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Christian Slater
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Slater at the 64th Berlin International Film Festival, February 2014
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Born
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Christian Michael Leonard Slater
(1969-08-18) August 18, 1969
New York City, New York, U.S.
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Occupation
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Actor
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Years active
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1981–present
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Spouse(s)
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Ryan Haddon (m. 2000–07); 2 children
Brittany Lopez (m. 2013)
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Christian Michael Leonard Slater (born August 18, 1969) is an American actor. He made his film debut with a small role in The Postman Always Rings Twice before playing a leading role in the 1985 film The Legend of Billie Jean. He played a monk's apprentice alongside Sean Connery in The Name of the Rose before gaining wider recognition for his breakthrough role in the cult film Heathers.
In the 1990s, Slater starred in many big budget films, including Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles, Broken Arrow, and Hard Rain. He was also featured in the cult film True Romance. Since 2000, Slater has combined work in the film business with television, including appearances in The West Wing and Alias and starring in Breaking In and Mind Games. Slater was married to Ryan Haddon between 2000 and 2005, and they had two children together. Slater has had widely publicized brushes with the law, including being sentenced to three months in jail for assault in 1997.
Early life
Slater was born in New York City, to Mary Jo Slater (née Lawton), an acting agent turned casting executive and producer, and Michael Hawkins (né Thomas Knight Slater), an actor who is also known as Michael Gainsborough.[1][2] Slater has a maternal half-brother, Ryan Slater, who is also an actor.[3] Though he played her character's younger brother in the movie The Legend of Billie Jean, he is not related to Helen Slater. He attended the Dalton School, the Professional Children's School and the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts.[3]
Career
Early career
Following a run on the ABC soap opera Ryan's Hope, Slater made his Broadway debut as the lisping Winthrop Paroo opposite Dick Van Dyke in the 1980 revival of The Music Man.[1] Additional Broadway credits include Copperfield, Merlin, Macbeth, Side Man, and The Glass Menagerie. In addition he has performed in London's West End in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and Swimming With Sharks.
Slater made his big screen debut in 1985's The Legend of Billie Jean playing Billie Jean’s brother Binx. Though expected to be a big hit, the film fell short at the box office, despite gaining a cult following. His career improved with his role in The Name of the Rose in 1986 alongside Sean Connery.[4] Slater played Connery's apprentice monk while they investigated a series of murders at a Benedictine abbey. Slater followed this by playing Junior Tucker in Francis Ford Coppola's Tucker: The Man and His Dream (1988), Gleaming the Cube (1989) and Beyond the Stars (1989).
Slater's career rose to new heights when he played the dark character J.D. in the 1989 film Heathers alongside Winona Ryder. Heathers was billed as the teen film of the late 1980s. Slater beat out many other actors such as Brad Pitt for the part and his performance drew comparison with a young Jack Nicholson.[4] After Heathers, Slater had offers to play more troubled youths, including as a rebellious teen in Pump Up the Volume (1990) and a wild gunman in Young Guns II (1990), in which Slater acted alongside Emilio Estevez and Kiefer Sutherland.
Box office success
In 1991, Slater was cast as Will Scarlett in the Hollywood big budget production of Alan Rickman. The film was a spectacular commercial success, taking US$390 million worldwide, and Slater became one of the major A-list stars of the 1990s.[5] With Slater being a big Star Trek fan, he accepted a minor role in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, shortly after playing Charlie Luciano in the crime drama Mobsters.[4] The following year he starred in Kuffs.
In 1993, Slater tried to expand his film genre, playing opposite Marisa Tomei in Untamed Heart and playing Clarence Worley in the Quentin Tarantino penned cult classic True Romance, which received many rave reviews.[4] In his review of True Romance Roger Ebert awarded the movie 3 stars out of 4 and commented, 'the energy and style of the movie are exhilarating. Christian Slater has the kind of cocky recklessness the movie needs.'[6]
The part as the interviewer in Very Bad Things opposite Cameron Diaz.
Since 2000
After his highly publicized brushes with the law, Slater's standing as a major movie star began to fade. Since 2000 Slater has mixed TV work with leading roles in mainly lower budget films along with supporting roles in a few mainstream productions, appearing in the successful The Forgotten in 2009.
In 2011 he co-starred in the action film The River Murders, with Ray Liotta and Ving Rhames. Also in 2011, he starred in the television series, Breaking In, which lasted two seasons. Slater co-starred in another film with Ving Rhames, Soldiers of Fortune (2012), and in the Sylvester Stallone action thriller Bullet to the Head (2013), directed by Walter Hill. He co-starred in the 2014 television series, Mind Games, which was cancelled after only five episodes were aired.[8]
Slater is reportedly developing and making a film based on Will Viharo's 1993 neo-noir novel Love Stories Are Too Violent For Me,[9] the first of three works to feature PI Vic Valentine.
Personal life
In 2000, Slater married Ryan Haddon, the daughter of 1970s model Dayle Haddon. The couple have two children, Jaden Christopher (born 1999) and Eliana Sophia (born 2001).[4] In 2003, Haddon was arrested for assaulting Slater at a Hard Rock Cafe while on a trip to Las Vegas.[10] Haddon allegedly threw a glass bottle and gashed Slater’s neck open.[11] Haddon was charged with domestic battery, booked at Las Vegas’ Clark County Detention Center, and freed after posting a bond. Afterwards, Slater had to get 20 stitches on his neck.[11][12] They announced a separation over Christmas 2004 while Slater was performing in a stage version of the film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest in London's West End. They officially separated in 2005 and divorced in 2007.[13]
Slater was once quoted as saying "Work is my hobby, staying sober is my job."[14]
On December 2, 2013, Slater married 26-year old Brittany Lopez, whom he had dated for three years.[15][16]
Arrests and convictions
In 1989, Slater was arrested for drunk driving and assault. He was sentenced to 10 days in jail.[4][17]
In 1994, he was arrested when he tried to board a commercial plane with a gun in his luggage.[17] He was sentenced to community service.[18]
In 1997, Slater was convicted of assaulting his then-girlfriend, Michelle Jonas, and a police officer while under the influence of drugs and alcohol.[4][17] He spent over 100 days in a rehabilitation facility while out on bail and then was sentenced to a three-month term in jail followed by three months in a residential rehab center.[3]
On May 24, 2005, Slater was arrested in Manhattan, New York, after he allegedly sexually harassed a woman on the street.[19] A video of Slater being arrested was recorded and shown on television. Slater was charged with third degree sexual abuse and was held at the 19th precinct in Manhattan.[19][20] The charges were later dropped on the condition that Slater kept out of trouble for six months.[21]
Charity work
Slater has been a supporter of several charities, including 21st Century Leaders, Global Green and Whatever It Takes,[22] Slater appeared in an educational video on behalf of Nelson Mandela’s 46664 charity for AIDS awareness.[23]
He has also worked to promote humanitarian work in South Africa.[24]
In 1994, Slater donated his paycheck from the film Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles to River Phoenix’s favorite charities.[1] Slater had taken a role in the film planned to be filled by Phoenix after the latter died in 1993. In early May 2009, Slater visited wounded and recovering soldiers of Walter Reed Army Medical Center for the USO.[1] On December 10, 2009, Slater visited Hattiesburg, Mississippi, where he contributed work for the television show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. The episode aired on March 21, 2010.[25]
Awards
Slater won two MTV Movie Awards in 1993, for "Most Desirable Male" and "Best Kiss" (with Marisa Tomei), both for Untamed Heart.[26] He also won the Golden Slate for "Best Male Performance" for Very Bad Things.
Filmography
Slater in 2004
Film
Television
References
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^ a b c d "Inside the Actors Studio". Season 15. Episode 16. October 13, 2008. Bravo.
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^ "Christian Slater profile". FilmReference.com. Retrieved April 7, 2011.
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^ a b c "Christian Slater profile". Yahoo.com. Retrieved April 7, 2011.
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^ a b c d e f g h i j "Christian Slater profile".
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^ "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves Box Office Mojo".
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^ Roger Ebert (10 September 1993). "True Romance".
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^ "Slater joining Hitchhiker's play".
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^ Andreeva, Nellie (March 27, 2014). Mind Games' Cancelled: ABC Replaces Series With Repeats"'". Deadline.com. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
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^ Tony DuShane (October 23, 2013). "Christian Slater rescues Will Viharo's pulpy novel", sfgate.com; accessed August 18, 2014.
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^ Associated Press. "Slater, wife: An altercation?". Los Angeles Times.
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^ a b Gary Susman (November 11, 2003). "Very Bad Things". Entertainment Weekly.
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^ Associated Press. "Slater, wife: An altercation?". Los Angeles Times.
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^ "Christian Slater splits from wife Ryan Haddon". Female First. November 30, 2001. Retrieved September 20, 2010.
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^ "Christian Slater Top Ten Jailbirds".
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^ "Christian Slater Marries Brittany Lopez—See Their Wedding Pics!". Eonline.com. Retrieved 2014-02-28.
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^ Cosgrove, Sheila (2013-01-14). "Christian Slater Marries Brittany Lopez - Marriage, Wedding, Christian Slater". People.com. Retrieved 2014-02-28.
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^ a b c Rogerson, Margaret (December 11, 1997). "Christian Slater jailed for drug assault". London, UK:
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^ "Christian Slater Biography". Yahoo Movies. Retrieved September 20, 2010.
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^ a b Cheryl Bronson. "Christian Slater arrested on sexual harassment charge". CNN. Retrieved May 31, 2005.
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^ "Christian Slater Arrested". CBS News.
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^ Andrew Jacobs (September 20, 2005). "Charges Against Actor Dropped". New York Times.
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^ "Christian Slater's Charity Work, Events and Causes". LookToTheStars.org.
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^ "Christian Slater for 46664". tm5 Networks. 46664.com. Retrieved November 28, 2008.
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^ "Brangelina inspired Christian Slater to do more good". Theindian News. Retrieved January 10, 2008.
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^ "Slater tackles carpenter role on new house". Hattiesburg American.com. December 11, 2009. Retrieved December 14, 2009.
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^ "1993 MTV Movie Awards". MTV. July 13, 1993. Retrieved April 8, 2011.
External links
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Awards for Christian Slater
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