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'''James Jude Courtney''' (born January 31, 1957) is an American actor, [[stunt double]], and [[stunt performer]]. He is best known for playing mass murderer [[Michael Myers (Halloween)|Michael Myers]] in the 2018 film ''[[Halloween (2018 film)|Halloween]]'' and its 2021 sequel [[Halloween Kills|''Halloween Kills'']]. He also played Der Kindestod in the ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'' episode "[[Killed by Death (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)|Killed by Death]]". |
'''James Jude Courtney''' (born January 31, 1957) is an American actor, [[stunt double]], and [[stunt performer]]. He is best known for playing mass murderer [[Michael Myers (Halloween)|Michael Myers]] in the 2018 film ''[[Halloween (2018 film)|Halloween]]'' and its 2021 sequel [[Halloween Kills|''Halloween Kills'']] and [[Halloween Ends]] in 2022. He also played Der Kindestod in the ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'' episode "[[Killed by Death (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)|Killed by Death]]". |
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==Life and career== |
==Life and career== |
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Revision as of 06:43, 21 August 2022
James Jude Courtney | |
|---|---|
 Courtney in 2020 | |
| Born | January 31, 1957 Garfield Heights, Ohio, U.S. |
| Alma mater | University of South Carolina |
| Occupations | |
| Years active | 1987–present |
James Jude Courtney (born January 31, 1957) is an American actor, stunt double, and stunt performer. He is best known for playing mass murderer Michael Myers in the 2018 film Halloween and its 2021 sequel Halloween Kills and Halloween Ends in 2022. He also played Der Kindestod in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode "Killed by Death".
Life and career
Courtney was born on January 31, 1957,[1] in Garfield Heights, Ohio, and raised in Columbia, South Carolina, as the eldest of seven brothers.[2] From an early age, Courtney was determined to become an actor and made short films from fifth grade through college. He majored in journalism at the University of South Carolina in 1981 and subsequently moved to California to pursue acting.[3] There, he started working at Universal Studios Hollywood as a tour guide before he was cast as Conan in the park's Conan the Barbarian live show. Courtney applied his martial arts skills to the role, which demanded high falls and sword fights; he sustained multiple injuries during performances.[4] At Universal Studios, Courtney met actor Brian Thompson and stunt coordinator Alex Daniels, who helped him to branch out as a stunt performer.[5] He also pursued acting studies at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and was coached by Stella Adler.[5][6]
Courtney made his film acting debut in 1989 in The Freeway Maniac and continued acting through 2002. In 1997, he gained wider recognition in the role Der Kindestod in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode "Killed by Death".[7][8][9]
Halloween films
Courtney played Michael Myers in David Gordon Green's horror film Halloween, the 2018 sequel to John Carpenter's 1978 film of the same name.[5][10][11] Green asked the film's stunt coordinator Ron Hutchinson whether he knew an experienced stunt actor that was "6-feet-3, 200 pounds, and in his 60s," upon which Hutchinson recommended Courtney.[12] Green explained to Courtney his vision for Myers's mannerisms, an amalgamation of the performance of Nick Castle, who originally played the character in 1978, and the addition of a feline style of movement. Courtney tailored his portrayal to those specifications by observing the movement of his cat: "I think cats are the most perfect hunter-killer machines on the planet. And the beauty of it is we don't judge a cat for what a cat does. So I sort of carried that movement and the non-judgmental approach to the way I moved as The Shape, which I learned from my cat Parcival."[5] Courtney used Carpenter and Castle's work on the original film to inform how the forty years that transpired between the events of the films would affect the character.[4][13][14][15]
The December 2017 announcement of Castle's participation in the film was widely reported as his retaking the role of Myers,[16] with Courtney only doing additional work as the character. However, in a 2018 interview, Courtney stated that Castle's screentime only amounted to a single cameo and that every scene under the mask was done by himself, including the scene which he shares with Castle, leading to the question of why Castle's return had been misrepresented by the production.[17]
Honoring his portrayal of Michael Myers, October 19, the film's United States opening day, was officially proclaimed James Jude Courtney Day in Warren County, Kentucky.[18] In January 2019, Courtney was nominated for Best Actor at the 2019 Fangoria Chainsaw Awards alongside Castle for his work in Halloween.[19][20]
Courtney returned to the role for the film's 2021 sequel, Halloween Kills, and is set to portray the character for a third time in the upcoming Halloween Ends, thus earning him the accolade of being the actor to portray Myers the most times.[21][22]
Filmography
| Title | Year | TV or Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tour of Duty | 1987–1990 | TV | Stunts | |
| The Freeway Maniac | 1989 | Film | Arthur | Credited as James Courtney |
| Knots Landing | TV | Peter Christopher / R. Peter Christopher | 3 episodes | |
| We're Talking Serious Money | 1991 | Film | Biker #2 | |
| Unsolved Mysteries | 1992 | TV | Peter Byrne | |
| Far and Away | Film | Boxer | ||
| The Hit List | 1993 | Final Hitman | ||
| Danger Theatre | TV | Man in Bar | 1 episode | |
| Philadelphia Experiment II | Film | Vortex Technician | ||
| Firearm | Short film | Alec Swan a.k.a. Firearm | ||
| ...And the Earth Did Not Swallow Him | 1994 | Film | Carpenter | |
| When a Man Loves a Woman | Earl | |||
| Last Detour | ||||
| Girl in the Cadillac | 1995 | Stunts | ||
| Access Denied | 1996 | Bill Robinson | ||
| Babylon 5 | 1994–1996 | TV | Narn #1 / Gyor | 2 episodes; stunts |
| Executive Power | 1997 | Film | Thug | |
| The Killing Grounds | Craig | |||
| The Nurse | Stunt coordinator | |||
| Devil in the Flesh | TV film | Mr. Roberts | ||
| Buffy the Vampire Slayer | 1998 | TV | Der Kindestod | 1 episode; stunts |
| Soccer Dog: The Movie | 1999 | Film | Mafia Goon | |
| Level 9 | 2000–2001 | TV | Stunts; stunt driver | |
| The Gray in Between | 2002 | Film | Huge Goon | |
| Halloween | 2018 | Michael Myers / The Shape | ||
| Halloween Kills | 2021 | |||
| Halloween Ends | 2022 |
References
- ^ Wax, Alyse (January 31, 2020). "This Day in Horror: Happy Birthday James Jude Courtney". Dread Central. Archived from the original on July 19, 2021. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
- ^ Friedman, Rebekah (November 6, 2018). "A killer career". SC.edu. Archived from the original on May 17, 2021. Retrieved February 5, 2019.
- ^ Ablon, Matthew (November 1, 2018). "USC alum is the man behind the Michael Myers mask". Fox Carolina. Archived from the original on April 13, 2019. Retrieved January 6, 2019.
- ^ a b Squires, John (June 8, 2018). "[Set Visit] 'Halloween' Star James Jude Courtney on Why You Should Be Terrified of His Michael Myers". Bloody Disgusting. Archived from the original on November 6, 2020. Retrieved January 6, 2019.
- ^ a b c d Arzt, Matt (March 27, 2018). "[Interview] Meet James Jude Courtney, Your New Michael Myers in 'Halloween' 2018". Halloween Daily News. Archived from the original on March 28, 2018. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
- ^ Abrams, Simon (October 11, 2018). "Michael Myers, Unmasked". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
- ^ Tracy, Kathleen (2014). The Girl's Got Bite: The Original Unauthorized Guide to Buffy's World – 30. "Killed by Death". St. Martin's Press. ISBN 978-0-31298-886-9.
- ^ Jones, Steven (2000). The Essential Monster Movie Guide: A Century of Creature Features on Film, TV, and Video. Billboard Books. p. 67. ISBN 978-0823079360.
- ^ Clarke, F. S. (2000). "Cinefantastique, Vol 31-32". p. 31. ASIN B003ZVQU9Q.
{{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires|magazine=(help) - ^ Dressler, Jacob (December 20, 2017). "Original Shape Actor Playing Michael Myers In Upcoming Halloween Movie". ScreenGeek.net. Archived from the original on October 30, 2018. Retrieved October 29, 2018.
- ^ Keene, Allison (December 20, 2017). "The 'Halloween' Reboot Will Bring Back the Original Michael Myers Actor". Collider. Archived from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved October 29, 2018.
- ^ Krug, Kurt Anthony (October 11, 2021). "Michael Myers Speaks: Actor talks 'Halloween Kills,' Comic Con, gathering of fans". Morning Sun. Archived from the original on October 11, 2021. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
- ^ Evanson, Landon (September 24, 2018). "Big Game James: A 'Halloween' Interview With James Jude Courtney". Horror Geek Life. Archived from the original on March 22, 2019. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
- ^ DiLauro, Rob (November 6, 2018). "Exclusive Interview: James Jude Courtney Talks Halloween And Playing Michael Myers". We Got This Covered. Archived from the original on September 27, 2020. Retrieved January 6, 2019.
- ^ Golianopoulos, Thomas (October 22, 2018). "Michael Myers Is a Terrifying Acting Challenge, Too". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 2, 2020. Retrieved January 6, 2019.
- ^ Verhoeven, Beatrice (December 20, 2017). "Original Michael Myers Actor to Return to 'Halloween' Franchise". TheWrap. Archived from the original on March 1, 2021. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
- ^ Millican, Joshua (March 28, 2018). "Nick Castle is NOT Michael Myers in Blumhouse's "Halloween"? Cameo Only". Horror Freak News. Archived from the original on April 30, 2019. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
- ^ Medina, Ana (October 19, 2018). "Michael Myers actor speaks on preparing for Halloween role". WBKO. Archived from the original on September 20, 2020. Retrieved February 3, 2019.
- ^ Orange, B. Alan (January 22, 2019). "Fangoria Resurrects the Chainsaw Awards Celebrating the Horror Movies Oscar Missed". MovieWeb. Archived from the original on April 10, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
- ^ Rife, Katie (January 22, 2019). "Screw the Oscars, let's see who got nominated for a Fangoria Chainsaw Award". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
- ^ Sprague, Mike (July 26, 2019). "NICK CASTLE RETURNING FOR HALLOWEEN KILLS & HALLOWEEN ENDS!". JoBlo.com. Archived from the original on July 26, 2019. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
- ^ Morse, Chris (September 11, 2019). "James Jude Courtney Teases Return as Michael Myers in Upcoming Halloween Sequels". DeadEntertainment.com. Archived from the original on February 26, 2021. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
