Oliver Platt
(1960 - )There is a reason Oliver Platt follows Vincent D’Onofrio on this Page and that is because I often confuse these two actors and/or their roles. Oliver Platt is built exactly like D’Onofrio; both are over 6 feet tall, both are bulky, hefty guys, they each have black hair, expressive eyes and are cast in similar type roles. Another thing they have in common is fantastic acting talent, yet they are each unique in their abilities and have their own particular style. Platt is so versatile that he was almost unrecognizable in the epic, costume drama “Dangerous Beauty.” He has taken to sporting a beard and mustache of late. I would like to see both of these actors cast in a film together in order to compare their styles. Oliver Platt was born on January 12, 1960 in Windsor, Ontario, Canada the son of Nicholas Platt, a career diplomat. He and his two brothers Adam and Nicholas were raised in China, Japan and Washington, D.C. He attended the Sheridan and Potomac schools in Washington, D.C., the American School in Japan and Colorado Rocky Mountain School. He majored in Drama at Tufts University in Massachusetts and graduated in 1983. It was at Tufts where he found a knack for acting and made his professional debut on stage. He stayed in Boston after graduation for a time but eventually made his way to New York. It was here he met his wife Camilla whom he married in 1993. They have three children: George, Claire and Lili, and he has often turned down offers that might draw him away from his family and New York. His film credits include: “Married to the Mob” (1988) as Ed Benitez, his film debut; “Working Girl” (1988) with Melanie Griffith and Harrison Ford, as Dave Lutz; “Crusoe” (1988) with Aidan Quinn, as Mr. Newby; “Flatliners” (1990) as Randal Steckle; “Postcards from the Edge” (1990) as Neil Bleene; “Beethoven” (1992) with Charles Grodin, as Harvey; “Diggstown” (1992) as Fitz; “The Temp” (1993) as Jack Hartsell; “Indecent Proposal” (1993) with Robert Redford, as Jeremy; “Benny & Joon” (1993) as Eric; “The Three Musketeers” (1993) as Porthos; “Tall Tale” (1995) as Paul Bunyan; “Funny Bones” (1995) with Jerry Lewis, as Tommy Fawkes, a critically acclaimed performance; “Executive Decision” (1996) as Dennis Cahill, my favorite of his roles; “A Time to Kill” (1996) as Harry Rex Vonner; “Dangerous Beauty” (1998) with Catherine McCormack, Maffio Venier, a nifty role indeed; “Bulworth” (1998) as Dennis Murphy; “Doctor Doolittle” (1998) with Eddie Murphy, as Mark Weller, M.D.; “Simon Birch” (1998) as Ben Goodrich; “The Impostors” (1998) as Maurice; “Lake Placid” (1999) as Hector Cyr; “Bicentennial Man” (1999) with Robin Williams, as Rupert Burns, another fine performance; “Gun Shy” (2000) as Fulvio Nesstra; “Ready to Rumble” (2000) as Jimmy King; “Don’t Say a Word” (2001) as Dr. Louis Sachs; “Ash Wednesday” (2001) as Moran; “Liberty Stands Still” (2002) as Victor Wallace; “Zigzag” (2002) as Toad; “Hope Springs” (2002) as Doug Reed and “Pieces of April” (2002). On TV he was a regular in the series: “The West Wing” (1999-present) as Oliver Babish and “Deadline” (2000) as Wallace Benton. He has also appeared in the TV movies: “The Infiltrator” (1995); “Cinderelmo” (1999) and “Queens Supreme” (2002). He also produced the film “Big Night” (1996). He has guest starred on the TV series: “The Equalizer”; “Miami Vice” and “Wiseguy.” He is a devoted family man and an avid Red Sox baseball fan.
From Great Character Actors, Page 9.
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