Alessandro Nivola
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Biography
This grandson of acclaimed Italian sculptor Constantino Nivola began his acting career while still an undergraduate at Yale, landing the plum leading role in a Seattle production of Athol Fugard's "Master Harold... and the Boys." After college, Alessandro Nivola became a rising stage star thanks to his work in regional theater and his 1995 Broadway debut as the young lover of Helen Mirren in "A Month in the Country." Inevitably, film and television roles were offered; the handsome, light-haired actor appeared in the 1996 NBC miniseries "Danielle Steel's 'The Ring'" and landed his first film role as Joanna Going's preppy husband in "Inventing the Abbotts" before landing his breakthrough part as Nicolas Cage's paranoid schizophrenic brother in John Woo's "Face/Off" (both 1997). Nivola adopted a flawless British accent to play a mystery man from Rachel Weisz's past in "I Want You" (1998), directed by Michael Winterbottom. The chameleonic actor continued to add to his gallery of characters appearing in the thriller "Best Laid Plans" and again as an Englishman in Patricia Rozema's screen version of yet another Jane Austen novel "Mansfield Park" (both 1999).
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Cast (TV Mini-Series)
Life Events
1994
Received generally strong notices for performance as a young Brit in Long Wharf Theater production of "Paddywack"
1995
Made Broadway debut as Helen Mirren's young lover in "A Month in the Country"
1996
Made TV-acting debut in the NBC miniseries "Danielle Steel's The Ring"
1997
Landed first film role as Joanna Going's preppy husband in "Inventing the Abbotts"
1997
Delivered breakthrough screen role as Nicolas Cage's paranoid schizophrenic brother in John Woo's "Face/Off"
1998
Adopted a British accent to play a mystery man from Rachel Weisz's past in "I Want You"
1998
Filmed role in support of Brooke Shields in TV movie "The Almost Perfect Bank Robbery" (CBS)
1999
Played the King of Navarre in Kenneth Branagh's musicalized version of Shakespeare's "Love's Labour's Lost"
1999
Starred opposite Reese Witherspoon in "Best Laid Plans"
1999
Returned to the stage opposite Gwyneth Paltrow in Williamstown Theatre Festival production of "As You Like It"
2001
Landed a featured role in "Jurassic Park III"
2002
Played a rock singer involved with his record producer, played by Frances McDormand, in "Laurel Canyon"
2003
Cast opposite Julia Stiles in romantic comedy "Carolina"
2004
Starred opposite Robert Redford and Helen Mirren in "The Clearing"
2005
Co-starred in independent southern drama "Junebug"
2006
Played a British soccer player in Danny Cannon's "Goal! The Dream Begins"
2007
Reprised role for sequel "Goal! 2: Living the Dream..."
2008
Co-starred with Jessica Alba in supernatural thriller remake "The Eye"
2009
Co-starred opposite Audrey Tautou in biographical drama "Coco Before Chanel"; learned to speak French for role
2010
Cast in "Howl," a biographical feature on Allen Ginsberg with James Franco in lead role
2010
Appeared in off-Broadway play "A Lie of the Mind," directed by Ethan Hawke
2011
Played a fading rock star opposite Abigail Breslin in drama "Janie Jones"
2012
Acted opposite Elle Fanning, Alice Englert, and Annette Bening in 1960s drama "Ginger & Rosa"
2013
Was featured in David O. Russell's ensemble crime drama "American Hustle"
2014
Played Peter Forente in the '80s-set crime drama "A Most Violent Year"
2014
Appeared in Ava DuVernay's civil rights film "Selma"
2015
Had a recurring role on "Doll & Em"
2016
Had an uncredited role in Nicolas Winding Refn's thriller "The Neon Demon"
2017
Played a senator in Lynne Ramsay's Jonathan Ames adaptation "You Were Never Really Here"
2018
Was cast opposite Rachel McAdams in romantic drama "Disobedience"
Family
Companions
