| Edward Allen Harris (born November 28, 1950) is an Academy Award-nominated American actor, known for his performances in The Right Stuff, The Abyss, Apollo 13, Pollock, and The Truman Show, among many others. Harris s first important film role was in Borderline with Charles Bronson. In Knightriders he played a motorcycle stunt rider in a role modeled after that of King Arthur. In 1983, he became a star, playing NASA astronaut John Glenn in The Right Stuff, in 1995 he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of NASA mission director Gene Kranz, in the film Apollo 13. Further Oscar nominations arrived in 1999, 2001 and 2003, for The Truman Show, Pollock and The Hours, respectively. More recently, he appeared as a vengeful mobster in David Cronenberg s A History of Violence. He also had a role alongside Casey Affleck and Morgan Freeman in Gone, Baby, Gone, directed by actor Ben Affleck. In 2007 he appeared in National Treasure- Book of Secrets as Mitch Wilkinson. Harris has shown interest in directing. He made his debut in 2000 with Pollock, as well as directing various plays. Harris has also starred in television adaptations of Riders of the Purple Sage (1996) and Empire Falls (2005). Harris also has an active stage acting career. Most notably, he starred in the production of Neil LaBute s one-man play Wrecks at the Public Theater in New York City. Wrecks premiered at the Everyman Theater in Cork, Ireland and then in the US at the Public Theater in New York. Harris has been nominated for several major awards for this role. |
