- Born
- Birth nameEric Hamilton Stoltz
- Height6′ 0½″ (1.84 m)
- Eric Stoltz is a theater-trained actor and producer who has starred in both independent and studio films. He was born on September 30, and is of Irish, German and Scottish ancestry. Eric was raised in both American Samoa and Santa Barbara, California, where by the age of fourteen, he was earning money by playing piano for the local musical theater productions, including "Mame" starring Anthony Edwards, whom he co-starred with as Jeff Spicoli's stoner friends in Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982). The two became friends, and then college roommates when both attended the University of Southern California. Dropping out in his junior year, Eric joined a repertory company that did 10 plays at the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland. Moving to New York in 1981, he studied with Stella Adler and Peggy Feury, and soon appeared in his first film, Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982). In the 1980s, he garnered attention (and a Golden Globe Award nomination) starring as Rocky Dennis in Mask (1985), and in John Hughes' Some Kind of Wonderful (1987). In 1988, he made his Broadway debut in Our Town (1989), for which he was nominated for a Tony Award.
In the 1990s, he went back and forth from stage to film, building up an eclectic resume that included studio films (Pulp Fiction (1994)), independent films (Sundance Festival Winner The Waterdance (1992)), and films that he himself produced (Mr. Jealousy (1997)). He also continued to appear on the New York stage both on Broadway ("Three Sisters", "Two Shakespearean Actors") and off-Broadway ("The Importance of Being Ernest", "The Glass Menagerie"). He continued to work in television as well, doing a recurring role as Helen Hunt's ex on Mad About You (1992), a year on Chicago Hope (1994), and in the television and cable movies Inside (1996) (directed by Arthur Penn), A Killer in the Family (1983) (with Robert Mitchum) and The Passion of Ayn Rand (1999) (with Dame Helen Mirren). Since 2002, he has concentrated mainly on directing, having done a television movie, several short films, several independent films, and television series such as Grey's Anatomy (2005), Boston Legal (2004), Nashville (2012) and Glee (2009). In 2014, he became the producing director of the CBS drama series, Madam Secretary (2014).- IMDb Mini Biography By: kay-47
- SpouseBernadette Moley(2005 - present) (2 children)
- RelativesCatherine Ellen Stoltz(Sibling)Susan Ruth Stoltz(Sibling)
- Frequently works with Roger Avary
- Red hair and blue eyes
- Menacing stature
- He was cast as Marty McFly in Back to the Future (1985) after Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale were unable to get Michael J. Fox, their first choice for the role, due to scheduling conflicts. After only five weeks of filming, he was let go from the film because Zemeckis and Gale thought he was "too intense" for the character. Fox, who by then was available, took over the role. Stoltz later went on to play the title role in The Fly II (1989) where his character's name was also Martin. So Stoltz went from playing Marty (short for Martin) McFly to Martin THE fly.
- Director Cameron Crowe promised him a role, however small, in every film he makes. Though Crowe hasn't cast him in any of his films since Jerry Maguire (1996).
- According to a 1992 Movieline Interview, the casting agents for Mask (1985) had refused to let him in to read for the role. When he had finally finagled his way into an audition via a sympathetic receptionist, he arrived for his big chance before the casting people wearing a stocking over his face. And he got the role. Now he really put the technique to work. Reportedly, he also insisted on being called Rocky, never Eric. But he went further than that. "I walked around town with the mask on. It was important to get people's reactions in grocery stores and post offices and see what they would say when they saw me strolling down the street. I just wanted to get an idea of how Rocky may have felt, which was horrible. People were generally cruel and mean. They would make snide comments. Kids threw things at me. People took pictures and asked, 'Hey, are you in the circus?'".
- Worked as a production assistant on the films Say Anything (1989) and Illegally Yours (1988) to learn from the famed first assistant director Jerry Ziesmer about the production side of filmmaking.
- (1980-1983) Lived with Ally Sheedy (they met each other in college). They both appeared in Our Guys: Outrage at Glen Ridge (1999).
- It's hard not to get a big head in the film industry, there are people on a set paid to cater to your every need, from the minute you arrive until you go home. It's kind of strange, but not unpleasant.
- I'm interested in doing movies I wouldn't normally be interested in doing.
- I realize I'm a very lucky man. I love what I do, I love films, tv and theater, and the fact that I'm able to make a living at it staggers me.
- There's a strange sense of accomplishment in making an independent film. Everything's against you; there's no time, and even less money- you bring a bottle of glue, chip in twenty bucks, and hope you all make it through the day. If you manage to finish it and it actually turns out to be pretty good, it's thrilling.
- I find that there are two kinds of actors (or actresses) that you work with constantly: (1) The Respectful Actor. This person is kind and giving and talented and fun to work with and respectful of your relationship. (2) The Predatory Actor. This person is kind and giving and talented and fun to work with but feels that because they are famous they don't have to function within society's rules, i.e., if they are hungry, they eat; if they are attracted to their co-star, they act on it, married or not, no matter what destruction may ensue. These people obviously should be in therapy.
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