Biography
Early life
Harris was born in Tenafly, New Jersey as the son of a singer. He was a star athlete in high school and won a sports scholarship to Columbia University in 1969. Two years later his family moved to Oklahoma and he followed after having discovered his interest in acting in various theater plays. He enrolled at the University of Oklahoma to study drama. After several successful roles in the local theater, he moved to Los Angeles, California, enrolled at the California Institute of the Arts.
Career
Harris' first important film role was in Borderline with Charles Bronson. In Knightriders he played a motorcycle stunt rider in a role modeled after that of King Arthur. In 1983, he became a star, playing NASA astronaut John Glenn in The Right Stuff; in 1996 he was nominated for an Academy Award for his portrayal of NASA mission director Gene Kranz, in the film Apollo 13. Further Oscar nominations arrived in 1999 and 2001, for The Truman Show and Pollock respectively.
More recently, Harris has shown interest in directing. He made his debut in 2000 with Pollock. Harris has also starred in television adaptations of Riders of the Purple Sage (1996) and Empire Falls (2005).
Private life
He has been married to actress Amy Madigan since 1983. They have a daughter named Lily.
Academy Award Nominations
Harris as Richard Brown in The Hours.
2003 - Best Actor in a Supporting Role - The Hours
2001 - Best Actor in a Leading Role - Pollock
1999 - Best Actor in a Supporting Role - The Truman Show
1996 - Best Actor in a Supporting Role - Apollo 13
Filmography
Winter Passing (2005)
History of Violence (2005)
Radio (2003)
The Human Stain (2003)
Masked and Anonymous (2003)
The Hours (2002)
A Beautiful Mind (2001)
Buffalo Soldiers (2001)
Enemy at the Gates (2001)
Pollock (2000)
The Prime Gig (2000)
Waking the Dead (2000)
The Third Miracle (1999)
Stepmom (1998)
The Truman Show (1998)
Absolute Power (1997)
The Rock (1996)
Eye for an Eye (1996)
Nixon (1995)
Apollo 13 (1995)
Just Cause (1995)
Milk Money (1994)
China Moon (1994)
Needful Things (1993)
The Firm (1993)
Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
State of Grace (1990)
The Abyss (1989)
Jacknife (1989)
To Kill a Priest (1988)
Walker (1987)
Sweet Dreams (1985)
Code Name: Emerald (1983)
Alamo Bay (1985)
A Flash of Green (1984)
Places in the Heart (1984)
Swing Shift (1984)
Under Fire (1983)
The Right Stuff (1983)
Creepshow (1982)
Dream On! (1981)
Knightriders (1981)
Borderline (1980)
Coma (1978)
