Ethan Suplee (born May 25, 1976) is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
film and television
actorAn actor or actress is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
best known for his roles as Seth Ryan in
American History XAmerican History X is a 1998 American film directed by Tony Kaye. The film tells the story of two brothers, Derek Vinyard and Daniel "Danny" Vinyard of Venice Beach in Los Angeles, California...
, Harry Knowles in
FanboysA fanboy is a person considered to belong to one or more fandoms to a point of obsession.Fanboy may also refer to:*Fanboys , a 2003 New Zealand short film.*Fanboys , a 2009 American comedy film....
, Frankie in
Boy Meets WorldBoy Meets World was an American television sitcom that chronicles the events and everyday life lessons of Cory Matthews, played by Ben Savage, who grows up from a young boy to a married man...
, and Randy Hickey in
My Name Is EarlMy Name Is Earl is an American comedy created by Greg Garcia that was originally broadcast on the NBC television network from September 20, 2005 to May 14, 2009 in the United States. It was produced by 20th Century Fox Television.-Overview:...
.
Suplee was born in
ManhattanManhattan is one of the five boroughs of New York City, located primarily on Manhattan Island at the mouth of the Hudson River.New York County, which has the same boundaries as the Borough of Manhattan , is the most densely populated county in the United States, with a 2008 population of 1,634,795...
, the son of Debbie (
néeNEE, Nee, Née may refer to:* Née or Nee, French for "born", indicates a person's birth surname* Nee , a band in Kannada* NEE, a political party in Flanders, Belgium* "Ne~e?", a 2003 single by Aya Matsuura- People with the family name :...
Grosco) and
Bill SupleeWilliam "Bill" Suplee is an American actor. He is the father of actor Ethan Suplee with whom he co-starred in My Name is Earl.-Acting career:...
(the latter of whom would go on to play "Willie," the one-eyed mailman, in
My Name Is Earl). His parents were actors who met while performing
summer stockFor the article about the theatre genre, see Summer stock theatre.Summer Stock is an MGM musical made in 1950. The film was directed by Charles Walters and stars Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, Eddie Bracken, Gloria DeHaven, Marjorie Main, and Phil Silvers...
and appeared on
BroadwayBroadway Theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, is the theatre associated with the 40 large professional theaters with 500 seats or more located in the Theatre District, New York in Manhattan, New York City...
; his mother also worked as a drama teacher in her hometown of Yellowknife.
Ethan Suplee (born May 25, 1976) is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
film and television
actorAn actor or actress is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
best known for his roles as Seth Ryan in
American History XAmerican History X is a 1998 American film directed by Tony Kaye. The film tells the story of two brothers, Derek Vinyard and Daniel "Danny" Vinyard of Venice Beach in Los Angeles, California...
, Harry Knowles in
FanboysA fanboy is a person considered to belong to one or more fandoms to a point of obsession.Fanboy may also refer to:*Fanboys , a 2003 New Zealand short film.*Fanboys , a 2009 American comedy film....
, Frankie in
Boy Meets WorldBoy Meets World was an American television sitcom that chronicles the events and everyday life lessons of Cory Matthews, played by Ben Savage, who grows up from a young boy to a married man...
, and Randy Hickey in
My Name Is EarlMy Name Is Earl is an American comedy created by Greg Garcia that was originally broadcast on the NBC television network from September 20, 2005 to May 14, 2009 in the United States. It was produced by 20th Century Fox Television.-Overview:...
.
Early life
Suplee was born in
ManhattanManhattan is one of the five boroughs of New York City, located primarily on Manhattan Island at the mouth of the Hudson River.New York County, which has the same boundaries as the Borough of Manhattan , is the most densely populated county in the United States, with a 2008 population of 1,634,795...
, the son of Debbie (
néeNEE, Nee, Née may refer to:* Née or Nee, French for "born", indicates a person's birth surname* Nee , a band in Kannada* NEE, a political party in Flanders, Belgium* "Ne~e?", a 2003 single by Aya Matsuura- People with the family name :...
Grosco) and
Bill SupleeWilliam "Bill" Suplee is an American actor. He is the father of actor Ethan Suplee with whom he co-starred in My Name is Earl.-Acting career:...
(the latter of whom would go on to play "Willie," the one-eyed mailman, in
My Name Is Earl). His parents were actors who met while performing
summer stockFor the article about the theatre genre, see Summer stock theatre.Summer Stock is an MGM musical made in 1950. The film was directed by Charles Walters and stars Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, Eddie Bracken, Gloria DeHaven, Marjorie Main, and Phil Silvers...
and appeared on
BroadwayBroadway Theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, is the theatre associated with the 40 large professional theaters with 500 seats or more located in the Theatre District, New York in Manhattan, New York City...
; his mother also worked as a drama teacher in her hometown of Yellowknife. Suplee's family moved to
Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles is the largest city in the state of California and the second largest in the United States. Often abbreviated as L.A. and nicknamed The City of Angels, Los Angeles has an estimated population of 3.8 million and spans over in Southern California...
, when he was one.
Career
Suplee began acting in school plays. At 16, after high school, he was encouraged by friend
Giovanni RibisiGiovanni Ribisi is an American actor. His film credits include Perfect Stranger, Heaven, Gone in Sixty Seconds, Saving Private Ryan, That Thing You Do!, Boiler Room, subUrbia, The Gift, Basic, Lost in Translation, Flight of the Phoenix, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, I Love Your Work, The...
to take an acting class. (It was also through Ribisi that Suplee first met his friend and future "Earl" castmate,
Jason LeeJason Michael Lee is an American actor and former professional skateboarder. Lee is best known for his performance in My Name is Earl as the title character Earl Hickey.-Early life:...
.) Ethan dropped out of the acting class at 17, however he felt inspired to pursue acting as a career. He was originally best known as the kid from
Segais a multinational video game software and hardware development company, and a home computer and console manufacturer headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan...
's "Dead Squirrel" Game Gear commercials in the early 1990s.
The first major role Ethan landed was his comedic performance as Willam Black in
MallratsMallrats is a 1995 film written and directed by Kevin Smith. It is the second to be set in Smith's "View Askewniverse" series of interlocking films set mostly in New Jersey, although the movie was filmed in the Eden Prairie Center, which is located in Minnesota...
, directed by
Kevin SmithKevin Patrick Smith is an American screenwriter and director, as well as a comic book writer, author, and actor. He is also the co-founder, with Scott Mosier, of View Askew Productions and owner of Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash comic and novelty store in Red Bank, New Jersey. He also hosts a...
, alongside
Jason LeeJason Michael Lee is an American actor and former professional skateboarder. Lee is best known for his performance in My Name is Earl as the title character Earl Hickey.-Early life:...
. Smith recast both Suplee and Lee in later films
Chasing AmyChasing Amy is a 1997 romantic comedy film written and directed by Kevin Smith. It is the third film in the View Askewniverse series. The film focuses on two comic book artists: Holden McNeil , a heterosexual male, and Alyssa Jones , a lesbian-identified woman.The movie contains frank sexual...
, and
DogmaDogma is a American adventure-comedy-fantasy film, written and directed by Kevin Smith; he also co-stars in the film along with an ensemble cast that includes Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Linda Fiorentino, Alan Rickman, Bud Cort, Salma Hayek, Chris Rock, Jason Lee, Jason Mewes, George Carlin, Janeane...
. They both make
cameoA cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television. Short appearances by film directors, politicians, athletes, musicians, and other celebrities are common. These roles are generally small, and...
s in
Clerks IIClerks II is the sequel to Kevin Smith's 1994 film Clerks, and his sixth feature film to be set in the View Askewniverse. The film was released on July 21, 2006; it screened out of competition at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival and won the Audience Award at the 2006 Edinburgh International Film...
. At the same time as the filming of
MallratsMallrats is a 1995 film written and directed by Kevin Smith. It is the second to be set in Smith's "View Askewniverse" series of interlocking films set mostly in New Jersey, although the movie was filmed in the Eden Prairie Center, which is located in Minnesota...
, Suplee also had a guest starring role as Frankie "The Enforcer" Stechino in
Boy Meets WorldBoy Meets World was an American television sitcom that chronicles the events and everyday life lessons of Cory Matthews, played by Ben Savage, who grows up from a young boy to a married man...
, from 1994-1998. Suplee's notable dramatic performances include the roles of the
Nazi skinheadWhite power skinheads are a white supremacist and anti-semitic offshoot of the skinhead subculture. Many of them are affiliated with white nationalist organizations.-History :...
Seth in
American History XAmerican History X is a 1998 American film directed by Tony Kaye. The film tells the story of two brothers, Derek Vinyard and Daniel "Danny" Vinyard of Venice Beach in Los Angeles, California...
,
ashton kutcherChristopher Ashton Kutcher is an American actor and former fashion model best known for playing Michael Kelso in the Fox sitcom That '70s Show...
's
gothThe goth subculture is a contemporary subculture found in many countries. It began in the United Kingdom during the early 1980s in the gothic rock scene, an offshoot of the post-punk genre. The goth subculture has survived much longer than others of the same era, and has continued to diversify...
College roomate, "Thumper" in
The Butterfly EffectThe Butterfly Effect is a 2004 American psychological thriller film directed and written by Eric Bress and J. Mackye Gruber. The film stars Ashton Kutcher, Amy Smart, Eric Stoltz and others, and was distributed by New Line Cinema...
, football player Louie Lastik in
Remember the TitansRemember the Titans is an American sports drama, directed by Boaz Yakin and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer for Walt Disney Pictures, released in 2000. The film stars Denzel Washington as coach Herman Boone and Ryan Hurst as Gary Bertier. Remember the Titans centers on the American football team of...
,
Johnny DeppJohn Christopher "Johnny" Depp II is an American actor and musician known for his portrayals of offbeat, eccentric characters such as Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series, Raoul Duke in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and Sam in Benny & Joon.Depp rose to prominence in a lead...
's buddy and initial drug-dealing partner Tuna in
BlowBlow is a 2001 drama/biopic film about the American cocaine smuggler George Jung, directed by Ted Demme . David McKenna and Nick Cassavetes adapted Bruce Porter's 1993 book Blow: How a Small Town Boy Made $100 Million with the Medellin Cocaine Cartel and Lost It All for the screenplay...
, and the simpleminded Pangle in
Cold MountainCold Mountain is a 2003 film written and directed by Anthony Minghella. The film is based on the novel by Charles Frazier.- Plot :The movie opens depicting the events leading up to the American Civil War, and proceeds to a vivid recreation of the Battle of the Crater. Jude Law plays a Confederate...
. Suplee also had an uncredited cameo in the HBO TV series
EntourageEntourage is an American comedy-drama that premiered on HBO on July 18, 2004. The series was created by Doug Ellin and chronicles the rise of Vincent Chase, a young A-list movie star, and his childhood friends from Queens, New York City, as they navigate the unfamiliar terrain of Hollywood,...
as the scene-mate of movie star
Vincent ChaseVincent "Vince" Chase is the fictional main character on the dramedy television series Entourage. He is played by Adrian Grenier.-Personal life:...
in the fictional movie
Queens Boulevard.
Personal life
Suplee married Brandy Lewis, daughter of Geoffrey Lewis and sister of
Juliette LewisJuliette Lewis is an American actress and musician.-Life and career:Lewis was born in Los Angeles, California to Geoffrey Lewis, an actor, and Glenis Duggan Batley, a graphic designer...
, in the summer of 2006. The couple has two daughters, Frances Clementine (born 2005) and Billie Grace (born 2007). Lewis also has two daughters from a previous marriage. Both Suplee and Lewis are members of the
Church of ScientologyThe Church of Scientology is the largest organization devoted to the practice and the promotion of the Scientology belief system. The Church of Scientology International is the Church of Scientology's parent organization, and is responsible for the overall ecclesiastical management, dissemination...
. In
Clerks II, he was shown to have lost a substantial amount of weight. On the audio commentary of
Without a PaddleWithout a Paddle is a 2004 comedy film about three men going on a trip up a remote river in order to search for the body of a long lost thief and his loot...
, he remarked that his weight loss was "all natural."
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|
| 1994-1996, 1998 |
Boy Meets WorldBoy Meets World was an American television sitcom that chronicles the events and everyday life lessons of Cory Matthews, played by Ben Savage, who grows up from a young boy to a married man...
(TV) |
Frankie Stechino |
| 1995 |
MallratsMallrats is a 1995 film written and directed by Kevin Smith. It is the second to be set in Smith's "View Askewniverse" series of interlocking films set mostly in New Jersey, although the movie was filmed in the Eden Prairie Center, which is located in Minnesota...
|
Willam BlackWillam Black is a character from Kevin Smith's "View Askewniverse" films. He appeared in Clerks, Mallrats, and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back...
|
| 1997 |
Chasing Amy Chasing Amy is a 1997 romantic comedy film written and directed by Kevin Smith. It is the third film in the View Askewniverse series. The film focuses on two comic book artists: Holden McNeil , a heterosexual male, and Alyssa Jones , a lesbian-identified woman.The movie contains frank sexual...
|
Comic Fan |
| 1998 |
American History XAmerican History X is a 1998 American film directed by Tony Kaye. The film tells the story of two brothers, Derek Vinyard and Daniel "Danny" Vinyard of Venice Beach in Los Angeles, California...
|
Seth Ryan |
| Desert Blue Desert Blue is a 1998 American comedy/drama film directed by Morgan J. Freeman and starring Brendan Sexton III, Kate Hudson, Christina Ricci, Casey Affleck, Peter Sarsgaard, Lee Holmes, Sara Gilbert, and John Heard....
|
Cale |
| 1999 |
Tyrone |
Joshua Schatzberg |
DogmaDogma is a American adventure-comedy-fantasy film, written and directed by Kevin Smith; he also co-stars in the film along with an ensemble cast that includes Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Linda Fiorentino, Alan Rickman, Bud Cort, Salma Hayek, Chris Rock, Jason Lee, Jason Mewes, George Carlin, Janeane...
|
Noman the Golgothan (voice) |
| 2000 |
Takedown Track Down , also known as Takedown, is a film about computer hacker Kevin Mitnick, based on the book Takedown by John Markoff and Tsutomu Shimomura...
|
Dan Brodley |
Road TripRoad Trip is a 2000 comedy film written by Todd Phillips and Scott Armstrong and directed by Phillips. It is about the story of Josh who accidentally sends a video of him and his love interest to his childhood sweetheart Tiffany and has to try to get the video back before Tiffany returns to...
|
Ed |
| Vulgar Vulgar is a 2000 film, produced by View Askew Productions and featuring a few actors from the View Askewniverse of Kevin Smith. The film is the tale of the mascot, featured in Clerks opening.-The Story:...
|
Frankie Fanelli |
Remember the TitansRemember the Titans is an American sports drama, directed by Boaz Yakin and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer for Walt Disney Pictures, released in 2000. The film stars Denzel Washington as coach Herman Boone and Ryan Hurst as Gary Bertier. Remember the Titans centers on the American football team of...
|
Louie Lastik |
| 2001 |
Don's Plum Don's Plum is a 2001 low-budget black and white drama film directed by R.D. Robb. Robb co-wrote it with Bethany Ashton, Tawd Hackman, David Stutman, and Dale Wheatley. The film features Leonardo DiCaprio, Kevin Connolly and Tobey Maguire, who make crude jokes while hanging out in a Los Angeles diner...
|
Big Bum |
BlowBlow is a 2001 drama/biopic film about the American cocaine smuggler George Jung, directed by Ted Demme . David McKenna and Nick Cassavetes adapted Bruce Porter's 1993 book Blow: How a Small Town Boy Made $100 Million with the Medellin Cocaine Cartel and Lost It All for the screenplay...
|
Tuna |
| Evolution Evolution is a 2001 comedy sci-fi movie directed by Ivan Reitman. It is based on a story by Don Jakoby, who converted it into a screenplay along with David Diamond and David Weissman. The movie was originally written as a serious horror science fiction film, until director Ivan Reitman re-wrote...
|
Deke |
| 2002 |
John QJohn Q is a 2002 film by Nick Cassavetes; starring Denzel Washington as John Quincy Archibald, a father and husband whose son is diagnosed with an enlarged heart and then finds out he cannot receive a transplant because HMO insurance will not cover it...
|
Max Conlin |
The First $20 Million Is Always the HardestThe First $20 Million Is Always the Hardest is a 2002 film based on a novel by technology-culture writer Po Bronson. The film stars Adam Garcia.- Production :...
|
Tiny |
| 2003 |
Cold MountainCold Mountain is a 2003 film written and directed by Anthony Minghella. The film is based on the novel by Charles Frazier.- Plot :The movie opens depicting the events leading up to the American Civil War, and proceeds to a vivid recreation of the Battle of the Crater. Jude Law plays a Confederate...
|
Pangle |
| 2004 |
The Butterfly EffectThe Butterfly Effect is a 2004 American psychological thriller film directed and written by Eric Bress and J. Mackye Gruber. The film stars Ashton Kutcher, Amy Smart, Eric Stoltz and others, and was distributed by New Line Cinema...
|
Thumper |
Without a PaddleWithout a Paddle is a 2004 comedy film about three men going on a trip up a remote river in order to search for the body of a long lost thief and his loot...
|
Elwood |
| 2005 |
Neo Ned Neo Ned is a 2005 film starring Jeremy Renner, Gabrielle Union, Sally Kirkland, Cary Elwes, and Ethan Suplee. It was written by Tim Boughn and directed by Van Fischer.-Synopsis:...
|
Johnny (orderly) |
My Name Is EarlMy Name Is Earl is an American comedy created by Greg Garcia that was originally broadcast on the NBC television network from September 20, 2005 to May 14, 2009 in the United States. It was produced by 20th Century Fox Television.-Overview:...
(TV series, 2005-2009) |
Randy Hickey |
EntourageEntourage is an American comedy-drama that premiered on HBO on July 18, 2004. The series was created by Doug Ellin and chronicles the rise of Vincent Chase, a young A-list movie star, and his childhood friends from Queens, New York City, as they navigate the unfamiliar terrain of Hollywood,...
(TV series) |
Unnamed (cameo appearance) |
| 2006 |
Art School ConfidentialArt School Confidential is a 2006 comedy-drama film directed by Terry Zwigoff, loosely based on the comic of the same name by Daniel Clowes. The film is Zwigoff's second collaboration with Clowes, the first being 2001's Ghost World...
|
Vince |
| The Fountain |
Manny |
| The Year Without a Santa Claus The Year Without a Santa Claus is a 90-minute 2006 live-action remake of the Rankin-Bass classic The Year Without a Santa Claus which premiered on NBC December 11, 2006...
|
Jingle |
Clerks IIClerks II is the sequel to Kevin Smith's 1994 film Clerks, and his sixth feature film to be set in the View Askewniverse. The film was released on July 21, 2006; it screened out of competition at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival and won the Audience Award at the 2006 Edinburgh International Film...
|
Teen #2 |
| 2007 |
Mr. Woodcock Mr. Woodcock is a 2007 comedy directed by Craig Gillespie, and starring Seann William Scott, Billy Bob Thornton, Susan Sarandon, Amy Poehler, and Ethan Suplee. The film was released on September 14, 2007.-Plot:...
|
Nedderman |
| American Pie Presents: Beta House American Pie Presents: Beta House is a 2007 comedy film that was shot in Toronto and Hamilton , Ontario . This film is the third in the American Pie Presents series, and sixth in the overall American Pie series....
|
Fraternity Geek |
| 2009 |
Fanboys |
Harry KnowlesHarry Jay Knowles is an American online film critic known for his movie news and film review website, Ain't It Cool News. Knowles is a member of the Austin Film Critics Association.-Life and career:...
|