Thomas Haden Church
Template:Short description Template:Infobox person Thomas Haden Church (born Thomas Richard McMillen; June 17, 1960) is an American actor. After starring in the 1990s sitcom Wings and playing the lead for two seasons in Ned & Stacey (1995–1997), Church became known for his film work, including his role of Lyle van de Groot in George of the Jungle (1997), his Academy Award–nominated performance in Sideways (2004), his role as the Marvel Comics villain Sandman in the superhero films Spider-Man 3 (2007) and Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), as well as his starring roles in Over the Hedge (2006), Smart People (2008), Easy A (2010), We Bought a Zoo (2011), Max (2015), and Hellboy (2019). He also made his directorial debut with Rolling Kansas (2003). In 2023, he starred as antagonist Agent Stone in the post-apocalyptic action comedy series Twisted Metal.
Early life
Church was born Thomas Richard McMillen<ref name="quesada">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=edi>Template:Cite web</ref> on June 17, 1960,<ref name=allmovie>Template:Cite web</ref> in Woodland, Yolo County, California,<ref name=allmovie/> to Maxine (née Sanders; 1936–2021)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Carlos "Carl" Richard McMillen (1936–2008), who served for eight years in the Marines and who was on active duty at the end of the Korean War; after 1962, Carl worked as a surveyor.<ref name="McMillen">Template:Cite news</ref> Church's parents divorced, and he and his mother moved to Laredo, Texas. She remarried in 1969, to widower George A. Quesada, a veteran of an Army Air Forces reconnaissance unit which served in Guam in World War II.<ref name=QuesadaObit>Template:Cite news</ref> Church took his stepfather's surname for a time but changed it to 'Haden Church', extracted from the names of other relatives, when people found 'Quesada' difficult to pronounce.<ref name="quesada"/> Church would often hunt with his stepfather and his stepfathers’ friends along the Rio Grande Valley and started working on a ranch in Webb County, Texas, when he was 13.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He left high school in 1977 to work in the oil fields of Louisiana, but he returned to graduate from Harlingen High School in 1979. He attended the University of North Texas while living in Dallas.<ref name="quesada"/>
Career
Church started in the entertainment business as a radio personality and doing voice-over work.<ref name=GuardNaked>Template:Cite web</ref> After appearing in an independent film, he moved to California to pursue an acting career. His character delivers a love letter to Carla Tortelli (Rhea Perlman) from her deceased former lover, Eddie LaBec, in the Cheers episode, "Death Takes a Vacation on Ice". He played the part of slow-witted aircraft mechanic Lowell Mather for six seasons (1990–95) on the NBC sitcom Wings.<ref name=Wings>Template:Cite web</ref>
He worked in television for two more seasons, with a lead role in Ned & Stacey opposite Debra Messing. He has had supporting roles in films such as Tombstone, George of the Jungle, The Specials, and Demon Knight.
Church bought a ranch in Texas in 1998. In late 2000, he took a break from films.<ref name=GuardNaked/> After having small roles in films such as Monkeybone and 3000 Miles to Graceland, he made his directorial debut with Rolling Kansas in 2003. He has voiceover work in commercials, such as for Merrill Lynch and Icehouse beer. Template:Citation needed
In 2003, director Alexander Payne called him regarding the role of Jack, the selfish best friend of Paul Giamatti's character, in Sideways. During the audition, Church stripped naked to read the audition scene, later saying "To me, it was painfully obvious... I was reading the scene where Jack comes in naked and there has to be in-born vulnerability in the scene."<ref name=GuardNaked/> (He later found that he was the only actor to strip down for the audition).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Sideways earned acclaim for Church; he won an IFP Independent Spirit Award and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
He has since appeared in films such as Idiocracy, done voice-over work on films such as Over the Hedge and starred in one of AMC's highest rated television productions, Broken Trail, with Robert Duvall, in 2006, for which he won an Emmy. In 2007, he appeared as the villain Sandman in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 3 starring Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He received praise for his portrayal of the character.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Although he was not present on set he lent his voice to Sandman (digitally created) for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film Spider-Man: No Way Home, which was released in 2021 and linked both the Raimi and Marc Webb franchises to the MCU. Archival footage from Spider-Man 3 was used to show his human form at the end of the film where Jon Watts provided the motion-capture for Sandman.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2005, he was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. In October 2008, Church appeared as "Joe Six-Pack" in a video on funnyordie.com, challenging Joe the Plumber to a beer-drinking contest.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Church starred in the FEARnet webseries, Zombie Roadkill, alongside David Dorfman.<ref>"FEARnet Goes to Church for Zombie Roadkill", dreadcentral.com; accessed June 10, 2014.</ref> He also appeared in the HBO original series Divorce.
In December 2021, it was announced that Church will star alongside Toni Collette and Anna Faris in the comedy film The Estate, directed by Dean Craig.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In March 2023, he played Lloyd in Acidman.
Personal life
Church lives on his Template:Convert ranch near Kerrville, Texas and also owns a ranch near Lost Maples State Natural Area in the Texas Hill Country.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=GuardNaked/><ref name=Elle>Template:Cite journal</ref> During the filming of Divorce, he rented a house in New Rochelle, New York.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He has two children from a former relationship with Mia Zottoli. Church has never married.<ref name=guardian/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=Elle/> Church's father, Carl, died in 2008,<ref name=McMillen/> and his stepfather, George, died in 2012.<ref name=QuesadaObit/>
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Gypsy Angels | Roommate | 1989 version; uncredited |
| 1993 | Tombstone | Billy Clanton | |
| 1995 | Demon Knight | Roach | |
| 1997 | George of the Jungle | Lyle Van de Groot | |
| One Night Stand | Don | ||
| 1998 | Susan's Plan | Dr. Chris Stillman | |
| Free Money | Larry Lundstrom | ||
| 1999 | Goosed | Steven Troy | |
| 2000 | The Specials | The Strobe | |
| 2001 | 3000 Miles to Graceland | US Marshal Quigley | |
| Monkeybone | Death's Assistant | Uncredited | |
| 2002 | Lone Star State of Mind | Killer | |
| The Badge | David Hardwick | ||
| 2003 | Rolling Kansas | Agent Madsen / Trooper | Uncredited; Also writer and director |
| George of the Jungle 2 | Lyle Van de Groot | Direct-to-video | |
| 2004 | Serial Killing 4 Dummys | Vince Grimaldi | |
| Sideways | Jack Cole | ||
| Spanglish | Mike | ||
| 2006 | Over the Hedge | Dwayne | Voice |
| Idiocracy | Brawndo CEO | ||
| Charlotte's Web | Brooks | Voice | |
| 2007 | Spider-Man 3 | Flint Marko / Sandman | |
| 2008 | Smart People | Chuck Wetherhold | |
| 2009 | Don McKay | Don McKay | Also executive producer |
| Imagine That | Johnny Whitefeather | ||
| Aliens in the Attic | Tazer | Voice | |
| All About Steve | Hartman | ||
| 2010 | Easy A | Mr. Griffith | |
| 2011 | Another Happy Day | Paul | |
| Killer Joe | Ansel Smith | ||
| We Bought a Zoo | Duncan Mee | ||
| 2012 | John Carter | Tal Hajus | |
| 2013 | Whitewash | Bruce Landry | |
| Lucky Them | Charlie | ||
| 2014 | Heaven Is for Real | Jay Wilkins | |
| 2015 | Max | Ray Wincott | |
| Daddy's Home | Leo Holt | ||
| 2016 | Cardboard Boxer | Willie | |
| 2017 | Crash Pad | Grady Dott | |
| 2019 | The Peanut Butter Falcon | Clint / The Salt Water Redneck | |
| Hellboy | Lobster Johnson | ||
| 2020 | The 24th | Col. Norton | |
| 2021 | Spider-Man: No Way Home | Flint Marko / Sandman | Voice and archive footage<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2022 | Acidman | Lloyd | |
| 2023 | Accidental Texan | Merle Luskey | |
| 2024 | Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2 | Template:TBA | |
| 2025 | Wake Up Dead Man | Samson Holt | |
| TBA | Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 3 | Template:TBA | Filming |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Protect and Surf | Dwight Jesmer | Television film |
| 21 Jump Street | Tony | Episode: "Eternal Flame" | |
| Cheers | Gordie Brown | Episode: "Death Takes a Holiday on Ice" | |
| China Beach | Jack Daniels | Episode: "China Man" | |
| Booker | Leon Ross | 2 episodes | |
| 1990–1995 | Wings | Lowell Mather | 123 episodes |
| 1992 | Flying Blind | Jonathan | 2 episodes |
| 1993 | Fugitive Nights: Danger in the Desert | Nelson Hareem | Television film |
| 1995–1997 | Ned and Stacey | Ned Dorsey | 46 episodes |
| 1995 | Partners | Episode: "City Hall" | |
| 1998 | Mr. Murder | Drew Oslett Jr. | Television film |
| 2001 | Gary & Mike | Additional voices | Episode: "Washington D.C." |
| The Cartoon Cartoon Show | Doo Dah (voice) | Episode: "Yee Hah & Doo Dah: Bronco Breakin' Boots" | |
| Going to California | Schwee | Episode: "Apocalypse Cow" | |
| 2003 | Miss Match | Andrew Horn | Episode: "Matchmaker, Matchmaker; Uncredited |
| Lucky | Bobby Blaine | Episode: "The Method" | |
| 2004 | Teen Titans | Killer Moth (voice) | Episode: "Date with Destiny" |
| 2006 | Broken Trail | Tom Harte | Television miniseries; 2 episodes |
| 2010 | Zombie Roadkill | Ranger Chet Masterson | Television miniseries; 6 episodes |
| 2012 | Regular Show | Quillgin (voice) | Episode: "The Christmas Special" |
| 2016–2019 | Divorce | Robert Dufresne | 24 episodes; Also executive producer |
| 2021 | Nature | Narrator | Episode: "Big Bend: The Wild Frontier of Texas" |
| 2023 | Fired on Mars | Trevor Sullivan (voice) | 2 episodes |
| Twisted Metal | Agent Stone | Main role | |
| 2025 | Tires | Phil | Season 2 - present |
Video games
| Year | Title | Voice role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Ys | Goban Toba | English dub; Credited as Thomas H. Church |
| 2007 | Spider-Man 3 | Flint Marko / Sandman |
Awards and nominations
Church has received multiple awards and nominations for his roles in both television and film. He earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in 2005 for his role as Jack in Sideways (2004), two Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor in 2004 for the film Sideways (2004) and Best Supporting Actor in 2007 for the miniseries Broken Trail (2006), won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie in 2007 for Broken Trail (2006), and won one of three Screen Actors Guild Award nominations in 2005 for Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture for Sideways (2004).
References
External links
- Pages with broken file links
- 1960 births
- 20th-century American male actors
- 21st-century American male actors
- American male film actors
- American male television actors
- American male voice actors
- American male video game actors
- Best Supporting Male Independent Spirit Award winners
- Living people
- Male actors from Texas
- Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Screen Actors Guild Award winners
- Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie Primetime Emmy Award winners
- People from Harlingen, Texas
- People from Laredo, Texas
- University of North Texas alumni