Tommy Wiseau facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tommy Wiseau
Wiseau at a 2024 screening of The Room and Big Shark at the North Park Theater
Born	(1955-10-03) October 3, 1955 (age 69)
Citizenship	United States
Occupation	Actor filmmaker
Years active	2003–present
Known for	The Room
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Tommy Wiseau (born October 3, 1955) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is best known for making the 2003 movie The Room. He wrote, produced, directed, and starred in this film. Many people have called The Room one of the worst movies ever made, but it has become a cult classic. This means it is very popular with a small group of fans.

Wiseau also helped direct a documentary called Homeless in America in 2004. In 2015, he created a TV show called The Neighbors. Many facts about Wiseau's life, like where he came from or how old he is, are a bit of a mystery.

The book The Disaster Artist: My Life Inside The Room, the Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made by Greg Sestero tells the story of how The Room was made. It also shares some details about Wiseau's life. This book was later made into a movie in 2017.

Tommy Wiseau's Early Life

An undated headshot of Wiseau

Tommy Wiseau keeps his early life a secret. He has said in interviews that he lived in France a long time ago. He also mentioned growing up in New Orleans, Louisiana. His friend Greg Sestero wrote in his book that Wiseau was born earlier than he claimed. Sestero believes Wiseau was born in an Eastern Bloc country in the mid-1950s.

In 2016, a documentary called Room Full of Spoons suggested Wiseau is from Poznań, Poland, and was born in 1955. In 2017, Wiseau said for the first time that he is from Europe. He stated, "Long story short, I grew up in Europe a long time ago, but I'm American and very proud of it."

According to Sestero, Wiseau moved to Strasbourg as a young man. He worked there as a dishwasher. Wiseau told Sestero he was wrongly arrested by French police. This event made him move to the U.S. to live with family in Chalmette.

Sestero also says Wiseau moved to San Francisco. There, he sold toys to tourists near Fisherman's Wharf. People called him "The Birdman" because of his bird toys. This led him to change his name to Thomas Pierre Wiseau. He used the French word for "bird" (oiseau) and added the "W" from his birth name.

Wiseau also claims he studied psychology at Laney Community College in Oakland. He says he graduated with honors.

Sestero mentions that Wiseau worked many jobs in the San Francisco Bay Area. He says Wiseau eventually bought and rented out large stores. This made him very wealthy. Sestero also suggests that a serious car crash changed Wiseau's life. After being in the hospital, Wiseau decided to follow his dreams of becoming an actor and director.

Tommy Wiseau's Career

Film Work

Early Influences and Films

Tommy Wiseau has said that movies like The Guns of Navarone and Citizen Kane influenced him. He also admired actors like James Dean and Marlon Brando. Some lines in The Room, like "You are tearing me apart, Lisa!", were inspired by James Dean's movie Rebel Without a Cause. Wiseau also liked the work of Tennessee Williams and Alfred Hitchcock.

Wiseau had been trying to get into Hollywood since the late 1980s. He took acting classes and film classes in Los Angeles. He even directed a student film called Robbery Doesn't Pay using a special camera.

The Room

Wiseau as Jonny in The Room.

Tommy Wiseau's most famous movie, The Room, came out in 2003. It cost $6 million to make, and how he got the money is still a mystery. The movie was based on a very long novel Wiseau wrote. Critics did not like the movie at all when it first came out. However, it slowly became a "cult classic."

Fans often dress up like the characters for late-night showings. They also shout lines from the movie and throw plastic spoons and footballs. This led to a "Love is Blind" International Tour for The Room in 2010–2011. The movie was shown in many countries, and Wiseau often attended these events. He would take photos with fans and talk to the audience.

In the 2017 movie The Disaster Artist, James Franco played Tommy Wiseau. Franco won an award for his acting. Wiseau liked Franco playing him and Dave Franco playing Greg Sestero. Wiseau even made a small appearance in the movie himself.

Later Film Projects

Wiseau at a showing of The Disaster Artist in 2017

In 2004, Wiseau made a short documentary called Homeless in America. He also appeared in a short horror movie called The House That Drips Blood on Alex in 2010.

Wiseau also played a villain named Linton Kitano in the movie Samurai Cop 2: Deadly Vengeance. In 2016, it was announced that Wiseau and Greg Sestero would star in a movie called Best F(r)iends. Sestero wrote the movie, and it was filmed secretly. The movie came out in two parts in 2017.

In 2019, Wiseau showed a preview for his second movie as a director, Big Shark. The preview showed Wiseau, Sestero, and a big shark. Big Shark first showed in April 2023. Wiseau and Sestero are also planning to be in a movie about UFOs.

Television Appearances

In 2008, Wiseau created and appeared in a TV show pilot called The Neighbors. The show was released on Hulu in 2015.

In 2009, Wiseau was a guest star on the show Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!. He directed a part of the episode called "Pigman." He also appeared in the 2010 comedy TV series La La Land.

Internet Work

In 2011, Wiseau starred in a YouTube web series called Tommy Explains it All. In this show, he shared his thoughts on different topics. He also appeared in segments on Machinima.com called The Tommy Wi-Show. In these segments, Wiseau played video games and gave his comments. In 2019, Wiseau was in the first episode of an animated web series called SpaceWorld. He also appeared in an advertisement for 1Password in 2024.

Personal Life

Tommy Wiseau likes to keep his personal life private. He believes that private life should stay private. In 2017, he told a magazine, "I think private life should be private life, the professional life should be the professional life, and that's where I stand." He has called Greg Sestero his "best friend." Wiseau has also said he speaks French fluently and is a Catholic.

Filmography

Film

Television

Web shows

Music videos

Awards and Recognition

See also

In Spanish: Tommy Wiseau para niños

• Room Full of Spoons, a documentary about Tommy Wiseau