Christian Slater

Christian Slater
Christian Slater in 2004
Born	Christian Michael Leonard Slater August 18, 1969 (1969-08-18) (age 42) New York City, New York, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1981–present
Spouse	Ryan Haddon (2000–2007; divorced; 2 children)

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 then played a monk's apprentice alongside Sean Connery in The Name of the Rose before gaining recognition for his breakthrough role in the cult film Heathers.

In the 1990s Slater featured 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.

Slater was married to Ryan Haddon between 2000 and 2005; 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. He is the son of 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] Slater 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. His first significant role came 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 improved 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 '80s, and Slater's 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 remake of Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves alongside Kevin Costner, Morgan Freeman and Alan Rickman. The film was a commercial success, taking US$390 million worldwide.^[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]

In 1993, Slater tried to expand his film genre, playing opposite Marisa Tomei in Untamed Heart and playing Clarence Worley in True Romance, which was written by Quentin Tarantino.^[4] In 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 Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994) came about after his friend River Phoenix, who originally had the role, died.^[4] Slater subsequently donated his earnings from the film to Phoenix's favorite charities.^[4] Slater played Riley Hale in the big budget John Woo film Broken Arrow (1996), which also starred John Travolta, before appearing in Hard Rain.

Since 2000

Since 2000 Slater has mixed TV work with film, appearing in the successful The West Wing and Alias TV productions, but also being part of Hollywood films including Bobby and 3000 Miles to Graceland.^[4] He has also worked as a voice over artist in productions, including the character of 'Pips' in the successful Australian animated film FernGully: The Last Rainforest, The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius and TV documentaries including Prehistoric Planet and Dinosaur Planet. Slater also voiced the character John Watson a.k.a. "Wonko the Sane" in BBC Radio 4's production of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.^[7]

Slater appeared in the television crime drama series, The Forgotten in 2009,^[8] and in 2011 starred in the series Breaking In.^[9] The first episode achieved good reviews and attracted 9.9 million viewers in the U.S.^[10] On May 10, 2011, Fox cancelled Breaking In.^[11] On August 24, 2011, The show was officially saved and renewed for a second season.

He starred in the action films Soldiers of Fortune, with Sean Bean, and The River Sorrow, with Ray Liotta. Both films co-star Ving Rhames.

Slater recently filmed a role in the Sylvester Stallone action thriller Bullet to the Head directed by Walter Hill and set for release on April 13 2012.

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).^[4] In 2003, Haddon was arrested for assaulting Slater at a Hard Rock Cafe while on a trip to Las Vegas.^[12] Haddon allegedly threw a glass bottle and gashed Slater’s neck open.^[13] 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.^[13][14] 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.^[15]

In 2007, Slater made news for stating that he is still in love with Heathers co-star Winona Ryder.^[16] He was once quoted as saying "Work is my hobby, staying sober is my job."^[17]

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 siblings in The Legend of Billie Jean.^[18]

Arrests and convictions

In 1989, Slater was arrested for drunk driving and assault. He was sentenced to 10 days in jail.^[4][19]

In 1994, he was arrested when he tried to board a commercial plane with a gun in his luggage.^[19] He was sentenced to community service.^[20]

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][19] 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.^[21] 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.^[21][22] However, Slater denied the charge.^[22]

Charity work

Slater has been a supporter of several charities, including 21st Century Leaders, Global Green and Whatever It Takes,^[23] Slater appeared in an educational video on behalf of Nelson Mandela’s 46664 charity for AIDS awareness.^[24] He has also worked to promote humanitarian work in South Africa.^[25] 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, Christian Slater visited Hattiesburg, MS where he contributed work for the television show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. The episode aired on March 21, 2010.^[26]

Awards

Slater won the MTV Movie Award in 1993 for "Most Desirable Male" and "Best Kiss" with Marisa Tomei in the film Untamed Heart.^[27] In 2001, he won the Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for The Contender.^[3] He also won the Golden Slate for "Best Male Performance" for Very Bad Things.

Filmography

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Christian Slater

• Christian Slater at the Internet Movie Database
• Christian Slater at the Internet Broadway Database
• Christian Slater at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
• Christian Slater at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki)