Bruce Dern's award-winning performances over decades have earned him recognition as one of the most talented, versatile and prolific actors of his generation. Dern has a recurring roll on HBO’s new series “Big Love,” and was most recently seen in “The Astronaut Farmer,” “Believe in Me,” “Down in the Valley,” “The Hard Easy” and “Walker.” Other recent credits include the independent features "Monster," "Masked and Anonymous," "Madison" and “Milwaukee, Minnesota." Born into Illinois aristocracy, Dern was expected to follow family tradition and become a lawyer. But he was inspired by the effect James Dean had on a theatre audience. "I decided I wanted to be an artist as an actor, whatever it took,” Dern says. “I geared my whole life, lifestyle and all my energies to that end. For me, there were no alternatives." He studied at Lee Strasberg's Actors Studio in New York and began winning roles on Broadway. In 1960, he landed a movie role under Elia Kazan's direction in "Wild River." Dern then went to Hollywood, where he created over 100 television and movie character portraits. Deciding he had what it took to be a leading man, Dern determined to take no more featured performer roles. He didn't work for ten months. Finally, Dern received his first meaningful recognition with a Best Supporting Actor award from the National Film Critics Association for his role in Jack Nicholson's "Drive, He Said." He has since won numerous honors, including an Academy Award nomination and a Golden Globe nomination for "Coming Home," Genie Award nominations for his work in "Middle Age Crazy" and "Harry Tracy, Desperado," and the Best Actor Award at the Berlin Film Festival for "That Championship Season." Dern's starring credits reveal uncommon versatility. He has performed leading roles in such films as "The Great Gatsby," "Family Plot," "Black Sunday," "Smile," "The Driver," "The King of Marvin Gardens," "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" "Tattoo," "Space" and "Toughlove." More recently, he was seen in "Down Periscope," "Mulholland Falls," "Last Man Standing," "The Haunting," “All the Pretty Horses” and "The Glass House." Dern received rave reviews for his performances in Showtime's "Mrs. Munck" with Diane Ladd, and TNT's "Amelia Earhart: The Final Flight." He also costarred with Linda Hamilton in USA Network's "A Mother's Prayer" and Burt Reynolds in TNT's "The Premonition." Away from the camera, Dern remains in full stride, finding time to run at least 10 miles a day.
Bruce Dern's award-winning performances over decades have earned him recognition as one of the most talented, versatile and prolific actors of his generation. Dern has a recurring roll on HBO’s new series “Big Love,” and was most recently seen in “The Astronaut Farmer,” “Believe in Me,” “Down in the Valley,” ...
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