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Homework and Red State wow audiences at Sundance, Homework picked up by Fox Searchlight
Michael premiered two films at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. The debut feature from writer/director Gavin Wiesen, "Homework" tells the story of George (Freddie Highmore), a brilliant but solitary high school student who doesn't believe in anything until he strikes up a friendship with Sally (Emma Roberts), the girl he's longed for from across the room. Michael plays Dustin, a successful local artist who takes George under his wing. Also starring are Elizabeth Reaser, Rita Wilson, and Blair Underwood. "Homework" was one of only 16 films selected for the U.S. Dramatic Competition at Sundance out of 1,102 submissions. After its first screening, "Homework" was acquired by Fox Searchlight for a tentative Summer 2011 release. "Red State" is a new thriller from acclaimed writer/director Kevin Smith (Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy). A group of misfits encounters religious fundamentalism gone to the extreme in Middle America. Co-starring are Kyle Gallner, Michael Parks, Stephen Root, John Goodman, and Kevin Pollak, along with Mike's "Black Irish" co-star Melissa Leo and "Sky High" castmate Nicholas Braun.
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Ceremony release date announced
Michael stars in "Ceremony," from writer/director Max Winkler. Jason Reitman ("Juno") and Daniel Dubiecki produced. In "Ceremony," a woman (Uma Thurman) is about to be married to her British suitor when an infatuated young admirer (Michael) attempts to break up the wedding. He enlists his best friend (Reece Thompson of "Rocket Science") in the mission. Following its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, the film was picked up by Magnolia Pictures. "Ceremony" will hit theaters on April 8, 2011 and will be Michael's first theatrical release since "Gentlemen Broncos" in October 2009.
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Michael has completed Haywire
Michael has completed filming "Haywire," (formerly "Knockout") from legendary director Steven Soderbergh. The all-star cast includes Michael Douglas, Michael Fassbender, Ewan McGregor, Bill Paxton, Channing Tatum, and Antonio Banderas. Screenwriter Lem Dobbs' script is a taut spy thriller about betrayal and revenge in the world of Blackwater-style special ops. Gina Carano plays a spy who takes a teen under her wing (Michael) in seeking revenge on a teammate turned adversary. Locations include Dublin, Spain, Turkey, and New Mexico. Relativity Media is producing. "Haywire" will be released through Overture Films in Spring 2011.
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Michael's newest movies on DVD
Michael's recent films are all available on home video. Look for "Gentlemen Broncos" from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, "The Forbidden Kingdom" from Lionsgate Home Entertainment, "Snow Angels" from Warner Independent Home Video, "Black Irish" from Echo Bridge Entertainment, and "The Final Season" from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
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Michael was born and raised in the New York area. Originating as a New York City Ford Model, he moved to film and television at the early age of five where he guest starred on shows such as The Pretender, Seven Days, and Another World. Around the age of twelve Michael was receiving more complex roles and challenges, and is when Michael notes that he "really, truly started acting." During this time he took a lead role in the television drama Cover Me, a show based on the true life of an FBI family. Most striking about this series was Michael's performances, showing us how dynamic and diverse he could be at a young age.
Michael's film career blossomed with critically acclaimed performances as Meryl Streep's son Nick in Music of the Heart, young Red Pollard in Seabiscuit, and Almost Famous, where he played the younger version of the main character, William Miller, a teenage music fan who is inspired by the bands of the time and lands himself a magazine assignment to interview and follow a new band. A string of diverse roles followed including Disney's Sky High, where Michael finds himself the son of two superheroes, mysteriously without any powers of his own. In Lords of Dogtown, Michael plays Sid, one of the legendary Z-Boys who pioneered the revival of skateboarding in the 1980s. Click HERE to see the Dogtown section.
In his late teens, Michael continued to take the lead in many films both independent and wide release. In the mid-late 90s Michael turned out some incredible performances, starting with One Last Thing, in which plays the role of a young teen struggling with complications from cancer, and his pursuit to make his last wish come true. In Black Irish he plays 15-year-old Cole McKay, a sweet-natured, baseball-loving, obedient teenager who yearns for the attentions of his emotionally remote father (Brendan Gleeson). Cole is by turns nurtured and abandoned by the rest of his family. In the true story of The Final Season, what's destined to be baseball's version of "Hoosiers," Michael plays a high school baseball player on a team who comes together to beat all the odds and win their 20th state title in what becomes their final season.
Man in the Chair centers around a 17-year-old kid who flirts with the law, underachieves at school, and is at odds with his loving mother and his constantly indifferent and derisive stepfather. Despite his flaws and problems, Michael's character dreams to be the "man in the chair," a cutting edge filmmaker, who is afforded a once in a lifetime opportunity.
As a young adult Michael continued to garner acclaim for his bold choices. In Snow Angels, from director David Gordon Green, Michael plays a teen dealing with the joy and confusion of first love. The tender relationship between Michael's character (Arthur) and Olivia Thirlby (Lila) is at the heart of this groundbreaking film. The Forbidden Kingdom is the long-awaited collaboration between martial arts masters Jackie Chan and Jet Li. Mike plays a troubled 17-year-old wannabe kung fu warrior who, after a humiliating defeat at the hands of a street gang, is sent back in time to ancient China on an impossible mission to set free the imprisoned Monkey King and return to him his all-powerful staff. In Gentlemen Broncos, directed by Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite), Mike plays a young author who attends a science fiction writers' camp where he discovers his idea has been stolen. Michael's "Snow Angels" co-star Sam Rockwell plays the lead character in Mike's book.
Now 23, Michael continues to take on challenging roles with some of today's most esteemed actors. He has four movies awaiting release. Michael will next be appearing in Ceremony, from first-time writer/director Max Winkler. Acclaimed producer Jason Reitman ("Juno") oversees the project along with producer Daniel Dubiecki. In this surefire comedy hit, a woman (Uma Thurman) is about to be married to her British suitor when an infatuated young admirer (Michael) attempts to break up the wedding. He enlists his best friend (Reece Thompson) in the mission. Following its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, the film was picked up by Magnolia Pictures for US theatrical release on April 8, 2011.
Haywire (formerly Knockout) is from legendary director Steven Soderbergh. The all-star cast includes Michael Douglas, Michael Fassbender, Ewan McGregor, Bill Paxton, Channing Tatum, and Antonio Banderas. Screenwriter Lem Dobbs' script is a taut spy thriller about betrayal and revenge in the world of Blackwater-style special ops. Gina Carano plays a spy who takes a teen under her wing (Michael) in seeking revenge on a teammate turned adversary. The $25 million movie was shot on location in Dublin, Spain, Turkey, and New Mexico. Relativity Media is producing. Haywire will be released theatrically through Overture Films in 2011.
Michael premiered two films at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. The debut feature from writer/director Gavin Wiesen, Homework tells the story of George (Freddie Highmore), a brilliant but solitary high school student who doesn't believe in anything until he strikes up a friendship with Sally (Emma Roberts), the girl he's longed for from across the room. Michael plays Dustin, a successful local artist who takes George under his wing. Also starring are Elizabeth Reaser, Rita Wilson, and Blair Underwood. Homework was one of only 16 films selected for the U.S. Dramatic Competition at Sundance out of 1,102 submissions. After its first screening, Homework was acquired by Fox Searchlight for a tentative Summer 2011 release. Red State is a new thriller from acclaimed writer/director Kevin Smith (Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy). A group of misfits encounters religious fundamentalism gone to the extreme in Middle America. Co-starring are Kyle Gallner, Michael Parks, Stephen Root, John Goodman, and Kevin Pollak, along with Mike's Black Irish co-star Melissa Leo and Sky High castmate Nicholas Braun. Red State also debuted at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival.
Michael appeared in the ever popular television action/drama 24 on FOX in 2007. He was seen in the first four episodes of season 6, playing the character of Scott. He also starred in the long-running comedy Will and Grace. Michael, who played Jack's (Sean Hayes) son Elliott, came into the series as a 12-year-old boy who has spent several years searching for his real dad. Both on the screen as a father/son combination and off the screen as friends, Sean and Michael really hit it off.
In spite of his very busy acting career, Michael maintains a remarkably normal life. Michael loves to play sports, hang out with his friends, and go to movies. He spends a decent amount of time in Los Angeles and on location, but still remains very close to his large family in New York, returning as often as he can.
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