Emile Davenport Hirsch is an American television & film actor. Born on March 13 (1985), he began performing in the late 1990’s, appearing in several television films and series. He became known as a film actor in 2002 after roles in ‘The Emperor’s Club‘ and ‘The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys‘.

Originally from Topanga, California, Emile Hirsch was raised in various locations including Los Angeles and Santa Fe, New Mexico. He attended Ravere Middle School and the Academy of Music at Alexander Hamilton High School, Los Angeles and set his sights on an acting career from a young age. Serious about his craft from the beginning, he began memorising Brando while only nine years-old. His first acting job was an episode of “Kindred: The Embraced“ (Fox, 1995 – 96), a supernatural series about warring vampires in San Francisco. Small appearances ensued with some regularity on several hit programs, including “Sabrina, the Teenage Witch” (ABC, 1996-2003), “Third Rock from the Sun” (NBC, 1995-2001) and “Two of a Kind” (ABC, 1998-99). After a turn to more dramatic fare with episodes of “NYPD Blue” (ABC, 1993) and “ER” (NBC, 1994), Hirsch landed a big role in the movie-of-the-week, “Houdini” (TNT, 1998). Though the title role went to actor Johnathon Scaech, Hirsch played master of illusion in his formative years. He starred in another MOW, “Gargantua” (Fox, 1998), a Jurassic Park-like tale about a biologist (played by Adam Baldwin) and his son (Hirsch) who travel to a remote atoll to study local marine life only to do battle with giant creatures roaming the island.

Not satisfied with a career on the small screen, Emile made the big jump to the big screen in the independent “The Dangerous Lives of Alter Boys” (2002), produced by actress Jodi Foster. He received positive reviews for his performance as one of two rebellious teens – the other played by Kieran Culkin – who fight boredom, hormones and the discipline-heavy teachers of their parish school. He then starred in another period piece set in a Christian school, this time opposite Kevin Kline in “The Emperor’s Club” (2002). As the son of a West Virginia senator, Emile challenges Kline’s cloistered world of tradition and influence in a turbulent battle of wills with repercussions felt a quarter century later. Next, Emile starred in “The Mudge Boy” (2003), in which he played a teenager who’s forced to deal with the sudden death of his mother and the blurred lines between love and friendship.

In 2004, Emile was cast opposite Elisha Cuthbert in the teen comedy, “The Girl Next Door“, and as a result gained renown recognition amongst teenage audiences. He played the role of Matthew Kidman, a straight-arrow over-achiever who never really had lived life. Even though Emile felt a slip into the teen comedy drama would be a wrong step for him, he was immediately impressed with how smart and edgy the film really was. “The Girl Next Door” opened to sub-par box office, barely ranking $6 million despite it’s “Risky Business” style approach.

Emile next played the youngest of three siblings, played by Kip Pardue and Michelle Williams, in “Imaginary Heroes” (2005). The cast includes Sigourney Weaver and Jeff Daniels as the parents of a family dealing with the suicide of their son (Kip Pardue) after he succumbs to the pressure and the attention of being a high school swimming champion. The film is about the four remaining members of the family dealing with their lost in their own, self-destructive ways. The film received a limited release in February 2005 but failed to reach a wider audidence, despite mostly positive reviews.

In “Lords of Dogtown” (2005), Emile was impressive in his depiction of Jay Adams, the off-kilter surfer who helped revolutionise skateboarding in the mid-1970’s and later fell prey to his out-of-control impulses. The film was released on June 3rd, 2005, but ultimately performed poorly at the box office.

Emile subsequently appeared in “Alpha Dog” (2007), a dark drama in which he played a character based on real-life drug dealer Jesse James Hollywood. The film was shot in 2004 and released on January 12th, 2007. Emile consulted with Hollywood’s real father before playing the role, and has said he felt “pretty afraid in my bones most of the time” while filming because of the film’s raw characters and dialogue.

He next played adventurer Christopher McCandless in Sean Penn’s critically acclaimed adventure-drama “Into the Wild” (2007). Sean Penn came to Emile for the roll of Chris after seeing his amazing performance of Jay Adams in “The Lords Of Dogtown”. The film was based on the book of the same title, which itself was a collection of facts concerning the real life Christopher McCandless and his adventures on the road. Disillusioned with materialisim in the world, McCandless rid himself of most of his earthly possessions, and at 22, headed out on a journey of self-discovery. Though McCandless has been both praised for his rugged individualism and criticized for what some call a juvenile narcissism and carelessness, the film offers an honest, nonjudgmental portrayal of its protagonist as a gregarious, if conflicted, young man dedicated to living an authentic life. When asked about the different ways in which he prepared himself both physically and emotionally for the role and the toll it took on him, Emile replied “It pays you. It doesnt take it’s toll on you. Physically and emotionally I was elated. My spirit was soaring”. He was recently voted 5th in line for losing the most weight for a film role (losing 40 pounds for “Into the Wild”), just behind the likes of Christian Bale (63 pounds for “The Machinist”) and Tom Hanks (53 pounds for “Cast Away). Emile was nomitated for Best Actor at the Academy Awards in 2008, and won for the role at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Emile followed “Into The Wild” by taking a supporting role in Jieho Lee’s “The Air I Breathe” alongside the likes of Sarah Michelle Gellar and Kevin Bacon. Emile plays Tony, the nephew of a powerful mobster, played by Andy Garcia. Tony’s only concern in life is girls, booze, and girls and he is ready to follow in his uncle’s footsteps. That is until his uncle’s assistant (Brendan Fraser) is told to show him the ropes and makes some decisions that impacts his life for the better. The film itself was a small, independant film and it gave the chance for Emile to play a very different character than he has in the past.

Emile then went on to play lead role in “Speed Racer“ (2008), an adaptation of the 1960’s Japanese animated series which is directed by the Wachowski brothers. Emile was chosen over Joseph Gorden-Levitt and Shia LeBeouf for the role and to prepare he watched every Speed Racer episode and visited Lowe’s Motor Speedway, where he met with driver Jimmie Johnson. “Speed Racer” was released to less than stellar reviews, and shunned in Hollywood. The bad reviews were based on decisions made by the directors (the color, effects, etc.) but did not let Emile shine. Emile has said that filming this movie was very different than his previous ones because it was done completely on a green screen.

Emile then quickly went to work on Gus Van Sant’s “Milk“ (2008), based on the true story of the first gay elected official, Harvey Milk (Sean Penn). The movie focuses on last pivotal moments in Milk’s life that lead up to his assasination. Emile plays Cleve Jones, one of Milk’s most trusted supporters. Also in the film is Josh Brolin, who plays Dan White, the murderer. James Franco plays Milk’s lover. The film is set to be released on the fifth of December in 2008, and already has talks of being nominated for an Academy Award.

Emile most current film is Ang Lee’s “Taking Woodstock” (2009), based on the novel by Elliot Tiber. The film is about a man working in a family-owned hotel, who unintentionally sets up Woodstock, the defining concert of the 1960′s. Emile plays a Vietnam veteran who recently returned home from war. Also playing rolls are Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Eugene Levy, and Paul Dano, who has starred alongside Emile in both “The Emperor’s Club” and “The Girl Next Door.” The film is to be released on June 26, 2008.

Emile is currently in the preproduction stages of the film “Hamlet” (2009). The film is based on the Shakespeare play of the same name. Although there have been many screen adaptations of Hamlet, none of them have had what this film has: Emile Hirsch. Aside from that, the film will also be the first to have Hamlet be played by an actor the age that Shakespeare intended him to be, and it will be set in modern time. The contemporary-thriller is Emile’s “brain child.”

Edited by Angela on October 8, 2008 & January 27, 2010.
SOURCE: yahoo