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Aidan_Quinn

Aidan Quinn

Aidan Quinn (Irish: Aodhán Ó Cuinn; born March 8 1959) is an Irish American actor.

Biography

Early life

Quinn was born in Rockford, Illinois to devoutly Catholic Irish parents. He was raised in Chicago and Rockford, as well as in Dublin, in Birr in County Offaly, and other places in Ireland. His father was a professor in literature and his mother a homemaker. He has three brothers and a sister. His older brother, Declan Quinn, is a noted cinematographer. Though a roofer by trade, Quinn got his start in the Chicago theater at age 19. He trained at the Piven Theatre Workshop.

Career

His first significant film role was in Reckless, followed by a breakthrough role in Desperately Seeking Susan as the character "Dez" (the love interest of the character played by Rosanna Arquette). Quinn next starred in the controversial TV movie An Early Frost, about a young lawyer dying of AIDS (it was broadcast on NBC on November 11, 1985) and co-starred such luminaries as Gena Rowlands, Ben Gazzara and Sylvia Sidney. He received his first Emmy Award nomination for the role which allowed him to gain recognition in Hollywood.

In 1988 Quinn lost the role of Jesus Christ when Paramount Pictures dropped the controversial Martin Scorsese movie The Last Temptation of Christ. When Universal Pictures picked up the film, the role went to Willem Dafoe.

During the 1990s Quinn's career grew immensely. He found work alongside such Hollywood stars as Brad Pitt in Legends of the Fall, Johnny Depp in Benny & Joon and Robert Duvall in The Handmaid's Tale. He continually starred in films that allowed him to return to his Irish roots, such as Michael Collins and Evelyn

In 2000, Quinn portrayed Paul McCartney in the VH1 television drama, Two of Us. He later met McCartney at a hotel, and they became good friends. Quinn was able to gain his first regular television role as the lead in the short lived, and controversial NBC drama The Book of Daniel, in 2006 before being canceled after the first three weeks of its run. In 2007, Quinn received his second Emmy nomination for the television movie Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee.

Personal life

Quinn is married to the actress Elizabeth Bracco, sister of actress Lorraine Bracco. The two met in 1984 at a restaurant and later co-starred in Stakeout. They married in 1987 and have two daughters, one diagnosed with autism. Ava Quinn was a perfectly normal baby, according to her father, until she was vaccinated. “So we had a normal child that was walking, talking, doing everything way faster than she was supposed to. Then, after an MMR, she got a 106 fever and turned blue and woke up the next day with dark circles and not knowing who she was. And uncoordinated. And her arm lifted up. Of course the doctors are all saying, ‘Oh, that’s normal.’”

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1984 Reckless Johnny Rourke
1985 Desperately Seeking Susan Dez
1986 The Mission Felipe Mendoza
1987 Stakeout Richard 'Stick' Montgomery
1989 Crusoe Crusoe
1990 The Handmaid's Tale Nick
The Lemon Sisters Frankie McGuinness
Avalon Jules Kaye
1991 At Play in the Fields of the Lord Martin Quarrier
1992 The Playboys Tom Casey
1993 Benny & Joon Benjamin 'Benny' Pearl
1994 Blink Det. John Hallstrom
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein Capt. Robert Walton
Legends of the Fall Alfred Ludlow
1995 The Stars Fell on Henrietta Don Day
Haunted Prof. David Ash
1996 Looking for Richard Richmond
Michael Collins Harry Boland
1997 Commandments Seth Warner
The Assignment Lt. Cmdr. Annibal Ramirez/Carlos
1998 This Is My Father Kieran O'Day
Practical Magic Officer Gary Hallet Blockbuster Entertainment Award (nominated)
1999 In Dreams Paul Cooper
Music of the Heart Brian Turner
2000 Songcatcher Tom Bledsoe Sundance Film Festival Award (won)
2002 Stolen Summer Joe O'Malley
Evelyn Nick Barron
2003 Song for a Raggy Boy William Franklin
2004 Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius Harry Vardon
Shadow of Fear Detective Scofield
Return to Sender Frank Nitzche IFTA Awards (nominated-4Xs)
Proud Commodore Alfred Lind
2005 Nine Lives Henry Gotham Awards (nominated)
2007 Dark Matter Reiser
32A Frank Brennan
2008 Wild Child Gerry
The Eclipse TBA

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1985 An Early Frost Michael Pierson NBC TV-Movie Emmy Award (nominated)
1986 All My Sons Chris Keller TV-Movie
1989 Perfect Witness Sam Paxton HBO TV-Movie
1991 Lies of the Twins James McEwan/Jonathan McEwan TV-Movie
1992 A Private Matter Bob Finkbine HBO TV-Movie
1997 Forbidden Territory: Stanley's Search for Livingstone Henry Morton Stanley TV-Movie
2000 See You in My Dreams Joe F. Brown TV-Movie
The Prince and the Pauper Miles Hendon TV-Movie
Two of Us Paul McCartney VH1 TV-Movie
2001 Night Visions Jeremy Bell Episode: The Passenger List
2003 Benedict Arnold: A Question of Honor Gen. Benedict Arnold A&E TV-Movie
2004 Plainsong Tom Guthrie CBS TV-Movie
Cavedweller Clint Windsor Showtime Network TV-Movie Independent Spirit Award (nominated)
Miracle Run Douglas Thomas Lifetime Movie Network TV-Movie
2005 The Exonerated Kerry CourtTV TV-Movie
Empire Falls David Roby HBO Miniseries
Mayday John Berry CBS TV-Movie
2004-2005 Third Watch Lieutenant John Miller Episode: Alone Again, Naturally
Episode: Last Will and Testament
Episode: The Hunter, Hunted
Episode: The Greatest Detectives
Episode: Goodbye to Camelot
2006 The Book of Daniel Daniel Webster
2007 Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee Henry L. Dawes HBO TV-Movie Emmy Award (nominated)
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Ben Nicholson Episode: Savant
2008 Canterbury's Law Matthew "Matt" Furey

References

External links

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