Sam Waterston | |
|---|---|
 Waterston at thePaleyFest 2013 panel forThe Newsroom | |
| Born | Samuel Atkinson Waterston (1940-11-15)November 15, 1940 (age 85) Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1962–present |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 4, includingJames andKatherine |
| Awards | Full list |
Samuel Atkinson Waterston (born November 15, 1940) is an American actor. Waterston is known for his work in theater, television, and film. He has receivednumerous accolades including aPrimetime Emmy Award,Golden Globe Award, andScreen Actors Guild Award as well as nominations for anAcademy Award, aTony Award, and twoBAFTA Awards. His acting career has spanned over five decades acting on stage and screen.[1] Waterston received a star on theHollywood Walk of Fame in 2010 and was inducted into theAmerican Theater Hall of Fame in 2012.
Waterston studied at theSorbonne in Paris and the American Actors Workshop. He started his career in theater on theNew York stage, appearing in multiple revivals ofShakespeare. Waterston starred in numerous productions at thePublic Theatre includingIndians (1969),The Trial of Catonsville Nine (1970),A Doll's House (1975),Hamlet (1975),Measure for Measure (1977), andBenefactors (1980).[2][3] He portrayedAbraham Lincoln onBroadway inAbe Lincoln in Illinois (1993) where he received aTony Award for Best Actor in a Play nomination.[4]
On film, he playedNick Carraway inThe Great Gatsby (1974) earning aGolden Globe nomination. For his portrayal ofSydney Schanberg inRoland Joffe'sThe Killing Fields (1984) he was nominated for theAcademy Award for Best Actor. He has acted in severalWoody Allen films includingInteriors (1978),Hannah and Her Sisters (1986),September (1987), andCrimes and Misdemeanors (1989). He also acted inHopscotch (1980),Heaven's Gate (1980),The Man in the Moon (1991),Serial Mom (1994),Nixon (1995),Miss Sloane (2016) andOn the Basis of Sex (2018).
Waterston gained prominence for his portrayal ofJack McCoy on theNBC crime seriesLaw & Order (1994–2010, 2022–2024), for which he received aScreen Actors Guild Award along withGolden Globe Award andEmmy Award nominations. He played Charlie Skinner inAaron Sorkin'sHBO drama seriesThe Newsroom (2012–2014). He wasBAFTA nominated for portrayingJ. Robert Oppenheimer in the BBC miniseriesOppenheimer (1980).[5] He has also acted inLincoln (1988),Godless (2017),Grace and Frankie (2015–2022), andThe Dropout (2022).
Sam Waterston was born inCambridge,Massachusetts, the third of four children of George Chychele Waterston, asemanticist and language teacher, and Alice Tucker (née Atkinson), a landscape painter. Waterston's mother was of English ancestry, and a descendant of passengers on theMayflower; his father emigrated to the U.S. from Scotland via England. His siblings are Roberta, George, and Ellen Waterston.[6][7][8]Waterston attended high school at theGroton School, graduating in the class of 1958.[9] He earned aBA fromYale College, class of 1962.[10]
The classically trained Waterston has numerous stage credits to his name. In 1962, he made hisBroadway debut playing Jonathan in theArthur Kopit playOh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feelin' So Sad at theMorosco Theatre. The following year, he made his debut at theDelacorte Theatre playing Silvius in a production ofWilliam Shakespeare'sAs You Like It (1963).
He made his film debut in the 1965 drama movieThe Plastic Dome of Norma Jean.[11] He returned to Broadway playing David inFirst One Asleep, Whistle (1966), and Robert in thePeter Ustinov playHalfway Up the Tree (1967). On October 13, 1969, he starred inArthur Kopit's playIndians onBroadway at theBrooks Atkinson Theatre. The play was directed by Gene Frankel, and he acted alongsideStacy Keach as Buffalo Bill,Manu Tupou as Sitting Bull, and other actors such asTom Aldredge,Kevin Conway,Charles Durning, andRaul Julia. The play ran for 96 performances and 16 previews.[12][13]
During this time, Waterston acted in supporting roles in numerous films includingDelbert Mann's romantic comedyFitzwilly (1967) starringDick Van Dyke, and the comedy filmGeneration (1969). He had a leading role in the British romantic dramaThree acting oppositeCharlotte Rampling andRobie Porter. He acted in theMerchant Ivory filmSavages based loosely on theLuis Buñuel filmThe Exterminating Angel (1962). Waterston continued acting in plays at thePublic Theatre including portraying Benedick inJoseph Papp's production ofWilliam Shakespeare'sMuch Ado About Nothing (1972) and played thetitle role inHamlet (1975), the former earned him aDrama Desk Award for Outstanding Performance.
Waterston has a history of doing theater work in the summer, often seen acting in such venues asLong Wharf Theatre and theYale Repertory Theatre in New Haven.[14][15] In 1973, acting oppositeKatharine Hepburn, he played her son in the television drama filmThe Glass Menagerie (1973), receiving aPrimetime Emmy Award nomination forOutstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his work in the film.[16][17] He went on to appear asbond salesmanNick Carraway in the 1974 feature film version ofThe Great Gatsby acting alongsideRobert Redford,Mia Farrow, andBruce Dern. For his performance he earned twoGolden Globe nominations:Best Supporting Actor andNew Star of the Year.[5]
The following year, Waterston acted in the neo-Western comedy filmRancho Deluxe (1975) starringJeff Bridges,Elizabeth Ashley, andHarry Dean Stanton. That same year, he acted in the Canadian thrillerJourney into Fear withZero Mostel,Vincent Price andShelley Winters. In 1976, he acted in the thrillerSweet Revenge oppositeStockard Channing. The following year, he acted in the British-American thrillerCapricorn One playing Lieutenant Colonel Peter Willis. The film had an ensemble cast which includedElliott Gould,James Brolin,O. J. Simpson, andHal Holbrook. Also in 1977, he starred in an Off-Broadway production ofWilliam Shakespeare'sMeasure for Measure as Duke Vincentio alongsideMeryl Streep andJohn Cazale at theDelacorte Theatre.[18]
Waterston made his first collaboration withWoody Allen playing Mike in the dramaInteriors (1978) starringDiane Keaton,Geraldine Page,Maureen Stapleton, andE.G. Marshall. The film was a departure from comedy from Allen and received critical acclaim as well as nominations for fiveAcademy Awards. In 1980, he starred inBenefactors alongsideGlenn Close,Mary Beth Hurt, andSimon Jones atThe Brooks Atkinson Theatre on Broadway.[19] Also in 1980, he portrayedOld West figureFrank Canton inHeaven's Gate[20] andtheoretical physicistJ. Robert Oppenheimer in the miniseriesOppenheimer (1980) earned him nominations for aBAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Television Series and aGolden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film.[5]
In 1984, Waterston played American journalistSydney Schanberg in the British dramaThe Killing Fields, oppositeHaing S. Ngor andJohn Malkovich. For his performance, Waterston received anAcademy Award for Best Actor nomination.[21][22] Waterston reunited with Woody Allen playing David, a romantic interest forDianne Wiest andMia Farrow inHannah and Her Sisters (1986), Peter inSeptember (1987), and Ben, arabbi who is losing his eyesightCrimes and Misdemeanors (1989). He also took a supporting role in the coming of age filmThe Man in the Moon (1991) starringReese Witherspoon in her feature film debut, theJohn Waters satirical black comedy filmSerial Mom (1994) and playedPresident Abraham Lincoln in the miniseriesLincoln (1988).
Waterston voiced Lincoln in the 1990Ken Burns documentary miniseriesThe Civil War.[23] Waterston portrayed a district attorney in drama television seriesI'll Fly Away (1991–93), winning theGolden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama.[5][24] In 1993, he portrayedAbraham Lincoln onstage inAbe Lincoln in Illinois and receivedTony Award,Drama Desk Award, andOuter Critics Circle Award nominations for his performance.[25]
In 1994, Waterston debuted as ExecutiveAssistant District AttorneyJack McCoy in the fifth season of theNBC television seriesLaw & Order created byDick Wolf. He played the role of John James "Jack" McCoy, who would eventually become ManhattanDistrict Attorney, through the series finale in 2010. The role won him aScreen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series, as well as several Emmy and Golden Globe nominations.[16][5][26] Upon the show's cancellation, Waterston was the second longest-serving cast member (behindS. Epatha Merkerson), having reprised his role through 16 seasons.[27][28] He has also made guest appearances as McCoy on other crime shows, such asHomicide: Life on the Street (1997, 99),Exiled: A Law & Order Movie (1998), and spin-offsLaw & Order: Special Victims Unit (2000, 07, 10, 18) andLaw & Order: Trial by Jury (2005).[23] Due to the success of theNew York–based TV series, Waterston and his fellow longtimeLaw & Order castmateJerry Orbach were declared "Living Landmarks" by theNew York Landmarks Conservancy.[29]
Waterston has appeared as a celebrity contestant onJeopardy! twice. He made a popularcameo appearance on a 1995 episode ofSaturday Night Live as himself, extolling the virtues ofOld Glory Insurance, meant to protect the elderly fromrobot attacks.[30] During this time, he portrayedRichard Helms inOliver Stone's political dramaNixon (1995) but his scenes were ultimately cut and remain in theDirector's cut version of the film. The following year, he reunited withMerchant Ivory forThe Proprietor (1996) starringJeanne Moreau. He portrayed a fictionalpresident of the United States in the thrillerShadow Conspiracy starringCharlie Sheen andDonald Sutherland. He acted in his third Merchant Ivory filmLe Divorce (2003) starringKate Hudson andNaomi Watts.
Waterston appeared asPolonius in the 2008Shakespeare in the Park production ofHamlet.[31] His performance received a positive review inThe New York Times.[32] On February 12, 2009, Waterston portrayedAbraham Lincoln inEarl Robinson's "The Lonesome Train: A Music Legend for Actors, Folk Singers, Choirs, and Orchestra" at theRiverside Church in New York City. The concert was performed to celebrate Lincoln's 200th birthday.[33][34]
Waterston has had several other high profile television roles, including his portrayal of cable news president Charlie Skinner inThe Newsroom, anHBO series byAaron Sorkin.[35] Waterston acted oppositeJeff Daniels,Emily Mortimer,Dev Patel,Olivia Munn, andJane Fonda in the series, which ran from 2012 to 2014. In 2015, Waterston appeared asProspero in aShakespeare in the Park production ofThe Tempest, directed by Michael Greif.[36][37] In 2015, Waterston joined the cast of theNetflix seriesGrace and Frankie, starring withMartin Sheen,Jane Fonda andLily Tomlin. In an interview with theNew York Daily News, Waterston supported Tomlin and Fonda in demanding higher salaries than the supporting actors, saying, "I think they're being cheated."[38] His character Sol appeared on all seven seasons of the show, which concluded in 2022.[citation needed]
In 2017, Waterston played Marshal John Cook in theNetflix western limited seriesGodless oppositeJeff Daniels andMichelle Dockery. Waterston subsequently portrayed George DuPont in the political thrillerMiss Sloane starringJessica Chastain and playedErwin Griswold in the biographical dramaOn the Basis of Sex starringFelicity Jones asRuth Bader Ginsburg. In 2021, Waterston was cast in the revival ofLaw & Order, reprising his role as District AttorneyJack McCoy. He appeared onThe Late Show with Stephen Colbert to promote the show.[39] In 2022, he portrayedGeorge Shultz in theHulu limited seriesThe Dropout starringAmanda Seyfried asElizabeth Holmes.
On February 2, 2024, Waterson leftLaw & Order after 20 seasons, with his character Jack McCoy, whom he had played for 405 episodes, being replaced by a new D.A. portrayed byTony Goldwyn.[40]
Waterston married his first wife, Barbara Johns, in 1964.[41] The couple had one son, actorJames Waterston, before divorcing in 1975. Waterston married his second wife, former model Lynn Louisa Woodruff, in 1976.[42] They have three children, includingKatherine Waterston.[43]
Waterston is a board member ofOceana.[44] Waterston received the Goodermote Humanitarian Award from theJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in 2012 for his longtime support of refugees around the world.[45] Waterston is a longtime friend and fan of theMark Morris Dance Group and hosted the television presentation ofMozart Dances onPBS'sLive from Lincoln Center on August 16, 2007.[46]
Waterston is a practicingEpiscopalian.[47]
He was a spokesman for theUnity08 movement, which unsuccessfully sought to run anon- orbipartisan presidential ticket in the2008 presidential election.[48] Waterston stated in 2007 that he had been aDemocrat until leaving the party in disgust following the airing ofLyndon B. Johnson's "Daisy" election advertisement in 1964.[49] However, he endorsed Democratic presidentBarack Obama for re-election in2012.[50] As of 2016, Waterston is a registered Democrat.[51] On October 18, 2019, Waterston was arrested outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., withGrace and Frankie co-starJane Fonda, for protesting theTrump administration's policies concerningclimate change.[52]
Waterston received anAcademy Award nomination forBest Actor for his performance inThe Killing Fields (1984), losing toF. Murray Abraham for his role inAmadeus (1984). Waterston also received threePrimetime Emmy Award nominations and twoGolden Globe Award nominations forI'll Fly Away, winning a Golden Globe in 1994. He received a 1994Tony Award nomination forBest Actor in a Play for his performance in theBroadway revival ofAbe Lincoln in Illinois. For his portrayal of Jack McCoy inLaw & Order, Waterston has received threePrimetime Emmy Award nominations and aGolden Globe Award nomination; in addition, he has received 11Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for his work onLaw & Order, winning the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series in 1999.
In 2003, Waterston received The Lincoln Forum'sRichard Nelson Current Award of Achievement.[53]AllMovie historianHal Erickson characterized Waterston as having "cultivated a loyal following with his quietly charismatic, unfailingly solid performances."[54]
On January 7, 2010, Waterston received the 2,397th star on theHollywood Walk of Fame.[55] In 2012, he was inducted into theAmerican Theatre Hall of Fame.[56]
In 2022, the Japanese composer Eiko Ishibashi pays tribute to him in her album 'For McCoy' for his portrayal of the prosecutor Jack McCoy in the TV series Law & Order.
On May 27, 2024, Waterston was inducted as an honorary class member ofPrinceton University.[57]
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link). Retrieved January 4, 2008.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| People | |
| Other | |