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Michael Shannon
Born	Michael Corbett Shannon August 7, 1974 (1974-08-07) (age 35) Lexington, Kentucky, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1993–present

Michael Corbett Shannon^[1] (born August 7, 1974)^[2] is an American stage and film actor. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Revolutionary Road.

Life and career

Shannon was born in Lexington, Kentucky, a grandson of entomologist Raymond Corbett Shannon.^[3] His mother, Geraldine Hine, is a lawyer, and his father, Donald S. Shannon, was an accounting professor at DePaul University.^[4] He was raised by his divorced parents in both Kentucky and Chicago, Illinois.^[5][6] Shannon began his career as a stage actor in Chicago, where he helped found the "Red Orchid Theatre".^[3] He has since worked with Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Northlight Theatre, and other acting companies.^[7] Shannon originated the role of Peter Evans in Bug in 2004 and also starred in the 2007 film adaptation with Ashley Judd and Harry Connick, Jr, directed by William Friedkin. His roles in Bug, Killer Joe, and Man From Nebraska were written by Steppenwolf ensemble member Tracy Letts.^[6]

Shannon made his film debut with a small role in Groundhog Day in 1993 as a wedding groom.^[8] Later, he had roles in Jesus' Son, Pearl Harbor, 8 Mile and Vanilla Sky. He played the villain in Kangaroo Jack. After a role in Bad Boys II, he had a major role in Grand Theft Parsons as the hippie, Larry Oster-burg. In 2006, he played the leader of a prison white supremacist group, Lynard, in Let's Go to Prison. Other roles include a gambler in Lucky You and Peter Evans in Bug.^[9]

Shannon has appeared in several shows in the West End in London, including a production of Woyzeck directed by Sarah Kane.^[10] In 2008, Shannon was featured in the off-Broadway production of Stephen Adly Guirgis's The Little Flower of East Orange, presented by LAByrinth Theater Company and The Public Theater, directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman and also featuring Ellen Burstyn.^[11]

Shannon's role in Revolutionary Road, also starring Kate Winslet and Leonardo Dicaprio, earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor;^[12] he lost to Heath Ledger for The Dark Knight.

Personal life

He is married to actress Kate Arrington; they have one daughter, Sylvia, who was born in 2008.^[13]

Filmography

References

External links

• Michael Shannon at the Internet Movie Database
• Michael Shannon at the Internet Broadway Database
• Michael Shannon at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
• Michael Shannon biography at A Red Orchid Theatre, Chicago
• The Onion A.V. Club interview