Martin Donovan

Martin Donovan (born Martin Paul Smith; August 19, 1957) is an American actor. He has had a long collaboration with director Hal Hartley, appearing in many of his films, such as Trust (1990), Surviving Desire (1991), Simple Men (1992), Flirt (1993), Amateur (1994), and The Book of Life (1998), starring as Jesus Christ in the latter. Donovan also played Peter Scottson on Showtime's cable series Weeds. He made his writing/directorial debut with the film Collaborator (2011).

For the screenwriter named Martin Donovan, see Martin Donovan (screenwriter).
Martin Donovan
Donovan in 2011
Born
Martin Paul Smith

(1957-08-19) August 19, 1957
Reseda, California, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1982–present
Spouse(s)
Vivian Lanko
​
(m. 1984)​
Children2

Early life

Donovan was born Martin Paul Smith in Reseda, California,[1] to Roman Catholic middle-class parents, Agnes Mary (Regan) and Gayne Paul Smith. He and his three siblings were raised Catholic.

He graduated from Crespi Carmelite High School and attended Pierce College for two years. He attended American Theater Arts, a combined conservatory and theater company in Los Angeles, where he appeared in the plays Richard's Cork Leg by Brendan Behan and Private Life of the Master Race by Bertold Brecht. In 1983, he and his wife, Vivian, moved to New York City, where he took odd jobs like installing drapery to support his family. He joined the off-off-Broadway Cucaracha Theater on Greenwich Street.[2]

Career

Donovan has appeared in fourteen episodes of the Showtime television series Weeds, which stars Mary-Louise Parker, for which he was nominated for a SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by An Ensemble in a Comedy Series. He has also acted with Parker in Saved!, Pipe Dream and The Portrait of a Lady. For the latter film, he won the National Society of Film Critics' Award for best supporting actor.[3]

In 2009, he starred opposite Virginia Madsen in The Haunting in Connecticut. Recently he was seen in The Sentinel with Kiefer Sutherland and Michael Douglas as well as The Quiet with Edie Falco. In 2007 he appeared in the suspense horror film Wind Chill. Other recent film appearances include The United States of Leland, The Opposite of Sex, Living Out Loud, In a Savage Land, Hollow Reed, Onegin, and Nadja.[4]

Donovan had a long association with celebrated director Hal Hartley, starring in several of his films including Amateur which was selected for both the Cannes and New York Film Festivals. Other Hartley collaborations are Simple Men, which was also an official Cannes selection; Trust, Surviving Desire, Flirt and The Book of Life, which was shown at the New York Film Festival. Donovan starred in Shadows and Lies.[4] As well as Hal Hartley, Donovan has also appeared in films directed by Spike Lee, Christopher Nolan and Paul Thomas Anderson.

Donovan made his television series début in Peter Berg's Wonderland. His recent TV credits include Big Little Lies (season 2) and Dead Still. Other television credits are The Great Gatsby, HBO's When Trumpets Fade, the Fox series Pasadena and the FX telefilm RFK. In 2011 he took a major role in the Starz original drama series Boss. In 2014 he starred in the Lifetime post-apocalyptic series The Lottery.[4]

Writing/directing

In 2010, Donovan wrote, directed and starred in Collaborator, portraying a once-successful playwright who is taken hostage while visiting his mother and childhood home.[4]

Personal life

Donovan married actress Vivian Lanko in 1984; they have two sons. They lived in New York City for many years before relocating to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.[2]

Filmography
Year Film Role Notes
1985Hard ChoicesJosh
1987At Mother's RequestDet. RogenTV movie
1990TrustMatthew Slaughter
1991Surviving DesireJude
1992Malcolm XFBI Agenta.k.a. X (USA: poster title)
Simple MenMartina.k.a. Uomini semplici (Italy)
1993QuickHerschel Brewera.k.a. Crossfire (UK: video box title)
ScamGordon WexlerTV movie
South BeachSpencer RobinsonTV series
Episode: "School for Scandal"
The Adventures of Pete & PeteTV series
Episodes: "Apocalypse Pete" and "Space, Geeks, and Johnny Unitas"
1994The RookJohn Abbott
NadjaJim
AmateurThomas Ludens
1995FlirtWalter
1996The Portrait of A LadyRalph TouchettNational Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated—New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor(2nd place)
Hollow ReedMartyn Wyatt
1997Night SinsPaul GarrisonTV movie
1998Rescuers: Stories of Courage - Two CouplesAart VosTV movie
Segment: "Aart and Johtje Vos"
When Trumpets FadeCapt. Roy Pritchett
The Opposite of SexBill Truitt
HeavenRobert Marling
Living Out LoudRobert Nelson
The Book of LifeJesus Christ
Spanish FlyCarl
1999In a Savage LandDr. Phillip Spence
The Hunt for the Unicorn KillerRichard DiBenedettoTV movie
OneginPrince Nikitin
2000Desire
The Great GatsbyTom BuchananTV movie
Custody of the HeartDennis RaphaelTV movie
WonderlandDr. Neil Harrison8 episodes
2001Amy and IsabellePeter RobertsonTV movie
PasadenaWill McAllister13 episodes
2002
InsomniaDetective Hap Eckhart
Pipe DreamDavid Kulovic
RFKJohn F. KennedyTV movie
2003The United States of LelandHarry Pollard
Agent Cody BanksDr. Connors
Law & Order: Special Victims UnitDr. Archibald NewlandsTV series
Episode: "Serendipity"
CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationHoward DelhommeTV series
Episode: "After the Show"
2004The Pornographer: A Love Story
Saved!Pastor Skip
TrafficBrent DelaneyTV miniseries
Dark ShadowsRoger CollinsUnaired TV pilot
White Like MeGus
2005At LastMark Singleton
The QuietPaul Deer
WeedsPeter Scottson14 episodes
Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (2005)
2006The VisitationTravis Jordan
The GarageAdult Matt
The SentinelWilliam Montrose
Day on FireWalter Evering
Law & OrderRobert WhiteTV series
Episode: "Cost of Capital"
2007The Dead ZoneMalcolm Janus6 episodes
Masters of HorrorCliff AddisonTV series
Episode: "Right to Die"
Wind ChillHighway Patrolman
Ghost WhispererTom Gordon4 episodes
2008The Alphabet KillerJim Walsh
2009The Haunting in ConnecticutPeter Campbell
DuressRichard Barnet
2010Unnatural HistoryBryan Bartlett
Shadows and LiesVictor
UnthinkableJack Saunders
2011CollaboratorRobert LongfellowWritten and directed by Martin Donovan
Karlovy Vary International Film Festival: FIPRESCI Prize
BossEzra Stone10 episodes
2012Silent Hill: Revelation 3DDouglas Cartland
The FirmKevin Stackrecurring role
The Reluctant FundamentalistLudlow Cooper
2013RogueRichard CampbellTV series
HomelandLeland Bennett3 episodes
2014SabotageFloyd Demel
Ned RifleRev. Daniel Gardner
Inherent ViceCrocker Fenway
2015Ant-ManMitchell Carson
2016Legends of TomorrowZaman DruceRecurring role
4 episodes
2017RememoryGordon Dunn
Indian HorseJack Lanahan
Lethal WeaponGrant DavenportTV series
Episode: "Wreck the Halls"
2019Big Little LiesMartin Howard3 episodes
The Art of Racing in the RainMaxwell
White LieDoug Arneson
2020Dead StillBushrod WhackerTV series
TenetFay
PercyRick Aarons
2021CrisisLawrence Morgan

References
  1. "Martin Donovan profile at". Filmreference.com. 1957-08-19. Retrieved 2013-06-20.
  2. "For an Art-House Regular, a Wider World". The New York Times. Retrieved May 6, 2014.
  3. Levy, Emanuel (1997-01-06). "U.S. crix make 'Waves' best pic, Murphy actor Crix awards to 'Waves'". Variety. Retrieved 2021-02-03.
  4. Martin Donovan at IMDb
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