Tobey Maguire

(James Leer)

Biography


Tobey Maguire has made a name for himself with roles in such acclaimed pictures as The Ice Storm and Pleasantville, displaying the type of dark-eyed, low-key intensity that has made him a favorite with latte-sipping, art house-loving young women everywhere. Born June 27, 1975 in Santa Monica, California to a construction worker father and secretary mother, Maguire was raised predominately by his mother after his parents divorced when he was almost two years old. Maguire and his mother led an itinerant lifestyle, living with relatives all over the country. Maguire's childhood ambition was to become a cook, but his mother, once an aspiring actress herself, encouraged her son to go into acting. Following a sixth grade drama class, the young actor began getting roles in commercials, which led to a starring role in the short-lived 1992 sitcom Great Scott!. In 1993, Maguire made his film debut in This Boy's Life, starring Robert DeNiro and a very young Leonardo DiCaprio. Following a small part in 1994's S.F.W. and a lead in the same year's largely unseen Revenge of the Red Baron, Maguire attracted favorable notice for his role in the 1995 Oscar-nominated short film The Duke of Groove, in which he co-starred with Uma Thurman. 1997 proved to be Maguire's breakthrough year, as he worked with two high-profile directors on two high-profile projects. The first was Ang Lee's critically lauded adaptation of the Rick Moody novel The Ice Storm; in a film filled with exceptional performances, Maguire held his own and won acclaim for his portrayal of the dutiful, discontented %Paul Hood}. His other 1997 film, Woody Allen's Deconstructing Harry, received mixed reviews, but Maguire's presence in an Allen film further bolstered his career. 1998 was another good year for the actor, who had a lead role in Pleasantville and a cameo appearance as a bedraggled hitchhiker in Terry Gilliam's adaptation of Hunter S. Thompson's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. With a rising profile, a coveted spot on the 1998 cover of Vanity Fair's annual Hollywood issue, and roles in a number of upcoming projects, Maguire has emerged as one of the more solid and worthwhile actors in an industry where many young performers fall prey to the lure of true glitz over true grit. -- Rebecca Flint, All-Movie Guide

Filmography


Wonder Boys (unknown) .... James Leer

Ride with the Devil (1999) .... Jake Roedel

Cider House Rules, The (1999) .... Homer Wells

Don's Plum (1998)

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998) .... Hitchhiker

Pleasantville (1998) .... David/Bud Parker ... aka Color of Heart (1999) (Japan: English title) [en]

Deconstructing Harry (1997) .... Harvey Stern

Ice Storm, The (1997) .... Paul Hood

Joyride (1996) .... J.T

Seduced by Madness (1996) (TV) ... aka Seduced by Madness: The Diane Borchardt Story (1996) (TV)

Empire Records (1995) (uncredited) (scenes deleted) .... Andre ... aka Empire (1995/II) ... aka Rock & Fun (1995)

Duke of Groove (1995) .... Rich Cooper

Child's Cry for Help, A (1994) (TV)

Spoils of War (1994) (TV) .... Martin

Revenge of the Red Baron (1994) .... Jimmy Spencer ... aka Plane Fear (1994)

S.F.W. (1994) .... Al

This Boy's Life (1993) .... Chuck Bolger

"Great Scott!" (1992) TV Series .... Scott Melrod

Notable TV guest appearances


"Walker, Texas Ranger" (1993) playing "Duane" in episode: "Prodigal Son, The" (episode # 2.16) 3/5/1994

"Eerie, Indiana" (1991) playing "Tripp O'Connell" in episode: "Dead Letter, The" (episode # 1.8) 11/10/1991

"Roseanne" (1988) in episode: "Valentine's Day" (episode # 3.17) 2/12/1991

"Blossom" (1991) playing "Boy" in episode: "Sex, Lies and Teenagers" (episode # 1.5) 2/4/1991

"Eerie, Indiana" (1991) playing "Tripp O'Connell" in episode: "Dead Letter,"


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