Oliver Platt life and biography

Oliver James Platt is a Canadian-American actor. He is currently starring in the Showtime original series, The Big C with Laura Linney.
After college, he acted with various regional troupes, as well as New York's Manhattan Punch Line and the comedic Gramm-Rudman Players, which he co-founded. He performed in such productions as The Tempest, Moon Over Miami, Sparks in the Park and Urban Blight, before starring in the Lincoln Center production of Ubu and Elliot Loves.

Platt received his big break when he landed the role of G-man Ed Benitez in Married to the Mob, followed closely by a strong performance as Melanie Griffith's sexist boss in Working Girl (both 1988). With his name on the map, he started being cast in juicer roles. In 1990 he hit his first co-starring role in the hit film Flatliners. For the rest of the '90s he put his work load into hyper-drive, landing roles in and out of major pictures including strong performances in films like The Three Musketeers (1993), A Time to Kill (1996), Doctor Dolittle (1998) and Three To Tango (1999). He continues to work steadily with roles in both major and independent features such as Hope Springs (2003), Kinsey (2004), The Martian Child (2006), Year One (2009), Love & Other Drugs (2010) and X-Men: First Class (2010).

A Broadway production named Shining City was Platt's Broadway debut in 2006. The play was set in Dublin, and Platt's role was the tortured protagonist, John. Shining City's director said, "There is one word to describe Oliver. It's 'humanity.' He's got that everyman quality. He's a contradictory human being with flaws and strengths. And he's loveable. He can simultaneously make you laugh and break your heart. Oliver has brought to the role of John what I expected and more: tremendous inventiveness and sensitivity." Platt visited Dublin to prepare for the role and ensure his performance was authentic. He was nominated for a Tony award for "Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play".

Platt has also worked in television, with appearances on shows like The Equalizer, Miami Vice, a recurring role on the popular The West Wing playing Oliver Babish and as a New York journalist in the series Deadline. He also played Russell Tupper on the Showtime Networks series Huff from 2004 to 2006, then the recurring role of Freddy Prune on the hit series Nip/Tuck from 2007 to 2008.

Platt married Mary Camilla Bonsal Campbell (known as Camilla) on 12 September 1992 at the First Congregational Church in Kittery Point, Maine. He now focuses on film and television more than theater because, "I've got a wife and three kids, so film is just the most viable thing for me right now. I still love the theater, but the commitment in time and energy to do live theater is so great, and, frankly, the financial rewards are just not as attractive. When you have a family, you have to think about those things."One of Platt's daughters is named Lily, and was born in 1995, while his son George was born in 1997 and his other daughter Claire was born in 1999. Platt has an open plane ticket when filming so he can return home frequently, because his family does not accompany him to filming locations.

Tufts University considered offering their Light on the Hill award to Platt in 2008, which is given to distinguished alumni.Tufts Community Union President Neil DiBiase said Platt was unable to make it to Tufts that semester, and they "would rather wait to find a better opportunity for him to come to campus when his schedule is more available. The point of the award is to get alumni back to campus." The 2008 award was instead given to Jeff Kindler, chief executive of pharmaceutical company Pfizer.

In June 2010, Platt received the P.T. Barnum Award from Tufts University for his exceptional work in the field of media and entertainment.

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