Name: Oliver Stone
Date of Birth: 15 September 1946 Educated at Yale and New York University. Born at 9:58am-EDT Did a tour of duty in Vietnam. In Vietnam Stone won the Bronze Star for Valor and the Purple Heart with First Oak Leaf Cluster. Stone was jailed for marijuana possession in Mexico at the age of 21. Children: With Elizabeth Stone (divorced) Sean Stone, Michael Jack Stone. With Chong Son Chong (girlfriend), Tara Chong Stone. His father Louis Stone was a successful stockbroker on Wall Street, then he suffered some financial setbacks due to bad investments and a bitter divorce from Oliver's mother Jacqueline. The movie Wall Street (1987) is supposed to be modeled after Lou. ... Oliver's father met his mother while he was President Dwight D. Eisenhower aide in WWII in France. As a child he was raised by a nanny because his mother frequently took vacations to France. He grew up as a child of privilege. Arrested for drunken driving and possession of hashish. [June 1999] Says he kicked a cocaine habit by moving to France while writing Scarface (1983). Friends with Lloyd Kaufman, founder and president of Troma. Speaks French fluently. Underwent infantry training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Shares the exact same birthday as good friend and star of some his films, Tommy Lee Jones. Both were born on September 15, 1946. The same drum theme playing in the beginning of JFK (1991) (for which he was a producer), plays three times in The Day Reagan Was Shot (2001) (TV) (for which he was an executive producer). Is a friend and admirer of Cuban Premier Fidel Castro, and shot a documentary about the world's longest reigning Communist leader, titled Comandante (2003). It was to air on HBO in May 2003, but due to protests by anti-Castro Cuban-American activists, it was shelved and has never been aired on HBO or made available on home video in the US. Stone then made a new, more pointed documentary titled Looking for Fidel that aired on HBO in February 2004, in which he asked Castro questions about his human rights record, and included interviews with anti-Castro activists. Directed Comedian Rodney Dangerfield in his first and only dramatic role in Natural Born Killers (1994). On September 14, 1967, he left for Vietnam and was assigned to the 2nd Platoon of Bravo Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Infantry Division, stationed near the Cambodian border, as "Pvt. Bill Stone" (fearing that "Oliver" was too effeminate). Wrote a collegiate letter of recommendation for Claire Danes when she applied to his alma mater, Yale University. She was quickly accepted. Often talks about the experience of his father Louis Stone taking him to lose his virginity to a prostitute in his mid-teens. Was voted the 43rd Greatest Director of all time by Entertainment Weekly. His mother is French. Was taught by Martin Scorsese at New York University Film School. His 11-minute student film made at NYU is called Last Year in Viet Nam (1971). As of 2004, Stone is attached to direct several projects. "Spite House", which he wrote and will direct about Vietnam. "The Fountainhead", based on the Ayn Rand novel. "Lennon", a biopic of John Lennon, a biopic of Margaret Thatcher, and a biopic of sorts about an attempted assassination plot by the Republican party against President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Directed 8 different actors in Oscar-nominated performances: James Woods, Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe, Michael Douglas, Tom Cruise, Tommy Lee Jones, Anthony Hopkins and Joan Allen. Douglas won an Academy Award for Wall Street (1987). Known for the political content of his films, Stone was a member of the Class of 1968 at Yale University along with US President Bill Clinton administration adviser Strobe Talbot and future President George W. Bush (John Kerry was also there at the same time as Stone, though he was several classes ahead of '68). Stone left Yale after only one year (he failed all his second-semester freshman classes) and ended up joining the army and fighting in Vietnam. He never returned to graduate from Yale. Was attached to direct American Psycho (2000) with Leonardo DiCaprio in talks to star as Patrick Bateman. After DiCaprio left the project to make The Beach (2000/I) Stone left it also. Received two Academy Award nominations for best original screenplay in the same year, 1987 (Salvador (1986) and Platoon (1986)) but lost to Woody Allen for Hannah and Her Sisters (1986). Has directed four actors into Best Actor Oscar nominations, and three actors to Best Supporting Actor nominations. Lead roles were James Woods (Salvador (1986)), Michael Douglas (Wall Street (1987)), Tom Cruise (Born on the Fourth of July (1989)) and Anthony Hopkins (Nixon (1995)). Supporting roles were Willem Dafoe and Tom Berenger ("Platoon") and Tommy Lee Jones (JFK (1991)). Following the furor over JFK (1991), Stone addressed the U.S. Senate over the continued secrecy of documents relating to the John F. Kennedy assassination. Partly through his efforts, the government began declassifying documents. Interviewed in "Directors Close Up: Interviews with Directors Nominated for Best Film by the Directors Guild of America", ed. by Jeremy Kagan, Scarecrow Press, 2006. Frequently casts Frank Whaley. Was planning to make a film about Eva Perón, but after several disagreements with Argentinian President Carlos Saúl Menem he abandoned the project. He later received a token credit as a writer for Evita (1996), despite having made no input to the script. As of this date (May 2008), World Trade Center (2006) is his first film rated "PG-13" and his only feature film to receive a rating of less than "R". As Of September 2008, W. (2008) is his second film to receive a PG-13 rating. Because of his specialty with Vietnam era period pieces, he was one of the first directors to be offered American Gangster (2007) in 2001. After long consideration, he decided to pursue making his passion project, Alexander (2004), instead. Although he is a two-time Academy Award-winning filmmaker, it's been consistently difficult for him to acquire actors of his preference for most of the films he has directed. Casting Al Pacino in Any Given Sunday (1999) and Tom Cruise in Born on the Fourth of July (1989) are the most significant exceptions where Stone's top choice was either available or agreed to partake in an Oliver Stone production. Has sought Warren Beatty for three of his movies (Nixon (1995), Wall Street (1987) and W. (2008/I)). Beatty declined them all, and the parts went to Anthony Hopkins, Michael Douglas, and James Cromwell respectively. Hopkins and Douglas received Oscar nominations for their roles. As of this date (May 2008), World Trade Center (2006) is the only one of his war-related films to be made with government cooperation (by the Port Authority). Was set to begin filming his fourth Vietnam film 'Pinkville' in late 2007. However, after the Writers' strike began, the producers pulled out, and Bruce Willis moved on. Stone then turned his attention to making a W. (2008/I) which will star Josh Brolin. Took a year's absence from Yale in 1965 to teach at a Catholic private school in Vietnam. Sought Marlon Brando for two of his films: U Turn (1997) and Salvador (1986). James Woods who played the character in Salvador (1986) that Brando had turned down, received an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. Jon Voight, who played the role meant for Brando in U Turn (1997), received a Razzie for Worst Supporting Actor. After graduating from New York University, he worked as a cabdriver and a xerox messenger to support himself. Has worked with two generations of two different acting families. Worked with Jon Voight and his daughter Angelina Jolie in U Turn (1997) and Alexander (2004) respectively. He has also worked with Martin Sheen and his son Charlie Sheen in Wall Street (1987). As of 2008, has directed five films where people he based the main characters on were still alive and participated in the making of the film. These are Born on the Fourth of July (1989), World Trade Center (2006), JFK (1991), Salvador (1986), and Heaven & Earth (1993). Also, he is working on a film about George W. Bush while he is still in office. Aside from directing James Woods in three of his films, Stone has also produced "Indictment: The McMartin Trial", and Killer: A Journal of Murder (1996), both starring James Woods. Has worked with all of the Baldwin brothers. He cast Alec in Talk Radio (1988) and the other brothers made appearances in Born on the Fourth of July (1989). Was flown to Vietnam traveling west from Sacremento, California on the evening of September 14th, 1967 and crossed the international date line, arriving in Vietnam September 16th, losing his 21st birthday. Wrote a short film while still a student that was recently turned into a short film by his son Sean Stone. The title of the film is _Singularity (2008)_ and is Sean's first fiction film. Midnight express and Scarface were written by him, and in both films, Giorgio Moroder composed the score. In the 1992 Sight & Sound poll, Oliver Stone listed these as his top ten films of all time: The Best Years of Our Lives (1946), Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Dr. Strangelove (1964), 1900 (1976), Raging Bull (1980), Mutiny on the Bounty (1935), On the Waterfront (1954), The Godfather, Parts I & II (1972/74), Paths of Glory (1957), Citizen Kane (1941). Had previously directed 6 of the acting nominees of the 81st Academy Awards: Sean Penn, Angelina Jolie, Viola Davis, Josh Brolin, Michael Shannon, and Robert Downey Jr. as well as having worked as screenwriter for Mickey Rourke. He directed Brolin and Shannon in W. (2008) that same year (although Shannon's scene was cut). Read more Oliver Stone Fans :Oliver Stone movies (director)User Comments |
