Thomas Jane facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Thomas Jane
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Jane in 2019
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Thomas Elliott III
February 22, 1969 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
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| Other names | Thomas Bridgett Tom Janes Tom Elliott Tom Jane |
| Education | Thomas S. Wootton High School |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1987–present |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | 1 |
Thomas Jane (born Thomas Elliott III; February 22, 1969) is an American actor. He was born and grew up in Maryland. Thomas Jane's acting career began with the Telugu-language romantic comedy Padamati Sandhya Ragam in 1987.
He appeared in many early films like Nemesis (1992), Face/Off, and Boogie Nights (both 1997). He also starred in The Thin Red Line (1998) and Magnolia (1999). For his role in the science fiction horror film Deep Blue Sea (1999), he was seen as a rising action star.
After being praised for playing baseball player Mickey Mantle in 61* (2001), he took on main roles. One important role was André Stander in the South African film Stander (2003), which earned him more praise. He played the main character in the action film The Punisher (2004), where he did most of his own stunts.
Later, he starred in the horror film The Mist (2007), which was very successful. He also made his directing debut with the crime thriller Dark Country (2009), where he also acted. More recently, he starred in the well-received films 1922 (2017) and Bosco (2024). For his work in the TV series Hung, Thomas Jane was nominated for three Golden Globe Awards. He has also done voice acting for video games like The Punisher and Gun (both 2005).
Besides his work in movies and TV, Jane has performed on stage many times. He received great reviews for his roles in plays like Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie and Arthur Miller's All My Sons. He has also written and edited several comic books, starting with Bad Planet. He has also modeled for magazines such as Men's Health.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Thomas Elliott III was born on February 22, 1969, in Baltimore, Maryland. His mother, Cynthia Jane, was an antiques dealer, and his father, Thomas Elliott Jr., was a genetic engineer. Thomas later changed his last name to Jane, using his mother's maiden name. He did this because another actor already had his birth name in the Screen Actors Guild.
He went to Thomas Sprigg Wootton High School but left before finishing. He then started taking acting classes while working at a hardware store. Later, he moved to Hollywood to become an actor. When he first arrived, he was homeless and lived in his car. He often performed on the street to earn money. He once said, "People used to pelt me with change just to shut me up."
Acting Career Highlights
Thomas Jane started his acting career in 1986 when he was 17. His acting coach suggested he try out for a main role in the Indian romantic comedy Padamati Sandhya Ragam (1987). This movie was being filmed in the Washington metropolitan area. He spent eight months filming, including six months in India. The movie's producers ran out of money to pay him. So, he was given an RV that was used in the film, which he sold to help pay for his move to Hollywood.
After moving to Hollywood, Jane got early roles in films like Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992) and Nemesis (1992). He also had supporting roles in several well-known movies. These included The Crow: City of Angels (1996), Boogie Nights (1997), The Thin Red Line (1998), and Magnolia (1999).
Playing the Punisher
After getting good reviews for playing baseball player Mickey Mantle in 61*, Jane started getting offers for main roles. One of these was playing Andre Stander in the South African film Stander (2003).
Thomas Jane was the first and only actor asked to play the main role in The Punisher (2004). He turned down the role twice because he wasn't very interested in superhero movies. However, when he saw Tim Bradstreet's artwork of the character, he became interested. He learned that the Punisher was not a typical superhero but more of an antihero and a vigilante crime fighter. He then accepted the role and became a fan. He trained for several months with Navy SEALs, gaining more than 25 pounds of muscle for the part.
Other Projects and Directing
Besides starring in The Punisher film, he also lent his voice to the video games The Punisher and Gun. He also co-owns RAW, an entertainment company, with Steve Niles and Tim Bradstreet. RAW Studios, the company's comic-book division, released Bad Planet, which Jane wrote.
Jane has also appeared on stage many times. He received strong reviews for his roles as Tom in Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie and as Chris in Arthur Miller's All My Sons. He also played a fictional version of himself in an episode of the TV series Arrested Development.
Thomas Jane did not return for a planned sequel to The Punisher. The project faced many delays. In May 2007, Jane stated that he left the project due to creative differences and a reduced budget.
In June 2007, Jane mentioned that director Zack Snyder wanted him for the role of the Comedian in the movie Watchmen. However, Jane was too busy and turned down the role. That same year, he starred in Frank Darabont's movie The Mist, based on a Stephen King story. His first time directing a film was with Dark Country in 2009, where he also played the main character. In 2009, Jane starred with Ving Rhames in the crime film Give 'Em Hell, Malone.
On December 18, 2008, HBO announced that Thomas Jane would star in their new comedy series Hung. He played Ray Drecker, a high-school history teacher and basketball coach. After facing tough times, Ray finds an unusual way to make money. The series ran for three seasons, ending in 2011.
Jane appeared on the cover of Men's Fitness magazine in June/July 2010. He also voiced the character Jonah Hex in a short animated film.
In June 2012, Jane released a digital music album called Don't Come Home under the name Rusty Blades. At the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con, Jane showed an independent Punisher short film called Dirty Laundry.
On February 1, 2017, Syfy began the second season of The Expanse, a popular science fiction series. Jane played the lead role of Detective Joe Miller. The series started in December 2015 and ran for six seasons, with Jane appearing in the first four.
Jane also co-starred in Shane Black's The Predator (2018). This movie was a direct sequel to the 1987 film Predator.
Jane plays a main role in the Australian crime drama series Troppo. The first season aired in 2022, and the second season aired in 2024. In August 2024, actor Jon Bernthal shared that he trained with Thomas Jane for his role in the Disney+ series Daredevil: Born Again. This showed Jane's continued influence in action movies.
Personal Life
In 1989, Thomas Jane married actress Aysha Hauer. They divorced in 1995.
In 2001, Jane met actress Patricia Arquette through friends. They got engaged in 2002 and had a daughter together before marrying on June 25, 2006, in Venice, Italy. In January 2009, Arquette filed for divorce, but they tried to work things out. However, their divorce was finalized on July 1, 2011. They were given joint custody of their child.
Jane and his former Hung co-star Anne Heche announced they were in a relationship in 2019. They had separated by the time Heche passed away in 2022.
For the film The Punisher (2004), Jane went through intense military-style training. He learned different martial arts and studied military psychology, including the ways of the Samurai. During filming, he was 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighed 170 pounds, having gained 20 pounds of muscle.
Jane is known for often going barefoot, even at film premieres and while working on set.
Filmography
Selected Films
- 1987: Padamati Sandhya Ragam as Chris
- 1992: Buffy the Vampire Slayer as Zeph
- 1993: Nemesis as Billy
- 1997: Face/Off as Burke Hicks
- 1997: Boogie Nights as Todd Parker
- 1998: The Thin Red Line as Private Hiram Ash
- 1999: Deep Blue Sea as Carter Blake
- 1999: Magnolia as Young Jimmy Gator
- 2003: Dreamcatcher as Henry Devlin
- 2003: Stander as Andre Stander
- 2004: The Punisher as Frank Castle / The Punisher
- 2007: The Mist as David Drayton
- 2009: Dark Country as Dick (also director and producer)
- 2018: The Predator as Baxley
- 2019: Crown Vic as Ray Mandel
- 2024: Bosco as Hunt
Television Roles
- 1991: She-Wolf of London as Johnny
- 2001: 61* as Mickey Mantle (Television film)
- 2009–2011: Hung as Ray Drecker (30 episodes)
- 2015–2019: The Expanse as Josephus Miller / The Investigator (24 episodes; also directed one episode)
- 2022–present: Troppo as Ted Conkaffey (16 episodes; also executive producer and directed 2 episodes)
Video Games Voice Roles
- 2005: The Punisher as Frank Castle / The Punisher
- 2005: Gun as Colton White
Discography
Albums
| Year | Artist | Album | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Rusty Blades | Don't Come Home | Singer-songwriter Guitarist |
Awards
See also
In Spanish: Thomas Jane para niños
