Susan Sarandon

Infobox actor

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imagesize =
caption = Sarandon at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival
birthname = Susan Abigail Tomalin
birthplace = New York City, U.S.
birthdate = birth date and age|mf=yes|1946|10|4
yearsactive = 1970 - present
spouse = Chris Sarandon (1967-1979)
domesticpartner = Tim Robbins (1988-)
academyawards = Best Actress
1995 "Dead Man Walking"
baftaawards = Best Actress in a Leading Role
1994 "The Client"
sagawards = Outstanding Actress - Motion Picture
1995 "Dead Man Walking"
awards = NBR Award for Best Actress
1991 "Thelma & Louise"

Susan Sarandon (born Susan Abigail Tomalin; October 4, 1946) is an American actress. She has worked in films and television since 1970, and won an Oscar for her performance in the 1995 film, "Dead Man Walking". She is also noted for her social and political activism for a variety of liberal causes.

Biography

Early life

Sarandon, the eldest of nine children, was born Susan Abigail Tomalin in New York City, the daughter of Lenora Marie (née Criscione) and Phillip Leslie Tomalin, who worked as an advertising executive, television producer, and nightclub singer during the big band era. [http://film.guardian.co.uk/interview/interviewpages/0,,1733454,00.html "A fine romancer"] . The Guardian. 18 March 2006.] [ [http://www.filmreference.com/film/57/Susan-Sarandon.html "Susan Sarandon biography"] . Film Reference.com.] Sarandon's father was of English, Irish, and Welsh ancestry and her mother was of Sicilian/Italian descent; [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/south_east/6189848.stm "Sarandon learns about Welsh roots"] News.bbc.co.uk. 28 November 2006] the family was Roman Catholic. In 2006, Sarandon and 10 of her relatives (including her significant other Tim Robbins and her son Miles) traveled to Wales to trace her family's Welsh genealogy. Their journey was documented by the BBC Wales programme, "Coming Home: Susan Sarandon".

Sarandon graduated from Edison High School, in Edison, New Jersey, in 1964. She then attended The Catholic University of America from 1964 to 1968, earning a BA in drama, and working with noted drama coach and master teacher, Father Gilbert Hartke.

Career

In 1969, Sarandon went to a casting call for the motion-picture "Joe" with her then husband Chris Sarandon. Although he did not get a part, she was cast in a major role of a disaffected teen who disappears into the seedy underworld (the film was released in 1970). Five years later, she appeared in the cult favorite "The Rocky Horror Picture Show". That same year, she also played the female lead in "The Great Waldo Pepper", opposite Robert Redford. Her most controversial film appearance was in "The Hunger" in 1983, a modern vampire story which turned out to be a critical and box office flop. The film has gained some cult status for a rather graphic lesbian love scene between Sarandon and co-star Catherine Deneuve. It was the first mainstream American film to feature such a scene between two star actresses. However, Sarandon did not become a "household name" until her breakthrough in the 1988 film "Bull Durham". which became a huge commercial and critical success.

Sarandon received five Academy Award nominations for best actress, in "Atlantic City" (1981), "Thelma & Louise" (1991), "Lorenzo's Oil" (1992), and "The Client" (1994), finally winning in 1995 for "Dead Man Walking". Her other movies include "Stepmom" (1998), "Anywhere but Here" (1999), "Cradle Will Rock" (1999), "The Banger Sisters" (2002), "Shall We Dance" (2004), "Alfie" (2004), "Romance & Cigarettes" (2005) and "Elizabethtown" (2005).

Sarandon has appeared in two episodes of "The Simpsons", one as herself ("Bart Has Two Mommies"), and another as a ballet teacher, "Homer vs. Patty and Selma". She has made appearances on the shows "Friends", "Malcolm in the Middle", "Mad TV", "Saturday Night Live", "Chappelle's Show", and "Rescue Me".

Sarandon has contributed the narration to some two dozen documentary films, many dealing with social and political issues; in addition, she has served as the presenter on many installments of the PBS documentary series, "Independent Lens". In 2007 she hosted and presented "Mythos", a series of lectures by the late American mythology professor Joseph Campbell. [http://www.jcf.org/works.php?id=680]

Sarandon joined the cast of the adaptation of "The Lovely Bones", opposite Rachel Weisz, and appeared with her daughter, Eva Amurri, in "Middle of Nowhere"; both of the movies were filmed in 2007. [ [http://www.dailyindia.com/show/160761.php/Susan-Sarandon-set-to-star-in-The-Lovely-Bones "Susan Sarandon set to star in 'The Lovely Bones' "] . DailyIndia.com. 27 July 2007.] [Chupnick, Steven. [http://www.superherohype.com/news/topnews.php?id=6249 "Susan Sarandon on Speed Racer"] . Superhero Hype.com. 25 August 2007.]

Most recently, Sarandon joined the cast of "Peacock" starring opposite Ellen Page, Cillian Murphy, Bill Pullman and Josh Lucas. Filming will take place in Des Moines, Iowa.

Personal life

While in college, she met and married fellow student Chris Sarandon in 1967. They divorced in 1979 and she retained her married name as her stage name. [http://www.hollywood.com/celebrity/Susan_Sarandon/196734#fullBio "Susan Sarandon"] . Hollywood.com.]

In 1981, readers of Playboy magazine voted hers the Best Celebrity Breasts of the Summer of 1981. In response, she said, "It must seem to a lot of people that I am always naked or making love in my films. I think it's very hard to be in a scene and not be upstaged by your nipples". [ [http://www.tiscali.co.uk/entertainment/film/biographies/susan_sarandon_biog/7 Susan Sarandon Biography] ]

In the mid-1980s, Sarandon dated director Franco Amurri, with whom she had a daughter in 1985, actress Eva Amurri. Since 1988, Sarandon has been in a relationship with actor Tim Robbins, whom she met while filming "Bull Durham". The couple have two sons: Jack Henry (born 1989) and Miles Guthrie (born 1992). Sarandon and Robbins are often involved in the same social and political causes. They live in New York City.

Political activism

Sarandon is noted for her active support of progressive and left-liberal political causes, ranging from donations made to organizations such as EMILY's List [cite web |url=http://www.newsmeat.com/celebrity_political_donations/Susan_Sarandon.php |title=Susan Sarandon's Federal Campaign Contribution Report |accessdate=2008-01-13 |format= |work=Newsmeat.com ] to participating in a 1983 delegation to Nicaragua sponsored by MADRE, an organization that promotes "social, environmental and economic justice." [cite web |url=http://madre.org/about/mission.html |title=Mission and History |accessdate=2008-01-10 |format= |work=Madre.org ] Sarandon has also expressed support for various tolerance and human rights causes that are similar philosophically to ideas found among the Christian left. [cite web | last =Sheahen | first =Laura | authorlink = | coauthors = | title ='The Power of One': Interview with Susan Sarandon | work = | publisher = BeliefNet| date = | url =http://www.beliefnet.com/story/170/story_17020_1.html | format = | doi = | accessdate =2008-01-14 ]

In 1995 Sarandon was one of many Hollywood actors, directors and writers who were interviewed for the documentary, "The Celluloid Closet," which looked at how Hollywood films have depicted homosexuality.

In 1999, she was appointed UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and in that capacity has actively supported the organization's global advocacy, as well as the work of the Canadian UNICEF Committee.

During the 2000 election, Sarandon supported Ralph Nader's run for President, serving as a co-chair of the National Steering Committee of Nader 2000. [cite web |url=http://www.nvri.org/library/cases/Becker/beckercomplaint.shtml |title=Becker Complaint: Becker, et al. vs. Federal Election Commission |accessdate=2008-01-14 |format= |work=NVRI.org ] However, during the 2004 election campaign, she withheld support for Nader's bid, being among several "Nader 2000 Leaders" who signed a petition urging voters to vote for Democratic Party candidate John Kerry. [cite web |url=http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/091504V.shtml |title= Nader 2000 Leaders United to Defeat Bush |accessdate=2008-01-14 |format= |work=Truthout.org press release, September 14, 2004 ]

Sarandon and Robbins both took an early stance against the 2003 invasion of Iraq, with Sarandon stating that she was firmly against the concept of the war as a pre-emptive strike. [ [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/liveonline/03/special/world/sp_world_sarandon021303.htm"Iraq: Antiwar Voices"] . "Washington Post," February 13, 2003.] Prior to a 2003 protest sponsored by the United for Peace and Justice coalition, she said that many Americans "do not want to risk their children or the children of Iraq." [ [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/02/14/earlyshow/living/main540658.shtml "Sarandon To Bush: Get Real On War",] CBS News, February 14, 2003.] Sarandon was one of the first to appear in a series of political ads sponsored by TrueMajority, an organization established by Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream founder Ben Cohen. [cite news |first=Charlie |last=Brennan |authorlink= |author= |coauthors= |title=Cry for peace heard on web: Activists using Internet to spread word against war |url=http://www.causecommunications.com/whoweare/rockymtnnews.html |format= |work= |publisher=Rocky Mountain News |pages= |page= |date=February 8, 2003 |accessdate=2008-01-11 |language= |quote= ] [cite web |url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,77195,00.html |title=Anti-Iraq Ad Features Leader of Bush's Church |accessdate=2008-01-14 |format= |work=Fox News ] Also in 2003, Sarandon appeared in a "Love is Love is Love" commercial, promoting the acceptance of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals.

In 2004, she served on the advisory committee for the group 2004 Racism Watch [cite web | url=http://www.commondreams.org/news2004/0331-04.htm| publisher=Common Dreams | title=2004 Racism Watch Calls On Bush-Cheney Campaign to Change or Pull Offensive Ad | accessdate=2008-10-04] .

She hosted a section of the Live 8 concert in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 2005.

Along with anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan, Sarandon took part in a 2006 Mother's Day protest sponsored by Code Pink [cite web |url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,195535,00.html |title=Susan Sarandon Joins Cindy Sheehan to Protest Iraq War |accessdate=2008-01-14 |format= |work=Fox News, May 15, 2006 ] ; she has expressed interest in portraying Sheehan in a movie. [Asthana, Anushka. [http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1764628,00.html "Sarandon tells of Iraq death threat"] . The Observer. 30 April 2006.] In January 2007, she appeared with Robbins and Jane Fonda at an anti-war rally in Washington, D.C. in support of a Congressional measure to withdraw U.S. forces from Iraq. [Hunt, Kasie. [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/24/ap/entertainment/mainD8MRUSCO0.shtml "Anti-War Actress Bored by Iraq Pitch"] . CBS News. January 24, 2007.]

In 2006 she was one of eight women selected to carry in the Olympic flag at the Opening Ceremony of the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Turin, Italy On May 29, 2008 Sarandon announced that she would move to Canada or Italy if John McCain is elected President of the United States. [ [http://adaeveningnews.com/editorials/local_story_152192449.html?keyword=topstory AdaEveningNews.com - Ada, Oklahoma - Sarandon vows to “quit” America ] ] [ [http://www.nypost.com/seven/05292008/gossip/liz/pollack_was_loved_112946.htm by Liz Smith] , New York Post, 5/29/08 ]

Body of work

Filmography

###@@@KEY@@@### s-achsuccession box
title=BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role
years=1995
for "The Client"
before=Holly Hunter
for "The Piano"
after=Emma Thompson
for "Sense and Sensibility"succession box
title=Academy Award for Best Actress
years=1995
for "Dead Man Walking"
before=Jessica Lange
for "Blue Sky"
after=Frances McDormand
for "Fargo"succession box
title=Donostia Award, San Sebastian International Film Festival
years=1995
before=Robert Mitchum
after=Lana Turner
Anthony Quinnsuccession box
title=Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture
years=1995
"'for "Dead Man Walking"
before=Jodie Foster
for "Nell"
after=Frances McDormand
for "Fargo"

References

External links

*imdb name|0000215|Susan Sarandon
*ymovies name|1800019379
* [http://www.newsmeat.com/celebrity_political_donations/Susan_Sarandon.php Susan Sarandon's political donations] at newsmeat.com
*tvtome person|id=3537|name=Susan Sarandon

Persondata
NAME= Sarandon, Susan
ALTERNATIVE NAMES= Tomalin, Susan Abigail
SHORT DESCRIPTION= Actress, activist
DATE OF BIRTH= October 4, 1946
PLACE OF BIRTH= New York City, U.S.
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=