Far from Heaven : About The Cast


JULIANNE MOORE (Cathy Whitaker), an actress of exceptional range, has delivered outstanding work in both major studio hits and acclaimed independent features. For her performance in Todd Haynes' SAFE, she received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Actress.

Soon to be seen starring in Stephen Daldry's THE HOURS, Moore's other notable films include Neil Jordan's THE END OF THE AFFAIR and Paul Thomas Anderson's BOOGIE NIGHTS. Her performances in the latter movies earned her Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for each film. She also received a BAFTA Award nomination for THE END OF THE AFFAIR; an additional Golden Globe Award nomination for her work in Oliver Parker's AN IDEAL HUSBAND; and awards for BOOGIE NIGHTS from the National Society of Film Critics, Los Angeles Film Critics Association, and Florida Film Critics Circle as Best Supporting Actress.

Moore received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Robert Altman's SHORT CUTS, and later reunited with the director for COOKIE'S FORTUNE (for which she was honored by the Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association as Best Supporting Actress). She has also starred in such blockbusters as Ridley Scott's HANNIBAL and Steven Spielberg's THE LOST WORLD: JURASSIC PARK; in the independent films THE MYTH OF FINGERPRINTS and WORLD TRAVELER, both of which were written and directed by her companion, Bart Freundlich; and, again for Paul Thomas Anderson, in MAGNOLIA (for which she was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award).

Her four screen performances from 1999 (in COOKIE'S FORTUNE, AN IDEAL HUSBAND, MAGNOLIA, and Scott Elliott's A MAP OF THE WORLD) brought her the National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actress that year.

Moore's many other screen credits include Lasse Hallstrom's THE SHIPPING NEWS; Joel and Ethan Coen's THE BIG LEBOWSKI; Merchant Ivory's SURVIVING PICASSO; Chris Columbus' NINE MONTHS; Louis Malle's

VANYA ON 42nd STREET (for which she earned the Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress); Jeremiah Chechik's BENNY & JOON; and Curtis Hanson's THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE.

She will soon begin work on RAVELING, which Bart Freundlich will direct and co-adapt with her brother Peter Moore Smith, from the latter's novel. She will star in as well as executive-produce the feature.

After earning her B. F. A. from Boston University for the Performing Arts, Moore starred in a number of off-Broadway productions, including Caryl Churchill's "Serious Money" and "Ice Cream/Hot Fudge" at the Public Theater. In Minneapolis, she appeared in the Guthrie Theater's "Hamlet"; and participated in workshop productions of Strindberg's "The Father" (with Al Pacino) and Wendy Wasserstein's "An American Daughter" (with Meryl Streep).

Moore was recently honored with the Independent Feature Project (IFP) Gotham Awards' annual Actor Award, which recognizes a New York-based actor who has made significant artistic contributions to the city's film community.

DENNIS QUAID (Frank Whitaker) is one of America's most charismatic actors. This past spring, he earned both critical acclaim and boxoffice success in the title role of THE ROOKIE. Directed by John Lee Hancock, the film was based on the true story of pitcher Jim Morris, who went from being a high school baseball coach to a major-league ballplayer.

He is beginning work on two new movies: Mike Figgis' COLD CREEK MANOR and Roland Emmerich's THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW.

Quaid's recent films include Norman Jewison's HBO feature DINNER WITH FRIENDS, based on Donald Margulies' Pulitzer Prize-winning play; and Far from Heaven executive producer Steven Soderbergh's multi-Academy Award-winning blockbuster TRAFFIC.

The actor made his directorial debut for TNT in 1998 with the poignant drama EVERYTHING THAT RISES, in which he also starred.

His impressive list of film credits also includes Gregory Hoblit's FREQUENCY; Oliver Stone's ANY GIVEN SUNDAY; Willard Carroll's PLAYING BY HEART; Peter Antonijevic's SAVIOR; Nancy Meyers' THE PARENT TRAP (1998); Jeb Stuart's SWITCHBACK; Jim Kouf's GANG RELATED; Rob Cohen's DRAGONHEART; Lasse Hallstrom's SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT; Lawrence Kasdan's WYATT EARP; Steve Kloves' FLESH AND BONE; Alan Parker's COME SEE THE PARADISE; Jim McBride's GREAT BALLS OF FIRE! and THE BIG EASY; Taylor Hackford's EVERYBODY'S ALL-AMERICAN; Rocky Morton and Annabel Jankel's D. O. A. (1988); Peter Yates' SUSPECT and BREAKING AWAY; Joe Dante's INNERSPACE; Wolfgang Petersen's ENEMY MINE; Joseph Ruben's DREAMSCAPE and OUR WINNING SEASON; Philip Kaufman's THE RIGHT STUFF; Richard Fleischer's TOUGH ENOUGH; Ronald F. Maxwell's THE NIGHT THE LIGHTS WENT OUT IN GEORGIA; Jean-Claude Tramont's ALL NIGHT LONG; Walter Hill's THE LONG RIDERS (with his brother Randy); James Bridges' "9/30/55"; Anthony Page's I NEVER PROMISED YOU A ROSE GARDEN; and Jonathan Demme's CRAZY MAMA (his film debut).

Quaid starred with Mickey Rooney for director Anthony Page in both the Emmy Award-winning telefilm BILL and its sequel, BILL: ON HIS OWN.

In 1984, he starred opposite his brother Randy in the off-Broadway production of Sam Shepard's "True West," followed by a subsequent staging of the production in Los Angeles.

DENNIS HAYSBERT (Raymond Deagan) has lately captured the attention of critics and audiences alike with his portrayal of Presidential nominee David Palmer on the award-winning television series "24. " He continues as the character in the show's second season, which begins airing in the fall of 2002.
On the film front, Haysbert is best known for his starring role opposite Michelle Pfeiffer in Jonathan Kaplan's LOVE FIELD; and for playing Pedro Cerrano in the popular MAJOR LEAGUE movies (directed by David S. Ward, twice, and John Warren).

His other films include Gurinder Chadha's WHAT'S COOKING? and Gina Prince-Bythewood's LOVE AND BASKETBALL (starring opposite Alfre Woodard in both features); Sydney Pollack's RANDOM HEARTS; Josef Rusnak's THE THIRTEENTH FLOOR; Clint Eastwood's ABSOLUTE

POWER; Michael Mann's HEAT; Forest Whitaker's WAITING TO EXHALE; David Siegel and Scott McGehee's SUTURE (like Far from Heaven, executive-produced by Steven Soderbergh); and Lewis Teague's NAVY SEALS.

The California native studied acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Upon graduation, he won his first television role on an Emmy Award-winning episode of LOU GRANT that co-starred The Reverend Jesse Jackson.
Haysbert is very active in the fight against AIDS. In 2000, he was the spokesperson for the Harlem Health Expo entitled "Break the Silence. "

PATRICIA CLARKSON (Eleanor Fine) will shortly be seen starring in David Gordon Green's ALL THE REAL GIRLS; Anthony and Joe Russo's WELCOME TO COLLINWOOD (also for Section Eight); Rose Troche's THE SAFETY OF OBJECTS (also for Killer Films); and Lars von Trier's DOGVILLE.

For her performance as Greta, opposite Ally Sheedy, in Lisa Cholodenko's HIGH ART, Clarkson was nominated for an IFP Independent Spirit Award. Her many film credits also include Larry Fessenden's WENDIGO; Sean Penn's THE PLEDGE; Stanley Tucci's JOE GOULD'S SECRET; Frank Darabont's THE GREEN MILE; Willard Carroll's PLAYING BY HEART and Taylor Hackford's EVERYBODY'S ALL-AMERICAN (both with Far from Heaven star Dennis Quaid); Joe Johnston's JUMANJI; Jon Amiel's TUNE IN TOMORROW…; Buddy Van Horn's THE DEAD POOL; Daniel Petrie's ROCKET GIBRALTAR; and Brian De Palma's THE UNTOUCHABLES (her film debut).

She recently did multi-episode stints on the hit television series SIX FEET UNDER and FRASIER. Her television work has also included a regular role on MURDER ONE. She just completed a starring role in the telefilm remake of CARRIE.

Born and raised in New Orleans, Clarkson was acting in school plays by her early teens. After studying speech at Louisiana State University for two years, she transferred to Fordham University in New York, where she graduated summa cum laude with a degree in theatre arts. She earned her M. F. A. at the prestigious Yale School of Drama, where she appeared in "Electra," "Pacific Overtures," "Pericles," "La Ronde," "The Lower Depths," and "The Misanthrope" at the Yale Theatre.

She made her professional acting debut on the New York stage. There, she has appeared in "Eastern Standard" (both on and off-Broadway); Nicky Silver's acclaimed plays "Maidens Prayer" (for which she received Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk Award nominations) and "Raised in Captivity"; "Oliver Oliver"; Jerry Zaks' Lincoln Center staging of John Guare's "The House of Blue Leaves"; and several of Richard Greenberg's plays, including "Three Days of Rain. " Her regional credits include performing with the Williamstown Theatre Festival, the South Coast Repertory, and Yale Repertory.

VIOLA DAVIS (Sybil) received the 2001 Antoinette Perry (Tony) Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her performance as Tonya in August Wilson's "King Hedley II. " The performance also garnered her Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards. She had previously been nominated for Tony and Drama Desk Awards for her performance as Vera in August Wilson's "Seven Guitars," which brought her an Outer Critics Circle Award as well as a Theatre World Award for Outstanding Broadway Debut.

Her stage credits also include the title role in "Everybody's Ruby" (at New York's Public Theatre, for which she received an Obie Award and a Drama Desk Award nomination); New York Shakespeare Festival productions of "Pericles," and "As You Like It"; "God's Heart" (at New York's Lincoln Center); and August Wilson's "Joe Turner's Come and Gone. "

Davis has performed with, among other theater companies: American Conservatory Theatre, Sundance Theatre Institute, and Trinity Repertory Company. She has performed around the country at, among other theaters: The Goodman, The Guthrie, and The Huntington.

Her screen credits include three films directed by Far from Heaven executive producer Steven Soderbergh: the Academy Award-winning TRAFFIC, OUT OF SIGHT, and the upcoming SOLARIS; James Mangold's KATE & LEOPOLD; Richard Benjamin's THE SHRINK IS IN; Daniel Sullivan's THE SUBSTANCE OF FIRE; and the soon-to-be-released ANTWONE FISHER, directed by Denzel Washington.

Davis' television work includes a regular role on the Steven Bochco-produced series CITY OF ANGELS; the "Oprah Winfrey Presents" telefilm AMY & ISABELLE (directed by Lloyd Kramer); the "Hallmark Hall of Fame" telefilm GRACE AND GLORIE (directed by Arthur Allan Seidelman); Richard

Benjamin's telefilm THE PENTAGON WARS; and guest appearances on THE GUARDIAN, JUDGING AMY, THIRD WATCH, PROVIDENCE, NYPD BLUE, and LAW AND ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT.

She is a graduate of The Juilliard School and recently received an Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts Degree from her alma mater, Rhode Island College.

Author : Focus Features