Timothy Blake Nelson (born May 11, 1964) is an American actor and playwright. Described as a "modern character actor", his roles include Delmar O'Donnell in '' O Brother, Where Art Thou?'' (2000), Gideon in '' Minority Report'' (2002), Dr. Pendanski in '' Holes'' (2003), Danny Dalton Jr. in '' Syriana'' (2005), Samuel Sterns in the

Marvel Cinematic Universe The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appear in American comic books published ...

, Richard Schell in '' Lincoln'' (2012), the title character in '' The Ballad of Buster Scruggs'' (2018), and

Henry McCarty Billy the Kid (born Henry McCarty; September 17 or November 23, 1859July 14, 1881), also known by the pseudonym William H. Bonney, was an outlaw and gunfighter of the American Old West, who killed eight men before he was shot and killed at th ...

in '' Old Henry'' (2021). He portrayed Wade Tillman / Looking Glass in the HBO limited series ''

Watchmen ''Watchmen'' is an American comic book maxiseries by the British creative team of writer Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons and colorist John Higgins. It was published monthly by DC Comics in 1986 and 1987 before being collected in a single-vo ...

'' (2019), for which he received a Critics' Choice Television Awards nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in

2020 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global social and economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, worldwide lockdowns and the largest economic recession since the Great Depression in ...

. Nelson's directorial credits include '' Eye of God'' (1997), which was nominated for the Sundance Grand Jury Prize and an Independent Spirit Award; '' O'' (2001), a modern-day adaptation of ''

Othello ''Othello'' (full title: ''The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'') is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare, probably in 1603, set in the contemporary Ottoman–Venetian War (1570–1573) fought for the control of the Island of Cyp ...

;'' and the Holocaust drama '' The Grey Zone'' (2001). ''Eye of God'' and ''The Grey Zone'' were both adapted from Nelson's own plays.

Early life

Nelson was born to a

Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

family in

Tulsa, Oklahoma Tulsa () is the second-largest city in the U.S. state, state of Oklahoma and List of United States cities by population, 47th-most populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. ...

, the son of Ruth Nelson (''

née A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth ...

'' Kaiser),Michael Smith
"Bloomer Sooner: Tulsa native Tim Blake Nelson's roots are showing"
''

Tulsa World The ''Tulsa World'' is the daily newspaper for the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and primary newspaper for the northeastern and eastern portions of Oklahoma. Tulsa World Media Company is part of Lee Enterprises. The new owners announced in January 20 ...

'', May 6, 2009. a noted Tulsa social activist and philanthropist, and Don Nelson, a geologist and wildcatter. His maternal uncle is businessman

George Kaiser George Bruce Kaiser (born October 30, 1943) is an American billionaire businessman. He is the chairman of BOK Financial Corporation in Tulsa, Oklahoma. As of September 2021, he is the 476th richest person in the world and was, in 2012, one o ...

. His maternal grandparents Herman Geo. Kaiser and Kate Kaiser, daughter of businessman

Max Samuel Max Samuel (9 January 1883 – 2 September 1942) was a German businessman and self-made man, founder and managing-director of the ''EMSA-Werke'', chair of the Jewish congregation in Rostock and head deputy of the Israelite Upper Council ...

, were from Germany, and escaped the

Nazi Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right politics, far-right Totalitarianism, totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hit ...

s shortly before

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

. They moved to Britain in 1938, where Nelson's mother was born, and immigrated to the United States in 1941. His father's family were

Russian-Jewish The history of the Jews in Russia and areas historically connected with it goes back at least 1,500 years. Jews in Russia have historically constituted a large religious and ethnic diaspora; the Russian Empire at one time hosted the largest pop ...

emigrants. Nelson attended the Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute at Quartz Mountain Resort Arts and Conference Center in Lone Wolf, Oklahoma. Nelson is a 1982 graduate of Holland Hall School in Tulsa, and a graduate of Brown University, where he was a classics major as well as senior orator for his class of 1986. At Brown, he studied under philosopher

Martha Nussbaum Martha Craven Nussbaum (; born May 6, 1947) is an American philosopher and the current Ernst Freund Distinguished Service Professor of Law and Ethics at the University of Chicago, where she is jointly appointed in the law school and the philoso ...

. He is a member of the

Phi Beta Kappa Society The Phi Beta Kappa Society () is the oldest academic honor society in the United States, and the most prestigious, due in part to its long history and academic selectivity. Phi Beta Kappa aims to promote and advocate excellence in the liberal ar ...

. He won the Workman/Driskoll award for excellence in classical studies. He graduated from

Juilliard The Juilliard School ( ) is a private performing arts conservatory in New York City. Established in 1905, the school trains about 850 undergraduate and graduate students in dance, drama, and music. It is widely regarded as one of the most e ...

in 1990, a member of Group 19.

Career

Nelson's debut play, ''Eye of God'', was produced at

Seattle Repertory Theatre Seattle Repertory Theatre (familiarly known as "The Rep") is a major regional theatre located in Seattle, Washington, at the Seattle Center. It is a member of Theatre Puget SoundThe Grey Zone'' premiered at MCC Theater in New York in 1996, where his 1998 work ''Anadarko'' was produced. He was a co-star of the sketch comedy show ''The Unnaturals'', which ran on HA! (later

CTV CTV may refer to: Television * Connected TV, or Smart TV, a TV set with integrated internet North America and South America * CTV Television Network, a Canadian television network owned by Bell Media ** CTV 2, a secondary Canadian televisio ...

, and would turn into

Comedy Central Comedy Central is an American basic cable channel owned by Paramount Global through its network division's MTV Entertainment Group unit, based in Manhattan. The channel is geared towards young adults aged 18–34 and carries comedy program ...

) between 1989 and 1991, alongside Paul Zaloom, John Mariano and

Siobhan Fallon Hogan Siobhan Fallon Hogan (pronounced , born May 13, 1961) is an American actress and comedian. She has appeared in films such as '' Men in Black'', ''Forrest Gump'', '' The Negotiator'', '' Holes'', '' Daddy Day Care'', '' Going in Style'', and '' Th ...

. Nelson has appeared as an actor in film, TV and theatre. He had a featured role as Delmar in the film '' O Brother, Where Art Thou?'' According to directors

Joel and Ethan Coen Joel Daniel Coen (born November 29, 1954) and Ethan Jesse Coen (born September 21, 1957),State of Minnesota. ''Minnesota Birth Index, 1935–2002''. Minnesota Department of Health. collectively known as the Coen brothers (), are American film ...

, he was the only one in the cast or crew who had read

Homer Homer (; grc, Ὅμηρος , ''Hómēros'') (born ) was a Greek poet who is credited as the author of the '' Iliad'' and the '' Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Homer is considered one of ...

's ''

Odyssey The ''Odyssey'' (; grc, Ὀδύσσεια, Odýsseia, ) is one of two major Ancient Greek literature, ancient Greek Epic poetry, epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by moder ...

'', a story upon which the film is loosely based. He sang " In the Jailhouse Now" on the film's soundtrack (which received a

Grammy The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...

for Album of the Year in 2002). He has had a number of supporting performances in feature films such as '' Minority Report'', '' Syriana'' and '' Lincoln''. He also appeared in

Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Comics'' in 19 ...

adaptations ''

The Incredible Hulk The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of '' The Incredible Hulk'' (May 1962). In his comic book ...

'' and ''

Fantastic Four The Fantastic Four is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team debuted in '' The Fantastic Four'' #1 ( cover dated Nov. 1961), helping usher in a new level of realism in the medium. It was the first ...

''. He portrayed Ralph Myers in the drama/legal drama ''

Just Mercy ''Just Mercy'' is a 2019 American biographical legal drama film co-written and directed by Destin Daniel Cretton and starring Michael B. Jordan as Bryan Stevenson, Jamie Foxx as Walter McMillian, Rob Morgan, Tim Blake Nelson, Rafe Spall, ...

'' (2019). Nelson narrated the 2001 audiobook ''At the Altar of Speed: The Fast Life and Tragic Death of Dale Earnhardt, Sr.'' He appeared on stage extensively off-Broadway in New York at theatres including

Manhattan Theater Club Manhattan Theatre Club (MTC) is a theatre company located in New York City, affiliated with the League of Resident Theatres. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Lynne Meadow and Executive Producer Barry Grove, Manhattan Theatre Club has g ...

, Playwrights Horizons, Manhattan Class Company, Soho Repertory Theater, New York Theater Workshop, and Central Park's Open Air Theater in the Shakespeare plays ''

Richard III Richard III (2 October 145222 August 1485) was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 26 June 1483 until his death in 1485. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty. His defeat and death at the Bat ...

'', ''

Troilus and Cressida ''Troilus and Cressida'' ( or ) is a play by William Shakespeare, probably written in 1602. At Troy during the Trojan War, Troilus and Cressida begin a love affair. Cressida is forced to leave Troy to join her father in the Greek camp. M ...

'', and ''

A Midsummer Night's Dream ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a comedy written by William Shakespeare 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict ...

''. He has directed film versions of his plays '' The Grey Zone'' and '' Eye of God'' (for which he received an

Independent Spirit Awards The Independent Spirit Awards (abbreviated Spirit Awards and originally known as the FINDIE or Friends of Independents Awards), founded in 1984, are awards dedicated to independent filmmakers. Winners were typically presented with acrylic glass ...

nomination for the Someone to Watch Award), and directed two of his original screenplays: ''Kansas'' (1998) and '' Leaves of Grass'' (2009). He directed the film ''O'', based on ''

'' and set in a modern-day high school. For ''Eye of God'', he received the Tokyo Bronze Prize at the Tokyo International Film Festival (1997) and the American Independent Award at the Seattle International Film Festival (1997); for ''O'', the Best Director Award at the Seattle International Film Festival (2001); and for ''The Grey Zone'', the National Board of Review's Freedom of Expression Award (2002). He is on the boards of directors of The Actors Center in New York City and the Soho Rep Theatre. Nelson guest-starred on the '' CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'' season 10 episode "Working Stiffs". In the episode "My Brother's Bomber" (aired September 29, 2015) of the PBS investigative series '' Frontline'', he talked about the loss of his friend David Dornstein in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. In 2018, Nelson played the title character in '' The Ballad of Buster Scruggs'', a western anthology film by

, after receiving the original script 16 years prior, in 2002. The film was released on Netflix on November 16, after a limited theatrical run, and received positive reviews, with many highlighting Nelson's performance and his overall segment.

Playwright

Nelson's play ''Socrates'' opened at

The Public Theater The Public Theater is a New York City arts organization founded as the Shakespeare Workshop in 1954 by Joseph Papp, with the intention of showcasing the works of up-and-coming playwrights and performers.Epstein, Helen. ''Joe Papp: An American L ...

in 2019, starring Michael Stuhlbarg. It was favorably received by numerous publications, including the ''New York Times.''

Personal life

Nelson resides in New York City with his wife, Lisa Benavides, and their three sons. On May 8, 2009, he was inducted as an honorary member of the

University of Tulsa The University of Tulsa (TU) is a private research university in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It has a historic affiliation with the Presbyterian Church and the campus architectural style is predominantly Collegiate Gothic. The school traces its origin ...

's Beta of Oklahoma chapter of the

Phi Beta Kappa The Phi Beta Kappa Society () is the oldest academic honor society in the United States, and the most prestigious, due in part to its long history and academic selectivity. Phi Beta Kappa aims to promote and advocate excellence in the liberal a ...

national collegiate honor society.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Nelson, Tim Blake 1964 births Living people 20th-century American dramatists and playwrights 20th-century American male actors 20th-century American male writers 21st-century American dramatists and playwrights 21st-century American male actors 21st-century American male writers American male dramatists and playwrights American male film actors American male screenwriters American male Shakespearean actors American male stage actors American male television actors American male voice actors American people of German-Jewish descent American people of Russian-Jewish descent Brown University alumni Film directors from New York City Grammy Award winners Jewish American dramatists and playwrights Jewish American male actors Juilliard School alumni Male actors from Tulsa, Oklahoma Screenwriters from New York (state) Writers from Tulsa, Oklahoma