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      William Fichtner

      William Fichtner

      Highest Rated: 91% Go (1999)

      Lowest Rated: 8% Ultraviolet (2006)

      Birthday: Nov 27, 1956

      Birthplace: East Meadow, New York, USA

      A compelling actor known for his strong supporting performances in film, William Fichtner started out as a soap heartthrob on CBS' "As the World Turns" in 1987. He played a troubled man who had years before committed a rape that resulted in a child, yet despite this violent background and repugnant past, his Josh Snyder/Rod Landry emerged as a fan favorite and his handling of the role led viewers to consider Josh/Rod as a lost soul and a sympathetic character. His unconventional looks-strong boned face and sad haunted eyes-contributed to his attractive intensity. Later on television, he showed a lighter side with a 1994-1995 recurring role in the ABC sitcom "Grace Under Fire," playing Ryan Sparks, the dry-humored petrochemist love interest of Brett Butler's Grace. In 1993, Fichtner made a significant mark on stage with a well-reviewed breakthrough performance in "The Fiery Furnace" opposite Julie Harris. It was during this time that Fichtner's film career also began to pan out. His early film appearances included a role in the little seen "Ramona" (1990) and a bit part as a police officer in "Malcolm X" (1992). "Quiz Show" (1994) offered more exposure in a minor role as the game show's stage manager. In 1995, he had was featured in "Virtuosity," "Strange Days" and as a sleazy banker undone by Robert De Niro in "Heat." He gave a more significant, although less seen performance in Steven Soderbergh's 1995 feature "The Underneath" as Tommy Dundee, an intimidating and unstable club owner who becomes a rival of Peter Gallagher's Michael Chambers. Fichtner's work as the jealous and powerful Dundee caught the attention of casting director David Rubin who recommended him to Kevin Spacey for "Albino Alligator," the actor's 1997 directorial debut. While undoubtedly already a familiar presence on screen, due to his prolific and strong performances in small parts, it was this film that proved to be his breakthrough role. Fichtner, riveting as a slurring sociopath who creates a hostage situation in a bar, played up the character's volatility with an intense performance that masterfully stopped short of overacting. Later that year his well-researched turn as Dr Kent Clark, a blind astronomer in "Contact" was also touted, although a good bit of it ended up on the cutting room floor. While his work in that year's "SwitchBack" was less memorable, 1998's action blockbuster "Armageddon" saw him return with a strong supporting turn as the hard-nosed and disciplined leader of an asteroid destroying mission. Through his own research, Fichtner added a realistic element to his character, making Sharp less combustible than he was initially written. The result was a portrait of an Air Force colonel complete with the steadiness that would be expected from an actual pilot to reach that level. In 1999, Fichtner gave an enjoyable comedic performance in Doug Liman's high-energy ensemble film "Go." The elder statesman of the cast, he played an undercover narcotics officer with an apparent personal interest in his cohorts (Jay Mohr and Scott Wolf). Fichtner reached leading man status with a 1999 performance opposite Demi Moore in "Passion of Mind," playing a New York accountant pursuing a book editor (Moore) in this story of a woman who discovers she has a second life in a parallel universe. Another starring role came that year in "The Settlement," alongside John C. Reilly as men involved in an insurance brokering gamble who meet their match in a woman (Kelly McGillis) who is either a terminally ill cancer patient or a talented con artist. He then battled the storm as a commercial fishermen in the feature drama "The Perfect Storm," which co-starred George Clooney and Mark Walhberg. A year later, Fichtner was cast in two war-based features, "Pearl Harbor" (2001) and "Black Hawk Down" (2002). He later starred as a renegade doctor who is forced to bend the rules in a constant quest to treat his patients in television drama "Mds." John Hannah, Jacqueline McKenzie and Robert Joy also co-starred in the ABC drama. After a supporting role as a dissident leader in the widely panned futuristic thriller "Equilibrium" (2002), Fichtner joined a stellar cast that included Don Cheadle, Matt Damon, Ludacris and Sandra Bullock in the emotional racial drama, "Crash" (2005). He provided his voice for an episode of the animated "American Dad!" (Fox, 2004- ), then played a resentful cop trying to mend his relationship with the owner of a local diner (Ed Harris) in the acclaimed miniseries "Empire Falls" (HBO, 2005). Supporting roles in "The Longest Yard" (2005) and "The Chumscrubber" (2005) led to an appearance in "Nine Lives" (2005), an ensemble drama about the everyday travails of nine women. Fichtner played a man whose ex-wife (Amy Brenneman) starts to fall back in love with him after the death of his second wife. He then returned to regular series work in the supernatural drama "Invasion" (ABC, 2005-06), playing a sheriff in a small Florida town devastated by a hurricane that may have a connection to aliens from outer space. "Invasion" was cancelled after its first and only season, and Fichtner returned to features, costarring in "Ultraviolet" (2006) as the sidekick of a beautiful, but lethal, genetically modified human (Milla Jovovich) with near-superhuman powers who becomes a rogue warrior hell bent on protecting her race from being destroyed by the very government that created them. In 2006, Fichtner joined the cast of "Prison Break" (Fox, 2005-2009) for season two, playing a dogged but privately troubled FBI agent who hunts down a group of escaped prisoners that includes two brothers (Wentworth Miller and Dominic Purcell) desperately trying to clear their names while looking for a hidden stash of money. After a convincingly sleazy performance as the best friend of a traveling salesman (Guy Pearce) paranoid about dying in "First Snow" (2007), Fichtner played the adoptive father of a fastidious skating prodigy (Jon Heder) who partners with his arrogant, over-sexed rival (Will Ferrell) for doubles competition after both have been banned from skating solo in "Blades of Glory" (2007). Following a brief appearance in the massive superhero blockbuster "The Dark Knight" (2008), he wrapped up his "Prison Break" stint and shifted to a recurring role on "Entourage," portraying TV producer Phil Yagoda. After a supporting part in the Steve Carell/Tina Fey comedy "Date Night" (2010), Fichtner detoured into oddball indie territory with the bizarre feature "Wrong" (2012), but he returned to big-budget fare with a lead villain turn as the fiendish outlaw Butch Cavendish in "The Lone Ranger" (2013), a high-profile box-office bomb. After starring in the international crime series "Crossing Lines" (NBC, 2013- ) with Donald Sutherland, Fichtner played a callous corporate head in the sci-fi/action film "Elysium" (2013), once again showcasing his skill at depicting antagonists.

      Highest rated movies

      Go
      O.G.
      Heat
      The Homesman
      Cold Brook Black Hawk Down
      Nine Lives
      Crash

      Photos

      William Fichtner ARMAGEDDON, Steve Buscemi, Will Patton, Bruce Willis, Ben Affleck, Owen Wilson, Michael Clarke Duncan, Clark Brolly, William Fichtner, Anthony Guidera, Marshall Teague, Jessica Steen, Billy Bob Thornton, 1998, (c) Touchstone ALBINO ALLIGATOR, Viggo Mortensen, William Fichtner, Matt Dillon, 1996, © Miramax ALBINO ALLIGATOR, William Fichtner, Matt Dillon, 1996, © Miramax THE PERFECT STORM, (rear to front) William Fichtner, Allen Payne, Mark Wahlberg, John Hawkes, 2000, (c) Warner Brothers BLADES OF GLORY, Craig T. Nelson, Jon Heder, William Fichtner, 2007. ©Paramount BLADES OF GLORY, from left: Craig T. Nelson, Jon Heder, William Fichtner, 2007, © Paramount PERFECT STORM, William Fichtner, George Clooney, 2000 WHAT'S THE WORST THAT COULD HAPPEN, William Fichtner, Martin Lawrence, 2001 GO, Scott Wolf, Jay Mohr, William Fichtner, 1999, (c)Columbia Pictures Empire, Jussie Smollett (L), William Fichtner (R), 01/07/2015, ©FOX DROWNING MONA, William Fichtner, Bette Midler, Marcus Thomas, 2000, washing equipment THE DARK KNIGHT, William Fichtner, 2008. ©Warner Bros. TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES, William Fichtner, 2014. Ph: Melissa Moseley/©Paramount Pictures FINDING STEVE MCQUEEN, FROM LEFT: LOUIS LOMBARDI, RHYS COIRO, TRAVIS FIMMEL, WILLIAM FICHTNER, 2019. © MOMENTUM PICTURES THE LONGEST YARD, Steve Austin, William Fichtner, Brian Bosworth, 2005, (c) Paramount THE MOGULS, (aka THE AMATEURS), Ted Danson, William Fichtner, Jeff Bridges, Joe Pantoliano, Patrick Fugit, 2005. ©Bauer Martinez Films THE LONGEST YARD, William Fichtner, James Cromwell, 2005, (c) Paramount THE PERFECT STORM, William Fichtner, John C. Reilly, Mark Wahlberg, George Clooney, Allen Payne, John Hawkes, 2000, (c) Warner Brothers ULTRAVIOLET, Milla Jovovich, William Fichtner, 2006, (c) Screen Gems

      Filmography

      Movies

      Credit
      26% 76% French Girl Peter Kinsky (Character) - 2024
      32% 62% Hypnotic Dellrayne (Character) $4.5M 2023
      48% 84% 88 Ron Holt (Character) - 2022
      23% 91% The Birthday Cake Uncle Ricardo (Character) - 2021
      No Score Yet 43% The Space Between Donny Rumson (Character) - 2021
      40% 60% Josie & Jack Raeburn (Character) - 2019
      80% 83% Cold Brook Ted Markham (Character),
      Director,
      Screenwriter,
      Producer
      - 2018
      89% 67% O.G. Danvers (Character) - 2018
      46% 61% Finding Steve McQueen Enzo Rotella (Character) - 2018
      23% 24% All the Devil's Men Brennan (Character) - 2018
      No Score Yet 64% Armed Richard (Character) - 2018
      27% 45% Traffik Mr. Waynewright (Character) $9.2M 2018
      No Score Yet No Score Yet O.G. Unknown (Character) - 2018
      No Score Yet No Score Yet Elite squad Unknown (Character) - 2018
      No Score Yet No Score Yet Black Holes Youston (Voice) - 2017
      44% 58% Hot Summer Nights Shep (Character) - 2017
      13% 47% Krystal Dr. Farley (Character) - 2017
      No Score Yet 32% The Neighbor Mike (Character),
      Producer
      - 2017
      No Score Yet 90% American Wrestler: The Wizard Coach Plyler (Character) - 2016
      29% 30% Independence Day: Resurgence General Adams (Character) $103.1M 2016
      81% 53% The Homesman Vester Belknap (Character) $2.4M 2014
      21% 50% Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Erich Sachs (Character) $191.2M 2014
      64% 58% Elysium John Carlyle (Character) $93.1M 2013
      31% 51% The Lone Ranger Butch Cavendish (Character) $89.3M 2013
      49% 42% Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf's Narrator $516.7K 2013
      25% 34% Phantom Alex (Character) $460.0K 2013
      65% 54% Wrong Master Chang (Character) - 2012
      50% 45% SEAL Team Six: The Raid on Osama bin Laden Guidry (Character) - 2012
      36% 27% Code Name: Geronimo Unknown (Character) - 2012
      47% 37% Drive Angry The Accountant (Character) $10.7M 2011
      19% 25% The Big Bang Det. Poley (Character) - 2010
      67% 55% Date Night DA Frank Crenshaw (Character) $98.7M 2010
      70% 68% Blades of Glory Darren (Character) - 2007
      58% 41% First Snow Ed (Character) $213.0K 2006
      8% 30% Ultraviolet Garth (Character) $18.5M 2006
      No Score Yet No Score Yet The Moguls Otis (Character) $15.1K 2005
      76% 67% Nine Lives Andrew (Character) $478.3K 2005
      31% 62% The Longest Yard Capt. Knauer (Character) $158.1M 2005
      19% 54% The Amateurs (The Moguls) (Dirty Movie) Unknown (Character) - 2005
      74% 88% Crash Flanagan (Character) $54.6M 2004
      29% 50% Julie Walking Home Henry (Character) - 2002
      40% 81% Equilibrium Jurgen (Character) $1.2M 2002
      77% 88% Black Hawk Down Sanderson (Character) $108.6M 2001
      10% 35% What's the Worst That Could Happen? Detective Alex Tardio (Character) $32.3M 2001
      24% 66% Pearl Harbor Danny's Father (Character) $198.5M 2001
      19% 51% Passion of Mind Aaron (Character) $769.0K 2000
      46% 63% The Perfect Storm David "Sully" Sullivan (Character) $182.6M 2000
      29% 47% Drowning Mona Phil Dearly (Character) $15.4M 2000
      91% 78% Go Burke (Character) $16.8M 1999
      No Score Yet 45% The Settlement Jerry (Character) - 1999
      43% 73% Armageddon Colonel William Sharp, Shuttle Freedom Pilot (Character) $201.6M 1998
      31% 45% Switchback Jack McGinnis (Character) $6.5M 1997
      68% 78% Contact Kent Clark (Character) $100.9M 1997
      50% 42% Albino Alligator Law (Character) $326.3K 1996
      32% 31% Virtuosity Wallace (Character) $23.2M 1995
      No Score Yet 71% A Father for Charlie Sheriff (Character) - 1995
      68% 73% Strange Days Dwayne Engelman (Character) $7.3M 1995
      62% 39% The Underneath Tommy Dundee (Character) $386.9K 1995
      83% 94% Heat Roger Van Zant (Character) $66.2M 1995
      No Score Yet No Score Yet Ramona Bartender (Character) - 1991

      TV

      Credit
      85% 93% The Company You Keep Leo (Character) 2023
      33% 88% Joe vs Carole Rick Kirkham (Character) 2022
      86% 82% Mom Adam (Character),
      Unknown (Guest Star)
      2016-2021
      No Score Yet No Score Yet Home & Family Guest 2019
      No Score Yet 20% Top Gear America Producer,
      Host
      2017
      No Score Yet 75% Shooter Unknown (Guest Star) 2016
      84% 48% Empire Unknown (Guest Star) 2015-2016
      No Score Yet 64% Crossing Lines Carl Hickman (Character) 2013-2015
      65% 82% Entourage Phil Yagoda (Guest Star) 2009-2011
      61% 77% Prison Break Special Agent Alexander Mahone (Character) 2006-2009
      80% 79% Invasion Unknown (Character) 2005-2006
      No Score Yet 91% American Dad! Harland (Guest Voice) 2005
      No Score Yet No Score Yet Empire Falls Jimmy Minty (Character) 2005
      81% 95% The West Wing Justice Christopher Mulready (Guest Star) 2004
      25% No Score Yet MDs Unknown (Character) 2002
      No Score Yet No Score Yet Grace Under Fire Unknown (Guest Star) 1995
      No Score Yet No Score Yet Baywatch Howard Ganza (Guest Star) 1989