Sam Waterston facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sam Waterston
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Waterston at the PaleyFest 2013 panel for The Newsroom
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| Born |
Samuel Atkinson Waterston
November 15, 1940 Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.
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| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1962–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Barbara Rutledge Johns
(m. 1964; div. 1975)Lynn Louisa Woodruff
(m. 1976) |
| Children | 4, including James and Katherine |
| Awards | Full list |
Samuel Atkinson Waterston (born November 15, 1940) is a famous American actor. He is well-known for his many roles in plays, TV shows, and movies. Sam Waterston has won several important awards, like an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. He was also nominated for an Oscar, a Tony Award, and a BAFTA Award.
His acting career has lasted for over 50 years. He has performed on both stage and screen. In 2010, Sam Waterston received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2012, he was added to the American Theater Hall of Fame.
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Sam Waterston: A Famous Actor
Sam Waterston studied at the Sorbonne in Paris. He also attended the American Actors Workshop. He began his career acting in plays in New York. He appeared in many classic plays by William Shakespeare.
Waterston starred in several shows at the Public Theatre. These included Indians (1969) and A Doll's House (1975). He also played the main role in Hamlet (1975). On Broadway, he played Abraham Lincoln in Abe Lincoln in Illinois (1993). For this role, he was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play.
Big Roles in Movies
In movies, Waterston played Nick Carraway in The Great Gatsby (1974). This role earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture nomination. He was highly praised for playing Sydney Schanberg in The Killing Fields (1984). For this, he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor.
Waterston also acted in several films by Woody Allen. These include Interiors (1978) and Hannah and Her Sisters (1986). Other notable movie roles were in Rancho Deluxe (1975) and Heaven's Gate (1980). He also appeared in The Man in the Moon (1991) and Serial Mom (1994). More recently, he was in Miss Sloane (2016) and On the Basis of Sex (2018).
TV Star: Law & Order and More
Waterston became very famous for playing Jack McCoy on the NBC crime series Law & Order. He was on the show from 1994 to 2010, and then again from 2022 to 2024. For this role, he won a Screen Actors Guild Award. He also received nominations for Golden Globe and Emmy Awards.
He played J. Robert Oppenheimer in the BBC miniseries Oppenheimer (1980). He also played Abraham Lincoln in the miniseries Lincoln (1988). From 2012 to 2014, he played Charlie Skinner in the HBO drama series The Newsroom. Other important TV roles include Godless (2017) and Grace and Frankie (2015–2022). He also appeared in The Dropout (2022).
Early Life and Education
Sam Waterston was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He was the third of four children. His father, George Chychele Waterston, was a language teacher. His mother, Alice Tucker, was a landscape painter. Sam's mother had English ancestors. His father moved to the U.S. from Scotland. His siblings are Roberta, George, and Ellen.
Waterston went to high school at the Groton School. He graduated in 1958. He then earned a college degree from Yale College in 1962.
Acting Career Highlights
Starting His Acting Journey (1963–1973)
Sam Waterston is a classically trained actor. He has many stage performances. In 1962, he first appeared on Broadway. He played Jonathan in the play Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feelin' So Sad. The next year, he performed in William Shakespeare's As You Like It.
He made his first movie appearance in the 1965 drama The Plastic Dome of Norma Jean. He returned to Broadway in other plays. In 1969, he starred in Arthur Kopit's play Indians on Broadway. He acted alongside Stacy Keach and Raul Julia.
During this time, Waterston also had supporting roles in movies. These included Fitzwilly (1967) and Generation (1969). He had a main role in the British drama Three. He also acted in the film Savages. Waterston continued acting in plays at the Public Theatre. He played Benedick in Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing (1972). He also played the main character in Hamlet (1975). For Much Ado About Nothing, he won a Drama Desk Award.
Becoming Well-Known (1974–1993)
Waterston often performed in summer theater. He acted at places like Long Wharf Theatre. In 1973, he appeared in the TV drama The Glass Menagerie. He acted alongside Katharine Hepburn. He received an Primetime Emmy Award nomination for his role.
In 1974, he played Nick Carraway in The Great Gatsby. He acted with Robert Redford and Mia Farrow. He earned two Golden Globe nominations for this role.
The next year, Waterston was in the movie Rancho Deluxe (1975). He also acted in the thriller Journey into Fear. In 1977, he was in the film Capricorn One. He also starred in a play of Shakespeare's Measure for Measure with Meryl Streep.
Waterston first worked with director Woody Allen in Interiors (1978). In 1980, he starred in the play Benefactors on Broadway. He also played Frank Canton in Heaven's Gate. He played J. Robert Oppenheimer in the miniseries Oppenheimer (1980). This role earned him a BAFTA Award and a Golden Globe nomination.
In 1984, Waterston played American journalist Sydney Schanberg in The Killing Fields. He received an Academy Award for Best Actor nomination for this. Waterston worked with Woody Allen again in Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) and Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989). He also played President Abraham Lincoln in the miniseries Lincoln (1988).
Waterston voiced Lincoln in the 1990 documentary The Civil War. He played a district attorney in the TV series I'll Fly Away (1991–93). He won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama for this. In 1993, he played Abraham Lincoln on stage again. He received Tony Award, Drama Desk Award, and Outer Critics Circle Award nominations.
Law and Order and More Acclaim (1994–2010)
In 1994, Waterston began playing Executive Assistant District Attorney Jack McCoy on Law & Order. He played this role until the show ended in 2010. He also returned for the show's revival in 2022. He won a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series for this role. He also received many Emmy and Golden Globe nominations.
Waterston was the second longest-serving cast member on Law & Order. He also appeared as McCoy on other crime shows. These included Homicide: Life on the Street and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Because of the show's success, Waterston and his co-star Jerry Orbach were called "Living Landmarks" in New York City.
Waterston appeared on Jeopardy! twice. He also made a funny guest appearance on Saturday Night Live in 1995. He played Richard Helms in the film Nixon (1995). He played a fictional president of the United States in Shadow Conspiracy. He also acted in Le Divorce (2003).
In 2008, Waterston played Polonius in a Shakespeare in the Park production of Hamlet. His performance received good reviews. In 2009, he played Abraham Lincoln in a special concert. This concert celebrated Lincoln's 200th birthday.
Established Actor (2011–Present)
Waterston has had many other important TV roles. He played Charlie Skinner in The Newsroom on HBO. He acted with Jeff Daniels and Jane Fonda. The show ran from 2012 to 2014. In 2015, Waterston played Prospero in a Shakespeare in the Park production of The Tempest.
In 2015, Waterston joined the cast of the Netflix series Grace and Frankie. He starred alongside Martin Sheen, Jane Fonda, and Lily Tomlin. His character, Sol, appeared in all seven seasons of the show. The show ended in 2022.
In 2017, he played Marshal John Cook in the Netflix western series Godless. Waterston played George DuPont in the movie Miss Sloane. He also played Erwin Griswold in the movie On the Basis of Sex. In 2021, Waterston returned to Law & Order as District Attorney Jack McCoy. He promoted the show on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. In 2022, he played George Shultz in the Hulu series The Dropout.
On February 2, 2024, it was announced that Waterston would leave Law & Order. He had played Jack McCoy for 20 seasons and 405 episodes.
Personal Life
Family
Waterston married Barbara Johns in 1964. They had one son, actor James Waterston. They divorced in 1975. Waterston married his second wife, Lynn Louisa Woodruff, in 1976. They have three children: daughters Katherine Waterston and Elisabeth Waterston (who are also actresses), and a son, Graham.
Activism
Waterston is a board member of Oceana. This group works to protect the oceans. In 2012, he received the Goodermote Humanitarian Award. This was for his support of refugees around the world. Waterston is also a fan of the Mark Morris Dance Group.
Waterston is a member of the Episcopal Church.
Political Involvement
Waterston has been involved in politics. He supported the Unity08 movement. This group tried to run a presidential ticket in 2008. Waterston said he was a Democrat until 1964. However, he supported Democratic President Barack Obama in 2012. As of 2016, Waterston is a registered Democrat.
On October 18, 2019, Waterston was arrested in Washington, D.C. He was protesting the Trump administration's policies on climate change. He was with his Grace and Frankie co-star Jane Fonda.
Awards and Honors
Waterston was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for The Killing Fields (1984). He also received three Primetime Emmy Award nominations. He got two Golden Globe Award nominations for I'll Fly Away, winning a Golden Globe in 1994.
He was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play in 1994. This was for his role in Abe Lincoln in Illinois. For playing Jack McCoy in Law & Order, Waterston received three Primetime Emmy Award nominations and a Golden Globe Award nomination. He also received 11 Screen Actors Guild Award nominations. He won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series in 1999.
In 2003, Waterston received The Lincoln Forum's Richard Nelson Current Award. On January 7, 2010, Waterston received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2012, he was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame.
On May 27, 2024, Waterston was made an honorary class member of Princeton University.
See also
In Spanish: Sam Waterston para niños
