Will Arnett

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Will Arnett

Arnett at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival
Born William Emerson Arnett
May 5, 1970 (1970-05-05) (age 38)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Years active 1995–present
Spouse(s) Penelope Ann Miller (1994–1995)
Amy Poehler (2003–present)

William "Will" Emerson Arnett (born May 5, 1970; pronounced /ɑrˈnɛt/) is an Emmy Award-nominated Canadian actor known for his role as George Oscar "G.O.B." Bluth II (pronounced Job, like the biblical figure[1]) on the FOX comedy Arrested Development. Since his success on Arrested Development, Arnett has landed major film roles. He recently played a supporting role in the comedy film Blades of Glory and the antagonist in Hot Rod. He played the starring roles in 2006's Let's Go To Prison and 2007's The Brothers Solomon. Arnett has also done work as a voiceover artist for commercials, films, and television programs. Even more recently, Arnett plays a funeral director in Dave McLaughlin's On Broadway, set entirely in Boston, Massachusetts.

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[edit] Early life

Arnett was born in Toronto,[1] the son of Alexandra and E. James Arnett, a corporate lawyer, and brewer among many other occupations.[2][3] In Toronto, he attended French-speaking schools.[4] He still speaks French, but has stated that he is not currently fluent in the language.[5] He graduated from Leaside High School and briefly attended Lakefield College School in Lakefield, Ontario.[6] He attended Concordia University in Montreal for a semester, but dropped out. When he was a teenager, Arnett's mother encouraged him to pursue an acting career and he began to audition for commercials in Toronto. He decided that he really enjoyed acting and that it was something that he wanted to do with his life. At age 20, in 1990, Arnett moved from Toronto to New York in order to study acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute.[7] He began appearing in plays in New York and his first acting role was in the Felicity Huffman independent film Erie, which was filmed on the Erie Canal.[8]

[edit] Career

[edit] Early struggles

In February of 1996, Will Arnett began acting in television pilots. His first was a pilot with Kevin Pollak and his wife, Lucy Webb, for CBS, that was not picked up."[8] The pilot was The Underworld which revolved around "The head of an organized crime family [who] hounds an ex-con who only wants to go straight."[9] After the show was not picked up, he appeared in the movie Southie, which was directed by Arnett's friend Dave McLaughlin. In 1999, Arnett was cast in another pilot for The Mike O'Malley Show on NBC. Arnett was a regular on the series, playing the protagonist's friend Jimmy. The show was picked up, but it was canceled after only two episodes.[8] Arnett has referred to 2000, the year after that show was cancelled, as "the darkest year of [his] life" and he admits that he "didn't get a lot of work" and "drank those years away."[8] Arnett considers the summer of 2000 to have been a turning point for him because a friend helped pull him out of his battle with alcoholism and he began to get his career back on track.

In 2001, Arnett was cast in another television pilot, Loomis, for CBS. The pilot starred comedian Cheri Oteri as a local news reporter, and Arnett played her slacker brother. The pilot was not picked up. In 2002, Arnett was cast in a fourth television pilot. This pilot was for the CBS sitcom Still Standing; but even though the show was picked up and ran for many years, his character was cut from the series after the pilot.[1] Arnett became so frustrated, after his fourth failed pilot, that he "swore off pilots"[1] altogether, until his agent persuaded him to audition for the pilot for Arrested Development.

[edit] Career breakthrough

In 2003, Will Arnett finally found success in television when he was cast in the role of George Oscar "G.O.B." Bluth II in the Fox comedy series Arrested Development. Arnett's character was one of the show's most popular and he was nominated for an Emmy for his role."[10] The show was canceled due to low ratings, despite its critical acclaim and cult following. His favorite episodes of the show are "Pier Pressure" and "Afternoon Delight."[11]

Arnett as G.O.B. in Arrested Development
Arnett as G.O.B. in Arrested Development

After the cancellation of Arrested Development, Arnett leveraged his newly gained credibility into a number of large roles in feature films. Although he had worked largely as a dramatic actor in films before Arrested Development, the roles he has taken since have been mostly comedic, often playing smug bad guys. Despite the fact that Arnett has emerged as a comedic actor, Arnett "never considered himself a comic" and considers himself an "actor first."[12]

Arnett's first major starring role was in Let's Go to Prison, a comedy film directed by Bob Odenkirk. The film was made on a small budget of $4 million.[13] It made over $4 million at the box office and over $13 million in rentals, making it a minor success.[14] One of Arnett's recent films was Blades of Glory, an ice skating comedy in which Arnett and his wife Amy Poehler played supporting roles to Will Ferrell. In an ironic twist they played a brother/sister skating duo whose relationship seemed to cross a few lines more often than not. The film was number one at the box office during its first two weeks[15] and has grossed approximately $118 million domestically[16] and $36 million on home video.[17] Because the film's budget was only $61 million, the theatrical gross and home video gross made the film a huge success.

Arnett recently appeared as a guest star on King of The Hill and 30 Rock. In 30 Rock, he played Devon Banks, a scheming network executive who plays a rival to Alec Baldwin's character Jack Donaghy. He also has recently finished filming supporting roles in Spring Breakdown, Hot Rod, The Comebacks, and On Broadway. In On Broadway, he once again works with director Dave McLaughlin who is a close friend of Arnett's and gave him one of his first movie roles in Southie.[4]

Arnett's next starring role was in the comedy The Brothers Solomon, in which he again teamed with director Bob Odenkirk and starred opposite Saturday Night Live's Will Forte. He recently appeared in a major supporting role in the basketball comedy Semi-Pro, his second film with Will Ferrell.[18] He plays Lou Redwood, the commentator of the team, who is "a former player, a bit of a womanizer, and a boozer".[19] Arnett's next movie role will be in Ye Olde Times, along with Jack Black, which will commence filming this September.[20]

Will Arnett is signed on to many new projects in which he will play starring roles. He is signed on to Jeff the Demon for New Line Cinema, in which he will play a demon who is summoned by a pair of high school losers.[21] He is also signed on to the lead role in The Ambassador for DreamWorks and Paramount Pictures, in which he will play "a former U.S. vice president's privileged son, who is assigned an ambassadorship in Europe, where he quickly becomes the quintessential ugly American."[22] Arnett is also signed on for the lead in Space Invader for Fox Atomic, which will center on a love triangle set on a space station.[23] He is also attached to lead roles in the projects Dad Can't Lose, Get 'Em Wet, and Most Likely to Succeed.[21] Arnett was originally attached to play the lead role of David Miller in the film We're the Millers, but he had to pass on the project due to "scheduling reasons" and the part went to Steve Buscemi.[24] Arnett has also stated in an interview that he's "working with Mitch [Hurwitz] on something right now",[13] but the details of the project have not yet been revealed, although there seems to be an "Arrested Development" film in production, with Arnett set to reprise his role of GOB. Arnett has also stated in interviews that he is not sure that he would return to television for another series anytime soon.[11]

[edit] Voice work

Will Arnett has a distinctive gravelly voice and has also done voice-over work for CBS TV promos, film trailers, and numerous advertisements, including Lamisil medication. Perhaps most recognizable is Arnett's voice saying, "It's not more than you need, just more than you're used to" in ads for GMC trucks.[25]

Arnett has also lent his voice to a number of television shows and commercials. In 2006, Arnett lent his voice to the character Duncan Schiesst for the Comedy Central animated program Freak Show, which was created by and also stars the voice of his former Arrested Development co-star David Cross. Recently, Arnett took the role of announcer for the faux trailer "Don't" in the movie Grindhouse. He also lent his voice to the film Horton Hears a Who!, and the upcoming Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.[26]

In 2007, he was part of the hugely successful Ratatouille, voicing Horst, the sous-chef at Gusteau's Restaurant.

Arnett was to be the voice of the new K.I.T.T. in Universal's Knight Rider which is a sequel to the popular 1980s series, but has been replaced by Val Kilmer due to conflicting contractual agreements due to K.I.T.T. being a Ford Mustang.[27]

[edit] Personal life

Arnett has twin sisters who are three years older and a brother younger by nine years.[28] His father James Arnett was a corporate lawyer and became the president and CEO of Molson Breweries in 1997, until he stepped down in 2000.[29] James had previously worked as a director for the company[30] and he attended Harvard Law School.[31]

In 1994, Arnett married actress Penelope Ann Miller, and they divorced in 1995.[4] Arnett dated actress Missy Yager, with whom he lived for four years. They starred on The Mike O'Malley Show together and broke up around the time that the show began.[8]

Arnett began dating comedic actress Amy Poehler in 2000; the couple moved to New York in 2001 when she became a featured player on NBC's Saturday Night Live.[8] On August 29, 2003, Arnett and Poehler married.[4] Poehler appeared in four episodes of Arrested Development in 2004 and 2005. She played a woman whom his character G.O.B. marries during a drunken night of increasingly outrageous dares. Arnett and Poehler starred alongside each other in the films Blades of Glory and Horton Hears a Who!, and will star together in the upcoming films On Broadway, Spring Breakdown, and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.[26] He and Amy have two dogs, Toby and Elliott.[11]

Arnett lists Steve Martin and Chevy Chase as his two biggest comedic influences.[11] His favorite band is Built to Spill, his favorite movie is Shaun of the Dead, his favorite television show is The Office.[11] Will grew up watching hockey in Canada, and is an avid Toronto Maple Leafs supporter.[32]

On April 28, 2008 it was announced in People that the couple are expecting their first child together, due in the fall.[33]

[edit] Filmography

[edit] Film

Year Title Role Notes
1995 Erie
1996 Close Up Dave
Ed's Next Move Weather Video Guy
1998 The Broken Giant Ezra Caton
Weekend Getaway Chuck short film
1999 Southie Whitey
The Waiting Game Lenny
2000 The Acting Class Will Bennett
2001 Series 7: The Contenders Narrator voice only
2005 Monster-in-Law Kit
2006 Ice Age: The Meltdown Lone Gunslinger Vulture voice only
RV Todd Mallory
The Great New Wonderful Danny
Let's Go to Prison Nelson Biederman IV
2007 Blades of Glory Stranz Van Waldenberg
Grindhouse Announcer voice only, segment: "Don't"
On Broadway Tom
Ratatouille Horst voice only
Hot Rod Jonathan
Wristcutters: A Love Story Messiah
The Brothers Solomon John Solomon
The Comebacks Mailman
2008 Semi-Pro Lou Redwood
Horton Hears a Who! Vlad voice only
Spring Breakdown Ted completed
The Rocker Vesuvius lead singer completed
2009 G-Force TBA post-production
Monsters vs. Aliens Dagon the Missing Link filming, voice only
When in Rome TBA filming
Arrested Development George Oscar "G.O.B." Bluth II pre-production

[edit] Television

Year(s) Title Role Notes
1997 The Underworld Series regular, failed television pilot
1999 Sex and the City Jack Guest star, episode: "La Douleur Exquise!"
The Mike O'Malley Show Jimmy Series regular
2000 Third Watch Kenny Guest star, episode: "Spring Forward, Fall Back"
2001 Loomis Series regular, failed television pilot
Boston Public Hand Salesman Guest star, episode: "Chapter Twenty-nine"
2002 Still Standing Appeared in the pilot and was intended to be a series regular, but his role was cut out of the pilot and he did not appear in later episodes
Yes, Dear Bobby Guest star, episode: "Johnny Ampleseed"
The Sopranos Agent Mike Waldrup Guest star, episodes: "For All Debts Public and Private", "No Show"
Law and Order: Special Victims Unit Tony Damon Guest star, episode: "Angels"
2003 Undefeated Scott Green's assistant Small role, television movie
2003–2006 Arrested Development George Oscar "G.O.B." Bluth II Series regular
2004 Will & Grace Artemis Johnson Guest star, episode: "Back Up Dancer"
2005 Odd Job Jack Tiberius McKorkindale Guest star, voice only, episodes: "The Biggest Bang", "Close Encounters of the Uncomfortable Kind"
Danny Phantom Ghost Writer Guest star, voice only, episode: "The Fright Before Christmas"
2006 All-Star American Destiny Trek TJ Cooter Series regular, failed television pilot, voice only
Freak Show Duncan Schiesst/Various Series regular, voice only
2007 King of the Hill Portis Guest star, voice only, episode: "Hank Gets Dusted"
2007–2008 30 Rock Devon Banks Guest star, episodes: "Fireworks", "Jack Gets In the Game", "Succession"
2009 Class Dismissed Ennis Hofftard Series regular, voice only

[edit] Awards

Year For Award Category Won Other notes
2005 Arrested Development Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series No Shared with Jason Bateman, Michael Cera, David Cross, Portia de Rossi, Tony Hale, Alia Shawkat, Jeffrey Tambor, and Jessica Walter
2006 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series No Shared with Jason Bateman, Michael Cera, David Cross, Portia de Rossi, Tony Hale, Alia Shawkat, Jeffrey Tambor, and Jessica Walter
Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series No

[edit] Honors

New York Magazine named Will Arnett and wife Amy Poehler "New Yorkers of the Year" for 2005 during their New York Magazine Culture Awards.[34]

In April of 2007, during a panel hosted by the Museum of Television and Radio, talk show Conan O'Brien and his writing staff named Will Arnett as one of their three all-time favorite guests, sharing the honor with Norm Macdonald and Harland Williams.[35] Also in April of 2007, Entertainment Weekly named Will Arnett a Future King of Comedy."[36] In May of 2007, Arnett ranked #9 on Best Week Ever's "Top 15 Sexiest Nerd Boys" poll.[37] In July of 2007, Premiere magazine named Arnett one of "The 20 Hottest New Faces in Comedy."[38]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d Weisman, Jon. "Will Arnett", Variety, 2004-06-10. Retrieved on April 12, 2007.
  2. ^ Will Arnett Biography (1970-)
  3. ^ "Will Arnett - TV IV", TV IV, 2007-02-25. Retrieved on April 12, 2007.
  4. ^ a b c d Will Arnett - Biography", Internet Movie Database, 2007-04-12. Retrieved on April 12, 2007.
  5. ^ On Conan O'Brien he stated that he dubs his own voice in the French versions of his movies and TV shows. Arnett stated this on his November 22, 2006, appearance on Late Night with Conan O'Brien
  6. ^ "Will Arnett", Notable Names Database, 2007-04-22. Retrieved on April 22, 2007.
  7. ^ Chun, Wing. "The Will Arnett Interview, Page 2", Television Without Pity, 2005. Retrieved on April 12, 2007.
  8. ^ a b c d e f Chun, Wing. "The Will Arnett Interview, Page 4", Television Without Pity, 2005. Retrieved on April 13, 2007.
  9. ^ "The Underworld (1997) (TV)", Internet Movie Database. Retrieved on April 12, 2007.
  10. ^ "Stars React to Emmy Nominations", Access Hollywood, 2006. Retrieved on April 13, 2007.
  11. ^ a b c d e O'Neil, Tom. "Transcript: Our chat session with Will Arnett", The Los Angeles Times, 2006. Retrieved on May 7, 2007.
  12. ^ Spitznagel, Eric. "Spitznagel's Exclusive Interview, March 2007", Playboy Magazine, 2007-03-29. Retrieved on April 13, 2007.
  13. ^ a b Topel, Fred. "Interview Will Arnett Talks About "Let's Go to Prison"", About.com, 2006. Retrieved on April 12, 2007.
  14. ^ "Box Office Mojo - Let's Go to Prison - DVD / Home Video Rentals", Box Office Mojo, 2007-04-22. Retrieved on April 22, 2007.
  15. ^ "'Blades' Stays on Top With $23 Million", Yahoo! News, 2007-04-08. Retrieved on April 12, 2007.
  16. ^ "Box Office Mojo - Blades of Glory", Box Office Mojo, 2007-04-13. Retrieved on April 13, 2007.
  17. ^ "Box Office Mojo - Blades of Glory - DVD/Home Video Rentals", Box Office Mojo, 2007-11-16. Retrieved on November 17, 2007.
  18. ^ Kit, Borys. "Arnett turning 'Semi-Pro' with Ferrell", The Hollywood Reporter, 2007-01-29. Retrieved on April 12, 2007.
  19. ^ YouTube - OurStage: Will Arnett Interview
  20. ^ Kay, Jeremy. "Jack Black goes medieval with Kimmel's Ye Olde Times", Screen Daily, 2007-05-16. Retrieved on May 16, 2007.
  21. ^ a b McNary, Dave. "'Demon' seed is planted: Arnett conjures New Line's new laffer", Variety, 2005-11-13. Retrieved on April 22, 2007.
  22. ^ "Will Arnett is The Ambassador", Comingsoon.net, 2006-04-10. Retrieved on April 22, 2007.
  23. ^ McNary, Dave. "Arnett rockets into 'Invader': Film depicts love triangle on space station", Variety, 2007-02-14. Retrieved on April 22, 2007.
  24. ^ Morris, Clint. "Buscemi Gets into the Millers", Moviehole.net, 2006-02-07. Retrieved on April 13, 2007.
  25. ^ Will Arnett - Other works", Internet Movie Database, 2007-04-22. Retrieved on April 22, 2007.
  26. ^ a b Faraci, Derek. "CHUD.com", CHUD.com, 2007-03-29. Retrieved on April 12, 2007.
  27. ^ Val Kilmer voices 'Knight Rider' - Entertainment News, TV News, Media - Variety
  28. ^ Chun, Wing. "The Will Arnett Interview, Page 12", Television Without Pity, 2005. Retrieved on April 12, 2007.
  29. ^ "Will Arnett - AskMen.com, AskMen.com, 2006. Retrieved on April 12, 2007
  30. ^ "Molson Coors Brewing Company", Answers.com. Retrieved on April 12, 2007.
  31. ^ "James Arnett | Fraiser Millner Casgrain LLP", Fraiser Millner Casgrain. Retrieved on April 12, 2007.
  32. ^ Proteau, Adam. "Bleeding Blue & White in Hollywood", The Hockey News, 2006-04-26. Retrieved on May 25, 2007.
  33. ^ Amy Poehler and Will Arnett Expecting a Baby
  34. ^ "New Yorkers of the Year - New York Magazine Culture Awards", New York Magazine, 2005. Retrieved on April 12, 2007.
  35. ^ "Simply Absurd: The Comedy of Late Night with Conan O'Brien @ The Museum of Television and Radio - 4.5.7", The Apiary, 2007-04-05. Retrieved on April 10, 2007.
  36. ^ Markovitz, Adam. "The Current (and Future) Kings of Comedy", Entertainment Weekly, 2007-04-10. Retrieved on April 10, 2007.
  37. ^ BWE PRESENTS: The Top 15 Sexiest Nerd Boys", Best Week Ever, 2007-05-17. Retrieved on May 17, 2007.
  38. ^ "The 20 Hottest New Faces of Comedy", Premiere, 2007-07-31. Retrieved on July 31, 2007.

[edit] External links

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[edit] Interviews


Persondata
NAME Arnett, Will
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Arnett, William Emerson
SHORT DESCRIPTION Actor; Comedian
DATE OF BIRTH May 5, 1970
PLACE OF BIRTH Toronto, Ontario, Canada
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH