Alfred Molina | |
---|---|
Born | Alfredo Molina 24 May 1953 Paddington, London, England |
Citizenship |
|
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1978–present |
Spouse(s) | [1] |
Children | 3 |
Alfredo Molina (born 24 May 1953) is a British-American actor who has appeared in over 200 films, television, and stage productions. He first rose to prominence in the West End, earning a nomination for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Newcomer in a Play for his performance in the production of Oklahoma! in 1980. He made his film debut as Satipo in Raiders of the Lost Ark and his Broadway debut as Yvan in a production of Art from 1998 to 1999. His other Broadway roles include Tevye in the musical Fiddler on the Roof from 2004 to 2005 and Mark Rothko in the play Red from 2009 to 2010.
On screen, his best known roles include Kenneth Halliwell in Prick Up Your Ears (1987), Mellersh Wilkins in Enchanted April (1992), Rahad Jackson in Boogie Nights (1997), Comte de Reynaud in Chocolat (2000), Diego Rivera in Frida (2002), Bishop Aringarosa in The Da Vinci Code (2006), Jack Mellor in An Education (2009), and George in Love Is Strange (2014). He has voiced characters in Rango (2011), Monsters University (2013), Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018), and Frozen II (2019). He portrayed Marvel Comics character Doctor Octopus in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 2 (2004) and will reprise the role in the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe film Spider-Man: No Way Home, to be released in December 2021.[2]
Molina's work has brought him widespread acclaim. For his portrayal of Robert Aldrich in the miniseries Feud (2017), he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and a Primetime Emmy Award. He received a BAFTA Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Frida, and has also been nominated for an Independent Spirit Award, a British Independent Film Award, five Screen Actors Guild Awards, and four Tony Awards.
He was born Alfredo Molina[3] in Paddington, London. His father, Esteban Molina, was a Spanish immigrant from Madrid, who came to England in 1939, and worked as a waiter and chauffeur.[4] His mother, Giovanna (née Bonelli), was an Italian immigrant who moved to Britain after WWII, and who cleaned rooms in a hotel, and worked as a cook and housekeeper.[5][6] Molina grew up in a working class district in Notting Hill[7] that was inhabited by many other immigrant families.[8] He decided to become an actor after seeing Spartacus at the age of nine, and attended the Guildhall School of Music and Drama,[9] as well as auditioning for and becoming a member of National Youth Theatre.[10] At the age of 21, he changed his name to Alfred, at the urging of his first agent.[11]
Molina appeared with Leonard Rossiter in the sitcom The Losers (1978).[12] He made his film debut with a minor role in Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) as Indiana Jones' ill-fated guide, Satipo, during its iconic opening sequence. However, his big break came with Letter to Brezhnev (1985), which he followed with a starring role in Prick Up Your Ears (1987), playing Joe Orton's lover (and eventual murderer) Kenneth Halliwell. He was originally cast as Arnold Rimmer in the TV sitcom Red Dwarf, but was replaced by Chris Barrie.[13]
In the early 1990s, Molina was a ubiquitous presence on British television, with his highest profile role being the lead in the first two series of El C.I.D.. He appeared in the critically acclaimed films such as Mike Newell's costume drama Enchanted April (1992), Richard Donner's western comedy Maverick (1994), and Jim Jarmusch's western Dead Man (1995). Subsequent film roles include the drama Not Without My Daughter (1991), the science fiction horror film Species (1995), the broad comedy Dudley Do-Right (1999). With a midwestern American accent, Molina starred alongside Betty White in the US television series Ladies Man, which ran from 1999–2001.[14] In 1993 he appeared in the BBC miniseries adaptation of A Year in Provence, playing the annoying Tony, along with John Thaw and Lindsay Duncan.[15] Molina has worked twice with Paul Thomas Anderson, first in Boogie Nights (1997) and then in Magnolia (1999).[16]
In 2000, Molina appeared in Lasse Hallström's Chocolat which received critical acclaim and an Academy Award for Best Picture nomination. He gained wide recognition for his portrayal of Diego Rivera alongside Salma Hayek in the biopic Frida (2002), a role for which he gained BAFTA and SAG award nominations. He played himself alongside Steve Coogan in Jarmusch's Coffee and Cigarettes (2003) and gained further commercial recognition when he portrayed the villain Doctor Octopus in Spider-Man 2 (2004),[17] which became one of the highest-grossing films of that year. For the latter, Molina was nominated for a Satellite award as Best Supporting Actor. He reprised his role in the video game adaptation. In 2006, Molina portrayed Touchstone in Kenneth Branagh's film version of Shakespeare's As You Like It and appeared in Ron Howard's adaptation of The Da Vinci Code. Molina provided the voice of the villain Ares in the 2009 animated film Wonder Woman.[18]
Molina's stage work has included two major Royal National Theatre productions, Tennessee Williams' The Night of the Iguana (as Shannon) and David Mamet's Speed-the-Plow (as Fox). In his Broadway debut, Molina performed in Yasmina Reza's Tony Award-winning play 'Art', for which he received a Tony nomination in 1998. In 2004, Molina returned to the stage, starring as Tevye in the Broadway production of Fiddler on the Roof. For his performance he once again received a Tony Award nomination, this time for Best Actor in a Musical. He received his third Tony Award nomination for Red in 2010, for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play.[19]
In 2007, Molina narrated a 17-part original audiobook for Audible.com called The Chopin Manuscript. This serialized novel was written by a team of 15 best-selling thriller writers, including Jeffery Deaver, Lee Child, Joseph Finder and Lisa Scottoline. The novel won the 2008 Audiobook of the Year Award form Audio Publishers Association.[20]
On 1 April 2010, Molina opened at Broadway's John Golden Theatre in the role of artist Mark Rothko in John Logan's drama Red opposite Eddie Redmayne for a limited engagement through 27 June.[21] He had played the role to much critical success at the Donmar Warehouse in London in December 2009 and revisited that role at the Wyndham's Theatre in the West End in 2018.[22]
In 2010, Molina starred opposite Dawn French in the six-part BBC sitcom Roger & Val Have Just Got In,[23] with a second series in 2012.[24]
Molina has three Lego Minifigures modelled after him, namely Doctor Octopus from Spider-Man 2, Satipo from Raiders of the Lost Ark and Sheik Amar from Prince of Persia.[25]
In July 2010, it was announced that Molina had joined the cast of Law & Order: LA as Deputy District Attorney Morales.[26] He previously guest-starred in a two-part crossover in 2005 in two other Law & Order franchise shows, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Law & Order: Trial by Jury.[27]
Molina is a patron of the performing arts group Theatretrain. He is also a longtime member of the Los Angeles theatre company The New American Theatre, formerly known as Circus Theatricals, where he often teaches Shakespeare and Scene Study along with the company's artistic director Jack Stehlin.[28]
Molina stated in an interview in 2013 that he owes his stage and film career to the Indiana Jones series. "I'm very, very proud of that, I have to admit I didn't think at the time, 'Oh, this is going to go down in movie history.' I'd never been in front of a camera before," Molina said about his short but memorable appearance in Raiders of the Lost Ark. He recalled getting the job as a "gift from God" and said "I've publicly thanked Steven many, many times. That job saved my bacon, in more ways than one." About his now famous line in the film Molina stated that "I've never had a problem with people coming up to me about it. They'll shout that line to me, 'Throw me the idol, I'll throw you the whip!' I'm delighted that people still remember it."[29]
In 2020, Molina appeared in David Oyelowo's drama The Water Man, and Emerald Fennell's black comedy thriller Promising Young Woman. On 8 December 2020 it was announced that he would be returning as Doctor Octopus for Spider-Man: No Way Home in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, set to premiere on 17 December 2021.[30] Molina later confirmed that he would actually be reprising his role as the Spider-Man 2 incarnation of Doctor Octopus in No Way Home, retconning his character's apparent death at the end of the former film. He was digitally de-aged to his 2004 self.[31]
Molina married actress Jill Gascoine in Tower Hamlets, London.[32] They were married from 1986 until her death on 28 April 2020 in Los Angeles from Alzheimer's disease.[33]
Molina resides in Los Angeles, California. In 2004, he announced that he had become a U.S. citizen.[34] He is fluent in English, Spanish, and Italian. In 2017, he moved to La Cañada Flintridge.[35]
In addition to acting, Molina is an advocate for people with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). He donates towards AIDS research, participates in the Los Angeles AIDS Walk and appeared as himself in a documentary produced by Joseph Kibler[36] (who has been HIV+ and paraplegic since his birth, c. 1989) about Kibler's life titled Walk On, first screened in 2013.[37][38]
Molina endorsed Senator Bernie Sanders for President in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.[39]
In November 2019, director Jennifer Lee confirmed that she is in a relationship with Molina.[40] They were married in August 2021.[1]
For his portrayal of Sayyed Bozorg Mahmoody in Not Without My Daughter, Molina was once assaulted on his way to a rehearsal by a man who mistook him for Mahmoody.[41]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1981 | Raiders of the Lost Ark | Satipo | |
1985 | Letter to Brezhnev | Sergei | |
Ladyhawke | Cezar | ||
Water | Pierre | ||
Eleni | Young Christos | Uncredited | |
1987 | Prick Up Your Ears | Kenneth Halliwell | |
1988 | Manifesto | Avanti | |
1989 | Virtuoso | John Ogdon | |
Rescuers Speaking | Italian Priest | ||
1991 | Hancock | Tony Hancock | |
Not Without My Daughter | Sayyed Bozorg Mahmoody | ||
American Friends | Oliver Syme | ||
1992 | Enchanted April | Mellersh Wilkins | |
1993 | A Year in Provence | Tony Havers | |
The Trial | Titorelli | ||
When Pigs Fly | Marty | ||
1994 | Maverick | Angel | |
White Fang 2: Myth of the White Wolf | Reverend Leland Drury | ||
Cabin Boy | Nathaniel's History Teacher | Uncredited | |
1995 | Species | Dr. Stephen Arden | |
The Steal | Cliff | ||
The Perez Family | Juan Raúl Perez | ||
Dead Man | Trading Post Missionary | ||
Scorpion Spring | Denis Brabant | ||
Hideaway | Dr. Jonas Nyebern | ||
Nervous Energy | Ira Moss | ||
1996 | Mojave Moon | Sal | |
Before and After | Panos Demeris | ||
1997 | Anna Karenina | Levin | |
Boogie Nights | Rahad Jackson | ||
The Man Who Knew Too Little | Boris 'The Butcher' Blavasky | ||
A Further Gesture | Tulio | ||
1998 | The Impostors | Sir Jeremy Burtom | |
Rescuers: Stories of Courage: Two Couples | |||
Pete's Meteor | Hugh | ||
The Treat | The Colonel | ||
1999 | Dudley Do-Right | Snidely K. 'Whip' Whiplash | |
Magnolia | Solomon Solomon | ||
2000 | The Miracle Maker | Simon the Pharisee | Voice |
Chocolat | Comte De Reynaud | ||
2001 | Texas Rangers | King Fisher | |
2002 | Frida | Diego Rivera | |
Plots with a View (aka Undertaking Betty) | Boris Plots | ||
2003 | My Life Without Me | Ann's Father | |
Identity | Dr. Malick | ||
Coffee and Cigarettes | Himself | ||
Luther | Johann Tetzel | ||
2004 | Crónicas | Victor Hugo Puente | |
Spider-Man 2 | Dr. Otto Octavius / Doctor Octopus | ||
Steamboy | James Edward Steam | Voice; English dub | |
Plots with a View | Boris Plots | ||
2006 | The Da Vinci Code | Bishop Manuel Aringarosa | |
As You Like It | Touchstone | ||
Orchids | Short film | ||
2007 | The Hoax | Dick Suskind | |
Silk | Baldabiou | ||
The Ten Commandments | Ramesses, the Pharaoh | Voice | |
The Moon and the Stars | Davide Rieti | ||
The Little Traitor | Sergeant Dunlop | ||
Chill Out, Scooby-Doo! | Professor Jeffries | Voice; Direct-to-video | |
2008 | Nothing like the Holidays | Edy Rodriguez | |
2009 | An Education | Jack Mellor | |
The Pink Panther 2 | Randall Pepperidge | ||
Angels & Demons | Narrator | Voice | |
The Lodger | Chandler Manning | ||
Wonder Woman | Ares | Voice; Direct-to-video | |
Big Guy | Kent | Short film | |
Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva | Danny | Voice; English dub | |
2010 | The Tempest | Stefano | |
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time | Sheik Amar | ||
The Sorcerer's Apprentice | Maxim Horvath | ||
2011 | Abduction | Frank Burton | |
Rango | Roadkill | Voice | |
2012 | Loving Miss Hatto | William Barrington-Coupe | |
The Forger | Everly Campbell | ||
2013 | Bless Me, Ultima | Antonio | Voice |
The Truth About Emanuel | Dennis | ||
Justin and the Knights of Valour | Reginald | Voice | |
Monsters University | Professor Derek Knight | Voice | |
Vivaldi | Tartini | ||
2014 | Love Is Strange | George | |
Return to Zero | Robert Royal | ||
We'll Never Have Paris | Terry Berman | ||
Swelter | Doc | ||
Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet | Sergeant | Voice | |
Heavenly Sword | King Bohan | Voice | |
2015 | Strange Magic | Fairy King | Voice |
The Secret in Their Eyes | Martin Morales | ||
2016 | Little Men | Hernán | |
Donald Trump's The Art of the Deal: The Movie | Jerry Schrager | ||
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot | Ali Massoud Sadiq | ||
Paint It Black | Cal | ||
Message from the King | Preston | ||
A Family Man | Lou Wheeler | ||
2017 | Breakable You | Paul Weller | |
Justice League Dark | Destiny | Voice; Direct-to-video | |
2018 | The Front Runner | Ben Bradlee | |
Saint Judy | Ray Hernandez | ||
Ralph Breaks the Internet | Double Dan | Voice | |
Henchmen | Baron Blackout | Voice | |
Vice | Waiter | Uncredited cameo | |
2019 | Don't Let Go | Howard Keleshian | |
Frankenstein's Monster's Monster, Frankenstein | Aubrey Fields | Short film | |
The Devil Has a Name | Big Boss | ||
Frozen II | King Agnarr | Voice | |
2020 | Promising Young Woman | Jordan Green | Uncredited |
The Water Man | Jim Bussey | ||
2021 | Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans | Archie | Voice |
Spider-Man: No Way Home | Dr. Otto Octavius | Post-production |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1978 | The Losers | Nigel | 6 episodes |
1981 | Bognor | Waiter | 2 episodes |
1982 | Anyone for Denis? | Eric | Television film |
1983 | Meantime | John | Television film |
Reilly, Ace of Spies | Yakov Blumkin | Episode: "Gambit" | |
1985 | Number One | D.C. Rogers | Television film |
Angels in the Annexe | Mike Brittain | Television film | |
C.A.T.S. Eyes | Det. Sgt. Cropper | Episode: "Blue for Danger" | |
1986 | Casualty | Harry Horner | Episode: "Jump Start" |
1987 | Miami Vice | Esther's Attorney | Episode: "The Big Thaw" |
1989 | The Accountant | Lionel Ellerman | Television film |
Saracen | Jose Morazan | Episode: "Proof of Death" | |
1989–92 | Screen One | Various | 4 episodes |
1989–95 | Screen Two | Various | 4 episodes |
1990–92 | El C.I.D. | Bernard Blake | 13 episodes |
1991 | Ashenden | Carmona | Episode: "The Hairless Mexican" |
Performance | George Melly | Episode: "The Trials of Oz" | |
Boon | Mike Hubble | Episode: "The Night Before Christmas" | |
1994 | Requiem Apache | Hamish/Getaway Driver | Television film |
1996 | Tracey Takes On... | Mr. Dragotti | Episode: "Royalty" |
1998 | The Wild Thornberrys | Elcio | Voice; Episode: "Only Child" |
1999–01 | Ladies Man | Jimmy Stiles | 30 episodes; also producer |
2001 | Murder on the Orient Express | Hercule Poirot | Television film |
2002 | Bram & Alice | Bram | 9 episodes |
2003 | Justice League | King Gustav | Voice; Episode: "Maid of Honor" |
2005 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Gabriel Duvall | Episode: "Night" |
Law & Order: Trial by Jury | Gabriel Duvall | Episode: "Day" | |
2007 | Monk | Peter Magneri | Episode: "Mr. Monk and the Naked Man" |
The Company | The Sorcerer | 3 episodes | |
2009 | Yes, Virginia | Francis Church | Voice; Television film |
The Lodger | Det. Chandler Manning | Television film, Jack the Ripper copycat | |
2010–11 | Law & Order: LA | Det. Ricardo Morales | 16 episodes |
2010–12 | Roger & Val Have Just Got In | Roger Stephenson | 12 episodes |
2010–12 | The Life & Times of Tim | Chairman | Voice; 2 episodes |
2011 | Harry's Law | Eric Sanders | 3 episodes |
Innocent | Alejando "Sandy" Stern | Television film | |
2012 | Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness |
Ke-Pa | Voice; Episode: "Enter the Dragon" |
Loving Miss Hatto | Barrie | Television film | |
2012; 2015–16 |
Gravity Falls | Multi-Bear | Voice; 3 episodes |
2012–20 | Robot Chicken | Lex Luthor Various Characters |
Voice; 7 episodes |
2013 | Monday Mornings | Dr. Harding Hooten | 10 episodes |
Drunk History | Arthur Conan Doyle | Episode: "Detroit" | |
2014 | Rick and Morty | The Devil | Voice; Episode: "Something Ricked This Way Comes" |
Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey | Alhazen | Voice; Episode: "Hiding in the Light" | |
The Normal Heart | Ben Weeks | Television film | |
Matador | Andrés Galan | 13 episodes | |
2014–17 | Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero | Rippen | Voice; 55 episodes |
2015 | Show Me a Hero | Henry J. Spallone | 6 episodes |
Axe Cop | Various | Voice; 2 episodes | |
Oscar's Hotel for Fantastical Creatures | Norbert | Voice; Episode: "Fishy Business" | |
Long Live the Royals | Rupert / Neil | Voice; 2 episodes | |
2016–18 | DreamWorks Dragons | Viggo Grimborn | Voice; 22 episodes |
2016–17 | Angie Tribeca | Dr. Edelweiss | Uncredited 14 episodes |
2016 | Close to the Enemy | Harold Lindsay-Jones | 7 episodes |
Sister Cities | Mort | Television film; also executive producer | |
American Dad! | Tow Truck Driver | Voice; Episode: "Father's Daze" | |
2017 | Feud: Bette and Joan | Robert Aldrich | 6 episodes[42] |
I'm Dying Up Here | Carl Veisor | Episode: "Pilot" | |
Hey Arnold!: The Jungle Movie | Lasombra | Voice; Television film[43] | |
Welcome to the Wayne | Albert Molina | Voice; 3 episodes | |
2018–19 | Summer Camp Island | Various voices | 7 episodes |
2018 | I Feel Bad | Max | Episode: "My Kids Barely Know Their Culture" |
2019 | 3Below: Tales of Arcadia | Archie | Voice; Episode: "A Glorious End, Part Two" |
2020 | Big City Greens | Cogburn | Voice; Episode: "Animal Farm" |
Solar Opposites | The Duke | Voice; 4 episodes | |
Harley Quinn | Mr. Freeze, Stew | Voice; 2 episodes | |
Family Guy | Panamanian Man | Voice; Episode: "Coma Guy" | |
Wizards: Tales of Arcadia | Archie | Voice | |
Crossing Swords | Robin Hood | Voice; Episode: "Hot Tub Death Machine" | |
Infinity Train | Chandelier | Voice; Episode: "The Debutante Ball Car" | |
2021 | Monsters at Work | Professor Derek Knight | Voice; Episode: "Welcome to Monsters, Incorporated" |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1980–81 | Oklahoma! | Jud Fry | Palace Theatre, West End |
1982 | Can't Pay? Won't Pay! | Giovanni | Royal Court Theatre, West End |
1989 | Speed-the-Plow | Bobby Gould | Royal National Theatre, London |
1991 | Henry IV, Part 1 | John of Lancaster | The Public Theater |
1992 | The Night of the Iguana | Rev. T. Lawrence Shannon | Royal National Theatre, London |
1995–96 | Molly Sweeney | Frank Sweeney | Laura Pels Theatre, RTC |
1998 | Art | Yvan | Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, Broadway |
2001 | True West | Lee | Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles |
2002 | Richard III | Duke of Buckingham | Odyssey Theatre |
2004–05 | Fiddler on the Roof | Tevye | Minskoff Theatre, Broadway |
2006 | The Cherry Orchard | Lopakhin | Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles |
2007 | Howard Katz | Howard Katz | Laura Pels Theatre, RTC |
2009–10 | Red | Mark Rothko | Donmar Warehouse, London John Golden Theatre, Broadway |
2017 | Long Day's Journey into Night | James Tyrone | Geffen Playhouse, Los Angeles |
2018 | Red | Mark Rothko | Wyndham's Theatre, West End |
2020 | The Father | André | Pasadena Playhouse |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2004 | Spider-Man 2 | Otto Octavius/Doctor Octopus | [44] |
2014 | The Elder Scrolls Online | Abnur Tharn | [45] |
2015 | The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited | Abnur Tharn | |
2016 | The Elder Scrolls Online: Gold Edition | Abnur Tharn | |
2017 | The Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind | Abnur Tharn | |
2017 | Wilson's Heart | Bela Belascó | |
2018 | The Elder Scrolls Online: Summerset | Abnur Tharn | |
2019 | The Elder Scrolls Online: Elsweyr | Abnur Tharn | |
2019 | The Elder Scrolls Online: Dragonhold | Abnur Tharn | |
2020 | The Elder Scrolls Online: Greymoor | Abnur Tharn | |
2021 | The Elder Scrolls Online: Blackwood | Abnur Tharn |
Presented content of the Wikipedia article was extracted in 2021-08-31 based on https://en.wikipedia.org/?curid=612068