Will Arnett

Infobox actor


imagesize = 200px
caption = Arnett at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival
birthname = William Emerson Arnett
birthdate = birth date and age|1970|5|5
birthplace = Toronto, Ontario, Canada
deathdate =
deathplace =
othername =
yearsactive = 1995–present
spouse = Penelope Ann Miller (1994–1995)
Amy Poehler (2003–present)
homepage =
academyawards =
emmyawards = Nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
2006 "Arrested Development"
goldenglobeawards =

William "Will" Emerson Arnett (born May 5, 1970) is an Emmy Award-nominated Canadian actor known for his role as George Oscar "G.O.B." Bluth II (pronounced Job, like the biblical figureWeisman, Jon. " [http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117906324.html?categoryid=1734&cs=1&query=%22jon+weisman%22&display=jon+weisman Will Arnett] ", "Variety", 2004-06-10. Retrieved on April 12, 2007.] ) on the FOX comedy "Arrested Development". Since his success on "Arrested Development", Arnett has landed major film roles. He recently played a supporting role in the comedy film "Semi-Pro", "Blades of Glory" and the antagonist in "Hot Rod". He played the starring roles in 2006's "Let's Go To Prison" and 2007's "The Brothers Solomon". Arnett has also done work as a voiceover artist for commercials, films, and television programs. Even more recently, Arnett plays a funeral director in Dave McLaughlin's On Broadway, set entirely in Boston, Massachusetts.

Early life

Arnett was born in Toronto, the son of Alexandra and E. James Arnett, a corporate lawyer, and brewer among many other occupations. [ [http://www.filmreference.com/film/93/Will-Arnett.html Will Arnett Biography (1970-)] ] [" [http://tviv.org/Will_Arnett Will Arnett - TV IV] ", "TV IV", 2007-02-25. Retrieved on April 12, 2007.] In Toronto, he attended French-speaking schools. [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004715/bio Will Arnett - Biography] ", "Internet Movie Database", 2007-04-12. Retrieved on April 12, 2007.] He still speaks French, but has stated that he is not currently fluent in the language. [On Conan O'Brien he stated that he dubs his own voice in the French versions of his movies and TV shows. Arnett stated this on his November 22, 2006, appearance on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien"] He graduated from Leaside High School and briefly attended Lakefield College School in Lakefield, Ontario. [" [http://www.nndb.com/people/017/000085759/ Will Arnett] ", "Notable Names Database", 2007-04-22. Retrieved on April 22, 2007.] He attended Concordia University in Montreal for a semester, but dropped out. When he was a teenager, Arnett's mother encouraged him to pursue an acting career and he began to audition for commercials in Toronto. He decided that he really enjoyed acting and that it was something that he wanted to do with his life. At age 20, in 1990, Arnett moved from Toronto to New York in order to study acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute. [Chun, Wing. " [http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com/articles/content/a1005/index-1.html The Will Arnett Interview, Page 2] ", "Television Without Pity", 2005. Retrieved on April 12, 2007.] He began appearing in plays in New York and his first acting role was in the Felicity Huffman independent film "Erie", which was filmed on the Erie Canal.Chun, Wing. " [http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com/show/the_will_arnett_interview.php The Will Arnett Interview, Page 4] ", "Television Without Pity", 2005. Retrieved on September 30, 2007.]

Career

Early struggles

In February 1996, Will Arnett began acting in television pilots. His first was a pilot with Kevin Pollak and his wife, Lucy Webb, for CBS, that was not picked up. The pilot was "The Underworld" which revolved around "The head of an organized crime family [who] hounds an ex-con who only wants to go straight." [" [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0301971/ The Underworld (1997) (TV)] ", "Internet Movie Database". Retrieved on April 12, 2007.] After the show was not picked up, he appeared in the movie "Southie", which was directed by Arnett's friend Dave McLaughlin. In 1999, Arnett was cast in another pilot for "The Mike O'Malley Show" on NBC. Arnett was a regular on the series, playing the protagonist's friend Jimmy. The show was picked up, but it was canceled after only two episodes. Arnett has referred to 2000, the year after that show was cancelled, as "the darkest year of [his] life" and he admits that he "didn't get a lot of work" and "drank those years away." Arnett considers the summer of 2000 to have been a turning point for him because a friend helped pull him out of his battle with alcoholism and he began to get his career back on track.

In 2001, Arnett was cast in another television pilot, "Loomis", for CBS. The pilot starred comedian Cheri Oteri as a local news reporter, and Arnett played her slacker brother. The pilot was not picked up. In 2002, Arnett was cast in a fourth television pilot. This pilot was for the CBS sitcom "Still Standing"; but even though the show was picked up and ran for many years, his character was cut from the series after the pilot. Arnett became so frustrated, after his fourth failed pilot, that he "swore off pilots" altogether, until his agent persuaded him to audition for the pilot for "Arrested Development".

Career breakthrough

In 2003, Will Arnett finally found success in television when he was cast in the role of George Oscar "G.O.B." Bluth II in the Fox comedy series "Arrested Development". Arnett's character was one of the show's most popular and he was nominated for an Emmy for his role." [" [http://www.accesshollywood.com/news/ah814.shtml Stars React to Emmy Nominations] ", "Access Hollywood", 2006. Retrieved on April 13, 2007.] The show was canceled due to low ratings, despite its critical acclaim and cult following. His favorite episodes of the show are "Pier Pressure" and "Afternoon Delight." After the cancellation of "Arrested Development", Arnett leveraged his newly gained credibility into a number of large roles in feature films. Although he had worked largely as a dramatic actor in films before "Arrested Development", the roles he has taken since have been mostly comedic, often playing smug bad guys. Despite the fact that Arnett has emerged as a comedic actor, Arnett "never considered himself a comic" and considers himself an "actor first." [Spitznagel, Eric. " [http://blutharnett.blogspot.com/search/label/Playboy%20Magazine Spitznagel's Exclusive Interview, March 2007] ", "Playboy Magazine", 2007-03-29. Retrieved on April 13, 2007.]

Arnett's first major starring role was in "Let's Go to Prison", a comedy film directed by Bob Odenkirk. The film was made on a small budget of $4 million.Topel, Fred. " [http://movies.about.com/od/letsgotoprison/a/prisonwa111506_2.htm Interview Will Arnett Talks About "Let's Go to Prison"] ", "About.com", 2006. Retrieved on April 12, 2007.] It made over $4 million at the box office and over $13 million in rentals, making it a minor success. [" [http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=homevideo&id=letsgotoprison.htm Box Office Mojo - Let's Go to Prison - DVD / Home Video Rentals] ", "Box Office Mojo", 2007-04-22. Retrieved on April 22, 2007.] One of Arnett's recent films was "Blades of Glory", an ice skating comedy in which Arnett and his wife Amy Poehler played supporting roles to Will Ferrell. In an ironic twist they played a brother/sister skating duo whose relationship seemed to cross a few lines more often than not. The film was number one at the box office during its first two weeks [" [http://movies.yahoo.com/mv/news/ap/20070408/117606450000.html 'Blades' Stays on Top With $23 Million] ", "Yahoo! News", 2007-04-08. Retrieved on April 12, 2007.] and has grossed approximately $118 million domestically [" [http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=bladesofglory.htm Box Office Mojo - Blades of Glory] ", "Box Office Mojo", 2007-04-13. Retrieved on April 13, 2007.] and $36 million on home video. [" [http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=homevideo&id=bladesofglory.htm Box Office Mojo - Blades of Glory - DVD/Home Video Rentals] ", "Box Office Mojo", 2007-11-16. Retrieved on November 17, 2007.] Because the film's budget was only $61 million, the theatrical gross and home video gross made the film a huge success.

Arnett recently appeared as a guest star on "King of The Hill" and "30 Rock". In "30 Rock", he played Devon Banks, a scheming network executive who plays a rival to Alec Baldwin's character Jack Donaghy. His role as Devon Banks earned him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor In A Comedy Series. He also has recently finished filming supporting roles in "Spring Breakdown", "Hot Rod", "The Comebacks", and "On Broadway". In "On Broadway", he once again works with director Dave McLaughlin who is a close friend of Arnett's and gave him one of his first movie roles in "Southie".

Arnett's next starring role was in the comedy "The Brothers Solomon", in which he again teamed with director Bob Odenkirk and starred opposite "Saturday Night Live's" Will Forte. He recently appeared in a major supporting role in the basketball comedy "Semi-Pro", his second film with Will Ferrell. [Kit, Borys. " [http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3icac1ff0b727220d8271c15de036f375d?imw=Y Arnett turning 'Semi-Pro' with Ferrell] ", "The Hollywood Reporter", 2007-01-29. Retrieved on April 12, 2007.] He plays Lou Redwood, the commentator of the team, who is "a former player, a bit of a womanizer, and a boozer". [ [http://youtube.com/watch?v=fZx2OoqVNrA YouTube - OurStage: Will Arnett Interview ] ] Arnett's next movie role will be in "Ye Olde Times", along with Jack Black, which will commence filming this September. [Kay, Jeremy. " [http://www.screendaily.com/ScreenDailyArticle.aspx?intStoryID=32414&Category= Jack Black goes medieval with Kimmel's Ye Olde Times] ", "Screen Daily", 2007-05-16. Retrieved on May 16, 2007.]

Will Arnett is signed on to many new projects in which he will play starring roles. He is signed on to "Jeff the Demon" for New Line Cinema, in which he will play a demon who is summoned by a pair of high school losers.McNary, Dave. " [http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117932863.html?cs=1&s=h&p=0 'Demon' seed is planted: Arnett conjures New Line's new laffer] ", "Variety", 2005-11-13. Retrieved on April 22, 2007.] He is also signed on to the lead role in "The Ambassador" for DreamWorks and Paramount Pictures, in which he will play "a former U.S. vice president's privileged son, who is assigned an ambassadorship in Europe, where he quickly becomes the quintessential ugly American." [" [http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=14034 Will Arnett is "The Ambassador"] ", "Comingsoon.net", 2006-04-10. Retrieved on April 22, 2007.] Arnett is also signed on for the lead in "Space Invader" for Fox Atomic, which will center on a love triangle set on a space station. [McNary, Dave. " [http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117959538.html?categoryid=1236&cs=1&query=will+arnett Arnett rockets into 'Invader': Film depicts love triangle on space station] ", "Variety", 2007-02-14. Retrieved on April 22, 2007.] He is also attached to lead roles in the projects "Dad Can't Lose", "Get 'Em Wet", and "Most Likely to Succeed". Arnett was originally attached to play the lead role of David Miller in the film "We're the Millers", but he had to pass on the project due to "scheduling reasons" and the part went to Steve Buscemi. [Morris, Clint. " [http://www.moviehole.net/news/20060207_buscemi_gets_into_the_millers.html Buscemi Gets into the Millers] ", "Moviehole.net", 2006-02-07. Retrieved on April 13, 2007.] Arnett has also stated in an interview that he's "working with Mitch [Hurwitz] on something right now", but the details of the project have not yet been revealed, although there seems to be an "Arrested Development" film in production, with Arnett set to reprise his role of GOB. Arnett has also stated in interviews that he is not sure that he would return to television for another series anytime soon.

Voice work

Arnett has a distinctive gravelly voice and has done voice-over work for CBS TV promos, film trailers and numerous advertisements, including Lamisil medication. Perhaps most recognizable is Arnett's voice saying, "It's not more than you need, just more than you're used to" in ads for GMC trucks. [ [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004715/otherworks Will Arnett - Other works] ", "Internet Movie Database", 2007-04-22. Retrieved on April 22, 2007.]

Arnett has also lent his voice to a number of television shows. In 2006, Arnett voiced the character Duncan Schiesst for the Comedy Central animated program "Freak Show", which was created by and also stars the voice of his former "Arrested Development" co-star, David Cross. Recently, Arnett took the role of announcer for the faux trailer "Don't" in the movie "Grindhouse". He also lent his voice to the film "Horton Hears a Who!", and the upcoming "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs".

In 2007, he was part of the hugely successful Disney•Pixar film "Ratatouille", voicing Horst, the stern sous-chef at Gusteau's Restaurant.

Arnett was to have been the voice of the new K.I.T.T. in Universal's "Knight Rider", a sequel to the popular 1980s series, but has been replaced by Val Kilmer due to conflicting contractual agreements due to K.I.T.T. being a Ford Mustang. [ [http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117980382.html?categoryid=14&cs=1 Val Kilmer voices 'Knight Rider' - Entertainment News, TV News, Media - Variety ] ]

Personal life

Arnett lists Steve Martin and Chevy Chase as his two biggest comedic influences. His favorite band is Built to Spill, his favorite movie is "Shaun of the Dead", his favorite television show is "The Office". Will grew up watching hockey in Canada, and is an avid Toronto Maple Leafs supporter. [Proteau, Adam. " [http://www.thehockeynews.com/en/columnist/detail.asp?columnist=242 Bleeding Blue & White in Hollywood] ", "The Hockey News", 2006-04-26. Retrieved on May 25, 2007.]

Arnett has twin sisters who are three years older and a brother younger by nine years. [Chun, Wing. " [http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com/articles/content/a1005/index-11.html The Will Arnett Interview, Page 12] ", "Television Without Pity", 2005. Retrieved on April 12, 2007.] His father James Arnett was a corporate lawyer and became the president and CEO of Molson Breweries in 1997, until he stepped down in 2000. [" [http://www.askmen.com/men/celeb_profiles_entertainment/35_will_arnett.html Will Arnett - AskMen.com] , "AskMen.com", 2006. Retrieved on April 12, 2007] James had previously worked as a director for the company [" [http://www.answers.com/topic/adolph-coors-company Molson Coors Brewing Company] ", "Answers.com". Retrieved on April 12, 2007.] and he attended Harvard Law School. [" [http://www.fmc-law.com/People/ArnettJames.aspx James Arnett|Fraiser Millner Casgrain LLP] ", "Fraiser Millner Casgrain". Retrieved on April 12, 2007.]

In 1994, Arnett married actress Penelope Ann Miller, and they divorced in 1995. Arnett dated actress Missy Yager, with whom he lived for four years. They starred on The Mike O'Malley Show together and broke up around the time that the show began.

Arnett began dating comedic actress Amy Poehler in 2000; Arnett moved to New York in 2001 when she became a featured player on NBC's "Saturday Night Live." On August 29, 2003, Arnett and Poehler married. Poehler appeared in four episodes of "Arrested Development" in 2004 and 2005. She played a woman whom his character G.O.B. marries during a drunken night of increasingly outrageous dares. Arnett and Poehler starred alongside each other in the films "Blades of Glory" and "Horton Hears a Who!", and will star together in the upcoming films "On Broadway", "Spring Breakdown", and "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs".Faraci, Derek. " [http://www.chud.com/index.php?type=interviews&id=9525 CHUD.com] ", "CHUD.com", 2007-03-29. Retrieved on April 12, 2007.] He and Amy have two dogs, Hank and Gerald.O'Neil, Tom. " [http://goldderby.latimes.com/awards_goldderby/2006/07/will_arnett_emm.html Transcript: Our chat session with Will Arnett] ", "The Los Angeles Times", 2006. Retrieved on May 7, 2007.] They live in New York City.

On April 28, 2008 it was announced in "People" that the couple are expecting their first child together, due in the fall. [ [http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20195873,00.html?xid=rss-topheadlines Amy Poehler and Will Arnett Expecting a Baby] ]

Filmography

Film

Honors

New York Magazine named Will Arnett and wife Amy Poehler "New Yorkers of the Year" for 2005 during their New York Magazine Culture Awards. [" [http://nymag.com/nymag/culture/15299/index3.html New Yorkers of the Year - New York Magazine Culture Awards] ", "New York Magazine", 2005. Retrieved on April 12, 2007.]

In April 2007, during a panel hosted by the Museum of Television and Radio, talk show Conan O'Brien and his writing staff named Will Arnett as one of their three all-time favorite guests, sharing the honor with Norm Macdonald and Harland Williams. [" [http://www.theapiary.org/archives/2007/04/late_night_with_3.html Simply Absurd: The Comedy of Late Night with Conan O'Brien @ The Museum of Television and Radio - 4.5.7] ", "The Apiary", 2007-04-05. Retrieved on April 10, 2007.] Also in April 2007, "Entertainment Weekly" named Will Arnett a Future King of Comedy." [Markovitz, Adam. " [http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20033795_6,00.html The Current (and Future) Kings of Comedy] ", "Entertainment Weekly", 2007-04-10. Retrieved on April 10, 2007.] In May of 2007, Arnett ranked #9 on Best Week Ever's "Top 15 Sexiest Nerd Boys" poll. [ [http://www.bestweekever.tv/2007/05/17/bwe-presents-the-top-15-sexiest-nerd-boys/ BWE PRESENTS: The Top 15 Sexiest Nerd Boys] ", "Best Week Ever", 2007-05-17. Retrieved on May 17, 2007.] In July of 2007, "Premiere" magazine named Arnett one of "The 20 Hottest New Faces in Comedy." [" [http://www.premiere.com/gallery.aspx?section_id=39&webtrends_section=feature&article_id=3978&window_id=2&gallery_id=392&page_number=1&seq=4&cnt=4 The 20 Hottest New Faces of Comedy] ", "Premiere", 2007-07-31. Retrieved on July 31, 2007.]

References

External links

*
* [http://www.rottentomatoes.com/p/will_arnett/ Will Arnett] at RottenTomatoes
* [http://www.tv.com/will-arnett/person/15503/summary.html/ Will Arnett] at TV.com

Interviews

* [http://space-meat.com/2007/06/09/exclusive-interview-will-arnett 2007 Interview with Arnett] at space-meat.com
* [http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=19546 2007 Interview with Arnett and Amy Poehler] at Comingsoon.net
* [http://www.chud.com/index.php?type=interviews&id=9525 2007 Interview with Arnett and Poehler] at CHUD.com
* [http://blutharnett.blogspot.com/search/label/Playboy%20Magazine 2007 Interview] at "Playboy Magazine"
* [http://goldderby.latimes.com/awards_goldderby/2006/07/will_arnett_emm.html 2006 Chat Session] at "The Los Angeles Times"
* [http://movies.about.com/od/letsgotoprison/a/prisonwa111506.htm 2006 Interview] at About.com
* [http://www.tvsquad.com/2006/08/02/will-arnett-the-tv-squad-interview/ 2006 Interview] at TV Squad
* [http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com/story.cgi?show=56&story=7658&limit=&sort= 2005 Interview] at Television Without Pity

Persondata
NAME=Arnett, Will
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Arnett, William Emerson
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Actor; Comedian
DATE OF BIRTH=May 5, 1970
PLACE OF BIRTH=Toronto, Ontario, Canada
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=