Timothy Francis Robbins (born October 16, 1958) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is known for portraying Andy Dufresne in the film ''
The Shawshank Redemption ''(1994), and has won an
Academy Award
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
and two
Golden Globe Awards for his roles in the films ''
The Player'' (1992) and ''
Mystic River
The Mystic River is a riverU.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed April 1, 2011 in Massachusetts, in the United States. In Massachusett, means "large estuary," alluding to ...
'' (2003).
Robbins's other roles include starring as Lt. Samuel "Merlin" Wells in ''
Top Gun'' (1986), Nuke LaLoosh in ''
Bull Durham'' (1988), Erik in ''
Erik the Viking'' (1989), Ed Walters in ''
I.Q.'' (1994), Nick Beam in ''
Nothing to Lose'' (1997) and Senator Robert Hammond in ''
Green Lantern'' (2011). He also directed the films ''
Bob Roberts
''Bob Roberts'' is a 1992 American satirical mockumentary film written, directed by, and starring Tim Robbins. It depicts the rise of Robert "Bob" Roberts Jr., a right-wing politician who is a candidate for an upcoming United States Senate electi ...
'' (1992) and ''
Dead Man Walking'' (1995), both of which were well received. He received an Academy Award nomination for
Best Director for ''Dead Man Walking.''
On television, Robbins played Secretary of State Walter Larson in the
HBO comedy ''
The Brink'' (2015), and in ''
Here and Now'' (2018) portrayed Greg Boatwright.
Early life
Robbins was born in
West Covina, California, and raised in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
. His parents were Mary Cecelia (
''née'' Bledsoe), a musician, and
Gilbert Lee Robbins, a singer, actor, and manager of
The Gaslight Cafe.
Robbins has two sisters, Adele and Gabrielle, and a brother, composer
David Robbins. He was raised Catholic.
Robbins moved to
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village ( , , ) is a neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City, bounded by 14th Street to the north, Broadway to the east, Houston Street to the south, and the Hudson River to the west. Greenwich Village ...
with his family at a young age while his father pursued a career as a member of a folk music group called
The Highwaymen. Robbins started performing in theater at age twelve and joined the drama club at
Stuyvesant High School (Class of 1976). He spent two years at
SUNY Plattsburgh and then returned to California to study at the
UCLA Film School
The UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television (UCLA TFT), is one of the 12 schools within the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) located in Los Angeles, California. Its creation was groundbreaking in that it was the first time a leadi ...
, graduating with a
Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four yea ...
degree in
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has b ...
in 1981.
Career
Robbins's acting career began at
Theater for the New City, where he spent his teenage years in their Annual Summer
Street Theater and also played the title role in a musical adaptation of
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Antoine Marie Jean-Baptiste Roger, comte de Saint-Exupéry, simply known as Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (, , ; 29 June 1900 – 31 July 1944), was a French writer, poet, aristocrat, journalist and pioneering aviator. He became a laureate of s ...
's ''
The Little Prince
''The Little Prince'' (french: Le Petit Prince, ) is a novella by French aristocrat, writer, and military pilot Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. It was first published in English and French in the United States by Reynal & Hitchcock in April 1943 an ...
''. After graduation from college in 1981, Robbins founded the
Actors' Gang, an experimental theater group, in Los Angeles with actor friends from his college
softball
Softball is a game similar to baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Softball is played competitively at club levels, the college level, and the professional level. The game was first created in 1887 in Chicago by George Hanc ...
team, as well as
John Cusack.
In 1982, he appeared as domestic terrorist Andrew Reinhardt in three episodes of the television program ''
St. Elsewhere
''St. Elsewhere'' was an American medical drama television series created by Joshua Brand and John Falsey, that originally ran on NBC from October 26, 1982, to May 25, 1988. The series stars Ed Flanders, Norman Lloyd, and William Daniels ...
''. In 1985, he guest-starred in the second episode of the television series ''
Moonlighting
Moonlighting may refer to:
* Side job, a job taken in addition to one's primary employment
Entertainment
* ''Moonlighting'' (film), a 1982 drama film by Jerzy Skolimowski
* ''Moonlighting'' (TV series), 1985–1989 American television series, s ...
'', "
Gunfight at the So-So Corral". He also took parts in films, such as the role of frat animal "Mother" in ''
Fraternity Vacation'' (1985) and Lt Sam "Merlin" Wells in the fighter pilot film ''
Top Gun'' (1986). He appeared on ''
The Love Boat'', as a young version of one of the characters in retrospection about the Second World War. His breakthrough role was as pitcher Ebby Calvin "Nuke" LaLoosh in the
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding t ...
film ''
Bull Durham'' (1988), in which he co-starred with
Susan Sarandon and
Kevin Costner
Kevin Michael Costner (born January 18, 1955) is an American actor, producer, film director and musician. He has received various accolades, including two Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and two Screen Actor ...
.
Robbins's amoral film executive in
Robert Altman's film ''
The Player'' (1992) was described by
Peter Travers in ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' as "a classic performance, mining every comic and lethal nuance in the role of his career". He won the
Best Actor Award at
Cannes
Cannes ( , , ; oc, Canas) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. The ...
. He made his directorial and screenwriting debut with ''
Bob Roberts
''Bob Roberts'' is a 1992 American satirical mockumentary film written, directed by, and starring Tim Robbins. It depicts the rise of Robert "Bob" Roberts Jr., a right-wing politician who is a candidate for an upcoming United States Senate electi ...
'' (also 1992), a
mockumentary about a right-wing
senatorial
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the e ...
candidate.
Todd McCarthy in ''
Variety'' commented that the film is "both a stimulating social satire and, for thinking people, a depressing commentary on the devolution of the American political system". Robbins then starred alongside
Morgan Freeman in ''
The Shawshank Redemption'' (1994), which was based on
Stephen King's
novella.
Robbins has written, produced, and directed several films with strong social content, such as the capital punishment saga ''
Dead Man Walking'' (1995), starring Sarandon and
Sean Penn
Sean Justin Penn (born August 17, 1960) is an American actor and film director. He has won two Academy Awards, for his roles in the mystery drama ''Mystic River'' (2003) and the biopic ''Milk'' (2008).
Penn began his acting career in televisi ...
. The film earned him an
Oscar nomination for
Best Director. According to
Roger Ebert in early 1996: "With this film he leaps far beyond" ''Bob Roberts'' "and has made that rare thing, a film that is an exercise of philosophy. This is the kind of movie that spoils us for other films, because it reveals so starkly how most movies fall into conventional routine, and lull us with the reassurance that they will not look too hard, or probe too deeply, or make us think beyond the boundaries of what is comfortable".
His next directorial effort was
Depression-era musical ''
Cradle Will Rock'' (1999). Robbins has also appeared in mainstream Hollywood thrillers, such as ''
Arlington Road'' (also 1999) as a suspected terrorist and ''
Antitrust'' (2001) as a malicious computer
tycoon, and in comical films such as ''
The Hudsucker Proxy'' (1994), ''
Nothing to Lose'' (1997), and ''
High Fidelity'' (2000). Robbins has also acted in and directed several Actors' Gang theater productions.
Robbins won the
Best Supporting Actor Oscar and the
SAG Award for his work in ''
Mystic River
The Mystic River is a riverU.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed April 1, 2011 in Massachusetts, in the United States. In Massachusett, means "large estuary," alluding to ...
'' (2003), as a man
traumatized
Psychological trauma, mental trauma or psychotrauma is an emotional response to a distressing event or series of events, such as accidents, rape, or natural disasters. Reactions such as psychological shock and psychological denial are typica ...
from having been
molested
Sexual abuse or sex abuse, also referred to as molestation, is abusive sexual behavior by one person upon another. It is often perpetrated using force or by taking advantage of another. Molestation often refers to an instance of sexual assau ...
as a child. He followed his Oscar-win with roles as a temporarily blind man who is nursed to health by a psychologically wounded young woman in ''
The Secret Life of Words'' (2005) and an
apartheid
Apartheid (, especially South African English: , ; , "aparthood") was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. Apartheid was ...
torturer in ''
Catch a Fire'' (2006). As of 2006, he was the tallest
Academy Award
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
-winning actor at .
In early 2006, Robbins directed an adaptation of
George Orwell
Eric Arthur Blair (25 June 1903 – 21 January 1950), better known by his pen name George Orwell, was an English novelist, essayist, journalist, and critic. His work is characterised by lucid prose, social criticism, opposition to totalit ...
's novel ''
1984'', written by Michael Gene Sullivan of the
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...
-winning
San Francisco Mime Troupe
The San Francisco Mime Troupe is a theatre of political satire which performs free shows in various parks in the San Francisco Bay Area and around California. The Troupe does not, however, perform silent mime, but each year creates an original ...
. The production opened at
Actors' Gang, at their new location at The Ivy Substation in
Culver City, California. In addition to venues around the United States, it has played in
Athens, Greece, the Melbourne International Festival in Australia and the
Hong Kong Arts Festival. Robbins was soon considering a film adaptation.
Robbins appeared in ''
The Lucky Ones'', with co-star
Rachel McAdams as well as ''
City of Ember'' (both 2008). Robbins next film role was as Senator Hammond, the disapproving father of the film's villain
Hector Hammond, in the superhero film ''
Green Lantern'' (2011).
Robbins released the album ''Tim Robbins & The Rogues Gallery Band'' (2010), a collection of songs written over the course of 25 years that he ultimately took on a world tour. He was originally offered the chance to record an album in 1992 after the success of his film ''
Bob Roberts
''Bob Roberts'' is a 1992 American satirical mockumentary film written, directed by, and starring Tim Robbins. It depicts the rise of Robert "Bob" Roberts Jr., a right-wing politician who is a candidate for an upcoming United States Senate electi ...
'', but he declined because he had "too much respect for the process", having seen his father work so hard as a musician, and because he felt he had nothing to say at the time.
Robbins directed two episodes of the
HBO series
''Treme''. The series follows the interconnected lives of a group of New Orleanians in the wake of
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 fatalities and $125 billion in damage in late August 2005, especially in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the cost ...
. He helmed the episodes "Everything I Do Gonh Be Funky" in Season 2 (2011) and "Promised Land" in Season 3 (2012). Robbins became interested in the show while staying in
during the filming of ''
Green Lantern. ''"I had the unique experience of watching ''Treme'' with locals. It resonated for me immediately, and it resonated for them as well, because they have seen their town get misinterpreted and represented in ridiculous ways," he told
The Times-Picayune in 2011. "Something about this show was different for them. I appreciated that. I loved the writing and the actors. I loved the environment it's set in. I watched the whole first season in New Orleans, and got in touch with
David Simon and said, 'If you guys need a director next year, I'd be happy to do an episode.'"
In 2013, he was a member of the jury at the
63rd Berlin International Film Festival.
Personal life
In 1988, Robbins began a relationship with actress
Susan Sarandon, whom he met on the set of ''
Bull Durham''. They have two sons: John "Jack" Henry (born May 15, 1989) and
Miles Robbins ttps://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BYzU5NGNmNjEtMDQzZS00YTBkLWIzYzQtYjcwNWM3ODBiMTg4XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNzM0NzE0Nzc@._V1_.jpg
Miles Guthrie Tomalin Robbins (born May 4, 1992) is an American musician and actor.
Personal life and education
Miles Gut ...
(born May 4, 1992). Sarandon, like Robbins, is a
lapsed Catholic, and they share
liberal political views. Robbins' relationship with Sarandon ended in December 2009.
Robbins married Gratiela Brancusi on February 1, 2017. They split on July 1, 2020. News of the marriage was kept private until Robbins filed for divorce in January 2021.
Political views
Robbins supported
Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader (; born February 27, 1934) is an American political activist, author, lecturer, and attorney noted for his involvement in consumer protection, environmentalism, and government reform causes.
The son of Lebanese immigrants to the Un ...
's
2000 presidential campaign and appeared on stage in character as Bob Roberts during the "Nader Rocks the Garden" rally at
Madison Square Garden. In December 2007, Robbins campaigned for
Senator
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
John Edwards in the
2008 U.S. presidential election.
He made critical statements against
Hillary Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...
and the
DLC while introducing
Bernie Sanders at a 2016 campaign stop.
Robbins opposed the
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq was a United States-led invasion of the Republic of Iraq and the first stage of the Iraq War. The invasion phase began on 19 March 2003 (air) and 20 March 2003 (ground) and lasted just over one month, including ...
. In 2003, a 15th anniversary celebration of ''Bull Durham'' at the
National Baseball Hall of Fame was canceled by Hall of Fame President
Dale Petroskey. Petroskey told Robbins that his stance helped to "undermine the U.S. position, which could put our troops in even more danger."
''Durham'' co-star
Kevin Costner
Kevin Michael Costner (born January 18, 1955) is an American actor, producer, film director and musician. He has received various accolades, including two Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and two Screen Actor ...
defended Robbins and Sarandon: "I think Tim and Susan's courage is the type of courage that makes our democracy work. Pulling back this invite is against the whole principle about what we fight for and profess to be about."
Filmography
Awards and nominations
References
External links
*
*
Robbins's blogat ''
HuffPost
''HuffPost'' (formerly ''The Huffington Post'' until 2017 and sometimes abbreviated ''HuffPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and ...
''
Embedded Live, the playan
Embedded /Live, the DVD
{{DEFAULTSORT:Robbins, Tim
1958 births
Living people
Male actors from California
Male actors from New York City
American anti–Iraq War activists
American male film actors
American male television actors
American male screenwriters
Best Musical or Comedy Actor Golden Globe (film) winners
Best Supporting Actor Academy Award winners
Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe (film) winners
Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor winners
People from Greater Los Angeles
People from Greenwich Village
Stuyvesant High School alumni
UCLA Film School alumni
State University of New York at Plattsburgh alumni
Film directors from California
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role Screen Actors Guild Award winners
People from West Covina, California
20th-century American male actors
21st-century American male actors
People from Pound Ridge, New York
Writers from Manhattan
Activists from California
Activists from New York (state)
California Democrats
New York (state) Democrats
Film directors from New York City
Screenwriters from New York (state)
Screenwriters from California
Volpi Cup winners