Spencer Breslin

Spencer Breslin

Spencer Breslin, and his sister Abigail Breslin
Born (1992-05-18) May 18, 1992
New York City, New York, U.S.
Occupation Actor, musician
Years active 1997–present
Relatives Abigail Breslin (sister)
Awards

Spencer Breslin (born May 18, 1992) is an American actor and musician. He is the older brother of actress Abigail Breslin.

Beginning at the age of three, Breslin acted in over 50 commercials. He is best known for his roles in the feature films Disney's The Kid (co-starring at the age of eight with Bruce Willis), The Santa Clause 2: The Mrs. Clause and The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (as Curtis the Elf), Return to Neverland, The Cat in the Hat, Raising Helen, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, The Shaggy Dog, Harold, The Happening, and Perfect Sisters. His television credits include Teamo Supremo, Stephen King's Storm of the Century, and Law & Order. Movies in which he has acted have taken in a worldwide box office of over $1.3 billion.[1]

Breslin won the 2000 Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film by a Young Actor Age Ten or Under. He was also nominated for the 2000 Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a TV Movie (Comedy or Drama); Young Actor Age 10 or Under, the 2000 YoungStar Award for Best Young Actor in a Comedy Film, the 2001 Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor, the 2003 Young Artist Award as Best Performance in a Voice-Over Role, and the 2007 Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film by a Young Ensemble Cast.

As of 2016, Breslin was writing songs for and playing in his band Broken Machine, and co-hosting the Spencer & Lara's Vomitorium podcast.[2]

Early life

Breslin was born in New York City, the son of Kim, a personal manager (who home-schooled her children), and Michael Breslin, a telecommunications expert and consultant.[3][4][5][6][7][8] He said of them: "My parents were always super supportive. They had no interest in acting, or any of the show biz bullshit. That was cool."[9] Spencer has an older brother, Ryan Breslin (born in 1985), and a younger sister, Abigail Breslin (born April 14, 1996), an actress.[5][6]

Acting career

Early years

Breslin was discovered by a talent scout in a New York City playground at the age of three, and proceeded to star in more than 50 commercials for McDonald's, Life cereal, and other products.[5][7][9][10] By age four, he made his TV debut and was a series regular for the three-episode-long 1997 first season of ABC's sitcom Soul Man, in which he played the youngest child of Dan Aykroyd.[5][11] He later moved on to guest star on several shows including Law & Order, before appearing in the 1999 three-part horror miniseries Stephen King's Storm of the Century.[5][12]

2000-04

Breslin made his big leap into film at the age of eight by starring in the 2000 cult fantasy comedy-drama film Disney's The Kid as chubby, good-natured, lovable, and direct 8-year-old Rusty alongside Bruce Willis (who plays Russ).[5][7][13][14][15] Director Jon Turteltaub chose Breslin over thousands of other child actors after a nationwide search.[16] Turteltaub said: "Bruce [Willis] couldn't keep a straight face during [Spencer's] audition. He kept giggling at how wonderful and alive and funny Spencer was."[17] Breslin appreciated the finer things about making a movie with Willis: "The coolest things of all were my breaks. I drove golf carts all around the lot. Sometimes I would ride around and just scare people."[7] Turteltaub observed: "There is nothing bratty, nothing spoiled about this kid at all."[7] Breslin introduced child actress Skye McCole Bartusiak, one year his junior, to his co-star when she visited him on the set by shouting: "Bruce, come meet my girlfriend!"[7]

For his role in Disney's The Kid, at the 22nd Young Artist Awards presented by the Young Artist Association Breslin won the 2000 Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film by a Young Actor Age Ten or Under.[18] He was also nominated for the 2001 Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor awarded by Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films, and the 2000 YoungStar Award for Best Young Actor in a Comedy Film, presented by The Hollywood Reporter.[5] Film critic A. O. Scott writing for The New York Times observed: "Mr. Willis stands by while a child swipes a movie out of his open palm ... Spencer Breslin, Russ's tubby, cute-but-annoying almost-8-year-old self."[19] CNN correspondent Sherri Sylvester said: "8-year-old Spencer Breslin knows how to deliver a line. Hard to believe that Disney's "The Kid" is his first feature film."[20] Film critic Kenneth Turan wrote in the Los Angeles Times: "Though Rusty was supposed to be 10 in the original script, the filmmakers made him 8 so they could cast Spencer Breslin in the role, and it is not hard to see why.... Breslin is a charming presence, with a variety of woebegone looks and a gift for mimicking his older self."[21] Shirley Sealy wrote in Film Journal International of Breslin: "He's something else... Even an old pro like Bruce Willis sometimes seems totally blown away by the natural comic gifts and spontaneity of his mini co-star... a very talented kid."[22] Entertainment Weekly observed: "children ... will have fun ... by all means ... especially because young Breslin ... is such a natural, funny, unmannered boy."[23] The film grossed $110 million, and was a financial success.[24]

He played a little boy in the 2000 comedy film Meet the Parents, which had a worldwide gross of $304 million, the eighth-highest worldwide gross of that year.[25][26] Later that year he was Joey in the Disney Channel Original Movie The Ultimate Christmas Present, a comedy, and garnered a 2000 Young Artist Award nomination for Best Performance in a TV Movie (Comedy or Drama) Young Actor Age 10 or Under.[18][27]

He played whiz-kid Curtis the Elf in the 2002 romantic comedy-drama-fantasy film The Santa Clause 2: The Mrs. Clause, marking the first of four films in which he co-starred alongside actor Tim Allen.[5][28] The movie was a great financial success, raking in $173 million in gross sales, and was the fifth-highest-grossing holiday movie ever and the 28th-highest-grossing movie worldwide of the year, making $29 million its opening weekend.[29][30][31] In 2002 he also appeared in TV movies such as the 2002 Mom's on Strike, as a pesky younger brother in the 2003 You Wish!, and Ozzie.[32] He has also been involved in animation films, notably by lending his voice as Cubby in the animated fantasy comedy-drama film Return to Neverland in 2002, for which he was nominated for a 2003 Young Artist Award as Best Performance in a Voice-Over Role at the 24th Young Artist Awards, and as Captain Crandall/Cap in the Disney animated television series Teamo Supremo in 2002-03.[33][34][35] The movie had a worldwide box office of $109 million.[36]

Breslin then returned to the big screen starring alongside Dakota Fanning and Mike Myers as a cute, messy, troublemaker squabbling brother of Fanning's in the 2003 fantasy comedy film The Cat in the Hat, which grossed $134 million, making it the fifth-highest-grossing holiday movie ever.[37][38][39] Co-star Alec Baldwin and director Bo Welch lauded Breslin for his Snagglepuss-like “horizontal lisp,” the New York sound of his voice, and his capacity to convey “every shade of neurosis.”[40] Film reviewer Philip Morency wrote: "Spencer Breslin plays the bratty, obnoxious boy. He makes you want to shoot him."[41] Film critic Stephen Hunter, writing for the Washington Post, found Breslin to be "adorable."[42]

Breslin played on-screen siblings with his real-life younger sister Abigail Breslin in the 2004 comedy-drama Raising Helen, starring Kate Hudson as their aunt and guardian.[43][44] The two siblings worked together again in the 2004 romantic comedy The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, in which Spencer at the age of 12 played a prince and Abigail made a cameo as a girl at an orphanage.[45] The movie had a worldwide box office of $122 million.[46] In 2004, Spencer Breslin was a regular as a dim-witted 12-year-old on the short-lived CBS sitcom Center of the Universe starring John Goodman.[37][47] He also appeared in the Wonderfalls episode "Lovesick Ass" in 2004.[48] In 2004, Breslin also was asked to read alongside Alyson Stoner, Dylan and Cole Sprouse, and Hailey Anne Nelson when Dr. Seuss won his Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.[49]

2005-09

Abigail appeared with him again, in the 2006 The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, in which Spencer reprised his role of Curtis the Elf.[45] At the 28th Young Artist Awards, for his performance in the film Spencer was nominated for the 2007 Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film by a Young Ensemble Cast.[50] In 2006 Breslin also appeared in two other feature films; the superhero action-adventure comedy Zoom, and the comedy The Shaggy Dog (as the pudgy, eager-to-please son of Tim Allen, who turns into a dog).[37][45][51][52] Variety Chief Film Critic Justin Chang noted: "its occasional lump-in-the-throat moments are almost effortlessly achieved, thanks to strong work from [Kristin] Davis and Breslin in particular."[53] The movie made a worldwide gross of $111 million.[54]

Breslin at the age of 16 went on to star as the titular character in 2007's offbeat teen comedy Harold, alongside Cuba Gooding Jr., about a teen who starts prematurely balding at an early age.[45][55] S. James Snyder, in his review for the New York Sun, wrote: "As played by Mr. Breslin, Harold is an inspired creation, at times a fidgety Woody Allen, at others a brooding George Costanza."[56] Sheri Linden of The Hollywood Reporter opined: "Breslin nails his old soul’s bunion-hobbled, stooped shuffle. He plays well off Gooding...."[57]

Breslin appeared as Josh in M. Night Shymalan's science fiction doomsday thriller The Happening in 2008 with Mark Wahlberg.[37][45][51][52][58] The movie had a worldwide box office of $163 million.[46]

2010-present

He lent his voice as Anthony to the 2010 animated 3-D educational sci-fi adventure film Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey.[59][60] In 2010, MTV listed Breslin as one of "The 17 Coolest 17-Year-Olds From Around The World."[60]

Breslin appeared as Max in the 2011 film Born to Race. He then played Jason in the 2012 romantic comedy-drama Stuck in Love.[61][62] Spencer appeared alongside Abigail as Cousin Derek in the 2012 crime drama Perfect Sisters.[45] Breslin also began to work in other aspects of filmmaking, serving as an executive producer on the animated Really Bad Movie! in 2013, as well as writing and directing his own short films.[45][63]

Breslin starred as computer nerd goofball Isaac with Grace Phipps and Sierra McCormick in the 2016 horror movie Some Kind of Hate, which played at the Stanley Film Festival, the Fantasia International Film Festival, and FrightFest.[62][64][65][66][67][68]

As of July 2016, Breslin was co-hosting the Spencer & Lara's Vomitorium weekly podcast, dedicated to "complaining about the unbearable, insufferable, and aggravating."[69][70]

Music

Breslin finished recording his folk-indie debut album Labor Day in October 2009; the album was released in August 2012.[45][71] It was recorded by Ladybug Transistor's Gary Olson, and produced by James William Hindle.[72]

Breslin has founded his own record label, Acadian Recording Company.[73][74]

As of July 2016, he was writing songs for and playing in his rock 'n roll, indie folk music, punk-type band Broken Machine.[66][69][75][76][77] Breslin writes all the music that he plays.[76]

Discography

Labor Day

Labor Day
Studio album by Spencer Breslin
Released August 14, 2012
Recorded October 2008-October 2009, Marlborough Farms, Brooklyn
Genre Folk rock
Length 35:40
Language English
Label Acadian Recording Co.
Producer James William Hindle

Labor Day is Breslin's debut album,[78] released under his own label, Acadian Recording Co., in August 2012.[73]

Written and composed by sixteen-year-old Breslin, Labor Day was recorded by Gary Olson - known for his engineering work for acts as diverse as Cold Cave, Jens Lekman, and The Essex Green – over three, week-long sessions in Brooklyn from 2008 to 2009. The album was produced by James William Hindle, whose own music has been featured in The O.C., One Tree Hill, and other shows. Musicians featured include, among others, Kevin Barker (Joanna Newsom, Vetiver, and Antony and the Johnsons), Isobel Knowles (Architecture in Helsinki), Kyle Forester (Crystal Stilts), and Eric Farber (Ladybug Transistor). The record also features a spoken word cameo by actor Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network, The Squid and the Whale).[79]

Track listing

All tracks written by Spencer Breslin, except where noted.

No.TitleLength
1."Winter Coat"  3:36
2."Bobby of Saratoga"  1:50
3."A German in New York" (Breslin, James William Hindle)4:10
4."The Rapture"  2:41
5."Rejection Speaks"  4:27
6."Opal"  0:55
7."The Hammer"  2:40
8."Linen Shirt"  2:25
9."The Patient" (featuring Jesse Eisenberg)1:08
10."Labor Day"  8:15
11."Midwest"  3:22

Filmography

Year Film Role Notes
1997 Soul Man Fred Weber TV show
Episodes: "Cinderella and the Funeral"
"Communion Wine and Convicts"
"Urges and Lies"
1998 Law & Order Nicholas Waring TV show
Episode: "Cherished"
1999 Trinity Little Kid TV show
Episode: "Patron Saint of Impossible Causes"
Stephen King: Storm of the Century Donny "The Little Boy" Beals
2000 Meet the Parents Little Boy
Disney's The Kid Rusty Duritz
Disney Channel's Kenny the Shark Matt TV special (live action)
The Ultimate Christmas Present Joey Thompson TV movie
2001 Robertson's Greatest Hits Spencer Robertson TV movie
Kate Brasher Simon Traylor TV series
Episode: "Simon"
2002 Teamo Supremo Crandall TV series: voice
Return to Neverland Cubby voice
Mom's on Strike Sam Harris TV movie
The Santa Clause 2 Curtis the Elf
2002–05 Express Yourself Himself Interstitial series
2003 You Wish! Stevie Lansing / Terrence Russell McCormack
The Cat in the Hat Conrad Walden
2004 Raising Helen Henry Davis
The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement Prince Jacques
Center of the Universe Miles Barnett TV series
Wonderfalls Peter Johnson TV show
Episode: "Lovesick Ass"
2006 Ozzie Justin Morton filmed in 2004, released in 2006
The Shaggy Dog Josh Douglas
Zoom Tucker Williams / Mega-Boy
The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause Curtis the Elf
2008 The Happening Josh
Harold Harold Clemens
2009 Bless this Mess Doug TV movie
Bones Clinton Gilmore TV show
Episode: "The Salt in the Wounds"
2010 Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey Anthony voice
2011 Born to Race Max
2012 Stuck in Love Jason
2013 Really Bad Movie! Executive Producer
2014 Perfect Sisters Cousin Derek
2016 Some Kind of Hate Isaac

Awards and nominations

Award Year Category Result Role
Young Artist Awards 2000 Best Performance in a TV Movie (Comedy or Drama); Young Actor Age 10 or Under Nominated Joey in The Ultimate Christmas Present
The Saturn Awards 2001 Best Performance by a Younger Actor Nominated Rusty Duritz in Disney's The Kid[80]
Young Artist Awards Best Performance in a Feature Film - Young Actor Age Ten or Under Won
Best Performance in a TV Movie (Comedy or Drama) - Young Actor Age Ten or Under Nominated Joey Thompson in The Ultimate Christmas Present
Young Artist Awards 2003 2003 Young Artist Award as Best Performance in a Voice-Over Role Nominated Cubby in Return to Neverland
Young Artist Awards 2007 Best Young Ensemble in a Feature Film Nominated Curtis the Elf in Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause

References

  1. ↑ "The Numbers - Spencer Breslin". The Numbers. Retrieved 2016-08-04.
  2. ↑ "Why Do Child Stars Sink or Swim? | Broadly". Retrieved 2016-08-04.
  3. ↑ Gordon, Spencer (2013-03-22). Cosmo. Coach House Books. ISBN 9781770563315.
  4. ↑ "Spencer Breslin Biography (1992-)". www.filmreference.com. Retrieved 2016-08-04.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Stanton, Barry W (2016-03-03). "What Happened to Spencer Breslin - See What He's Doing Now - The Gazette Review". Retrieved 2016-08-04.
  6. 1 2 "Abigail Breslin". TVGuide.com. Retrieved 2016-08-04.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Spencer for Hire : People.com". www.people.com. Retrieved 2016-08-04.
  8. ↑ Breslin, Abigail (2015-10-06). This May Sound Crazy. HarperCollins. ISBN 9780062414847.
  9. 1 2 "I Am Spencer Breslin from The Santa Clause 2 & 3, the Cat In the Hat, Stuck In Love, Born To Race and The Happening. AMA!!!". Interviewly. Retrieved 2016-08-04.
  10. ↑ "CNN Transcript - Showbiz Today: Digital Music May be in Jeopardy; Author of 'The Perfect Storm' Talks About Origins of Book; Singer Mya Soars to New Musical Heights - July 10, 2000". www.cnn.com. Retrieved 2016-08-04.
  11. ↑ Scott, Carolyn Patricia (2003-11-02). "'Cat' doesn't have his tongue". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2016-08-04.
  12. ↑ Courrier, Kevin; Green, Susan (1999-11-20). Law & Order: The Unofficial Companion -- Updated and Expanded. Macmillan. ISBN 9781580631082.
  13. ↑ Ebert, Roger. "Disney's The Kid Movie Review (2000) | Roger Ebert". www.rogerebert.com. Retrieved 2016-08-04.
  14. ↑ "Children in Film". www.childreninfilm.com. Retrieved 2016-08-04.
  15. ↑ Luce, Henry Robinson (2000-01-01). Time. Time Inc.
  16. ↑
  17. ↑ "CNN Transcript - Showbiz Today: Digital Music May be in Jeopardy; Author of 'The Perfect Storm' Talks About Origins of Book; Singer Mya Soars to New Musical Heights - July 10, 2000". www.cnn.com. Retrieved 2016-08-04.
  18. 1 2 "22nd Annual Awards". www.youngartistawards.org. Retrieved 2016-08-04.
  19. ↑ Reviews, New York Times Theater (2001-12-01). The New York Times Film Reviews 1999-2000. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 9780415936965.
  20. ↑ "CNN Transcript - Showbiz Today: Digital Music May be in Jeopardy; Author of 'The Perfect Storm' Talks About Origins of Book; Singer Mya Soars to New Musical Heights - July 10, 2000". www.cnn.com. Retrieved 2016-08-04.
  21. ↑ TURAN, KENNETH (2000-07-07). "Bearhugging an Inner Child". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2016-08-04.
  22. ↑ "DISNEY'S THE KID | Film Journal International". www.filmjournal.com. Retrieved 2016-08-04.
  23. ↑ "Disney's The Kid | EW.com". Retrieved 2016-08-04.
  24. ↑ "The Kid (2000)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2007-07-07.
  25. ↑ "The 17 Coolest 17-Year-Olds From Around The World". Retrieved 2016-08-04.
  26. ↑ "Top 2000 Movies at the Worldwide Box Office". www.the-numbers.com. Retrieved 2016-08-04.
  27. ↑ Crump, William D. (2001-09-15). The Christmas Encyclopedia, 3d ed. McFarland. ISBN 9781476605739.
  28. ↑ "The Santa Clause 2". Retrieved 2016-08-04.
  29. ↑ "10 Highest-Grossing Holiday Movies of All Time | GOBankingRates". 2015-12-24. Retrieved 2016-08-04.
  30. ↑ "Box Office History for Santa Clause Movies". www.the-numbers.com. Retrieved 2016-08-04.
  31. ↑ "Top 2002 Movies at the Worldwide Box Office". www.the-numbers.com. Retrieved 2016-08-04.
  32. ↑ Sachs, Mark (2003-01-10). "Be careful what you wish for ...". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2016-08-04.
  33. ↑ Rowan, Terry. Pirates, Buccaneers & other Scallywags & Swashbucklers A Complete Film Guide. Lulu.com. ISBN 9781312146006.
  34. ↑ "The Bryan Times -". news.google.com. Retrieved 2016-08-04.
  35. ↑ "24th Annual Young Artist Awards Nominations". youngartistawards.org. Retrieved 2016-08-04.
  36. ↑ "The Numbers - Spencer Breslin". www.the-numbers.com. Retrieved 2016-08-04.
  37. 1 2 3 4
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  45. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
  46. 1 2
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  52. 1 2
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  54. ↑ "Lee's Movie Info". Retrieved 6 October 2014.
  55. ↑
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  60. 1 2
  61. ↑ Spencer Breslin at the Internet Movie Database
  62. 1 2
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  65. ↑
  66. 1 2
  67. ↑
  68. ↑
  69. 1 2
  70. ↑
  71. ↑ "Labor Day".
  72. ↑
  73. 1 2 Breslin, Spencer. "Acadian Recording Co.".
  74. ↑
  75. ↑
  76. 1 2
  77. ↑
  78. ↑ Pickus, Ian. "Actor Spencer Breslin releases debut album". WAMC Publisher Northeast Public Radio.
  79. ↑ "Grove Session w/ Hunter Green & Spencer Breslin". The Mint.
  80. ↑ "Awards for The Kid (2000)". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 2007-07-07.
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