Aaron Edward Eckhart (born March 12, 1968) is an American actor. Born inCupertino, California, Eckhart moved to the United Kingdom at an early age. He began his acting career by performing in school plays, before moving to Australia for his high school senior year. He left high school without graduating, but earned a diploma through a professional education course, and then graduated fromBrigham Young University (BYU) inProvo, Utah, in 1994 with aBachelor of Fine Arts degree in film.
As an undergraduate at BYU, Eckhart met director and writerNeil LaBute, who cast Eckhart in several of LaBute's original plays. Five years later Eckhart made a debut as an unctuous,sociopathic womanizer in LaBute'sblack comedy filmIn the Company of Men (1997), followed by appearances in three more of the director's films.
Eckhart was born on March 12, 1968[1] inCupertino, California, the son of Mary Martha Lawrence, a writer, artist, and poet, and James Conrad Eckhart, a computer executive.[2][3][4] He is the youngest of three brothers.[4] His father is of German-Russian descent, while his mother has English, German, Scots-Irish, and Scottish ancestry.[5][6] He was raised as a member ofthe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and served a two-yearmission in France and Switzerland.[7][8] Eckhart's family relocated to the United Kingdom in 1981,[2][9] following his father's job in information technology.[10] During their time in the United Kingdom, the family moved aroundSurrey, England, living in towns such asCobham,[10]Ripley, andWalton-on-Thames.[11] Eckhart attendedAmerican Community School,[10] where he was first introduced to acting, starring in a school production asCharlie Brown.[12][13]
While at Brigham Young University,[23] Eckhart appeared in the Mormon-themed filmGodly Sorrow, and the role marked his professional debut. At this time he met director/writerNeil LaBute,[23] who cast Eckhart in several of LaBute's original plays.[24] After graduating from BYU, Eckhart moved to New York City, acquired an agent, and took various occasional jobs, including bartending, bus driving, and construction work.[13] His first television roles were in commercials. In 1994, he appeared as an extra on the television drama seriesBeverly Hills, 90210.[13][25] Eckhart followed this small part with roles in documentary re-enactments (Ancient Secrets of the Bible: Samson), made-for-television movies, and short-lived programs likeAliens in the Family.[17]
In 1997, Eckhart was approached by Neil LaBute to star in a film adaptation of LaBute's stage playIn the Company of Men.[26] He played a frustratedwhite-collar worker who planned to woo a deaf office worker, gain her affections, then suddenly dump her.[27] The film, his first feature to reach theaters, was critically well received,[28] withDesson Howe ofThe Washington Post reporting that Eckhart is the "movie's most malignant presence" and that he "is in chilling command as a sort of satanic prince in shirtsleeves".[29]In the Company of Men was a critical success, winning Best First Film for LaBute at the 63rd annualNew York Film Critics Circle Awards.[30][31] His performance won him theIndependent Spirit Award in the category of Best Debut Performance.[32] The film was ranked as one of "The 25 Most Dangerous Movies" byPremiere magazine.[33]
The following year Eckhart starred in another LaBute feature,Your Friends & Neighbors (1998),[20][23] as Barry, a sexually frustrated husband in a dysfunctional marriage. For the role Eckhart was required to gain weight.[34] In 1999, he starred oppositeElisabeth Shue inMolly, a romantic comedy-drama in which he played the self-absorbed brother of an autistic woman who was cured by surgery.[35] Eckhart also starred that year as a football coach, anoffensive coordinator inOliver Stone'sAny Given Sunday.[36]
Eckhart first gained wide exposure in 2000 as George, a ponytailed, goateed biker, inSteven Soderbergh's dramaErin Brockovich.[37] The film was met with good reviews,[38] and was a box office success, earning $256 million worldwide.[39] His performance was well received by critics;Entertainment Weekly'sOwen Gleiberman wrote that Eckhart "may be playing a bit of an ideal [...] but he makes goodness as palpable as he did yuppie evil in 'In the Company of Men'."[40] In an August 2004 interview, Eckhart claimed that he had not worked for nearly a year before he was cast in the movie. "I felt like I sort of was getting away from what I wanted to do as an actor. [...] I had nine months off, but it wasn't a vacation. Sure, I didn't earn any money for nine months, but every day I was reading scripts, I was producing my own material, I was taking meetings, I was working on my craft."[41]
Following the release ofErin Brockovich, Eckhart co-starred withRenée Zellweger in LaBute'sNurse Betty (2000).[20] He next appeared inSean Penn's mystery featureThe Pledge (2001), in which he played a young detective partnered with a veteran detective, played byJack Nicholson.[42] The movie received generally favorable reviews,[43] but it did not fare particularly well at the box office.[44] The following year, he collaborated with LaBute in a film adaptation of theMan Booker Prize-winning novelPossession (2002).[45] In 2003, Eckhart co-starred withHilary Swank inThe Core, a film about a geophysicist who tries to detonate a nuclear device in order to save the world from destruction.[46] The film was critically and financially unsuccessful.[47][48] Also in 2003, he appeared inThe Missing, in which he playedCate Blanchett's lover,[49] and in the action-thrillerPaycheck oppositeBen Affleck.[50]Paycheck, based on a short story by science fiction writerPhilip K. Dick, garnered generally negative reception.[51] Film criticRoger Ebert of theChicago Sun-Times gave the film two stars (out of four), saying that he "enjoyed the movie" but felt that it "exploits [Dick's story] for its action and plot potential, but never really develops it."[52]
The following year, away from film, Eckhart guest starred in two episodes ofNBC's comedy sitcomFrasier, where he played a boyfriend ofCharlotte,Dr. Frasier Crane's love interest.[53][54] His next film role was inE. Elias Merhige's thrillerSuspect Zero, a movie about an FBI agent who tracks down a killer who murders serial killers.[55][56] Upon release, the movie received broadly negative reviews.[57] Despite the reception, Eckhart's performance was favored by critics;Newsday wrote that Eckhart was a "classically handsome leading man ... but Merhige demands of him complexity and anguish."[58]Suspect Zero was abox office disappointment, earning $11 million worldwide.[59] Also in 2004, Eckhart starred on the London stage, oppositeJulia Stiles, inDavid Mamet'sOleanna at theGarrick Theatre. The drama ran until mid-2004.[60] For this performance, Eckhart received favorable critical reviews.[41][61] In 2005, returning to film, Eckhart appeared inNeverwas as a therapist who takes a job at a rundown mental hospital that once treated his father (Nick Nolte). The feature was never given a full theatrical release, eventually being released straight to DVD in 2007.[62]
Eckhart's next project wasThank You for Smoking, in which he played Nick Naylor, a tobaccolobbyist whose firm researched the link between smoking cigarettes and lung cancer. Eckhart said that he felt challenged playing the role: "You have to say these words that are crazy, and yet do it with a smile on your face and have the audience like you. At one point, I'm doing a talk show with a kid who's dying of cancer, and he's going through chemotherapy and the whole thing, and I spin it so the anti-smoking people are the bad guys and I'm the good guy, and I'm this guy's best friend. I mean, it's whacked out."[63] The film was screened at a special presentation at the 30th annualToronto International Film Festival in 2005.[64][65] It had a limited release in March 2006 and was released worldwide the following month.[66][67] For his performance, Eckhart received aGolden Globe nomination forBest Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.[68] A contributor ofUSA Today wrote that he gave a "standout, whip-smart performance" citing that as Nick Naylor he kept him "likable even in his cynicism."[69] In theSeattle Post-Intelligencer review of the film, it was reported that "Under his chummy but compassionless smile" Eckhart radiated charm and "Naylor's true joys: manipulating arguments, steering debate, cooking words."[70]
In this same year, he starred withHelena Bonham Carter inConversations with Other Women (2006).[71] While promoting this film, Eckhart revealed that he wishes not to be typecast or repeat himself, saying he does not want to play any more villains.[4] He appeared in the 2006 film noirThe Black Dahlia—based on a real 1947 crime—as Sergeant Leland "Lee" Blanchard, a detective investigating the murder of Elizabeth Short, later dubbed the "Black Dahlia".[72][73] The film premiered at the63rd Venice International Film Festival.[74][75] Reception for the movie was mixed,[76] but many critics enjoyed Eckhart's performance;Time Out magazine praised Eckhart and co-star Hilary Swank for their performances, writing "...both [are] great in their secondary roles."[77]
Eckhart signing autographs for fans during promotion ofThe Dark Knight in 2008.
Internationally viewed as asex symbol, he was named one ofPeople magazine's 100 Most Beautiful People in 2006.[78][79] The following year, Eckhart was invited to join theAcademy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.[80] He starred inNo Reservations (2007), a remake of the 2001 German romantic comedyMostly Martha. He starred oppositeCatherine Zeta-Jones as an up-and-coming hotshot chef.[81] The film was met with mixed reviews and was unfavorably compared to the original film.[82] Eckhart starred in the 2008 comedyMeet Bill, in which he played theeponymous character, a sad executive working at his father-in-law's bank.[83][84] He gained 30 pounds and donned a fat suit for the role.[26][85]
Also in 2008, Eckhart portrayed the comic book characterHarvey Dent inChristopher Nolan'sThe Dark Knight, the sequel to the 2005 filmBatman Begins.[86][87] Nolan's decision to cast Eckhart was based on his portrayal of corrupt characters in the filmsIn the Company of Men,The Black Dahlia, andThank You For Smoking.[88][89] He noted in his depiction of the character that "[he] is still true to himself. He's a crime fighter, he's not killing good people. He's not a bad guy, not purely", while admitting "I'm interested in good guys gone wrong."[88][89]The Dark Knight was a big financial and critical success, setting a new opening weekend box office record for North America. With revenue of $1 billion worldwide,[90] it became the fourth highest-grossing film of all time,[91] and the highest-grossing film of Eckhart's career. Roger Ebert opined that Eckhart did an "especially good job" as his character in the feature,[92] whilePremiere magazine also enjoyed his performance, noting that he "makes you believe in his ill-fated ambition ... of morphing into the conniving Two-Face."[93]
Following the success ofThe Dark Knight, Eckhart next appeared inAlan Ball'sTowelhead (2008), an adaption of the Alicia Eriannovel of the same name, in which he played a Gulf War Army reservist who sexually abuses his 13-year-old Arab-American neighbor.[94] The film was screened under the nameNothing is Private at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival.[95] When asked about the sex scenes, Eckhart said: "Those were difficult times .... The way I did it was to really trust Alan. It was in the words. I really trusted Summer [Bishil], and I tried to get her to trust me, to build a relationship when we were doing physical scenes. We'd really rehearse them mechanically, and I'd say, 'OK, I'm going to put my hand here, I'm going to do this.' ... I think I found it more difficult."[96]Towelhead was critically and financially unsuccessful.[97][98]
Eckhart met actress Emily Cline during the filming ofIn the Company of Men and they became engaged, but they separated in 1998.[20][60] He has always been reluctant to speak about his relationships in interviews.[4] Eckhart dated songwriter and member ofSHeDAISY Kristyn Osborn from 2006 to 2007.[20][60] He appeared in the group's video for their song "I'm Taking the Wheel".[60]
Eckhart has noted thathypnosis helped him to quit drinking, smoking, and partying,[4][112] and that he undertakes amateur photography in his spare time.[113]
^abcd"Smoke and mirrors".The Age. Melbourne: The Sunday Telegraph. August 10, 2006. p. 3.Archived from the original on January 13, 2009. RetrievedSeptember 30, 2008.
^"Interview".Archived from the original on February 3, 2014. RetrievedFebruary 2, 2014.
Roberts, Farin. "BBC Movies – Aaron Eckhart interview." BBC Films. June 16, 2006. Accessed December 30, 2008. (Farin Roberts interviews Aaron Eckhart in discussion ofThank You for Smoking.) [Includesvideo clip].
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