Spencer Breslin

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Spencer Breslin
Born (1992-05-18) May 18, 1992 (age 31)
New York City, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1997–present
Spouse(s)Grace Tame
(m. 2017; div. prior to 2021)[1]
RelativesAbigail Breslin (sister)

Spencer Breslin (born May 18, 1992) is an American actor. Breslin has appeared in the feature films

Law & Order
.

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]

Personal life

Breslin was born in

homeschooled by their mother and, according to Breslin, were supportive of his decision to pursue acting but they themselves had no interest in show business.[8] Beginning at the age of three, he acted in over 50 commercials.[citation needed
]

Breslin married Australian activist Grace Tame in 2017; they later divorced on or prior to 27 January 2021.[9][10]

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.

Law & Order, before appearing in the 1999 three-part horror miniseries Stephen King's Storm of the Century.[4][13]

2000–2004

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 the adult, Russ).[4][5][14][15][16] Director Jon Turteltaub chose Breslin over thousands of other child actors after a nationwide search.[17] 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."[11] Breslin appreciated the finer things about making a film 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."[5] Turteltaub observed: "There is nothing bratty, nothing spoiled about this kid at all."[5] 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!"[5]

For his role in Disney's The Kid, at 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.[4] 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."[11] 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."[20] 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."[21] Entertainment Weekly observed: "children ... will have fun ... by all means ... especially because young Breslin ... is such a natural, funny, unmannered boy."[22] The film grossed $110 million, and was a financial success.[23]

He played a little boy in the 2000 comedy film

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][25]

He played whiz-kid Curtis the Elf in the 2002 [[ Christmas comedy film]-drama-fantasy film The Santa Clause 2, marking the first of four films in which he co-starred alongside Tim Allen.[4][26] The film was a great financial success, raking in $173 million in gross sales, and was the fifth-highest-grossing holiday film ever and the 28th-highest-grossing film worldwide of the year, making $29 million its opening weekend.[27] In 2002 he also appeared in television films such as the 2002 Mom's on Strike, as a pesky younger brother in the 2003 You Wish!, and Ozzie.[28] 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.[29][30][31] The film had a worldwide box office of $109 million.[citation needed]

Breslin then returned to the big screen starring alongside

Washington Post, found Breslin to be "adorable."[37]

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.[38] 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.[39] The film had a worldwide box office of $122 million.[citation needed]

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.[32][40] He appeared in the Wonderfalls episode "Lovesick Ass."[41]

Also in 2004, Breslin 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.[42]

2005–2009

Abigail appeared with Spencer once again, in 2006's The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, in which Spencer reprised his role of Curtis the Elf.[39] 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.[43] 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).[32][39][44][45] 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."[46] The film made a worldwide gross of $111 million.[47]

At the age of 16, Breslin went on to star as the titular character in 2007's offbeat teen comedy

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."[48] Sheri Linden of The Hollywood Reporter opined: "Breslin nails his old soul's bunion-hobbled, stooped shuffle. He plays well off Gooding...."[49]

Breslin appeared as Josh in M. Night Shyamalan's science fiction doomsday thriller The Happening in 2008 with Mark Wahlberg.[32][39][44][45][50] The film had a worldwide box office of $163 million.[citation needed]

After 2006, Breslin's acting work dropped substantially, though he continued to work on a semi-regular basis.

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.[51][52] In 2010, MTV listed Breslin as one of "The 17 Coolest 17 Year-Olds from Around the World".[52]

Breslin appeared as Max in the 2011 film Born to Race. He then played Jason in the 2012 romantic comedy drama Stuck in Love.[53] Spencer appeared alongside Abigail as Cousin Derek in the 2012 crime drama Perfect Sisters.[39] Breslin also began to work in other aspects of film making, serving as an executive producer on the animated Really Bad Movie! in 2013, as well as writing and directing his own short films.[39][54]

Breslin starred as computer nerd goofball Isaac in the 2016 horror film Some Kind of Hate, which starred

FrightFest.[53][55][56][57][58][59]

As of July 2016, Breslin was co-hosting the Spencer & Lara's Vomitorium weekly podcast, dedicated to "complaining about the unbearable, insufferable, and aggravating."[60][61]

Music

Breslin finished recording his folk-indie debut album Labor Day in October 2009; the album was released in August 2012.

Ladybug Transistor's Gary Olson, and produced by James William Hindle.[63]

Breslin has founded his own record label, Acadian Recording Company.[64][65]

As of July 2016, he was writing songs for and playing in his rock 'n roll, indie folk music, punk-type band Broken Machine.[57][60][66][67][68] Breslin writes all the music that he plays.[67]

Discography

Labor Day

Labor Day
Studio album by
Spencer Breslin
ReleasedAugust 14, 2012
RecordedOctober 2008 – October 2009, Marlborough Farms, Brooklyn
GenreFolk rock
Length35:40
LanguageEnglish
LabelAcadian Recording Co.
ProducerJames William Hindle

Labor Day is Breslin's debut album,[69] released under his own label, Acadian Recording Co., in August 2012.[64]

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

Ladybug Transistor). The record also features a spoken word cameo by actor Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network, The Squid and the Whale).[70]

Track listing

All tracks are 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 3 episodes
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
Kenny the Shark Matt TV special (live action)
The Ultimate Christmas Present Joey Thompson Television film
2001 Robertson's Greatest Hits Spencer Robertson Television film
Kate Brasher Simon Traylor TV series
Episode: "Simon"
2002 Teamo Supremo Crandall Voice
Return to Neverland Cubby Voice
Mom's on Strike Sam Harris Television film
The Santa Clause 2 Curtis the Elf
2002–05 Express Yourself Himself Interstitial series
2003 You Wish! Stevie Lansing / Terrence Russell McCormack Television film
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 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 Television film
Bones Clinton Gilmore 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
2015 Some Kind of Hate Isaac
2018 External Forces Spencer Short film
2024 Darkness of Man Chris

Awards and nominations

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.

List of awards

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[71]
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
Stinkers Bad Movie Awards 2003 The Spencer Breslin Award (for Worst Performance by a Child in a Feature Role) Won Conrad Walden in The Cat in the Hat[72]
Young Artist Awards 2003 2003 Young Artist Award as Best Performance in a Voice-Over Role Nominated Cubby in Return to Neverland
Stinkers Bad Movie Awards 2006 The Spencer Breslin Award (for Worst Performance by a Child in a Feature Role) Won Curtis the Elf in The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, Josh in The Shaggy Dog, and Tucker Williams/Mega Boy in Zoom[73]
Young Artist Awards 2007 Best Young Ensemble in a Feature Film Nominated Curtis the Elf in
Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause

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External links

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