Cheaters

Background:

“(Screenwriting is) a lonely, miserable profession. But the pay can be okay and you get to spend a lot of time in Hawaii.” John Stockwell

An American actor-turn-director and Emmy Award-nominating screenwriter, as well as a producer who began acting in amateur theater before turning professional with a gig in the daytime series “Guiding Light,” John Stockwell first created impact with his performances in such movies as “So Fine” (1981), his feature debut, “Losin' It” (1983), John Carpenter's hit “Christine” (1983), “My Science Project” (1985) and “Top Gun” (1986). However, after his standout turn in the Tom Cruise vehicle, the blond-haired player, who has frequently been cast as a robustious youth or hard-boiled guy with secrets, seemed to sink into limbo. More roles in independent movies, and minor roles in mainstream Hollywood projects caused him to fade away from the minds of audiences.

A well-trained supporting player of A-list films and star in lower budget projects, Stockwell followed with a busy work behind the camera as both writer and director, as well as an occasional producer of film and TV projects. A year after the release of “Top Gun,” he made his directorial debut with the ill-received “Under Cover” (1987), which he also co-scripted with Scott Fields. Previously, the two had provided the writing material for the 1986 action/thriller “Dangerously Close” (1986), where Stockwell also starred as Randy McDevitt. Following a string of film performances, including a cameo turn in “Nixon” (1995), Stockwell enjoyed a success as the writer of the HBO film “Breast Men” (1997), which he continued with a more bigger one in 2000 with his Emmy-nominated work in the drama-made-for-TV film “Cheaters” (also HBO), which he also directed. Since the victory, Stockwell has focused on work as director and/or writer. His more recent directorial credits include “Crazy/Beautiful” (2001), “Blue Crush” (2002), “Into the Blue” (2005) and “Turistas” (2006). He also penned the screen play for “Rock Star” (2001).

As for his private life, Stockwell is the husband of Helene Henderson and has three children with her. He has a home in Malibu and a rottweiler named Kaiser von Stockwell. The Texas native is a passionate reader and devoted wind surfer.

From Texas to NY

Childhood and Family:

John Stockwell Samuels IV was born on March 25, 1961, in Galveston, Texas, to an attorney father named John Stockwell Samuels. He was raised there until at the age of 12, when his family moved to New York due to his father's job. He was educated at St. Paul's School in New York and then at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he received a BA in visual and environmental studies. He also attended Actors Workshop and The National Theatre in London.

John is married to Helene Henderson, who is a Swedish of African background. She is owns and runs Lavender. John and his wife has three children, including a daughter named Cecelia Henderson Stockwell (born in November 1988) and a son named Casper Henderson Stockwell (born in October 1991).

Breast Men

Career:

John Stockwell was interested in theater at a young age, and got his first taste of performing in “garage theater” production of “The Sound of Music” while still in Galveston, Texas. He carried on the passion to New York City where he took part in a number of theatrical roles while still in high school, but Stockwell's first professional job did not arrive until as a student at Harvard when he joined the cast member of the CBS daytime drama “Guiding Light,” during which time Stockwell commutated between Cambridge, Massachusetts and NYC. He also made his feature acting debut while still in college with a small part in “So Fine” (1981), a comedy written and directed by Andrew Bergman. Although it was a small movie, it paved a way to Stockwell's active career in the cinematic industry.

Stockwell resurfaced two years later with a supporting role opposite Tom Cruise and Jackie Earle Haley on the teen sex comedy “Losin' It” (1983). The same year, he made the leap into his first major role in the box office horror “Christine,” where he was cast as the pal of Keith Gordon. Directed by John Carpenter, the movies was adapted from the Stephen King novel. Still in 1983, he also appeared with Don Murray and Helen Hunt on the CBS TV-movie, “Quarterback Princess,” which marked Stockwell's debut.

Led by his tenure in “Christine,” Stockwell booked more starring roles in films. He was one of two famous detectives coming out after an atomic war in search of the two keys that could fire the last nuclear weapon in “Radioactive Dreams” (1985), had a rather high profile turn as the high school teen out to produce a time machine in in the sci-fi/comedy “My Science Project” (also 1985) and rejoined Cruise for Tony Scott's “Top Gun” (1986), in which he delivered a strong portrayal of a F-14 pilot named Caugar. He also starred in the Cannon Films-produced suspense thriller “Dangerously Close” (1986), which he co-wrote the screenplay with his writing partner, Scott Fields, and Marty Ross, as well as portrayed Billy Hazard on the TV miniseries “North and South” (1985), along side Patrick Swayze and James Read.

Stockwell reunited with Fields for “Under Cover” (1987), a pale effort about a cop who goes undercover to investigate a high school drug ring in South Carolina, which also marked Stockwell's directorial debut. Later that same year, he stepped back in front of the camera for a costarring turn opposite Judd Nelson on the NBC miniseries “Billionaire Boys Club” (1987), and later, in 1991, he appeared in the B-rated flick “Miliardi,”starring Billy Zane, and shared the screen with John Stamos on the direct-to-video drama “Born to Ride.” He returned to the small screen as Peter Rubin on NBC's mystery film, “Hart to Hart: Crimes of the Hart” (1994). Meanwhile, in the early 1990s, Stockwell spent much of his time pursuing his another passion, music. He was in a New York based rock group called The Brood, serving as lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist.

1995 saw the attractive performer act in three films. He first supported Bruce Payne in “Aurora: Operation Intercept” and then headlined the indie-drama “ I Shot a Man in Vegas,” as Grant. At the year, however, he was probably best known for his cameo turn as a White House staff member on the Oliver Stone-directed biographical movie “Nixon,” which starred Anthony Hopkins as the former U.S. president Richard Milhous Nixon. He continued to appear in four movies released in 1997, including “Stag” and HBO's “Breast Men,” a well-received black comedy which also considered Stockwell's comeback to the writing territory and calling card.

After “Breast Men,” Stockwell wrote and helmed the HBO film “Cheaters” (2000), which was released to similarly success. Telling about eleven students who conspire with their teacher to cheat on an academic competition, “Cheaters” was nominated for a 2000 Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries or a Movie. He next directed Kirsten Dunst and Jay Hernandez in the drama/romance film “Crazy/Beautiful” (2001), wrote the screenplay for Stephen Herek's “Rock Star” (2001), about an ordinary guy who aspires to become a heavy metal musician, and helmed the surfboard film “Blue Crush” (2002), starring Kate Bosworth as a hard-core surfer.

Continuing with his behind the camera work, Stockwell teamed up with screenwriter Matt Johnson and actors Paul Walker and Jessica Alba for the surprisingly good action/adventure film “Into the Blue” (2005) and directed the short-lived TV series “Rocky Point” (also 2005). He then helmed the horror film “Turistas” (2006), in which he also briefly appeared in front of the camera as Male Backpacker, and episodes of the popular TV series “The L Words” (2007).

Stockwell currently directs Susan Sarandon for the upcoming comedy/drama film “Middle of Nowhere” (2008), written by Michelle Morgan. He is set to work for Paramount TV's action series, “Undercover” (2008).

Awards:
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