STATE AND MAIN
MORE CAST BIOGRAPHIES
CHARLES DURNING (Mayor George Bailey)
Charles Durning is featured in the Coen brothers' latest film, O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU? Durning's impressive film career encompasses such titles as: THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS, THE STING, DOG DAY AFTERNOON, HARRY AND WALTER GO TO NEW YORK, TWILIGHT'S LAST GLEAMING, THE GREEK TYCOON, THE FURY, NORTH DALLAS FORTY, THE MUPPET MOVIE, FINAL COUNTDOWN, TRUE CONFESSIONS, TOOTSIE, BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS, MAN WITH ONE RED SHOE, TO BE OR NOT TO BE, BIG TROUBLE, DICK TRACY, VI. WARSHAWSKI, I. Q., THE HUDSUCKER PROXY, THE GRASS HARP, HOME FOR HOLIDAYS, SPY HARD, and ONE FINE DAY.
Durning will next be seen in LAKEBOAT, based on David Mamet's play and directed by Joe Mantegna; BOMBSHELL, directed by William Dear, and THE LAST PRODUCER, directed by Burt Reynolds.
On television, Durning has appeared in tele-movies including THE CONNECTION, THE COP AND THE KID, SPECIAL OLYMPICS, ATTICA, THE BEST LITTLE GIRL IN THE WORLD, MISTER ROBERTS, DEATH OF A SALESMAN, DINNER AT EIGHT, THE KENNEDYS OF MASSACHUSETTS, 'THE WATER ENGINE and A CHANCE OF SNOW. He also appears in the upcoming 'JUSTICE. Durning starred in the long-running series EVENING SHADE, and has guest starred on programs such as CYBILL, KING OF THE HILL, EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND, EARLY EDITION Aand THE PRACTICE. His Broadway credits include 'The Gin Game,' 'Caton a Hot Tin Roof,' 'Inherit the Wind' and 'In the Boom Boom Room!
CLARK GREGG (Doug MacKenzie)
Clark Gregg recently star-red as the pre-op transsexual, Hank/Henrietta, in THE ADVENTURES OF SEBASTIAN COLE, a role that earned him an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Onstage, Gregg most recently staffed as Bernard in a reprise of David Mamet's 'Sexual Perversity in Chicago' at Mamet's Atlantic Theater Company. Numerous television appearances include a special guest stint in the final two episodes of ABC's SPORTS NIGHT and a recent episode of SEX AND THE CITY.
Other film credits include MAGNOLIA, I LOVE TROUBLE, Mamet's THINGS CHANGE, CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER, THE USUAL SUSPECTS, FAT MAN AND LITTLE BOY, SIX WAYS TO SUNDAY, LANA IN LOVE, THE MAILMAN, as well as HBO films TYSON and ABOVE SUSPICION.
As a founding member and former artistic director of Mamet's Atlantic Theater Company, Gregg starred in 'Mojo', 'Three Sisters', 'Women and Water', 'Reckless', 'Nothing Sacred' and 'Boys' Life'. Other theater credits include 'A Few Good Men' on Broadway, 'The Old Boy' and 'Unidentified Human Remains'. Gregg directed a revival of Mamet's 'Edmond' for Atlantic and the New York and Los Angeles premieres of Kevin Heelan's award-winning 'Distant Fires'.
Gregg's feature screenwriting debut is WHAT LIES BENEATH, starring Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer and directed by Robert Zemeckis.
PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN (Joseph Turner White)
Philip Seymour Hoffman was most recently seen in Cameron Crowe's ALMOST FAMOUS, as Lester Bangs, the legendary, extremely influential rock critic who wrote for Creem Magazine. Bangs was an idol and mentor to many, including Crowe.
Prior to that, Hoffman spent six months on Broadway in the latest production of Sam Shepard's 'True West,' for which he was nominated for a Tony Award in dual roles. Last winter, he was seen in three films: staffing opposite Robert DeNiro in Joel Schumacher's FLAWLESS (for which he received a SAG nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role), alongside Matt Damon and Gwyneth Paltrow in Anthony Minghella's THE TALENTED MR RIPLEY, and with Tom Cruise and Jason Robards in Paul Thomas Anderson's MAGNOLIA. Hoffman received the National Board of Review's Best Supporting Actor Award for his work in both MAGNOLIA and THE TALENTED MR RIPLEY. He previously appeared in both of Anderson's earlier films, BOOGIE NIGHTS and HARD EIGHT.
His other film credits include: Todd Solondz's HAPPINESS (for which he was nominated for an IFP/West Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actor), PATCH ADAMS, the Coen brothers' The BIG LEBOWSKI, Brad Anderson's NEXT STOP WONDERLAND, Jan De Bout's TWISTER, SCENT OF A WOMAN, NOBODY'S FOOL, THE GETAWAY and WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN.. His stage work includes 'Defying Gravity' at the American Place Theatre, 'The Merchant of Venice,' directed by Peter Sellars and the off-Broadway production of Mark Ravenhill's 'Shopping and Fucking.' This summer Hoffman directed the play 'Jesus Hopped the 'A: Train,' written by Stephen Adly Guiregis, for his New York based theater company LAByrinth. This is Hoffman and Guiregis' second project together-last summer they collaborated on 'In Arabia We'd All Be Kings,' which Hoffman also directed for the company.
PATTI LuPONE (Sherry Bailey)
Patti LuPone is a long-time collaborator with David Mamet, appearing in five of his plays: 'The Old Neighborhood,' 'Edmond,' 'The Woods,' 'All Men are Whores' and 'The Water Engine,' as well as in the television adaptation of 'The Water Engine.' LuPone was recently seen in featured roles in Spike Lee's SUMMER OF SAM and Nancy Savoca's THE 24 HOUR WOMAN. Her previous film credits include DRIVING MISS DAISY, WITNESS and FAMILY PRAYERS. In addition to STATE AND MAIN, she will soon be seen in Jason Alexander's JUST LOOKING and Randy Bradshaw's BAD FAITH.
On television, LuPone was recently seen in an appearance with Yo Yo Ma and John Williams and the Boston Pops on PBS's Evening at the Pops' and in a recurring role on the CBS series FALCONE. Familiar to TV audiences as Libby Thatcher on the ABC series LIFE GOES ON, she has been seen in guest starring roles on FRASIER (1998 Emmy nomination) and LAW AND ORDER and on the Showtime movie BONNANO, A GODFATHER'S STORY and THE SONG SPINNER (Daytime Emmy nomination), 'An Evening With Patti LuPone (PBS), and the NBC movie HER LAST CHANCE.
Winner of the Tony and Drama Desk Awards for her performance as Eva Peron in the Broadway musical 'Evita,' LuPone's stage work encompasses both musical and dramatic theatre. After graduating from the first class of the Drama Division of the Juilliard School, she began her career in the theater as a founding member of John Houseman's The Acting Company. Her stage credits include: Maria Callas in Terrence MacNally's 'Master Class,' Vera Simpson in 'Pal Joey,' Reno Sweeney in 'Anything Goes' (Tony Award nomination and Drama Desk Award), Nancy in 'Oliver!,' 'The Cradle Will Rock,' 'Working' and 'The Robber Bridegroom' (Tony and Drama Desk Award nominations). In London, in addition to reprising her performances in the London productions of 'Master Class' and 'The Cradle Will Rock,' LuPone created the roles of Norma Desmond in the world premiere production of 'Sunset Boulevard' and Fantine in the RSC production of 'Les Miserables.' She won London's Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performances in 'Les Miserables' and 'The Cradle Will Rock,' becoming the first American actor to win the coveted award.
A recording artist as well, her most recent recording 'Matters of the Heart,' based on her new concert, was named one of the Best Recordings of 1999 by The Times of London and Time Out New York. She has performed the evening to critical acclaim at the Sydney Festival in Australia, in the West End at London's Donmar Warehouse Theatre and nationally throughout the United States.
She most recently staffed as Mrs. Lovett to George Hearn's Sweeney Todd in a concert version of the Stephen Sondheim musical for the New York Philharmonic. A live performance CD of that concert is currently available on the Philharmonic's Special Editions label.
WILLIAM H MACY (Walt Price)
William H Macy recently starred as Teach in the Atlantic Theater Company production of 'American Buffalo.' He has been working with David Mamet since they met at Goddard College. After studying under Mamet, Macy and Steven Schacter set out for Chicago in 1972 where they founded the St. Nicholas Theater. Macy originated roles for several Mamet productions, including Bobby in 'American Buffalo' and Lang in 'The Water Engine,' later appearing in 'Prairie du Chien,' 'Oh, Hell' and 'Oleanna'. Macy also worked in film with Mamet, starring in OLEANNA and HOMICIDE and appearing in the films THINGS CHANGE, THE WATER ENGINE, TEXAN (for Showtime), HOUSE OF GAMES and WAG THE DOG. Macy's other theater work includes: 'Baby with the Bathwater,' 'The Dining Room,' 'Life During Wartime,' 'Mr. Gogol and Mr. Preen,' 'Bodies, Rest and Motion' and 'Our Town.'
Macy is perhaps best known for his role in the Coen brothers' film FARGO, which earned him an Academy Award nomination and an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actor, an American Comedy Award for Funniest Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture and a Best Actor Award from the Chicago Film Critics and the International Press Academy. His other film credits include HAPPY, TEXAS, MYSTERY MEN, PLEASANTVILLE, PSYCHO, A CIVIL ACTION, BOOGIE NIGHTS, AIR FORCE ONE, GHOSTS OF MISSISSIPPI, MR HOLLAND'S OPUS, THE CLIENT, ROOMMATES, SHADOWS and FOG, TWENTY BUCKS, MURDER IN THE FIRST, SEARCHING FOR BOBBY FISHER and RADIO DAYS. Macy starred in Paul Thomas Anderson's MAGNOLIA and will next appear in FOCUS and is set to appear in JR III.
On television, Macy appeared in E.R. for which he received an Emmy nomination for Best Guest Actor in a Drama Series; L.A. LAW, BAKERSFIELD, P.D., CIVIL WARS and the pilot and several episodes of LAW AND ORDER. He has acted in television films such as A MURDEROUS AFFAIR, HEART OF JUSTICE, STANOFF AT MARION, ANDERSONVILLE, THE WRITING ON THE WALL, and two mini-series: 'THE MURDER OF MARY PHAGAN and THE AWAKENING LAND. Along with Schacter, Macy wrote television scripts for THRITYSOMETHING, ABOVE SUSPICION and THE CON. He also appeared on television with wife Felicity Huffman in A SLIGHT CASE OF MURDER, which he co-wrote with Schacter.
DAVID PAYMER (Marty Rossen)
David Paymer earned Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for his performance as Billy Crystal's put-upon brother in MR SATURDAY NIGHT. He has recently appeared in such films as Norman Jewison's THE HURRICANE, Lawrence Kasdan's MUMFORD, Steven Spielberg's AMISTAD, Oliver Stone's NIXON, Rob Reiner's THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT and Robert Redford's highly acclaimed QUIZ SHOW. He has also appeared in GET SHORTY, CITY HALL and MIGHT JOE YOUNG.
Paymer next co-stars in BOUNCE with Gwyneth Paltrow and Ben Affleck, BARTLEBY, based on Herman Melville's famous short story, and FOCUS based on the novel by Arthur Miller, with William H. Macy and Laura Dern.
Paymer has essayed a variety of roles in such diverse films as PAYBACK starring Mel Gibson, GANG RELATED SEARCHING FOR BOBBY FISCHER, HEART AND SOULS and CITY SLICKERS, among many others. Paymer also earned a Golden Globe nomination in 1997 for Best Supporting Actor for HBO's dramatic film about the Lindbergh kidnapping CRIME OF THE CENTURY, directed by Mark Rydell.
The versatile Paymer launched his career in the hit show 'Grease' on Broadway, then staffing Peter Gallagher. He won his first film role in the classic comedy The In-Laws.
REBECCA PIDGEON (Ann Black)
Rebecca Pidgeon previously starred in the acclaimed thriller, THE SPANISH PRISONER, with Campbell Scott and Steve Martin, and THE WINSLOW BOY with Nigel Hawthorne and Jeremy Northam. Her film career began in 1991 with HOMICIDE and continued with THE DAWNING, opposite Anthony Hopkins and Hugh Grant, and SHE'S BEEN AWAY with Peggy Ashcroft.
Pidgeon made her Broadway debut in the production of 'The Old Neighborhood' and recently starred in production of 'Boston Marriage' at American Repertory Theater. She appeared Off-Broadway in 'Dangerous Comer' and 'Oleanna.' In London, Pidgeon appeared at the National Theatre in productions of 'The Changeling,'' Speed-the-Plow,' 'When We Were Women' and 'Bow Down.'
On television, Pidgeon starred in UNCLE VANYA and CAMPAIGN for the BBC, THE WATER ENGINE for Showtime and CATASTROPE for Channel Four and PBS.
As a singer/songwriter, Pidgeon has recorded two albums with the British folk/pop band Ruby Blue and four solo albums: 'Down From Above,' 'The Raven,' 'The New York Girl's Club,' and 'Four Marys.' She also composed the music for the film version of OLEANNA. Pidgeon is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts.
JULIA STILES (Carla Taylor)
Julia Stiles recently appeared in three contemporary Shakespearean films: TEN THINGGS I HATE ABOUT YOU, a loose adaptation of 'The Taming of the Shrew;' as Ophelia in Michael Almereyda's acclaimed modem-day HAMLET starring Ethan Hawke and Bill Murray; and the upcoming 0, a retelling of 'Othello.' She previously appeared in DOWN TO YOU with Freddie Prinze Jr, I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU NOT with Claire Danes and Jude Law, WIDE AWAKE and Alan Pakula's THE DEVIL'S OWN with Brad Pitt and Harrison Ford. Stiles received critical praise for her starring role in WICKED at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival and the Prague Film Festival, where she was awarded the Best Actress prize. In addition, Julia won the Chicago Film Critics' Most Promising Actress Award in March 2000 and Best Breakthrough Female Performance at the MTV Movie Awards in June 2000. Upcoming are Paramount's SAVE THE LAST DANCE and an independent feature THE BUSINESS OF STRANGERS.
Stiles, a New York native, made her acting debut in the New York theater. Her theater credits include 'Sandalwood Box,' 'Matthew/School of Life,' 'Hughes,' the Obie award-winning 'Everyday Newt Burman, "Photo Op' and 'Jungle Movie.' Stiles' television credits include 'Before Women Had Wings' with Ellen Barkin and Oprah Winfrey, 'Chicago Hope' and the NBC miniseries 'The Sixties.'
In 1997 Stiles' screenplay THE ANARCHIST'S DAUGHTER was chosen as one of 12 scripts to be admitted into the prestigious Sundance Institute's Writer's Lab.