Christian Slater

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Christian Slater

Christian Slater in 2004
Born Christian Michael Leonard Slater
August 18, 1969 (1969-08-18) (age 39)
New York City, New York, U.S.

Christian Michael Leonard Slater (born August 18, 1969) is an American actor who has starred in films such as Heathers, Kuffs, True Romance and He Was a Quiet Man.

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[edit] Early life

Slater was born in New York City, the son of Mary Jo Slater (née Lauden), a 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, who is also an actor.[3] Slater attended the Dalton School, the Professional Children's School and the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts.[3]

He has been erroneously thought to be related to Helen Slater. In addition to their shared surname, the myth is further fueled by their portrayal of sister and brother in The Legend of Billie Jean. Additionally, the DVD of Supergirl, featuring Helen Slater, included a critic's review which wrongly stated she is his sister.

[edit] Career

Following a run on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live, 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 film The Legend of Billie Jean, and had significant roles in the 1986 mystery film The Name of the Rose, the 1989 dark comedy Heathers and Skateboarding flick Gleaming The Cube, and the 1990 teen film Pump Up the Volume. His most notable roles from the '90s include the role of outlaws "Arkansas" Dave Rudabaugh in 1990's Young Guns II and Clarence Worley in 1993's True Romance. He also voiced the character John Watson a.k.a. "Wonko the Sane" in BBC Radio 4's production of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.[4].

Christian Slater has signed on the dotted line to join The Forgotten, ABC's new crime drama from uberproducer Jerry Bruckheimer, TVGuide.com has learned. Premiering Tuesday, Sept. 22 (leading out of the Dancing with the Stars results show), The Forgotten revolves around the Identity Network, a team of amateur sleuths who work on cases involving unidentified victims. [5]

[edit] Personal life

In 2000, Slater married Ryan Haddon, the daughter of '70s model Dayle Haddon. The couple have two children, Jaden Christopher (b. 1999) and Eliana Sophia (b. 2001). As of early 2005, they separated.[6]He divides his time between New York City and Los Angeles and he owns a home in London.[citation needed] In 2007, Slater made news for stating that he is still in love with Heathers co-star Winona Ryder.[7]

[edit] Controversies

In 1989, Slater was arrested in West Hollywood for leading the police on a drunken car chase that ended when Slater crashed his car into a telephone pole. In 1994, he was arrested for taking a gun aboard a plane. On August 11, 1997, Slater was arrested by police in Los Angeles and charged with three counts of assault with a deadly weapon and one count of battery. He struck his then-girlfriend, fashion editor Michelle Jonas.

In 2003, Slater’s wife, Ryan Haddon, was arrested for assaulting Slater at a Hard Rock Café in Las Vegas. Slater was arrested on charges of third degree sexual abuse on May 31, 2005.[8] He was once quoted as saying "Work is my hobby, staying sober is my job."[9]

[edit] Charity work

Slater has been a supporter of several charities, including 21st Century Leaders, Global Green and Whatever It Takes,[10] Slater appeared in an educational video on behalf of Nelson Mandela’s 46664 charity for AIDS awareness.[11] He has also worked to promote humanitarian work in South Africa.[12] 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 reserved for Phoenix after the latter actor died in 1993. In early May of 2009, Slater did his part for the USO and visited the wounded and recovering soldiers of Walter Reed Army Medical Center.[1]

[edit] Awards

Slater won the MTV Movie Award in 1993 for his work in Untamed Heart. In 2001 he won the Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for The Contender.[13]

[edit] Filmography

[edit] Television

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d Stated on Inside the Actors Studio
  2. ^ Christian Slater Biography (1969-)
  3. ^ a b Christian Slater Biography - Yahoo! Movies
  4. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/4461153.stm
  5. ^ Matt Mitovich (06 July 2009). "It’s official: Christian Slater joins ABC drama series". TVGuide.com. http://www.tvguide.com/News/Slater-Forgotten-official-1007665.aspx. Retrieved on 2009-07-06. 
  6. ^ Christian Slater splits from wife Ryan Haddon.
  7. ^ [1]
  8. ^ [2]
  9. ^ [3]
  10. ^ [4]and USO.
  11. ^ [5]
  12. ^ [6]
  13. ^ [7]
  14. ^ a b Filmography
  15. ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102975/
  16. ^ Due to his outrage at the film, he will not return for the sequel and has since been replaced by Rick Yune.
  17. ^ The Ten Commandments : Epic Stories of the Bible

[edit] External links

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Preceded by
Dana Carvey		 MTV Video Music Awards host
1993		 Succeeded by
Roseanne Barr
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