This page uses content from the Jason Isaacs biography page on the English version of Wikipedia and is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. This list of authors can be seen in the page history. Rotten Tomatoes disclaims any and all warranties as to the accuracy or reliability of the content.

Jason Isaacs (born June 6, 1963) is an English actor.

Early life

Isaacs was born in Liverpool, Merseyside, England, of Eastern European Jewish descent; his parents now live in Israel. He had initially planned on becoming a lawyer, following his brothers, a doctor, lawyer, and accountant. He fell into acting in the first year of his law studies at Bristol University when he tried out for a play. Although he first became interested in acting in part because "it was a great way to meet girls," Jason soon found 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") and duly dropped out of law school, to hone his skills at London's Central School of Speech and Drama.

Career

Once in London, Isaacs began landing on his feet, almost immediately, 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 and the BBC drama Civvies, and guest roles in series such as Taggart and Inspector Morse. 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. 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, 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 an unnervingly memorable impression as a fictional sadistic British army officer, emerging as one of summer 2000's most indelible screen presences. Although his work in the film earned him comparisons to Ralph Fiennes' portrayal of evil Nazi Amon Göth in Schindler's List and talks of a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination, the actor was not content to be typecast in the historical scum mold. Thus, he logically signed on to play none other than a drag queen for his next project, Sweet November , a romantic comedy-drama starring Charlize Theron and Keanu Reeves. Isaacs has appeared in many films such as Black Hawk Down, Divorcing Jack, Dragonheart, Event Horizon, The End of the Affair but most notably in the Harry Potter series playing Lucius Malfoy, as well as Captain Hook/Mr. Darling in P. J. Hogan's adaptation of Peter Pan. Isaacs has also appeared in episodes of The West Wing and stars in the Showtime series Brotherhood. Most recently, Jason can be seen in the new UK mini series The State Within on Thusdays at 9pm on BBC1.

Private life

Isaacs is the third of four brothers. While at the Central School of Speech and Drama he met his wife, BBC documentary filmmaker Emma Hewitt. The couple has two daughters: Lily (born 23 March 2002) and Ruby (25 August 2005).

Trivia

• Had an uncredited role as Dr. William Birkin (and the narrator) in Resident Evil (2002).
• Was set to play Dr. William Birkin as an important character in Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004), but somehow left the project. That's why we can only see his eyes with his face covered by medical mask in the first movie. It is assumed that his role was replaced by Iain Glen as Dr. Isaacs.
• In November 2006, speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, film reviewer Mark Kermode revealed that while he and Isaacs were in the same year at Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School (although they were not friends).

Award 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 ALFS Award British for Supporting Actor of the Year for: The Patriot (2000).
• 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 2002, Jason was nominated for the 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

Personal quotes

• On the Harry Potter books by J. K. Rowling: "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."
• When asked whether or not he would be in the fifth film, he replied: "I hope so - you'll have to ask David. I can't bear the idea that somebody else would get to wear my Paris Hilton wig, but you never know."
• "Every time I make a plan, God laughs at me."
• "I imagine like most of us that I'd like obscene amounts of money but the people I met and worked with who have those obscene amounts of money and have obscene amounts of fame have awful lives. Really. I mean hideously compromised lives. And I can go anywhere. No one knows who I am. I can go on the tube and bus and wander through the streets. So I'm quite happy not to get the girl."
• "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?" -to the producers of the stage version of "Angels in America" while auditioning for the part of "Louis".

Selected filmography

• Good (film) (2008) as Maurice
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) as Lucius Malfoy
• The State Within (2006) as Sir Mark Brydon
• "Brotherhood" (TV) (2006) as Michael Caffee
• Friends With Money (2006)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)
• Elektra (2005) (uncredited)
• The Chumscrubber (2005)
• Peter Pan (2003)as Mr.Darling/Captain Hook
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) as Lucius Malfoy
• The Tuxedo (2002)
• Passionada (2002) as Charles Beck
• Windtalkers (2002)
• Resident Evil (2002) as Dr. William Birkin
• Black Hawk Down (2001) as U.S. Army Captain Mike Steele
• Sweet November (2001)
• The Patriot (2000) as British Colonel William Tavington
• The End of the Affair (1999)
• Soldier (1998)
• Divorcing Jack (1998)
• Armageddon (1998)
• Event Horizon (1997)
• Dragonheart (1996)
• Beneath a Steel Sky (1994) (VG) (voice)
• The Tall Guy (1989)

Also featured in:

• The West Wing
• Avatar: The Last Airbender as Commander/Admiral Zhao.

External links

• Jason Isaacs video interview
• Jason Isaacs interview
• Jason Isaacs Online A fansite with associated message board
• Jason Isaacs Photo Albums Online
• Jason-Isaacs.co.uk

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