2006 – present | ''Brotherhood'' | Michael Caffee |
Theatre
| Year(s) of appearance | Performance | Role |
|---|---|---|
| ''[unknown]'' | ''God : A Comedy in One Act'' | |
| 1992 | ''The Black and White Minstrels'' | Cyril |
| 1993 | ''Angels in America'' | Louis Ironson |
| 1993 | ''1953'' | Mussolini |
| 2000 | ''The Force of Change'' | |
| 2007 | ''The Dumb Waiter'' | Ben |
Animated television series and video games
| Year(s) of appearance | Animated television series or video game | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | ''Beneath a Steel Sky'' (video game) | (Voice) |
| 2005 – present | '' (animated television series) |
Awards and nominations
★ In 2001, Jason was nominated for the Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Villain (Internet Only) for ''The Patriot'' (2000).
★ In 2001, Jason was nominated for the Awards for the London Film Critics Circle (ALFS) British Supporting Actor of the Year for ''The Patriot'' (2000).
★ In 2002, Jason was nominated for the Phoenix Film Critics Society (PFCS) Award for Best Acting Ensemble for ''Black Hawk Down'' (2001). It was shared with Eric Bana, Ewen Bremner, William Fichtner, Josh Hartnett, Ewan McGregor, Sam Shepard, Tom Sizemore and Orlando Bloom.
★ In 2003, Jason was nominated for the PFCS Award for Best Acting Ensemble for ''Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets'' (2002). It was shared with Kenneth Branagh, John Cleese, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Richard Griffiths, Rupert Grint, Richard Harris, Daniel Radcliffe, Alan Rickman, Fiona Shaw, Maggie Smith, Julie Walters, and Emma Watson.
★ In 2005 ''Nine Lives'' (2005) won the best ensemble acting award at the Gotham Film Festival.
Personal life
Isaacs and his partner, BBC documentary filmmaker Emma Hewitt, have two daughters: Lily (born 23 March 2002) and Ruby (26 August 2005). Isaacs and Hewitt are not married, but call each other husband and wife as "otherwise people get rather peculiar. It seems a bit weird to call someone your girlfriend when you have a child." Isaacs has proposed to Hewitt and she has accepted, but each time they think about arranging a wedding he gets involved in another project. Isaacs has quipped that he and Hewitt will probably get married when Lily comes back from school and says: "You two have to get married, you're really embarrassing me."[13] The family currently resides in London.
Isaacs is a supporter of Liverpool Football Club.[14]
Notes
1. Biography for Jason Isaacs
2. .
3. Jason Isaacs : Biography
4. More Than a Villain : With "The Patriot," Jason Isaacs, a British Jew, Cements His Reputation as One of Hollywood's Hottest Heavies
5. 'There is a Streak of Cruelty in Me': Actor Jason Isaacs Says Life Prepared Him to Become a Specialist in Unattractive Characters Jasper Rees
6. In November 2006, speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, film reviewer Mark Kermode revealed that he and Isaacs were in the same year at school, although they were not friends. In March 2007 Kermode clarified that while he admired Isaacs, he wasn't "cool enough" to be in the same circle. Kermode regularly greets Isaacs on his Friday afternoon radio show, after finding out he listens in.
7. According to one source, Isaacs dropped out of university: see Jason Isaacs : Biography
8. When auditioning for the part of Louis Ironson in ''Angels in America'' (1993), Isaac reportedly told the producers, "Look, I play all these tough guys and thugs and strong, complex characters. In real life, I am a cringing, neurotic Jewish mess. Can't I for once play that on stage?": More Than a Villain : With "The Patriot," Jason Isaacs, a British Jew, Cements His Reputation as One of Hollywood's Hottest Heavies
9. The Naked and the Dead Neva Chonin
10. Regarding the Harry Potter books by J. K. Rowling, Isaacs has said: "I went off and read the books after the audition and I read all four books in one sitting – you know – didn't wash, didn't eat, drove around with them on the steering wheel like a lunatic. I suddenly understood why my friends, who I'd thought were slightly backward, had been so addicted to these children's books. They're like crack.": Biography for Jason Isaacs
11. Isaacs was also set to play Dr. Birkin in '' (2004), but for some reason left the project. That is why in the 2002 movie the only part of Isaacs' face that can be seen are his eyes; the rest was covered by a medical mask. It is assumed that his role was taken over by Iain Glen. Isaacs has a long-running professional relationship with ''Resident Evil'' director Paul W. S. Anderson and producer Jeremy Bolt, and has appeared in four of Anderson's movies, mostly from his early period, including Shopping (1994), Event Horizon (1997) and Soldier (1998).
12. When asked whether or not he would be in ''Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix'' (2007), Isaac replied: "[Y]ou'll have to ask David [producer David Heyman], I hope so, I can't bear the idea that somebody else would get to wear my Paris Hilton wig, but you never know": Empire Interview : Jason Isaacs at the 2006 Sony Ericsson Empire Awards Isaac has also talked to J. K. Rowling on the inclusion of Lucius Malfoy in ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'' so that he would have a part in the seventh film: "I fell to my knees and begged. It didn't do any good. I'm sure she doesn't need plot ideas from me. But I made my point. We'll see. Like everybody else, I'm holding my breath to July [2007] to see what's in there. I just want to bust out of prison, that's all. I don't want to stay in Azkaban most of my life": ''Potter V'' Has More Isaacs
13. We're Hooked on Potter Baddie Simon Rothstein
14. Jason Isaacs : The Biography .
References
★ Biography for Jason Isaacs
★ Jason Isaacs : Biography
★ 'There is a Streak of Cruelty in Me': Actor Jason Isaacs Says Life Prepared Him to Become a Specialist in Unattractive Characters Jasper Rees
Further reading
★ Jason Isaacs Video Interview
External links
★
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