Oscar Isaac

Oscar Isaac

Born Óscar Isaac Hernández Estrada[1][2]
(1979-03-09) March 9, 1979[3]
Guatemala
Residence New York City, United States
Education Miami Dade College, Juilliard School
Occupation Actor, musician
Years active 1998–present
Home town Miami, Florida, United States

Oscar Isaac (born Óscar Isaac Hernández Estrada; March 9, 1979)[4][5][6] is a Guatemalan-American actor and musician. He is known for his lead film roles in the comedy-drama Inside Llewyn Davis (2013), for which he received a Golden Globe Award nomination, the crime drama A Most Violent Year (2014) and the science fiction thriller Ex Machina (2015). In 2006, he portrayed Saint Joseph, husband of Mary, in The Nativity Story. He also portrayed José Ramos-Horta, former president of East Timor, in the Australian film Balibo for which he won the AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. His ethnically ambiguous appearance has allowed him to portray characters of many different nationalities and ethnicities, such as mixed European, Egyptian, Polish, English, French, Mexican, East Timorese, Welsh, Indonesian, Greek, Cuban, Israeli and Armenian.

He appeared in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), as X-wing pilot Poe Dameron, and in X-Men: Apocalypse (2016), as the titular mutant supervillain Apocalypse. He also headlined the HBO miniseries Show Me a Hero, as politician Nick Wasicsko in 2015, which earned him the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film. In 2016, Time named Isaac one of the 100 most influential people in the world on the annual Time 100 list.[7]

Early life

Óscar Isaac Hernández Estrada was born in Guatemala, to a Guatemalan mother, María Eugenia Estrada Nicolle, and a Cuban pulmonologist father, Óscar Gonzalo Hernández-Cano.[8][9] His maternal grandfather was French.[10] Isaac's family settled in the U.S. when he was five months old, and he was raised in Miami, Florida.[11][12][13] He has described his evangelical Protestant upbringing as "very Christian".

Isaac liked to cause trouble at the private grade school Westminster Christian when growing up. “I set off a fire extinguisher in the gym, defaced a mural, just stupid stuff,” he said in an interview.[14] He liked to make kids laugh. At one point, his teacher had to screen off his desk from the rest of the class with a piece of cardboard. Eventually, he was expelled.[15]

Isaac's entry into professional acting began at the Area Stage Company, Miami Beach, when Artistic Director John Rodaz cast him in a play.[16] He also acted in Miami-based City Theatre's Summer Shorts short play festival in 2000–2001. While in Miami, he played lead guitar and sang vocals for a ska-punk band The Blinking Underdogs.[17] Other band members included Nick Speck (bass), Bill Sommer (drums), Alan Mills (trombone), Keith Cooper (saxophone), and Matt LaPlant (guitar).[18] The band enjoyed some success, opening for Green Day[19] and the Mighty Mighty Bosstones[18] Isaac spent his musical years living a "straight edge" lifestyle.[20][21][22] Isaac, however, put his music to the side after being accepted to the famed Juilliard School's acting program. While a student there, he worked on one of his first films, All About the Benjamins (2002).

Isaac graduated from the Juilliard School in New York City, where he was part of the Drama Division's Group 34 (2001–2005).[23]

Career

Isaac made his acting debut in the 1998 crime drama Illtown, credited as "Pool Boy".[24] Next, he appeared briefly in 2002's All About the Benjamins and made an appearance on the television series Law & Order: Criminal Intent four years later.[25][26] Isaac garnered recognition in first major film role in 2006 as Joseph in the biblical epic The Nativity Story, opposite Keisha Castle-Hughes.[27] He appeared as Romeo in the Public Theater's Shakespeare in the Park performances of Romeo and Juliet and Two Gentlemen of Verona.[28]

Isaac was awarded the Australian Film Institute Award for Best Supporting Actor of 2009, for his role as José Ramos-Horta in Balibo (2009).[29] He had a small role in Guerrilla, Part Two of the Che Guevara biopic Che (2008).[30] Isaac played King John in the 2010 historical film Robin Hood.[31] He portrayed a security guard in the Madonna-directed film W.E. and starred in the crime drama Drive, both of which were released in September 2011.[30] He had a role in 10 Years, in which he played a musician. He performed his own song "Never Had" in the film. "Never Had" and "You Ain't Goin Nowhere" were included in the movie's soundtrack.[32]

Oscar Isaac performing at Universidad Francisco Marroquín, February 2015.

In 2013, Isaac starred in the dramatic comedy film Inside Llewyn Davis, written and directed by the Coen brothers, where he played a talented yet unsuccessful folk singer in Greenwich Village in 1961.[33] The film won the Grand Prix at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival.[34] For the role of Llewyn, Isaac was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy at the 2014 Golden Globes.[35]

He co-starred with Jessica Chastain in J. C. Chandor's film A Most Violent Year (2014), replacing actor Javier Bardem.[36] In 2015, Isaac portrayed Nathan in the science fiction film Ex Machina and starred in the 6-episode HBO miniseries Show Me a Hero, receiving universal critical acclaim for his performance as politician Nick Wasicsko.[37][38][39]

Isaac co-starred in the epic space opera film Star Wars: The Force Awakens, released in December,[40] playing Poe Dameron, an X-wing pilot. He will reprise the role in Star Wars: Episode VIII, scheduled for release in December 2017.[41]

Isaac played X-Men villain Apocalypse in the film X-Men: Apocalypse, which was released on May 27, 2016.[42] In 2015, Isaac was announced to play the lead role in The Promise with co-star Christian Bale.[43]

On March 30, 2016, It was announced that Isaac would be joining Natalie Portman in the movie adaptation of the novel Annihilation where he will be playing her husband.[44] It would be directed by Alex Garland which would mark this as Oscar's second collaboration with the director after Ex Machina. Isaac will also appear in George Clooney's upcoming Coen Brothers-penned black comedy Suburbicon.[45] It will be Isaac's second collaboration with the Coen Brothers after Inside Llewyn Davis.

In 2016, he was the narrator for the Nike ad "Unlimited You" created by Wieden+Kennedy

Isaac will be playing the role of Hamlet in Shakespeare's play about the Prince of Denmark, staged by Sam Gold, during the 2016/17 season at the Theatre for a New Audience at the Polonsky Shakespeare Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Personal life

Isaac currently resides in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, in an apartment he renovated himself. He has been dubbed a sex symbol,[46][47] and "the internet's boyfriend" by multiple media outlets, most notably Rolling Stone magazine; of the label, Isaac stated that, "[The Internet] never struck me as being into monogamous relationships. It's very promiscuous, the Internet."[11] Isaac is in a relationship with documentary filmmaker Elvira Lind.[48]

"In the current leading-man sea of buff, WASP-y dudes named Ryan and Chris, Isaac stands out. He's good-looking in a slightly imperfect manner that hearkens back to a pre-Ken-doll era of moviemaking: His nose is prominent, with a small dent at the tip. [...] "He has an interesting face," says Singer. "Like the great movie stars, like Harrison Ford, like Tom Cruise. [...] There's something about Oscar that could be Egyptian, Asiatic, Latino or Caucasian. His facial structure embodies a global human."

—Rolling Stone magazine[11]

He is an accomplished guitar player and singer, and has been playing since he was 12. Speaking to Interview magazine, he stated, "I don't know if they were all functioning, but I did play in a bunch of bands. I was sort of a musical whore, so I played in industrial bands, hardcore bands, punk—ska bands—all sorts of bands." Isaac also said that he "played guitar and bass. I didn't do much vocals, although I did have one band where I was the lead singer. But that was when I was in college."[49]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Director Notes
1998 Illtown Pool Boy Nick Gomez
2002 All About the Benjamins Francesco Kevin Bray
2004 Lenny the Wonder Dog Detective Fartman Oren Goldman & Stav Ozdoba
2006 Pu-239 Shiv Scott Z. Burns
2006 The Nativity Story Joseph Catherine Hardwicke MovieGuide Award for Film
2007 The Life Before Her Eyes Marcus Vadim Perelman
2008 Che: Part One Interpreter Steven Soderbergh
2008 Body of Lies Bassam Ridley Scott
2009 Agora Orestes Alejandro Amenábar
2009 Balibo José Ramos-Horta Robert Connolly AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Nominated—Film Critics Circle of Australia Award for Best Supporting Actor
2010 Robin Hood Prince John Ridley Scott
2011 Sucker Punch Blue Jones Zack Snyder
2011 W.E. Evgeni Madonna
2011 10 Years Reeves Jamie Linden
2011 Drive Standard Gabriel Nicolas Winding Refn
2012 For Greater Glory Victoriano "El Catorce" Ramírez Dean Wright Nominated—ALMA Award for Favorite Movie Actor: Supporting Role
2012 Revenge for Jolly! Cecil Chadd Harbold
2012 The Bourne Legacy Number 3 Tony Gilroy
2012 Won't Back Down Michael Perry Daniel Barnz
2013 Inside Llewyn Davis Llewyn Davis Joel Coen
Ethan Coen		 Gotham Independent Film Award for Best Actor
Hamptons International Film Festival Award for Breakthrough Performer
International Cinephile Society Award for Best Actor
International Cinephile Society Award for Best Ensemble
National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor
Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Breakthrough Performance on Camera
San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Actor
Santa Barbara International Film Festival – Virtuoso Award
Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor
Vancouver Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor
Nominated—Empire Award for Best Male Newcomer
Nominated—Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor
Nominated—Georgia Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor
Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
Nominated—Independent Spirit Award for Best Lead Male
Nominated—Iowa Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor
Nominated—New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor (3rd place)
Nominated—Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Actor
Nominated—Saturn Award for Best Actor
2013 In Secret Laurent LeClaire Charlie Stratton
2014 The Two Faces of January Rydal Keener Hossein Amini
2014 Ticky Tacky Lucien Short film
2014 A Most Violent Year Abel Morales J. C. Chandor National Board of Review Award for Best Actor (Tied with Michael Keaton)
Nominated—Gotham Independent Film Award for Best Actor
Nominated—Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor
2015 Ex Machina Nathan Bateman Alex Garland Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor
Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor
San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor (2nd place)
Nominated—Austin Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated—Detroit Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated—London Film Critics' Circle Award for Supporting Actor of the Year
2015 Mojave Jack William Monahan
2015 Star Wars: The Force Awakens Poe Dameron J. J. Abrams
2016 X-Men: Apocalypse En Sabah Nur / Apocalypse Bryan Singer
2016 The Promise Michael Terry George
2017 Annihilation Alex Garland Post-production
2017 Suburbicon George Clooney Post-production
2017 Star Wars: Episode VIII Poe Dameron Rian Johnson Post-production

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2006 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Robbie Paulson Episode: "The Healer"
2015 Show Me a Hero Nick Wasicsko HBO miniseries
Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film
Nominated—Satellite Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film
Nominated—Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actor in a Movie/Miniseries

Stage

Year Title Role Theatre Notes
2005 The Two Gentlemen of Verona Proteus Shakespeare in the Park
2005 Beauty of the Father Frederico Garcia Lorca Manhattan Theatre Club
2007 Romeo and Juliet Romeo Shakespeare in the Park

Video games

Year Title Voice role
2015 Disney Infinity 3.0 Poe Dameron
2016 Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens Poe Dameron

Podcasts

Year Title Role
2016 Homecoming Walter Cruz

References

  1. ↑ Nepales, Ruben V. (January 3, 2013). "Some quotable quotes of 2013". Philippine Daily Inquirer.
  2. ↑ Shoard, Catherine (May 23, 2013). "Oscar Isaac: 'The irony is not lost on me. Being celebrated for playing someone who wasn't'". The Guardian. Retrieved April 4, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Live with Kelly and Michael: Season 26, Episode 92: Joel McHale/Oscar Isaac" at the Internet Movie Database
  4. ↑ "Oscar Isaac says he can relate to 'Llewyn Davis' character | abc7.com". Abclocal.go.com. December 5, 2013. Retrieved March 7, 2014.
  5. ↑ "Oscar Isaac Had A Most Excellent Year". The Huffington Post. Retrieved April 5, 2015.
  6. ↑ Howard, Pat. "Kelly + Michael: Inside Llewyn Davis Star Oscar Isaac Real Birthday". Recapo.
  7. ↑ "Oscar Isaac By Paul Haggis". April 21, 2016.
  8. ↑ "Oscar Buzz". Miami Herald. December 1, 2006.
  9. ↑ "Bustle". bustle.com. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Oscar Isaac (Inside Llewyn Davis)". Goldenglobes.com. Retrieved March 7, 2014.
  11. 1 2 3 "Oscar Isaac: The Internet's Boyfriend Becomes a Leading Man". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 18, 2016.
  12. ↑ Lopez, John (May 10, 2010). "How to Train Your Villain with Robin Hood's Oscar Isaac". Vanity Fair. Retrieved April 16, 2011.
  13. ↑ Marr, Madeline (May 16, 2010). "Miami actor Oscar Isaac rule 'Robin Hood'". The Miami Herald. Retrieved April 16, 2011.
  14. ↑ Bhattacharji, Alex. "The Evolution of Oscar Isaac". Details. Conde Nast. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
  15. ↑ Canada (December 27, 2013). "An actor's classroom punishment that led to Llewyn Davis". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved May 6, 2014.
  16. ↑ "Miami's Oscar Isaac soars to new heights in Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens". 'The Miami Herald'. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
  17. ↑ Onofri, Adrienne (February 11, 2006). "Rookie of the Year: Q&A with actor Oscar Isaac". Broadwayworld.com. Retrieved April 4, 2015.
  18. 1 2 http://teamrock.com/feature/2016-01-12/ska-wars-how-poe-dameron-quit-punk-to-fight-the-first-order
  19. ↑ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/starsandstories/10544256/Oscar-Isaac-interview-for-Inside-Llewyn-Davis-I-had-no-interest-in-going-off-the-rails.html
  20. ↑ Greydanus, Steven (November 22, 2006). "Joseph Gets His Due". National Catholic Register. Retrieved November 25, 2006.
  21. ↑ Mattingly, Terry (December 2, 2006). "Movie delves into Joseph, the man". Reading Eagle. Reading, PA: William S. Flippin. Retrieved March 7, 2014.
  22. ↑ Stars and Stories. "Oscar Isaac interview for Inside Llewyn Davis: 'I had no interest in going off the rails'". Telegraph. Retrieved March 7, 2014.
  23. ↑ "Alumni News: November 2011". Juilliard.edu. Archived from the original on July 18, 2012. Oscar Isaac (Group 34)
  24. ↑ "Oscar Isaac's Break Through In Joel And Ethan Coen's "Inside Llewyn Davis"". Florida Film Critics. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  25. ↑ Westbrook, Caroline. "Who is Oscar Isaac? Six notable facts about the newly appointed Star Wars Episode 7 actor". Metro. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  26. ↑ Wloszczyna, Susan. "How Golden Globe Winner Oscar Isaac Assured His Post-'Star Wars' Ascension with 10 Smart Moves". Indiewire. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  27. ↑ Murray, Rebecca. "Oscar Isaac Discusses "The Nativity Story"". About Entertainment. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  28. ↑ Brantley, Ben (August 29, 2005). "Shakespeare in the Park Review; Enter 'Two Gentlemen' For a Sexy Sip of Sangría". The New York Times.
  29. ↑ Kay, Jeremy. "Oscar Isaac to star in Partisan". Screen Daily. Screen International. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  30. 1 2 De Semlyen, Phil. "Five Impressive Oscar Isaac Roles You Didn't Realise Were Oscar Isaac". Empire. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  31. ↑ Lopez, John. "How to Train Your Villain with Robin Hood's Oscar Isaac". Vanity Fair. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  32. ↑ Aquino, Tara. "Interview: Oscar Isaac Talks "10 Years," the Coen Brothers' "Inside Llewyn Davis," and Jamming with Justin Timberlake". Complex. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  33. ↑ Roberts, Randall (November 9, 2013). "The Coens' 'Inside Llewyn Davis' aims to keep 1960s folk scene real". latimes.com. Retrieved November 11, 2013.
  34. ↑ Richford, Rhonda (May 26, 2013). "Cannes Film Festival Awards". The Hollywood Reporter.
  35. ↑ "Golden Globes Nominations: The Full List". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. January 11, 2014. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  36. ↑ Feinberg, Siege, Scott, Tatiana (December 3, 2013). "Oscar Isaac, J.C. Chandor Team Up for 'A Most Violent Year' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter.
  37. ↑ Feinberg, Siege, Scott, Tatiana (December 3, 2013). "Ex Machina". The Hollywood Reporter.
  38. ↑ "James Belushi, Terry Kinney & Michael Stahl-David Join HBO's 'Show Me A Hero'". Deadline. August 15, 2014. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  39. ↑ Sepinwall, Alan (August 13, 2015). "Review: Oscar Isaac shines in David Simon's 'Show Me a Hero'". HitFix. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  40. ↑ "Star Wars: Episode VII Cast Announced". StarWars.com. April 29, 2014. Retrieved May 6, 2014.
  41. ↑ Ruby, Jennifer (December 17, 2015). "Star Wars producer Kathleen Kennedy confirms that entire cast will return for eighth film". London Evening Standard. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  42. ↑ "'X-Men: Apocalypse': Oscar Isaac Nabs Villain Role". Variety. November 24, 2014. Retrieved November 24, 2014.
  43. ↑ Sneider, Jeff (June 15, 2015). "Christian Bale, Oscar Isaac to Star in The Promise". The Wrap. Retrieved January 10, 2016.
  44. ↑ Kroll, Justin. "Oscar Isaac Joins Natalie Portman's Annihilation". Variety. Retrieved May 11, 2016.
  45. ↑ McNary, Dave. "Paramount Buys George Clooney-Matt Damon Comedy Suburbicon". Variety. Retrieved May 11, 2016.
  46. ↑ "'Star Wars' sex symbol Oscar Isaac performs Bill Murray's classic parody of the theme song.". someecards.com. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  47. ↑ "Oscar Isaac, Please Don't Become A Heartthrob". decider.com. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
  48. ↑ "11 Things You Must Know About the Internet's New Boyfriend, Oscar Isaac". POPSUGAR.com. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  49. ↑ "Oscar Isaac". interviewmagazine.com. Retrieved 18 December 2013.

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