- Minnie Driver
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Minnie Driver 
Driver at the premiere of Barney's Version in January 2011Born Amelia Fiona J. Driver
31 January 1970
London, EnglandOccupation Actress, singer Years active 1990–present Awards Emmy, Golden Globe,
Oscar nominationWebsite http://www.minniedriver.com/ Minnie Driver (born Amelia Fiona J. Driver; 31 January 1970) is an English actress and singer-songwriter. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the 1997 film Good Will Hunting, as well as for an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe for her work in the television series The Riches.
Contents
Early life
Driver was born Amelia Fiona J. Driver[1] in Finsbury Park, London, the daughter of Gaynor Churchward (née Millington), a designer and former couture model, and Ronnie Driver, a Welsh businessman and financial adviser from Swansea.[2][3][4] Her mother was her father's mistress, and her father's wife was not aware of his other family.[5] Driver has Irish, Welsh, Scottish, French and Italian ancestry.[2][6] Her sister, Kate, is a model and producer.[citation needed] Driver was brought up in Barbados and educated at Bedales, an independent school near Petersfield, Hampshire, England, and the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London.[citation needed]
Acting career
Driver made her stage debut in 1991,[7] supplementing her income by performing as a jazz vocalist and guitarist.[8] She appeared on British television with comedians such as Steve Coogan and Armando Iannucci and had small parts in such shows as Casualty, The House of Eliott, Lovejoy and Peak Practice. Driver first came to broad public attention when she played the lead role in Circle of Friends in 1995. She followed this with a string of supporting roles in big studio films like the 17th James Bond installment GoldenEye (1995), Sleepers (1996) and Grosse Pointe Blank (1997). She achieved greater recognition playing opposite Matt Damon in Gus Van Sant's Good Will Hunting (1997), a role for which she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and a Screen Actors Guild Award, among others. In 2003 and 2004, she had a noted recurring role on Will & Grace as Lorraine Finster, the nemesis of Karen Walker (Megan Mullally) and daughter of Karen's lover, Lyle Finster (John Cleese). Driver has also worked on several animated features, voicing Jane in Disney's 1999 version of Tarzan, and Lady Eboshi in the 1999 English dubbed release of the Japanese film Princess Mononoke.
On 12 March 2007, Driver made her return to television starring alongside Eddie Izzard on the FX Network show The Riches, a series about a family of Travellers living in an upscale gated community in the suburbs. She was nominated for an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award as Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 2007 and 2008, respectively.[9]
Driver at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival
Driver guest-starred in the January 2010 episode of Modern Family entitled "Moon Landing". Her role was that of Claire's friend and former co-worker whom she hasn't seen in years.[10] She also starred alongside James Nesbitt and Goran Visnjic in the British series The Deep, which was shown on BBC One over the summer of 2010.[11]
In 2010, Driver appeared in Conviction, a film depicting the real-life story of Betty Ann Waters (Hilary Swank), a single mother who spends a decade pursuing a law degree so she can represent her wrongfully convicted brother (played by Sam Rockwell) at court. Driver plays a fellow law student and friend of Swank's character who helps her with the case. The film received generally positive reviews according to the review aggregate Rotten Tomatoes listing an average score of 6.3/10 and a 68% of approval from critics.[12] Also in 2010, Driver starred alongside Paul Giamatti in the comedy-drama Barney's Version. According to Rotten Tomatoes, the film received an 80% of positive reviews from critics[13] and Driver herself went on to win a Genie Award for Best Supporting Actress.[13]
In 2011, Driver will be appearing alongside Vera Farmiga, David Duchovny, Will Arnett and Keri Russell in the comedy Goats[14] as well as in the 1970s-set drama Hunky Dory, directed by Marc Evans.[15]
Music career
Early in her career, Driver was a member of a band called "Puff, Rocks and Brown"; the band was signed to a development deal with Island Records, which ended without a release.[citation needed]
She began a low-profile return to music in 2000; the following year, she signed with EMI and Rounder Records and performed at SXSW.[citation needed] Canadian music producer Colin Craig assisted in the eventual release of Everything I've Got in My Pocket, which reached No. 34[16] in the UK, and a second single, "Invisible Girl" peaking at No. 68. The album was backed by a group including members of the Wallflowers and Pete Yorn's band. Driver wrote 10 of the 11 songs on the album and also covered "Hungry Heart" from Bruce Springsteen's The River. In 2004, Driver was the support act for the Finn Brothers on the UK portion of their world tour.[citation needed]
In 2004, Driver played Carlotta Giudicelli in Joel Schumacher's film of The Phantom of the Opera. Because of the vocal requirements of the role, Driver was the sole cast member to have her voice dubbed. However, she did lend her own voice to Learn to be Lonely, a song written by Andrew Lloyd Webber specifically for the film version of his musical (it plays over the closing credits of the movie). Driver released her second album entitled Seastories on 17 July 2007. The 12-track set is produced by Marc "Doc" Dauer, who also produced Everything I've Got in My Pocket. Ryan Adams and his band The Cardinals and Liz Phair are among the list of collaborators for the album.[17]
Personal life
In September 2008, Driver gave birth to a boy named Henry Story Driver. She has not revealed the identity of the father[18]
Filmography
Films
Year Film Role Notes 1990 God on the Rocks Lydia TV film 1992 The Zebra Man Emily Ashdown Short film 1995 Circle of Friends Bernadette 'Benny' Hogan GoldenEye Irina Cruel Train Flora Mussell TV film The Politician's Wife Jennifer Caird TV film 1996 Big Night Phyllis Sleepers Carol Martinez 1997 Grosse Pointe Blank Debi Newberry Good Will Hunting Skylar Nominated—Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
Nominated—Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture
London Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress1998 Hard Rain Karen The Governess Rosina da Silva At Sachem Farm Kendal 1999 An Ideal Husband Miss Mabel Chiltern Tarzan Jane Porter Nominated—Annie Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement for Voice Acting South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut Brooke Shields Princess Mononoke Lady Eboshi Voice: English version 2000 Return to Me Grace Briggs Beautiful Mona Higgard Slow Burn Trina McTeague The Upgrade Constance Levine Short film 2001 D.C. Smalls Waitress Short film High Heels and Low Lifes Shannon 2003 Owning Mahowny Belinda Hope Springs Vera Edwards 2004 Ella Enchanted Mandy The Phantom of the Opera Carlotta Nominated—London Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated—Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion PicturePortrait Donna Short film 2006 The Virgin of Juarez Karina Danes 2007 Ripple Effect Kitty Take Ana The Simpsons Movie A counselor Scenes deleted 2009 Motherhood Sheila 2010 Conviction Abra Barney's Version Mrs. P Genie Award for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated—London Film Critics Circle Awards for Best Supporting Actress2011 Goats Johanna Hunky Dory Vivienne Television series
Year Film Role Notes 1991 The House of Eliott Mary Casualty Zena Mitchell 1992 Lovejoy Sarah 1993 Mr. Wroe's Virgins Leah Maigret Arlette Screen One Sally 1994 That Sunday Rachel Short film Peak Practice Sue Keel The Day Today Lally Sampson Knowing Me Knowing You with Alan Partridge Daniella Forrest 1995 My Good Friend Ellie 1996 Murder Most Horrid Sgt. Cole 2000 The X-Files Cinema Audience 2001 The Kumars at No. 42 Herself 2003 Absolutely Fabulous Herself 2003–2004 Will & Grace Lorraine Finster 2007 Re\Visioned: Tomb Raider Animated Series Lara Croft 2007–2008 The Riches Dahlia Malloy Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama
Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress – Drama Series
Nominated—Satellite Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama2010 Modern Family Valerie Season 1, Episode 14 – Moon Landing The Deep Frances Kelly Other
- Driver provided the voice of Anne in the videogame Jurassic Park: Trespasser.
- She was the subject of a cut-away gag in Family Guy's "Saving Private Brian" as having a big head, and the director had difficulty fitting it on the screen.
Discography
Albums
Year Album US Heat Label 2004 Everything I've Got in My Pocket 43 Zoë 2007 Seastories 25 Singles
Year Single Album 2004 "Invisible Girl" Everything I've Got in My Pocket 2005 "Everything I've Got in My Pocket" References
- ^ "Minnie Driver (photos)". CBS News. 23 March 2006. http://www.cbsnews.com/2301-207_162-3156310-0.html. Retrieved 5 April 2009.
- ^ a b Clare Hutchinson (20 August 2010). "Hollywood star calls for Wales’ only lido to be opened". WalesOnline. http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballnation/football-news/2010/08/20/hollywood-star-calls-for-wales-only-lido-to-be-opened-91466-27101965/. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
- ^ "Minnie Driver Biography(1970?". Filmreference.com. http://www.filmreference.com/film/30/Minnie-Driver.html. Retrieved 2 March 2010.
- ^ Winters, Laura (2 August 1998). "FILM; When the Character Calls, Minnie Driver Listens". New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B04EFDF1738F931A3575BC0A96E958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=2. Retrieved 2 March 2010.
- ^ "Driver In Reverse". Mirror.co.uk. 17 December 2004. http://www.mirror.co.uk/archive/2004/12/17/driver-in-reverse-89520-14982228/. Retrieved 2 March 2010.
- ^ "Cranky Critic StarTalk: Minnie Driver". Crankycritic.com. http://www.crankycritic.com/qa/minniedriver.html. Retrieved 2 March 2010.
- ^ Home. "Latest news and profile of Minnie Driver". hellomagazine.com. http://www.hellomagazine.com/profiles/minnie-driver/. Retrieved 2 March 2010.
- ^ "Minnie Driver Biography". Biography.com. 31 January 1971. http://www.biography.com/articles/Minnie-Driver-9542319. Retrieved 2 March 2010.
- ^ "Awards for Minnie Driver" at IMDb
- ^ Natalie Abrams. "Minnie Driver to Guest-Star on Modern Family". TVGuide.com. http://www.tvguide.com/News/Minnie-Driver-Guest-1012040.aspx.
- ^ BBC Press Office (17 December 2009). "James Nesbitt, Minnie Driver and Goran Visnjic star in new BBC One drama serial, The Deep". Press release. Retrieved on 17 December 2009.
- ^ Information on Conviction at Rotten Tomatoes
- ^ a b information on Barney's Version at Rotten Tomatoes
- ^ "Duchovny, Farmiga, Russell, Driver, and Arnett Join 'Goats'" January 10, 2010, Hollywood.com
- ^ http://www.presciencefilmfinance.co.uk/downloads/hunky_dory_screen_daily-281010.pdf
- ^ "((( Everything I've Got in My Pocket > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums )))". allmusic. 5 October 2004. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r707997. Retrieved 2 March 2010.
- ^ Up for DiscussionPost Comment. "Phair, Ryan Adams Enhance Minnie Driver Sophomore Set". Billboard.com. http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003559457. Retrieved 2 March 2010.
- ^ Jordan, Julie and Chi, Paul. Minnie Driver Welcomes a Son!. People, 8 September 2008.
External links
Categories:- 1970 births
- Living people
- People from Finsbury Park
- English people of French descent
- English people of Irish descent
- English people of Scottish descent
- English people of Welsh descent
- Old Bedalians
- Alumni of the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art
- English female singers
- English film actors
- English songwriters
- English television actors
- Actors from London
- English expatriates in the United States
- Genie Award winners for Best Supporting Actress
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