Background

Ethnicity: Woody Harrelson is of English, Scottish, German, distant Dutch and Welsh, remote Danish and French descent.

Woody Harrelson was born as Woodrow Tracy Harrelson, on July 23, 1961, in Midland, Texas, the United States, to Charles and Diane Harrelson. He has two siblings, brothers Jordan and Brett. His father was a contract killer for the Mafia, who claimed, without evidence, to have participated in the assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy.

Harrelson's father went to prison on a murder conviction for the murder of Federal Judge John H. Wood, Jr, when Harrelson was only seven, leaving Woody's mother, a legal secretary, to raise him and his two brothers in Lebanon, Ohio. Harrelson's family was poor and relied on his mother's wage.

Education

Woody Harrelson completed his formal education from Lebanon High School. In addition to studying, he apprenticed as a woodcarver at Kings Island Amusement Park.

After completing his high school graduation, he moved to Hanover to enroll himself at Hanover College. It was there that he became a part of the Sigma Chi fraternity. In 1983, he completed his Bachelor of Arts degree in theatre and English.

Career

After obtaining an English and theatrical arts degree in 1983 from Hanover College, Indiana, Woody went to New York City to pursue a career in acting. He began as an understudy in Neil Simon's Biloxi Blues. Within months, he was cast in his first series.

Harrelson's big break came in 1985 when he was cast as sweet, dim-witted bartender Woody Boyd on the wildly popular sitcom Cheers, which was in its fourth season. Woody was an instant hit with viewers, as well as with critics, and he stayed on for eight seasons. His performance earned him five Emmy nominations, including a 1989 Emmy win for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.

While still on Cheers, Harrelson also continued his work as a stage actor, appearing in the James Brooks play Brooklyn Laundry in 1991, as well as the drama Furthest From the Sun (1993), a play he both wrote and directed.

Harrelson also took on some supporting and cameo film roles in films such as Wildcats (1986) and L.A. Story (1991). Woody's movie career took off with 1992's White Men Can't Jump, and although he seemed miscast in 1993's Indecent Proposal, the film was a major hit. With Oliver Stone's controversial Natural Born Killers, Woody received high artistic praise as well as social condemnation and it allowed audiences to view him in a completely new light.

After starring roles in 1996's The Sunchaser and the Farrelly Brothers' comedy Kingpin, Harrelson sparked controversy with that year's biopic The People vs. Larry Flynt. Once the controversy faded, Harrelson's sympathetic portrayal of adult-film mogul Larry Flynt earned the actor Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for Best Actor. The film was lauded by critics, and his performance boosted Harrelson to A-list actor status.

As the 1990s progressed, Harrelson landed a series of weightier roles in such projects as the political satire Wag the Dog (1997) and the war films Welcome to Sarajevo (1997) and The Thin Red Line (1998). Harrelson earned the attention of critics again in 2007 for the Coen brothers' drama No Country for Old Men. The film won Harrelson a Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Cast, along with Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, and Kelly Macdonald. In 2008 Harrelson appeared in several films, including the comedy Semi-Pro with Will Ferrell and the drama Seven Pounds with Will Smith.

In 2009 Harrelson co-starred in the horror-comedy Zombieland and the dystopian apocalypse film 2012. His role that same year in the critically acclaimed drama The Messenger earned him several award nominations, including Golden Globe and Academy Award nods. Starting in 2012 Harrelson began playing Haymitch Abernathy in The Hunger Games, reprising the role in subsequent films in the franchise.

One of the actor's more prominent roles on the small screen came in January 2014, with season 1 of the HBO series True Detective. Harrelson played Detective Marty Hart opposite Matthew McConaughey, with both actors serving as executive producers. A dark and atmospheric crime drama, the series was an instant critical darling and pulled in a whole new crop of fans for Harrelson. It also earned the actor an Emmy nomination for Best Actor.

Remaining busy with high-profile projects, Harrelson in 2017 starred as the Colonel in War for the Planet of the Apes and President Lyndon B. Johnson in Rob Reiner's political drama LBJ. That year he also starred in the black comedy Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, a smaller-budget film that made a huge splash on the awards circuit, garnering a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for Harrelson.

In 2018 Harrelson was among the A-list ensemble cast of Solo: A Star Wars Story, as a mentor to the titular space gunslinger. The following year he co-starred with Kevin Costner in The Highwaymen, as a crimefighter on the tail of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, before readying to reprise his old character of Tallahassee for Zombieland: Double Tap and appearing in the World War II epic Midway.

Achievements

• 

  Harrelson first became known for his role as bartender Woody Boyd on the NBC sitcom Cheers (1982-1993), for which he won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series once from a total of five nominations. He has also received three Academy Award nominations: Best Actor for The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996) and Best Supporting Actor for The Messenger (2009) and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017).
  
  For his versatility as an actor, he was inducted into the Texas Film Hall of Fame in March 2003 in Austin, Texas. Harrelson was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters (DHL) from Hanover College in 2014.
  
  Harrelson appeared on the cover of numerous magazines, including GQ, Esquire, and many others.

Works

More photos

• movie

  • Now You See Me

    (Four talented magicians mesmerize an international audien...)

    2013
  • LBJ

    (In the immediate aftermath of the Kennedy assassination, ...)

    2016
  • Free Birds

    (In this hilarious buddy comedy for audiences of all ages,...)

    2013
  • Ethos

    (Hosted by twice Oscar-nominated actor and activist Woody ...)

    2011
  • The Glass Castle

    (Based on the worldwide best-selling memoir starring Acade...)

    2017
  • The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1

    (The worldwide phenomenon of The Hunger Games continues to...)

    2014
  • How to Make Money Selling Drugs

    (Want to make millions in a $400 billion global industry? ...)

    2013
  • I'll Do Anything

    (In this charming romantic comedy, Nick Nolte stars as Mat...)

    1994
  • Bunraku

    (A young man who has spent his life searching for revenge ...)

    2010
  • Seven Pounds

    (Academy Award nominee Will Smith stars in this drama, re-...)

    2008
  • Zombieland

    (Nerdy college student Columbus (Jessie Eisenberg) has and...)

    2009
  • Friends with Benefits

    (When two friends decide to try something new and take adv...)

    2011
  • Scorched

    (Woody Harrelson, Alicia Silverstone and comedy icon John ...)

    2003
  • She Hate Me

    (When a rising exec becomes a whistleblower and gets fired...)

    2004
  • Rampart

    (Woody Harrelson stars as Dave Brown, a corrupt cop in LAP...)

    2011
  • Anger Management

    (A timid businessman is wrongly sentenced to an anger mana...)

    2003
  • The Grand

    (In the tradition of improvisational comedies like Best In...)

    2007
  • Transsiberian

    (When an American couple encounters a pair of mysterious f...)

    2008
  • Solo: A Star Wars Story

    (Through a series of daring escapades, Han Solo befriends ...)

    2018
  • Now You See Me 2

    (The Four Horsemen return for a second mind-bending advent...)

    2016
  • Wilson

    (Woody Harrelson stars as Wilson, a lonely, neurotic and h...)

    2017
  • The Sunchaser

    (Woody Harrelson stars in this moving story about a young ...)

    1996
  • A Scanner Darkly

    (Set in suburban Orange County, Californa, in a future whe...)

    2006
  • Semi-Pro

    (Will Ferrell stars in Semi-Pro, an outrageous comedy set ...)

    2008
  • Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

    (Award-winning actress Frances McDormand (Fargo) delivers ...)

    2017
  • Money Train

    (Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson play undercover cops in...)

    1995
  • Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me

    (First, he fought for the Crown, now he's fighting for the...)

    1999
  • The Messenger

    (An injured soldier is paired with a by-the-book captain t...)

    2009
  • The Duel

    (A Texas ranger (Liam Hemsworth) investigates a series of ...)

    2016
  • Out of the Furnace

    (From Scott Cooper, the critically-acclaimed writer, and d...)

    2013
  • Indecent Proposal

    (Demi Moore and Woody Harrelson are Diana and David Murphy...)

    1993
  • Battle in Seattle

    (In November 1999, Seattle broke into a full-scale state o...)

    2007
  • Seven Psychopaths

    (A struggling screenwriter inadvertently becomes entangled...)

    2012
  • Sleepwalking

    (A young girl comes to terms with her mother's abandonment...)

    2008
  • The Edge of Seventeen

    (An honest and hilarious coming-of-age comedy about an awk...)

    2016
  • Palmetto

    (Woody Harrelson is Harry, a Florida drifter who goes from...)

    1998
  • Wag The Dog

    (After being caught in a scandalous situation days before ...)

    1997
  • No Country For Old Men

    (Violence and mayhem ensue after a hunter stumbles upon so...)

    2007
  • Natural Born Killers

    (A young couple blasts their way across the country - and ...)

    1994
  • War for the Planet of the Apes

    (Caesar (Andy Serkis) and his apes are pitted against an a...)

    2017
  • The People vs. Larry Flynt

    (Two-time Oscar winner Milos Forman directs Woody Harrelso...)

    1996
  • The Hunger Games

    (Based on the best-selling book, 16-year-old Katniss (Jenn...)

    2012
  • Prairie Home Companion

    (Golden Globe-winner Robert Altman directs an all-star cas...)

    2006
  • Surfer, Dude

    (Longboarding soul surfer Steve Addington (Matthew McConau...)

    2008
  • The Big White

    (To remedy his financial problems, a travel agent has his ...)

    2005
  • Welcome To Sarajevo

    (Living on the edge amid the constant threat of attack, an...)

    1997
  • The Cowboy Way

    (Two cowboys saddle up for a trip to New York City to find...)

    1994
  • The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

    (Katniss and Peeta embark on a victory tour while Presiden...)

    2013
  • Ted and Venus

    (Despite his repeated rebuffs, Ted woos Linda with erotic ...)

    1991
  • Game Change

    (The 2008 presidential campaign of John McCain and Sarah P...)

    2012
  • The Thin Red Line

    (A portrait of blood brothers in life and death, as they s...)

    1998
  • 2012

    (The ultimate action-adventure film; a thrill-ride of huma...)

    2009
  • Lost in London |

    (Woody Harrelson takes a live, single-take misadventure th...)

    2017
  • Go Further

    ("Go Further", explores the idea that the single individua...)

    2004
  • North Country

    (When Josey Aimes returns to her hometown in Northern Minn...)

    2005
  • Wildcats

    (As the daughter of a legendary gridiron star, a young wom...)

    1986
  • White Men Can't Jump

    (Billy Hoyle (Woody Harrelson) and Sidney Deane (Wesley Sn...)

    1992
  • Cool Blue

    (An aspiring painter (Woody Harrelson) falls in love with ...)

    1990
  • EdTV

    (Television channel True TV is commencing interviews for a...)

    1999
  • Kingpin

    (A star bowler whose career was prematurely "cut off" hope...)

    1996
  • Triple 9

    (A rookie cop finds himself in the middle of a deadly heis...)

    2016
  • The Prize Winner Of Defiance, Ohio

    (In order to support her ten children, Evelyn Ryan (Moore)...)

    2005
  • Play It To The Bone

    (Two worn-out, over-the-hill prizefighters jump at one las...)

    1999
  • Shock and Awe

    (In 2003, the White House administration made a case for t...)

    2017
  • After the Sunset

    (After a successful last score, a master thief retires to ...)

    2004
  • The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2

    (One of the most celebrated movie series of all time comes...)

    2015
  • Defendor

    (Arthur Poppington doesn't need superpowers or fancy toys ...)

    2009
  • Grass

    (Marijuana is the most controversial drug of the 20th cent...)

    1999
  • Doc Hollywood

    (Michael J. Fox stars in this romantic comedy about a Beve...)

    1991

• TV series

  • Cheers

    (Bartender Sam Malone (Ted Danson) and the object of his u...)

    1982
  • True Detective

    (Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson play detectives d...)

    2014

Religion

Harrelson was raised with a strong, spiritual foundation, which helped him earn a scholarship to Hanover College, a Presbyterian institution in Indiana.

While Harrelson was in college, he gained an interest in Christianity. According to the man himself, “I was getting into theology and studying the roots of the Bible, but then I started to discover the man-made nature of it. I started seeing things that made me ask, ‘Is God really speaking through this instrument?’ My eyes opened to the reality of the Bible being just a document to control people. At the time I was a real mama’s boy and deeply mesmerized by the church.”

According to Harrelson, he was disenchanted with his theological studies because he saw the hand of man in what should have been divinity. Specifically, he was upset with the Nicaean Council and how human beings were able to change interpretations of Christianity in what suited their needs rather than what respected the foundations of the faith. While Harrelson does believe that God still exists, his faith is somewhat different now. His new interpretation of faith is highly affected by the readings of the Autobiography of Yogi, providing Hindu insights into the nature of God.

Politics

Harrelson identifies as an anarchist. In a conversation with Howard Zinn, Harrelson admitted that he considers Zinn to be his a personal hero. In 2002, Harrelson wrote an article in the British newspaper The Guardian condemning President George W. Bush's preparation for a US invasion of Iraq as a "racist and imperialist war". He also stated that he was against the USA's previous war in Iraq and President Bill Clinton's sanctions against Iraq.

Views

In addition to acting, Harrelson has been an outspoken advocate for the environment. His activism includes efforts for preserving the California Redwoods, involvement in the American Oceans' Campaign and legalization efforts for the use of industrial hemp. Harrelson challenged the constitutionality of the Kentucky state law that does not distinguish between industrial hemp and marijuana by planting several hemp seeds. He won the case and became an advisor for NORML, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. Harrelson has also worked with other organizations such as UNICEF and PETA and is a longtime vegan.

Personality

Woody has had a number of legal troubles over the years, escaping a jail sentence when he was charged with disorderly conduct back in 1982 for dancing in the street and causing an obstruction to traffic. He was also charged with resisting arrest after running away from police officers.

In 1996, Harrelson was arrested in Kentucky for the symbolic planting of four hemp seeds, in a bid to challenge a state law which did not distinguish between marijuana and industrial hemp. He was acquitted of the charges in 2000, and later became an advisor for the National Organisation for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.

In 2002, a case against Harrelson was dropped when he offered to pay a London cab driver £550 for repairs after an alleged incident, and in 2008 he faced a lawsuit from a paparazzi photographer who he was alleged to have assaulted - the case was dismissed two years later.

Harrelson is a fan of chess. He is considered an amateur player with a basic knowledge of the game. In November 2018, he attended the first game of the World Chess Championship in London, played between Norwegian champion Magnus Carlsen and American contender Fabiano Caruana. Harrelson made the ceremonial first move for the game. He had also played the ceremonial first move for the previous World Chess Championship that was held in New York in 2016.

Interests

• chess

• Politicians

  Howard Zinn

• Writers

  Henry Miller, William Faulkner, Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky

• Artists

  Bill Murray

• Sport & Clubs

  basketball, football

• Music & Bands

  Red Hot Chili Peppers, Spearhead, Alt-J, Kasabian, Elbow, Arcade Fire, The Killers, U2, Childish Gambino

Connections

Harrelson was briefly married to Nancy Simon, the daughter of playwright Neil Simon, in 1985 during a trip to Tijuana, Mexico. They planned to annul the marriage but divorced instead in 1986.

In 1998, he and his longtime girlfriend Laura Louie were married in a private ceremony in Costa Rica. Laura, formerly Woody's assistant, had worked with him for more than two years before they became romantically involved in 1990. Laura is currently a partner in their production company, Children at Play, and in their health food restaurant/oxygen bar in Los Angeles. Together they have three daughters: Deni Montana, Zoe Giordano, and Makani Ravello.

Father:

Charles Harrelson

According to Woody, his father disappeared from the family's home in Houston in 1968, leaving his wife Diane to raise Woody and his two brothers. Woody lost track of his father until 1981 when news broke of Harrelson's arrest for the murder of Judge Wood. During an interview in November 1988, Woody revealed that he visited his father regularly in federal prison, though he still harbored mixed feelings for him, saying "my father is one of the most articulate, well-read, charming people I've ever known. Still, I'm just now gauging whether he merits my loyalty or friendship. I look at him as someone who could be a friend more than someone who was a father."

Mother:

Diane Lou Oswald Harrelson

Woody Harrelson rarely talks about his father, but he has nothing but praise for his single mother, Diane Lou Oswald. “I do feel she was a great influence on me and instilled a lot of good values,” Harrelson told the Guardian in January 2018. “[J]ust the way you treat people, behaving honorably, which I don’t always do, but she was a great role model for that and still is.”

Spouse:

Laura Louie

colleague:

Octavia Spencer

Brother:

Brett Harrelson

At 22, Brett followed his brother Woody to California. "I came to L.A. to starify," he says. But finding nothing like Woody's success, he gave up acting for a while to become a motorcycle racer, rising to No. 8 in the 1992 pro-national rankings. "After seeing a few people killed," says Brett, he became Woody's assistant and began to pursue his acting career again.

Brother:

Jordan Harrelson

ex-spouse:

Nancy Simon

Daughter:

Deni Montana Harrelson

Daughter:

Zoe Giordano Harrelson

Daughter:

Makani Ravello Harrelson

colleague:

Demi Moore

colleague:

Quentin Tarantino

colleague:

Jennifer Lopez

colleague:

Antonio Banderas

colleague:

Adam Sandler

colleague:

Charlize Theron

colleague:

Keanu Reeves

colleague:

Winona Ryder

colleague:

Will Smith

colleague:

Jesse Eisenberg

colleague:

Danny Glover

colleague:

Liam Hemsworth

colleague:

Elizabeth Banks

colleague:

Casey Affleck

colleague:

Willem Dafoe

colleague:

Leonardo DiCaprio

colleague:

Naomi Watts

colleague:

Kevin Costner

References

• Woody Harrelson