Nick Stahl

Summary

Nicolas Kent Stahl (December 5, 1979) is an American actor. Starting out as a child actor, he gained recognition for his performance in the 1993 film The Man Without a Face, directed by and co-starring Mel Gibson.

Nick Stahl
Stahl at the 2023 WonderCon
Born
Nicolas Kent Stahl

(1979-12-05) December 5, 1979 (age 44)
OccupationActor
Years active1991–present
Spouse
Rose Murphy
(m. 2009; sep. 2012)
Children1

He later transitioned into his adult career with roles in the films Disturbing Behavior, The Thin Red Line, In the Bedroom, Bully, Sin City, and Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines in the role of John Connor, as well as on the HBO series Carnivàle in the role of Ben Hawkins. He also starred as Jason Riley on the AMC television series Fear the Walking Dead. In April 2023, he starred as Lucas on the Hulu television series Tiny Beautiful Things.

Early life edit

Stahl was born in Harlingen, Texas,[citation needed] the son of Donna Lynn (née Reed), a brokerage assistant,[1][2] and William Kent Stahl, a businessman who abandoned his family before Nick was born. Stahl stated in a 2021 interview, "I don’t know my dad. I never met him."[3] He was raised in Dallas along with his two sisters by his divorced mother, who struggled to make ends meet.[1][2]

Career edit

His first professional casting was in Stranger at My Door (1991), although he had been acting in children's plays since he was four years old. The 1993 film The Man Without a Face, co-starring Mel Gibson, helped boost his career at the age of 13. The following year, he had a supporting role in the ensemble film Safe Passage. In 1996, he played the role of Puck in Benjamin Britten's opera A Midsummer Night's Dream at The Metropolitan Opera in New York. In 1998 he played a doomed young soldier during the World War II Pacific War in The Thin Red Line. He scored critical and box office success again with his role in the 2001 movie In the Bedroom, which starred Sissy Spacek as his mother. He scored another box office hit in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) as John Connor (replacing Edward Furlong from Terminator 2: Judgment Day), co-starring with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Claire Danes. In 2003, he starred in the HBO series Carnivàle, which drew a loyal audience as well as rave reviews. The show lasted two seasons, ending in 2006.

Stahl has played two villains to good reviews: Bobby Kent in the film Bully (2001) and Roark Jr./Yellow Bastard in Sin City (2005). Stahl did not reprise his role as John Connor in Terminator Salvation with Christian Bale taking over instead. Stahl noted the film's concept as "a jump to the future, so [John Connor] will be quite a bit older."[4] Other roles included How to Rob a Bank (2007), Sleepwalking (2008), and Quid Pro Quo (2008).

In 2010, Stahl starred as Max Matheson in Mirrors 2, the sequel to Mirrors, directed by Victor Garcia[5] and penned by Matt Venne.[6] Among his more recent films are On the Inside (2010) and Afghan Luke (2011), and Away from Here (2014).

In 2019, Stahl portrayed serial killer Glen Edward Rogers in The Murder of Nicole Brown Simpson. Filming commenced over the summer in 2018 and the film was released in the UK on December 9, 2019.

Also in 2019, Stahl appeared in The Lumineers’ short film, III, which is based on their album of the same name. Stahl played the character Jimmy Sparks, who is a father and gambling addict.

In November 2021, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Stahl would star alongside Sean Bean and Famke Janssen in the film Knights of the Zodiac, a live-action adaptation of the Saint Seiya manga series.[7] The film will be released on May 12, 2023.[8]

In April 2023, he appeared in a recurring role as Lucas on the Hulu television series Tiny Beautiful Things, opposite Kathryn Hahn.

Personal life edit

Stahl married actress Rose Murphy in June 2009. They have a daughter, Marlo, born in 2010.[9][1] They separated in 2012.[9]

In May 2012, Stahl's wife reported him missing.[10] It was later reported that Stahl had checked into rehab.[11] On December 27, 2012, Stahl was arrested at an adult film store in Hollywood, California, on suspicion of committing a lewd act.[12] No charges were filed due to insufficient evidence.[13] On June 28, 2013, Stahl was arrested in Hollywood for alleged possession of methamphetamine.[13]

In a 2017 interview at the Dallas Comic Show, Stahl stated he had moved to Texas and was taking a leave of absence from acting to concentrate on family and sobriety.[14][15] Stahl returned to acting in 2019 when filming of The Murder of Nicole Brown Simpson began.[16]

Filmography edit

Film edit

Year Title Role Notes
1993 The Man Without a Face Chuck Norstadt Nominated – Young Artist Award for Best Youth Actor Co-Starring in a Motion Picture Drama
1994 Safe Passage Simon Singer
1995 Tall Tale Daniel Hackett
1997 Eye of God Tom Spencer
1998 Disturbing Behavior Gavin Strick
1998 Soundman Tommy Pepin
1998 The Thin Red Line Pfc. Edward Bead Satellite Award for Best Cast – Motion Picture
2000 Lover's Prayer Vladimir
2000 Sunset Strip Zach
2001 In the Bedroom Frank Fowler Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
2001 The Sleepy Time Gal Morgan
2001 Bully Bobby Kent
2002 Taboo Christian Turner
2002 Wasted Chris
2003 Bookies Toby
2003 Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines John Connor
2003 Twist Artful Dodger Nominated – Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
2005 Sin City Roark Junior / Yellow Bastard Nominated – Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Cast
2006 The Night of the White Pants Horace "Raff" Rafferty
2007 How to Rob a Bank Jason Taylor / Jinx
2008 Quid Pro Quo Isaac Knott
2008 Sleepwalking James Reedy
2009 My One and Only Bud
2010 The Chameleon Brendan Kerrigan
2010 Burning Palms Robert Kane
2010 Meskada Noah Cordin
2010 Dead Awake Dylan
2010 Kalamity Billy Klepack
2010 Mirrors 2 Max Matheson
2010 Everything Will Happen Before You Die Hunter Robinson
2011 The Speed of Thought Joshua Lazarus
2011 On the Inside Allen Meneric
2011 Afghan Luke Luke Benning
2011 388 Arletta Avenue James Deakin
2014 Away from Here James
2019 III Jimmy Sparks Short film
2019 The Murder of Nicole Brown Simpson Glen Edward Rogers
2020 Hunter Hunter Lou
2021 What Josiah Saw Eli Graham
2021 American Dream Yuri
2021 Grace and Grit Bob Doty
2021 Night Blooms Wayne
2023 Knights of the Zodiac Cassios
Confidential Informant Mike Thorton

Television edit

Year Title Role Notes
1991 Stranger at My Door Robert Fortier Television film
1992 Woman with a Past Brian Television film
1994 Incident in a Small Town John Bell Trenton Television film
1995 Blue River Young Edward Sellars Television film
1996 My Son Is Innocent Eric Sutter Television film
1996 Out of Order Unknown Episode: "Hey Joey"
1997 Promised Land Billy Sullivan Episode: "Cowboy Blues"
1998 Hercules Castor (voice) Episode: "Hercules and the Trojan War"
1999 Seasons of Love Grover Linthorne Television film
2002 Wasted Chris Television film
Nominated – Prism Award for Performance in TV Movie or Miniseries
2003–2005 Carnivàle Ben Hawkins 24 episodes
Nominated – Satellite Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama
Nominated – Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor on Television
2009 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Peter Harrison Episode: "Zebras"
2011 Locke & Key Duncan Locke Pilot (unaired)
2012 House of Lies Kurt Episode: "Mini Mogul"
2012 Body of Proof Marcel Trevino 2 episodes
2021 Fear the Walking Dead Jason Riley 5 episodes
2021 Animal Kingdom Mike 5 episodes
2022 Dead in the Water: A Fear the Walking Dead Story Jason Riley Web series; Main role
Let the Right One In Matthew Main role
2023 Tiny Beautiful Things Lucas Main role

Music videos edit

Year Artist Role Notes
2019 The Lumineers Jimmy Sparks 4 videos


Awards and nominations edit

Year Award Category Work Results
1994 Young Artist Awards Best Youth Actor Co-Starring in a Motion Picture Drama The Man Without a Face Nominated
1999 Satellite Awards Outstanding Motion Picture Ensemble The Thin Red Line Won
2001 Awards Circuit Community Awards Best Cast Ensemble In the Bedroom Nominated
2002 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by the Cast of a Theatrical Motion Picture In the Bedroom Nominated
2003 Prism Award Performance in TV Movie or Miniseries Wasted Nominated
2004 Satellite Awards Best Actor in a Series, Drama Carnivàle Nominated
2004 Saturn Awards Best Supporting Actor in a Television Series Carnivàle Nominated
2005 Genie Awards Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role Twist Nominated
2006 Gold Derby Awards Ensemble Cast Sin City Nominated
2006 Critics Choice Awards Best Acting Ensemble Sin City Nominated
2021 Brooklyn Horror Film Festival Best Actor What Josiah Saw Won
2021 Mammoth Lakes Film Festival Best Cast Won

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Abramovitch, Seth (November 4, 2021). "Nick Stahl on Addiction That Nearly Killed Him: "I Never Had a Brake Pedal"". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  2. ^ a b Segarra, Edward (November 4, 2021). "'Terminator' star Nick Stahl opens up about past alcohol addiction: 'I never had a brake pedal with it'". USA Today. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  3. ^ https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/feature/nick-stahl-addiction-recovery-1235040926/#!
  4. ^ "Nick Stahl Confirms 'Terminator 4' No-Show". Killermovies.com. February 1, 2005. Retrieved August 9, 2009.
  5. ^ Serafini, Matt (October 27, 2009). "Nick Stahl Looks Deep Into the Mirror". DreadCentral. Retrieved June 7, 2016.
  6. ^ "Nick Stahl to Topline 'Mirrors II'". BloodyDisgusting. October 26, 2009. Retrieved June 7, 2016.
  7. ^ Kit, Borys (September 21, 2021). "Mackenyu, Madison Iseman, Sean Bean, Famke Janssen to Star in Live-Action 'Knights of the Zodiac' Adaptation (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  8. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (July 23, 2022). "Live-Action Knights of the Zodiac Film Opens in 2023". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  9. ^ a b "Nick Stahl, actor". Hollywood.com. Retrieved June 7, 2015.
  10. ^ "Nick Stahl's Wife "Extremely Worried" About Missing Actor". E! Online. May 18, 2012.
  11. ^ "Nick Stahl Checks Into Rehab (Report)". The Hollywood Reporter. May 21, 2012.
  12. ^ "Actor Nick Stahl Arrested on Suspicion of Lewd Conduct in Adult Movie Store". The Hollywood Reporter. December 28, 2012.
  13. ^ a b "Terminator's Nick Stahl Arrested Again—Find Out What He Got Busted for This Time". E! Online. June 28, 2013.
  14. ^ Dallas Comic Show - 2017 February - Nick Stahl (John Conner, Yellow Bastard, Bully) on YouTube
  15. ^ "10 former Disney stars who went off the rails". www.yahoo.com. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
  16. ^ Stern, Marlow (December 23, 2019). "The Nicole Brown Simpson Movie Proposing a New Murder Theory". Retrieved December 26, 2019.

External links edit