Adam Driver

Adam Driver

Born Adam Douglas Driver
(1983-11-19) November 19, 1983
San Diego, California, U.S.
Alma mater Juilliard
Occupation Actor
Years active 2010–present
Spouse(s) Joanne Tucker (m. 2013)

Adam Douglas Driver (born November 19, 1983) is an American actor and a former United States Marine mortarman. He made his Broadway debut in Mrs. Warren's Profession (2010). He returned to Broadway in the 2011 production of Man and Boy and made his feature film debut in J. Edgar (2011). Driver appeared in supporting roles in a wide range of films, including Lincoln (2012), Frances Ha (2012) and Inside Llewyn Davis (2013). In 2014, Driver starred in While We're Young and won the Volpi Cup for his role in Hungry Hearts (2014).

Driver gained worldwide attention and acclaim for playing the villain Kylo Ren in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), a role which he is set to reprise in the future Star Wars films. For his supporting part as Adam Sackler in the HBO comedy-drama series Girls, Driver has received three consecutive nominations for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.

Early life

Driver was born in San Diego on November 19, 1983,[1][2][3] the son of Nancy (née Needham) Wright, a paralegal, and Joe Douglas Driver.[4][5][6] His father's family is from Arkansas and his mother's family is from Indiana. After his parents divorced, they each remarried. His stepfather is a Baptist minister. His stepmother works for the Arkansas State Library in Little Rock, Arkansas. His ancestry includes English, Dutch, German, Irish and Scottish.[7]

When Driver was seven years old, he moved with his mother to her hometown of Mishawaka, Indiana, where he grew up.[8] Driver had a religious upbringing, and sang in choir at church.[9][10] He attended Mishawaka High School, where he graduated in 2001. He appeared in several high school plays and was an accomplished singer in the school's choir.[2]

Shortly after the September 11 attacks, Driver joined the United States Marine Corps[11] and was assigned to Weapons Company, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines as an 81mm mortar man.[12] He served for two years and eight months before breaking his sternum while mountain biking.[13] He was medically discharged before his unit deployed to Iraq for the Iraq War.[14] After leaving the Marine Corps, Driver attended the University of Indianapolis for a year; he transferred to the Juilliard School to study drama. He was a member of the Drama Division's Group 38 (2005–2009), along with his future wife Joanne Tucker. He graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 2009.[15]

Career

Following his graduation from Juilliard, Driver began acting in New York City, appearing in both Broadway and off-Broadway productions. Like many other aspiring actors, he occasionally worked as a busboy and waiter.[16] Driver appeared in several television shows and short films. He made his feature film debut in Clint Eastwood's J. Edgar (2011).

In 2012, Driver was cast in the current HBO hit comedy-drama series Girls, as the lead character's emotionally unstable boyfriend Adam Sackler. To date, he has received three nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his role. Apart from appearing in the short film Not Waving But Drowning and the film Gayby, Driver had key roles in two critically acclaimed films of 2012. He played Samuel Beckwith in Steven Spielberg's Lincoln and played Lev Shapiro in Noah Baumbach's Frances Ha.

Driver appeared in four films in 2013: Bluebird, The F Word, as musician Al Cody in the Coen Brothers' Inside Llewyn Davis, and as photographer Rick Smolan in Tracks.

In 2014, he played despairing father Jude in the Italian film Hungry Hearts, Philip Altman in This Is Where I Leave You, and aspiring filmmaker Jaime in While We're Young, starring Naomi Watts and Ben Stiller. For his role in Hungry Hearts, Driver won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the 71st Venice International Film Festival.[17]

In late February 2014, Variety reported that Driver would play villain Kylo Ren in the 2015 film Star Wars: The Force Awakens.[18] On April 29, 2014, he was confirmed as a cast member.[19] The Force Awakens was released on December 18, 2015.[20] Both the film and Driver's performance were well received by critics and audiences alike. Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian highlighted Driver's performance in his review of the film calling him "gorgeously cruel, spiteful and capricious...very suited to Kylo Ren’s fastidious and amused contempt for his enemies’ weakness and compassion."[21] Driver hosted the January 16, 2016 episode of Saturday Night Live.

Driver co-starred in the Jeff Nichols-directed film Midnight Special,[22] which began its release on March 18, 2016.[23] He will also appear in Martin Scorsese's 2016 film Silence.[24][25]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2011 J. Edgar Walter Lyle
2012 Lincoln Samuel Beckwith Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Awards for Best Ensemble[26]
2012 Gayby Neil
2012 Not Waving But Drowning Adam
2012 Frances Ha Lev Shapiro
2013 Bluebird Walter
2013 Inside Llewyn Davis Al Cody Hamptons International Film Festival Award for Breakthrough Performer
Houston Film Critics Award for Best Original Song
Nominated – Critics' Choice Award for Best Song
Nominated – Online Film & Television Association Award for Best Music, Original Song
2013 Tracks Rick Smolan Nominated – Film Critics Circle of Australia Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Nominated – Young Hollywood Award for Fan Favorite Actor – Male
2013 What If Allan
2014 Hungry Hearts Jude Volpi Cup for Best Actor
2014 This Is Where I Leave You Phillip Altman
2015 While We're Young Jamie Massey
2015 Star Wars: The Force Awakens Kylo Ren MTV Movie Award for Best Villain
Nominated – MTV Movie Award for Best Ensemble
Nominated – MTV Movie Award for Best Fight (shared with Daisy Ridley)
Nominated – Georgia Film Critics Association for Best Ensemble[27]
Nominated – Online Film & Television Association Award for Best Ensemble
Pending – Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor[28]
2016 Midnight Special Paul Sevier
2016 Silence Father Francisco Garrpe Post-production
2016 Paterson Paterson Post-production
2017 Star Wars: Episode VIII Kylo Ren Filming

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2010 The Wonderful Maladys Zed Pilot
2010 The Unusuals Will Slansky Episode: "The E.I.D."
2010 Law & Order Robby Vickery Episode: "Brilliant Disguise"
2010 You Don't Know Jack Glen Stetson Television film
2012 Law & Order: SVU Jason Roberts Episode: "Theatre Tricks"
2012–present Girls Adam Sackler Nominated – Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (2015)
Nominated – Online Film & Television Association Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (2013, 2015)
Nominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (2013–2015)
2015 The Simpsons Adam Sackler (voice) Episode: "Every Man's Dream"
2016 Saturday Night Live Host Episode: "Adam Driver/Chris Stapleton"

Video games

Year Title Role Notes
2015 Disney Infinity 3.0 Kylo Ren Voice
2016 Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens Kylo Ren Voice

Stage

Year Title Role Notes
2010 The Retributionists Dov Kaplinsky Playwrights Horizons
2010 Mrs. Warren's Profession Frank Gardner Roundabout Revival
2011[29] Angels in America Louis Ironson Signature Theatre Company
2011 Man and Boy Basil Anthony Roundabout Revival
2012 Look Back in Anger Cliff Roundabout Theatre Company

References

  1. ↑ "Former Marine Adam Driver Enlists in Off-B'way's The Retributionists | Broadway Buzz". Broadway.com. September 3, 2009. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  2. 1 2 "Adam Driver, Boy Among Girls – Page". Interview Magazine. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  3. ↑ Indiana Births, 1905 – 1995, Adam Driver
  4. ↑ "Adam Driver: 'Girls' Heartthrob Coming to a Theater or Magazine Cover Near You". Theepochtimes.com. September 20, 2014. Retrieved December 1, 2015.
  5. ↑ Grigoriadis, Vanessa. "Adam Driver on Playing Lena Dunham's Boyfriend". Vulture. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  6. ↑ "Exploring possibilities /Mishawaka grad takes challenging path on course to Broadway – South Bend Tribune". Articles.southbendtribune.com. December 28, 2007. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Adam Driver – Celebrity Ethnicity". EthniCelebs.com. Retrieved June 27, 2015.
  8. ↑ Kennedy, Mark (October 14, 2011). "In the driver's seat: Adam Driver's hot career". Reading Eagle. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Mr. Driver's Profession – TDF Stages". Wp.tdf.org. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  10. ↑ Stern, Marlow (May 15, 2013). "Adam Driver on 'Frances Ha,' His 'Girls' Audition, and Juilliard". Newsweek. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Famous Veteran: Adam Driver". Military.com. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  12. ↑ Sicard, Sarah (December 15, 2015). "This Former Marine Infantryman Will Be The Villain In Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens". Task & Purpose.
  13. ↑ "Adam Driver on what the military and acting have in common". www.npr.org. April 9, 2015. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  14. ↑ Nathan, Sara (February 28, 2014). "Girls' Adam Driver when he signed up to U.S. Marine Corps". Daily Mail. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  15. ↑ "Adam Driver". The Juillard School. Retrieved April 17, 2015.
  16. ↑ Ryzik, Melena (January 13, 2013). "And in this Corner, the Boys of 'Girls'". The New York Times. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
  17. ↑ "Roy Andersson film scoops Venice Golden Lion award". BBC News. Retrieved September 7, 2014.
  18. ↑ Kroll, Justin (February 26, 2014). "'Star Wars': Adam Driver to Play the Villain (Kylo Ren) (EXCLUSIVE)". variety.com. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
  19. ↑ "Star Wars: Episode VII Cast Announced". StarWars.com. April 29, 2014.
  20. ↑ Breznican, Anthony (November 7, 2013). "'Star Wars: Episode VII': Release set for December 18, 2015". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved November 7, 2013.
  21. ↑ Bradshaw, Peter. "Star Wars: The Force Awakens review – 'a spectacular homecoming'". The Guardian. Guardian News & Media Limited. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
  22. ↑ Sneider, Jeff. "Adam Driver Joins Joel Edgerton, Kirsten Dunst in WB's Sci-Fi Drama 'Midnight Special' (Exclusive)". TheWrap. Retrieved February 27, 2014.
  23. ↑ "Warner Bros Pushes Ben Affleck's 'Live By Night', Dates 'Midnight Special' & 3 Others". deadline.com. May 6, 2014. Retrieved May 7, 2014.
  24. ↑ Friedman, Roger. "Exclusive: Scorsese Adding Adam Driver to Next Film "Silence"". Showbiz 411. Showbiz411. Retrieved February 27, 2014.
  25. ↑ Dave McNary (January 22, 2015). "Martin Scorsese Locks Funding for 'Silence'". Variety. Retrieved December 1, 2015.
  26. ↑ Ganadores de los Premios BAFTA 2013
  27. ↑ Georgia Film Critics Association Editors (January 4, 2016). "Georgia Film Critics Association 2015 Awards". Georgia Film Critics Association. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  28. ↑ "The 42nd Annual Saturn Awards nominations are announced for 2016!". Saturn Awards. February 24, 2016. Retrieved March 4, 2016.
  29. ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/22/theater/22driver.html

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