Sam Mendes (Director/Producer)

SAM MENDES’ (Director/Producer) work directing theater and film spans almost twenty years. He began his career in the theater as Assistant Director at the Studio Theatre in Chichester in 1987 and was the first Artistic Director of the Minerva Theatre in 1989. By 1990, he was directing for the RSC. His work for them since included highly acclaimed versions of “Troilus and Cressida,” “The Alchemist,” “The Tempest” and “Richard III.”

In 1992 Sam founded the Donmar Warehouse in London, which he ran in the capacity of
Artistic Director until 2002. Within this time Sam helped establish the theater as one of the most dynamic and successful playhouses in the country. His productions there included “Assassins,” “Translations,” “Cabaret,” “Glengarry Glen Ross,” “The Glass Menagerie,” “Company,” “Habeas Corpus,” “The Front Page,” “The Blue Room,” “To The Green Fields Beyond,” “Uncle Vanya” and “Twelfth Night,” both of which transferred to The Brooklyn Academy of Music in 2004. Sam won a number of Olivier awards during this period including an unprecedented three awards in 2003, two for his work on “Uncle Vanya” and “Twelfth Night,” and one in recognition of the Donmar’s decade- long period of success under his guidance. Several productions transferred to Broadway, and Sam won Tony awards as a producer for both “The Real Thing” and “Take Me Out.”

Other work outside of The Donmar has included directing West End productions of “The Cherry Orchard,” “The Plough and the Stars” (both starring Judi Dench), “Kean,” “London Assurance” and “Oliver!,” which ran for 4 years at the London Palladium. He also directed the National Theatre productions “The Sea,” “The Rise and Fall of Little Voice,” “The Birthday Party” and “Othello.” On Broadway, Sam directed “The Blue Room,” “Gypsy,” “The Vertical Hour” and his long-running production of “Cabaret,” which received four Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival.

Sam is about to embark on The Bridge Project: the first project of a three-year venture co-produced by Neal Street, the Brooklyn Academy of Music and the Old Vic, London. In this unique collaboration, Sam will direct a transatlantic company in a double-bill of classic plays beginning in Spring ‘09 with “The Winter’s Tale” and “The Cherry Orchard” led by long-time collaborator Simon Russell Beale as Leontes and Lopakhin.

Sam’s film work began in 1999 with his film directorial debut, AMERICAN BEAUTY, for which he received the Academy Award® for best Director as well as a Golden Globe and the DGA award for outstanding direction. The film garnered a further four Academy Awards®, including Best Picture. This was followed in 2002 by the movie adaptation of the graphic novel ROAD TO PERDITION, starring Tom Hanks and Paul Newman. The film earned seven Academy Award® nominations. Mendes then returned to the screen in 2006 directing JARHEAD®, an adaptation of Anthony Swofford’s book of the same name, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Jamie Foxx and Peter Sarsgaard.

Sam’s work in theater and film brought him a CBE in 2000, for services to the arts, and the Director’s Guild Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005.

As well as working as a director, Sam acts as Executive Producer on all Neal Street projects and has also produced a number of films, most recently THINGS WE LOST IN THE FIRE, directed by Susanne Bier, starring Halle Berry and Benicio Del Toro. Additionally Sam also acted as executive producer on STARTER FOR TEN, STUART-A LIFE BACKWARDS and THE KITE RUNNER, which was released in 2007.

Sam will next direct a currently untitled project, an original screenplay written by novelists David Eggers and Vendela Vida.

Posted in Director, Producer, Revolutionary Road, Sam Mendes, The Alchemist, The Tempest, Troilus and Cressida | No Comments »

Zoe Kazan as Maureen Grube in Revolutionary Road

Newcomer ZOE KAZAN (Maureen Grube) is already making a splash on the big screen. An acclaimed theater actress and 2005 graduate of Yale University, Zoe made her New York stage debut in 2006 in the Off-Broadway revival of “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” opposite Cynthia Nixon. Kazan continued to shine on stage in 2007, starring in Jonathan Marc Sherman’s “Things We Want,” directed by Ethan Hawke, and Playwrights Horizons’ production of “100 Saints You Should Know,” for which she received a Drama Desk Award nomination as well as the Lucille Lortel Award nomination.

In January 2008, Kazan made her Broadway debut opposite S. Epatha Merkerson and Kevin Anderson in a revival of “Come Back, Little Sheba.” Following this role, Zoe was named the recipient of the 2008 Derwent Award, honoring “the most promising female and male performers on the New York metropolitan scene.” Zoe is the only actor to be awarded the Derwent Award for three roles in one year: “Come Back, Little Sheba,” “100 Saints You Should Know” and “Things We Want.” Zoe returned to Broadway this fall in the New York adaptation of the critically acclaimed, London hit “The Seagull” opposite Kristin Scott Thomas and Peter Sarsgaard.

As Zoe continues her success in the theater, she has also become sought-after in film. In 2007 she was featured in Paul Haggis’ thriller, IN THE VALLEY OF ELAH with Charlize Theron and Tommy Lee Jones and Gregory Hoblit’s FRACTURE with Anthony Hopkins and Ryan Gosling. The following year she appeared in Tamara Jenkins’ THE SAVAGES with Laura Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman and AUGUST with Josh Hartnett.
Kazan recently completed production on Richard Linklater’s ME AND ORSON WELLES with Ben Chaplin, Claire Danes and Zac Efron, as well as Rebecca Miller’s THE PRIVATE LIVES OF PIPPA LEE with a star-studded cast including Julianne Moore, Keanu Reeves and Blake Lively. Zoe is currently filming I HATE VALENTINE’S DAY with Nia Vardalos and John Corbett.

Posted in Ben Chaplin, Claire Danes, Maureen Grube, Revolutionary Road, Yale University, Zac Efron, Zoe Kazan | No Comments »

David Harbour as Shep Campbell in Revolutionary Road

DAVID HARBOUR (Shep Campbell) Having recently wrapped his third major film role this year, Tony nominated actor David Harbour is no stranger to sharing scenes with A-list talent. David recently completed filming alongside Russell Crowe in the motion picture STATE OF PLAY, a crime thriller based on the BBC mini-series of the same name. This fall David will have a strong presence in the industry with back-to-back memorable roles in two major motion pictures. In addition to REVOLUTIONARY ROAD, you can see David playing the crazy scotch drinking CIA agent “Greg Beam,” who plans to assassinate James Bond in the latest Bond film franchise release, QUANTUM OF SOLACE.

David is already famous for delivering standout performances on the prestigious stages of New York and London. He captured a Tony nomination for his critically acclaimed portrayal of the character “Nick” alongside Kathleen Turner in Anthony Page’s Broadway production of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” David captivated audiences and critics alike performing the lead role of “Nicholas Stankevich” in Tom Stoppard’s epic trilogy “Coast of Utopia” at the Lincoln Center. David also collaborated with accomplished playwright Tom Stoppard and theater director Jack O’Brien as lead character “Moses Jackson” in the Broadway production “The Invention of Love.” In 2006, David reprised his role as “Nick” and won the praises of London’s theater critics on the West End in English director Anthony Page’s award-winning revival of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” Other notable theater credits include: “Between US” (MTC), “Fifth of July” (Signature), “A Bad Friend” (Lincoln Center), “Twelfth Night” (NYSF), and most recently “Hamlet” (NYSF).

David’s diversity in his craft has translated onto the small screen as he has made several guest appearances on major hit TV series such as the original Law and Order, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, and The Unit. Other television credits include roles on the crime drama Hack and dramedy Book of Daniel.

Posted in David Harbour, Hollywood, Law and Order, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, Revolutionary Road, Shep Campbell, Tony nomination | No Comments »

Kathryn Hahn as Milly Campbell in Revolutionary Road

A natural talent with an engaging presence and undeniable energy, KATHRYN HAHN (Milly Campbell) has made her mark through a variety of entertaining and memorable character roles. Through a number of upcoming projects, Hahn is poised to become one of Hollywood’s leading actresses. Hahn starred in her Broadway debut in the Tony winning play “Boeing-Boeing” alongside Bradley Whitford, Gina Gershon, Mary McCormack and Christine Baranski. “Boeing-Boeing” won the 2008 Tony in the category of “Best Revival of a Play.”

She was seen this summer in the comedy STEP BROTHERS starring Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly. Also upcoming, Hahn co-stars in THE GOODS: THE DON READY STORY, directed by Neal Brennan.

Hahn’s feature film credits include her stand-out role in HOW TO LOSE A GUY IN 10 DAYS, playing Kate Hudson’s unlucky-in-love best friend. Additional film credits include ANCHORMAN: THE LEGEND OF RON BURGUNDY, THE LAST MIMZY, THE HOLIDAY, WIN A DATE WITH TAD HAMILTON and FLUSHED. Kathryn’s TV credits include her recurring role as Lily Lebowski on the NBC hit show Crossing Jordan and Four Kings.

No stranger to the stage, her theater credits also include “Dead End” (Ahmanson Theater, Huntington Theater Company), “Ten Unknowns” (Huntington Theater Company), “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (Williamstown Mainstage), “Hedda Gabler” (Williamstown/Baystreet), “Othello” (Yale School of Drama), “Chaucer in Rome” (Williamstown Mainstage), “Camino Real” (Williamstown Mainstage) and “The Birds” (Yale).

Hahn received her Bachelors degree from Northwestern University and her Masters in Fine Arts from the Yale School of Drama, and currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband and son.

Posted in Bradley Whitford, Christine Baranski, Gina Gershon, Hollywood, Kathryn Hahn, Mary McCormack, Milly Campbell, Revolutionary Road, Will Ferrell | No Comments »

Michael Shannon as John Givings - Revolutionary Road

MICHAEL SHANNON (John Givings) grew up in Lexington, Kentucky, and began his professional stage career in Chicago. His first acting role was in Winterset at the Illinois Theatre Center. Over the next several years, he continued working on the stage with such companies as Steppenwolf, The Next Lab and A Red Orchid Theatre. He subsequently relocated to London for a year, and performed on stage in London’s West End in such productions as “Woyzeck,” “Killer Joe” and “Bug.”

While in Chicago, Shannon also kept busy in front of movie and television cameras, most notably in William Friedkin’s BUG and Oliver Stone’s WORLD TRADE CENTER.

KANGAROO JACK (2003) marked the third Jerry Bruckheimer production in which Shannon has appeared. He also appeared in BAD BOYS II (2003), directed by Michael Bay and starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, and in GRAND THEFT PARSONS (2003), with Johnny Knoxville and Christina Applegate.

He has most recently been seen in SHOTGUN STORIES, in Sidney Lumet’s BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU’RE DEAD alongside Philip Seymour Hoffman, Albert Finney and Ethan Hawke, Curtis Hanson’s LUCKY YOU and Oliver Stone’s controversial W. His forthcoming films include Noah Buschel’s THE MISSING PERSON and THE GREATEST with Susan Sarandon and Pierce Brosnan. Finally, Michael will be working with Werner Herzog on the remake of THE BAD LT. before reuniting with the New York director of “Bug” for the New York production of “Lady.”

His many other credits include THE WOODSMAN, PEARL HARBOR, VANILLA SKY, 8 MILE, HIGH CRIMES, CECIL B. DEMENTED, TIGERLAND and CHICAGO CAB, an adaptation of the long-running play, “Hellcab.”

Posted in Albert Finney, Bug, Curtis Hanson, Ethan Hawke, Hellcab, Jerry Bruckheimer, John Givings, Killer Joe, Michael Shannon, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Revolutionary Road, Woyzeck | No Comments »