Thomas Haden Church

Thomas Haden Church (born Thomas Richard McMillen; June 17, 1960) is an American actor. After co-starring in the 1990s sitcom Wings, Church became well known for his film roles, including his Academy Award-nominated performance in Sideways and his role as the Sandman in Spider-Man 3.

Early life
Church, the fourth of six children, was born Thomas Richard McMillen in Yolo, California, to an Army officer/health care worker father and a telephone company sales rep mother. He was raised under his stepfather's surname, "Quesada", and later changed his surname to "Haden Church" (both names are in his family tree). He was raised in Laredo, Texas, and graduated from Harlingen High School, Harlingen, Texas, in 1979, going on to attend the University of North Texas.

Career
Church started in the entertainment business as a radio personality and doing voiceover work. A part in an independent film convinced him to move to California to pursue an acting career. He played the part of slow-witted airport mechanic Lowell Mather for six seasons (1990–1995) on the NBC sitcom Wings. He worked in television for two more seasons with a lead role on Ned and Stacey opposite Debra Messing. He has had supporting roles in films such as Tombstone, George of the Jungle, and The Specials. Church often plays villains or comic relief in films, most evident by turns in Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight and Over the Hedge.

After having small roles in films such as Monkeybone and 3000 Miles to Graceland, he made his directorial debut with Rolling Kansas in 2003. Church later took a break from films and relocated back to his native Texas. He has also done voiceover work in commercials, such as for Merrill Lynch and Icehouse beer.

In 2003, Alexander Payne called him regarding the role of "Jack", the selfish best friend to Paul Giamatti's character, in Sideways. During the audition, Church stripped naked to read the audition scene, later saying "To me it was painfully obvious... I was reading the scene where Jack comes in naked and there has to be in-born vulnerability in the scene." (He later found that he was the only actor to strip down for the audition). Sideways earned acclaim for Church, for which he won an IFP Independent Spirit Award and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

He has since appeared in films such as Idiocracy, done voice-over work on films such as Over the Hedge and starred in one of AMC's highest rated television productions, Broken Trail, with Robert Duvall, in 2006, for which he won an Emmy. In 2007, he appeared as the villain Sandman in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 3 starring Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst.

In 2005, he was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. On September 16, 2007, he won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie for his role of Tom Harte on AMC's Broken Trail.

In October 2008, Church appeared in a video on funnyordie.com taking on the role of the fictitious average American, Joe Six Pack, made famous in the 2008 Presidential campaign by John McCain and Sarah Palin. The video titled "Thomas Haden Church vs Joe the Plumber" has Joe Six Pack (Church) taking on his blue collar rival, Joe the Plumber. Church stars also in the FEARnet webseries Zombie Roadkill alongside David Dorfman and under the direction from producer David Green.

Personal life
Church resides on his large ranch in Bandera County, Texas, which he bought in 1998. He and his wife, Mia Zottoli, have a daughter named Cody Lee Church.

Filmography

 * Wings (1990–1995) (TV)
 * Tombstone (1993)
 * Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight (1995)
 * Ned and Stacey (1995–1997) (TV)
 * One Night Stand (1997)
 * George of the Jungle (1997)
 * Susan's Plan (1998)
 * Mr. Murder (1998)
 * Free Money (1998)
 * Goosed (1999)
 * The Specials (2000)
 * 3000 Miles to Graceland (2001)
 * Monkeybone (2001)
 * The Badge (2002)
 * Lone Star State of Mind (2002)
 * Rolling Kansas (2003)
 * George of the Jungle 2 (2003)
 * Spanglish (2004)
 * Sideways (2004)
 * Over the Hedge (2006) (voice)
 * Broken Trail (2006)
 * Idiocracy (2006)
 * Charlotte's Web (2006) (voice)
 * Spider-Man 3 (2007)
 * Smart People (2008)
 * Imagine That (2009)
 * Don McKay (2009)
 * All About Steve (2009)
 * Aliens in the Attic  (2009) (voice)
 * Easy A (2010)
 * John Carter of Mars (2012)

Awards and nominations

 * 2007 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Supporting Actor – Miniseries or a Movie (Broken Trail)
 * 2005 Iowa Film Critics Award Best Supporting Actor (Sideways)
 * 2005 Kansas City Film Critics Circle Award Best Supporting Actor (Sideways)
 * 2005 National Society of Film Critics Best Supporting Actor (Sideways)
 * 2005 Online Film Critics Society Best Supporting Actor (Sideways)
 * 2005 Satellite Award Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Comedy or Musical (Sideways)
 * 2005 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by Cast in a Motion Picture (Sideways)
 * 2005 Utah Film Critics Society Best Supporting Actor (Sideways)
 * 2004 Boston Society of Film Critics Best Supporting Actor (Sideways)
 * 2004 Chicago Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actor (Sideways)
 * 2004 Florida Film Critics Circle Best Supporting Actor (Sideways)
 * 2004 Los Angeles Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actor (Sideways)
 * 2004 National Board of Review Best Supporting Actor (Sideways)
 * 2004 Phoenix Film Critics Society Best Supporting Actor (Sideways)
 * 2004 San Francisco Film Critics Circle Best Supporting Actor (Sideways)
 * 2004 Seattle Film Critics Award Best Supporting Actor (Sideways)
 * 2004 Southeastern Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actor (Sideways)


 * Nominations
 * 2007 Golden Globe Award Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Broken Trail)
 * 2007 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries (Broken Trail)
 * 2005 Academy Award Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role (Sideways)
 * 2005 Golden Globe Award Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture (Sideways)
 * 2005 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role (Sideways)