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Minnie Driver

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Minnie Driver
Driver at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival
Born
Amelia Fiona Jessica Driver

(1970-01-31) 31 January 1970 (age 54)
London, England
NationalityBritish
American (from 2017)
Alma materWebber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art
Occupations
  • Actress
  • singer
  • songwriter
Years active1991–present
Partner(s)Addison O'Dea (2019–present; engaged)
Children1
Websiteminniedriver.com

Amelia Fiona Jessica Driver (born 31 January 1970) is an English and American[1] actress and singer. She rose to prominence with her break-out role in 1995's Circle of Friends. She went on to star in a wide range of films including the cult classic Grosse Pointe Blank, Gus Van Sant's Good Will Hunting for which she was nominated for both the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and a Screen Actors Guild Award, the musical The Phantom of the Opera, Owning Mahowny, and providing the voice of Lady Eboshi in Hayao Miyazaki's Princess Mononoke.

In television, Driver starred with Eddie Izzard in The Riches for which she was nominated for both an Emmy and a Golden Globe. She has starred in the ABC sitcom Speechless, the NBC sitcom About a Boy, and in a recurring role in the NBC series Will & Grace. She has also starred in several miniseries in the UK including The Deep for BBC One.

Predating her work as an actress, Driver started as a singer and has released three full solo albums over the span of her career. She has also lent her voice to a variety of animated series and films including SuperMansion and Tarzan as well as video games including Jurassic Park: Trespasser.

Early life and education

Minnie Driver was born Amelia Fiona Jessica in London and raised in Barbados until she was seven.[2][3][4][5][6][7] The nickname Minnie was given to her by her older sister Kate in childhood and stuck.[8][9]

Her mother, Gaynor Churchward (née Millington), was a fabric designer and former couture model. Her father, Charles Ronald Driver, was born in Swansea, Wales and of English and Scottish descent.[10] He earned the Distinguished Flying Medal for his role in the Battle of Heligoland Bight[11] and was a director of London United Investments.[10][12][13]

Her parents never married[11] as her father was married to another woman throughout his relationship with Minnie's mother. Her parents broke off their relationship when Minnie was six years old.[9] She was sent to Bedales School in Hampshire as a boarder soon after.[9] She later attended the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art,[14] and Collingham College, an independent college in Kensington.[15] Minnie's older sister Kate is a film producer and manager. She also has one older half-sister, Susan Driver, from her father's prior marriage, and two younger half-brothers: Charlie Driver from Ronald's subsequent marriage, and Ed Churchward from her mother's subsequent one.[9][16]

Career

Acting

Driver's television debut was in a 1991 TV advertisement for Right Guard deodorant.[17] Driver also made her stage debut in 1991, supplementing her income by performing as a jazz vocalist and guitarist.[18] She appeared on British television with comedians Steve Coogan and Armando Iannucci, and had small parts in Casualty, The House of Eliott, Lovejoy and Peak Practice. Driver gained broader public attention when she played the lead role in Circle of Friends in 1995. She followed this with supporting roles in GoldenEye (1995), Sleepers (1996), Big Night (1996) and Grosse Pointe Blank (1997). She played opposite Matt Damon as Skylar in the drama Good Will Hunting (1997), for which she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and a Screen Actors Guild Award. Driver was also considered to play Rose DeWitt Butaker in the 1997 film Titanic, but director James Cameron felt she was too old so Kate Winslet was cast instead.[citation needed]

In 1998, Driver starred in Sandra Goldbacher's film The Governess.[19] That year, she co-starred opposite Christian Slater and Morgan Freeman in the action thriller Hard Rain. Driver has also worked on several animated features, voicing Jane in Disney's 1999 version of Tarzan and Lady Eboshi in the 1999 English-dubbed release of the Japanese film Princess Mononoke. In 2003 and 2004, she had a recurring role on Will & Grace as Lorraine Finster, the nemesis of Karen Walker (Megan Mullally) and daughter of Karen's lover, Lyle Finster (John Cleese).

In March 2007, Driver made her return to television in the FX Network show The Riches. She was nominated for an Emmy Award[20] and a Golden Globe Award as Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 2007 and 2008, respectively.[21] She was scheduled to appear in The Simpsons Movie, although her appearance was cut from the final version. Driver appeared in the January 2010 episode of Modern Family entitled "Moon Landing".[22] She also starred in the television series The Deep[23] and appeared in Conviction, in the comedy-drama Barney's Version, winning a Genie Award for Best Supporting Actress.[24]

In October 2013, Driver started filming for The Crash,[25] released 13 January 2017.[26]

Driver landed the lead role in the ABC sitcom Speechless, playing the mother of three children, one of whom has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. The series debuted in the 2016–17 TV season. It was cancelled in May 2019 after three seasons.[27]

Music

Driver began making music at boarding school.[28] She collaborated on Bomb the Bass's album Clear, in 1994, as part of the outfit River. She was part of the Milo Roth Band, which received a recording contract when she was 19.[28] In 2001 she signed with EMI and Rounder Records and performed at the SXSW music festival.[29] The title song of Everything I've Got in My Pocket, her first album, reached No. 34[30] in the UK, and the song "Invisible Girl" peaked at No. 68. Driver wrote 10 of the 11 songs on the album. In 2004, Driver was the supporting act for the Finn Brothers on the UK portion of their world tour.[31]

In 2004, Driver played Carlotta Giudicelli in Joel Schumacher's film The Phantom of the Opera, based on the musical of the same name by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Driver sang "Learn to be Lonely", an original song written for the film by Lloyd Webber. However, because of her lack of opera experience, all her songs as Carlotta were dubbed by opera singer Margaret Preece. Driver released her second album, Seastories, in July 2007, featuring guest appearances by Ryan Adams, the Cardinals and Liz Phair.[32] Driver released a third album in October 2014 called Ask Me to Dance that includes songs by Elliott Smith, Neil Young and The Killers.[33]

Podcast

In 2021, Driver started her podcast entitled Minnie Questions with Minnie Driver. In the series she sits down with experts and trailblazers across disciplines and asks them the same seven questions. Some notable guests so far have been Chelsea Clinton, Nick Jonas and Cindy Crawford.[34]

Personal life

Minnie has been in a relationship with Addison O'Dea since 2019.[35][36] Previously, she was briefly engaged in 2001 to Josh Brolin.[37]

She has a son, Henry (born 5 September 2008),[38][39] from a brief relationship with television writer and producer Timothy J. Lea.[40]

In 2016, Driver revealed that she had been sexually assaulted at the age of 17 while on holiday in Greece.[41][42]

On 21 December 2017, Driver became an American citizen.[43][44][45][46]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1992 The Zebra Man Emily Ashdown Short
1994 That Sunday Rachel Short
1995 Circle of Friends Bernadette 'Benny' Hogan
1995 GoldenEye Irina
1996 Big Night Phyllis
1996 Sleepers Carol Martinez
1997 Grosse Pointe Blank Debi Newberry
1997 Good Will Hunting Skylar Satenstein
1998 Hard Rain Karen
1998 The Governess Rosina Da Silva
1998 At Sachem Farm Kendal
1999 An Ideal Husband Miss Mabel Chiltern
1999 Princess Mononoke Lady Eboshi (voice) English dub
1999 Tarzan Jane Porter (voice)
1999 South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut Brooke Shields (voice)
2000 Return to Me Grace Briggs
2000 Beautiful Mona Hubbard
2000 Slow Burn Trina McTeague
2000 The Upgrade Constance Levine Short
2001 High Heels and Low Lifes Shannon
2001 D.C. Smalls Waitress Short
2003 Owning Mahowny Belinda
2003 Hope Springs Vera Edwards
2004 Ella Enchanted Mandy
2004 Portrait Donna Short
2004 The Phantom of the Opera Carlotta
2006 The Virgin of Juarez Karina Danes
2007 Take Ana Nichols
2007 Ripple Effect Kitty
2007 The Simpsons Movie Grievance Counselor Scenes deleted[47]
2009 Motherhood Sheila
2010 Conviction Abra Rice
2010 Barney's Version Mrs. P.
2011 Hunky Dory Vivienne Mae
2012 Goats Shaman Uncredited
2013 I Give It a Year Naomi
2014 Return to Zero Maggie Royal
2014 Stage Fright Kylie Swanson
2014 Beyond the Lights Macy Jean
2015 Unity Narrator (voice) Documentary
2017 The Crash Shannon Clifton
2017 The Wilde Wedding Priscilla Jones
2017 Laboratory Conditions Marjorie Cane Short
2018 Spinning Man Ellen Birch
2021 Cinderella Queen Beatrice
TBA Rosaline The Nurse Filming
TBA Chevalier La Guimard Filming

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1990 God on the Rocks Lydia TV Movie
1991 The House of Eliott Mary Episode #1.4
1991 Casualty Zena Mitchell Episode: "The Last Word"
1992 Lovejoy Sarah Episode: "Kids"
1992 Kinsey Louise Kinsey 3 episodes
1993 Maigret Arlette Episode: "Maigret and the Night Club Dancer"
1993 Mr Wroe's Virgins Leah 4 episodes
1993 Screen One Sally Episode: "Royal Celebration"
1994 The Day Today Mila Milandrovicz / Lally Sampson 2 episodes
1994 Peak Practice Sue Keel Episode: "Enemy Within"
1994 Knowing Me Knowing You with Alan Partridge Daniella Forrest Episode #1.2
1995 My Good Friend Ellie 7 episodes
1995 The Politician's Wife Jennifer Caird 3 episodes
1996 Cruel Train Flora Mussell TV Movie
1996 Murder Most Horrid Sergeant Cole Episode: "Confess"
2000 The X-Files Cinema Audience Uncredited; episode: "Hollywood A.D."
2003–2020 Will & Grace Lorraine Finster Recurring Role; 9 episodes
2003 Absolutely Fabulous Herself Episode: "Panickin'"
2007–2008 The Riches Dahlia Malloy Lead Role
2010 Modern Family Valerie Episode: "Moon Landing"
2010 The Deep Frances Kelly Lead Role, miniseries
2011 Hail Mary Mary Beth Baker TV Movie
2012 Lady Friends Jennifer Rensen TV Movie
2012 QuickBites Ellen Episode: "Food for Thought"
2012 Web Therapy Allegra Favreau 5 episodes
2013 Hollywood Game Night Herself Episode: "The Office Party"
2014 Hell's Kitchen Herself Episode: "7 Chefs Again"
2014 The Red Tent Leah Lead Role, miniseries
2014–2015 About a Boy Fiona Bowa Lead Role
2014 Peter Pan Live! Narrator / Adult Wendy Darling TV special
2015 Undateable Ally's Friend Episode: "A Live Show Walks Into a Bar: Part 1"
2016–2019 Speechless Maya DiMeo Lead role
2018–2019 SuperMansion Debby Devizo (voice) 5 episodes
2021 Starstruck Cath Episode: "Spring"
2021 Modern Love Stephanie Curran Episode: "On a Serpentine Road, With the Top Down"

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominated work Result
1995 Chicago Film Critics Association Award Most Promising Actress
Circle of Friends
 Won
1996 London Film Critics' Circle Award British Supporting Actress of the Year
Big Night
 Nominated
Sleepers
 Nominated
1997 Academy Award Best Supporting Actress Good Will Hunting Nominated
London Film Critics' Circle Award British Supporting Actress of the Year Won
Satellite Award Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role Nominated
Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Nominated
1998 MTV Movie Award Best Kiss (shared with Matt Damon) Nominated
1999 Annie Award Voice Acting in a Feature Production
Tarzan
 Nominated
2004 Satellite Award Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture
The Phantom of the Opera
 Nominated
London Film Critics' Circle Award British Supporting Actress of the Year Nominated
2007 Golden Globe Award Best Actress – Television Series Drama The Riches Nominated
Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lead Actress – Drama Series Nominated
Satellite Award Best Actress – Television Series Drama Nominated
California Independent Film Festival Award Best Actress
Take
 Won
Phoenix Film Festival Best Acting Ensemble Won
Tiburon International Film Festival Award Best Actress Won
2010 Genie Award Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Barney's Version
 Won
London Film Critics' Circle Award British Supporting Actress of the Year Nominated
Vancouver Film Critics Circle Award Best Supporting Actress in a Canadian Film Nominated
2015 Critics' Choice Television Award Best Actress in a Movie/Miniseries
Return to Zero
 Nominated
Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie Nominated
2017 People's Choice Awards Favorite Actress in a New TV Series
Speechless
 Nominated
2018 FilmQuest Best Supporting Actress Laboratory Conditions Won
Best Supporting Actress - Short Won

Other media

Web

Year Title Role Notes
2007 Revisioned: Tomb Raider Lara Croft (voice) 9 episodes

Video games

Year Title Voice role Notes
1998 Jurassic Park: Trespasser Anne
2003 Quest for the Code Smokita

Discography

Albums

Year Album US Heat Label
2004 Everything I've Got in My Pocket 43 Zoë
2007 Seastories 25
2014 Ask Me to Dance 11 Rounder

Singles

Year Single Album
2004 "Invisible Girl" Everything I've Got in My Pocket
2005 "Everything I've Got in My Pocket"

References

  1. ^ "Cranky Critic StarTalk: Minnie Driver". Crankycritic.com. Archived from the original on 31 January 2010. Retrieved 2 March 2010.
  2. ^ Marx, Rebecca Flint. "Minnie Driver: Overview". Allmovie. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  3. ^ "Repertory: Invisible Girl". ASCAP. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  4. ^ David, Mark (9 October 2014). "Minnie Driver Lists Hollywood Hills House". Variety. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
  5. ^ "Repertory: Invisible Girl". ASCAP. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  6. ^ Borne, Air (22 December 2009). "Barbados-raised Actress' father's ashes to be scattered on Bajan polo field". Bajan Reporter. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
  7. ^ "Repertory: Invisible Girl". ASCAP. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  8. ^ "Index entry". FreeBMD. ONS. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
  9. ^ a b c d Mears, Jo (24 September 2010). "Minnie Driver: My family values – The actress talks about her family". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  10. ^ a b "Minnie Driver: Series 10". Who Do You Think You Are?. BBC. 7 August 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  11. ^ a b "Minnie Driver: A Hollywood actress with a fascinating history that could be straight from a film plot..." The Genealogist.co.uk. Archived from the original on 21 October 2013. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  12. ^ Hutchinson, Clare (20 August 2010). "Hollywood star calls for Wales' only lido to be opened". WalesOnline. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
  13. ^ Winters, Laura (2 August 1998). "Film; When the Character Calls, Minnie Driver Listens". The New York Times.
  14. ^ Lane, Harriet (3 August 1997). "Minnie the minx: She used to be an English public school mouse; now she's a Hollywood babe". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  15. ^ "Home". Collingham College.
  16. ^ Agencies (5 August 2013). "Minnie Driver unearths father's secret double life on TV show". The Telegraph. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  17. ^ "UK TV Adverts 1991 (part 3)". YouTube. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
  18. ^ "Minnie Driver Biography". Biography.com. Retrieved 2 March 2010.
  19. ^ Matthews, Tom Dewe (10 September 1997). "Minnie the mix: How has Hampshire-bred actress Minnie Driver come to be a big success in Hollywood? By going native". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  20. ^ "Minnie Driver". Emmys. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  21. ^ "Minnie Driver – Awards". IMDb. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  22. ^ Abrams, Natalie (12 November 2009). "Minnie Driver to Guest-Star on Modern Family". TV Guide. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  23. ^ "James Nesbitt, Minnie Driver and Goran Visnjic star in new BBC One drama serial, The Deep". BBC. 17 December 2009. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  24. ^ Vlessing, Etan (3 October 2011). "'Incendies' Takes Top Prize at Canadian Film Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  25. ^ Justin Kroll (29 October 2013). "'The Butler' Producer Sets up Next Pic Starring Frank Grillo and Minnie Driver (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety.
  26. ^ Kroll, Justin (29 October 2013). "'The Butler' Producer Sets up Next Pic Starring Frank Grillo and Minnie Driver (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  27. ^ Swift, Andy (10 May 2019). "Speechless Cancelled at ABC". TVLine. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  28. ^ a b Barnett, Laura (12 May 2008). "Portrait of the artist: Minnie Driver, actor and musician". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  29. ^ Petridis, Alexis (2 September 2004). "'I've taken a pounding'". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
  30. ^ "(Everything I've Got in My Pocket> Charts & Awards> Billboard Albums)". AllMusic. 5 October 2004. Retrieved 2 March 2010.
  31. ^ "Minnie Drives at Musical Success With Finn Brothers Tour". Contact Music. 8 October 2004. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
  32. ^ "Phair, Ryan Adams Enhance Minnie Driver Sophomore Set". Billboard. 16 March 2007. Retrieved 2 March 2010.
  33. ^ Roy Trakin (28 July 2014). "Minnie Driver to Release 'Ask Me to Dance,' Cover Album". The Hollywood Reporter.
  34. ^ "Minnie Questions with Minnie Driver on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  35. ^ Todisco, Eric (23 September 2019). "Minnie Driver Confirms Romance with Addison O'Dea at Emmys Afterparty". People Magazine. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  36. ^ Williams, Marielle (23 September 2019). "Minnie Driver Debuts Blinged Out Engagement Ring From New Love Addison O'Dea At Emmys After Party". Access Hollywood. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  37. ^ "Minnie Driver Breaks Off Engagement". ABC News. 4 October 2001. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
  38. ^ Jordan, Julie; Chi, Paul (8 September 2008). "Minnie Driver Welcomes a Son!". People Magazine. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  39. ^ Conner, Megan (18 February 2012). "Minnie Driver: 'Oh, I'm being so naughty …'". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  40. ^ "Mum's the Word! Mindy Kaling, Minnie Driver & More Celebs Who've Kept Quiet About Their Baby's Father". People Magazine. 11 June 2019. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  41. ^ Delbyck, Cole (12 October 2016). "Minnie Driver Shares Deeply Personal Story About Teenage Sexual Assault". Huffington Post. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
  42. ^ Bitette, Nicole (12 October 2016). "Minnie Driver reveals she was sexually assaulted as a teenager, says it happens to all women". New York Daily News. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
  43. ^ Driver, Minnie [@driverminnie] (12 December 2017). "I'll tell you what, I became a duel citizen on Friday. I have never been so proud to be an Anglo-American. #DougJonesAL @GDouglasJones #alabama 🇺🇸🇬🇧" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 14 December 2017. Retrieved 27 June 2021 – via Twitter.
  44. ^ Driver, Minnie [@driverminnie] (21 December 2017). "I will! I'm having a 'WE THE PEOPLE' tea party. ( the tea will be in a pot, not thrown in the harbor) https://t.co/H8zCRnwMAi" (Tweet). Retrieved 27 June 2021 – via Twitter.
  45. ^ USCIS Media - Western Region [@USCISMediaWest] (21 December 2017). "Today more than 8,000 people from 120 countries became #newUScitizens in #DTLA, including the talented @driverminnie! https://t.co/HpEgSw2Aag" (Tweet). Retrieved 27 June 2021 – via Twitter.
  46. ^ California News Wire Services, News Partner (22 October 2017). "Minnie Driver Sworn in As US Citizen in LA Ceremony". Patch.com. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
  47. ^ Shawn Adler; Larry Carroll (1 October 2021). "Movie File: 'Dark Knight,' Christian Bale, 'Simpsons Movie' & More". MTV. Retrieved 8 May 2007.
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