American actor Michael Shannon is better known to the general public for the film Groundhog Day. But his creative background is quite impressive and includes characteristic and diverse roles, as well as the creation of the musical group "Corporal".
The beginning of the path of Michael Shannon
The actor was born in the small town of Lexington (Kentucky) on August 7, 1974. Michael's father was a university professor, and his mother was a lawyer. It should be noted that the family became famous for the grandfather of the future actor Raymond Corbett Shannon, who was a famous entomologist. He made a huge contribution to the development of insect science.
When Michael Shannon was in junior high, his family suddenly fell apart. After his parents divorced, the boy alternately lived with his father in Lexington, then with his mother in Chicago. The local theater, which they attended with their mother, was the starting point for Michael. Here, on the theatrical Chicago stage, the career of the young actor began. It was from here that he left for the big world of cinema.
Working in theater and cinema was not Michael's only occupation. He organized a musical group "Corporal". It included his friends and colleagues Robert Beitzel and Rei Rizzo. Indian rock became the professional direction of the group. The musicians released an album and two singles "Glory" and "Obama". It should be noted that the last single was timely released for the re-election for the second term of President Barack Obama.
First successes in cinema
The theater stage in Chicago brought Michael Shannon fame. They began to invite him to the cinema, but only for cameo roles. So, the actor starred in the TV series "Angel Street" and "Woman Persecuted". The first success for the young actor came in 1993. Michael starred in Groundhog Day as Fred. This unusual film immediately gained immense popularity among viewers, and the actor became recognizable by the general public.
Later, Shannon starred in the thriller "Chain Reaction" with Keanu Reeves, and in the war drama "Tiger Country" Michael worked with the famous actor Colin Farrell. The blockbusters Vanilla Sky, Eight Mile, and Pearl Harbor, in which the actor starred in a very short period of time, were less successful than the supporting role of John Givings in the drama Road to Change, which brought real success to the actor. The famous Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio also starred in this motion picture.
In 2010 Michael Shannon took part in several successful projects. The image of the popular American singer Kim Foley in the musical film "The Runaways" he succeeded as well as possible, because the actor himself was a musician, and the theme of music was incredibly close to him. The multi-part saga about Ganster Chicago brought the talented actor two Screen Actors Guild awards.
For director Jeff Nichols, Michael became a favorite actor. Nichols has directed Michael Shannon in all of his projects. The renowned director considers him to be the most outstanding actor in modern cinema.
Huge success awaited Shannon after participating in the movie "Mud", which brought together a strong cast: Reese Witherspoon, Sam Shepard, Matthew McConaughey and many other famous actors. This picture was included in the program of the Cannes Film Festival. The drama became rated and entered the top 10 best films of the year. The starring role of the worker Curtis in the thriller Shelter, who has apocalyptic dreams, has earned several prestigious nominations, including a nomination for the Grand Prix at the Sundance Film Festival.
Later, Michael Shannon took part in the filming of the fantastic action movie Midnight Special. The adaptation of the comics "Man of Steel", where the actor played the role of General Zod, brought the American actor worldwide fame. In addition, the actor played the same character in the action "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice."
In 2014, Michael's acting baggage was replenished with another dramatic motion picture - "99 Houses". In it, he played the black realtor Rick Carver. Fans note that Michael Shannon's roles of negative characters are excellent.
In addition to acting, Michael Shannon tries his hand at being a producer. His first project is the comedy Elvis and Nixon. He starred in it himself, playing the key role of the king of rock 'n' roll, where once again his musical experience and abilities came in handy.
In 2017, Michael starred in the melodrama Crown Reception, in the films War of Currents, Pottersville, and The Shape of Water. In the same year, the actor was nominated for an Oscar for his role in the thriller Under the Cover of Night.
And in 2018, with the participation of Michael Shannon, two dramatic films "As if in a Dream", "Cavalry", the series "Tragedy at Waco" and the fantastic film "Fahrenheit 451" were released.
Personal life of the actor
Michael Shannon is not a fan of making his personal life public, believing that personal life is therefore called "personal" and is not public domain. Therefore, he is reluctant, unlike many of his colleagues, to give interviews to journalists. The actor tries to avoid meeting with the paparazzi. His photos rarely appear in the tabloids. And on Instagram you can only see the announcements of films with his participation.
Michael has been married for many years, although this union is not officially registered. The actor believes that love is the main indicator in a relationship, and everything else is not important. The artist lives in New York, in the Brooklyn area, where he has his own living space. His common-law spouse is actress Keith Arrington. Kate and Michael are raising two beautiful daughters: Sylvia and Marion.
