Minnie Driver

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Summary

 Amelia Fiona Jessica Driver, known to the world as Minnie, was born in London on January 31, 1970. This British and American actress and singer truly captured our attention with her breakout role in the 1995 film, *Circle of Friends*. From there, her career blossomed, gracing our screens in a diverse array of films. Who could forget her in the cult classic *Grosse Pointe Blank*? Or her poignant performance in Gus Van Sant's *Good Will Hunting*, a role that earned her nominations for both an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and a Screen Actors Guild Award. She brought her talents to the musical spectacle of *The Phantom of the Opera*, and the gripping drama *Owning Mahowny*. And let's not forget her iconic voice as Lady Eboshi in Hayao Miyazaki's breathtaking *Princess Mononoke*. On the small screen, Minnie Driver shone alongside Eddie Izzard in *The Riches*, a performance that garnered her both an Emmy and a Golden Globe nomination. She also starred in the ABC sitcom *Speechless*, the NBC sitcom *About a Boy*, and charmed us with her recurring role in the beloved NBC series *Will & Grace*. Her talent extends to British dramas as well, including the compelling *The Deep* for BBC One. But Minnie Driver's artistic journey began long before the cameras rolled. She was a singer first, and has since released three full solo albums, each a testament to her musical prowess. Her distinctive voice has also been a gift to various animated series and films, from *SuperMansion* to *Tarzan*, and even ventured into the interactive world of video games, lending her voice to *Jurassic Park: Trespasser*. Born Amelia Fiona Jessica Driver in London, she spent her formative years until the age of six in Barbados. Her childhood nickname, Minnie, was a sweet gift from her older sister, Kate. Her mother, Gaynor Churchward, was a talented fabric designer and former couture model, while her father, Charles Ronald Driver, hailed from Swansea, Wales, with English and Scottish heritage. A decorated pilot, he earned the Distinguished Flying Medal for his bravery in the Battle of Heligoland Bight and was a director at London United Investments. Though her parents never married, and her father was married to another woman, their relationship ended when Minnie was just six years old. She then embarked on her educational journey as a boarder at Bedales School in Hampshire, later honing her craft at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art and Collingham College in Central London. Minnie Driver's acting career officially kicked off with a television advertisement for Right Guard deodorant in 1991. That same year, she made her stage debut, supplementing her income by enchanting audiences as a jazz vocalist and guitarist. The early 90s saw her appearing in episodes of *Maigret*, alongside esteemed actors like Michael Gambon and Michael Sheen, and in the mini-series *Mr Wroe's Virgins* with Jonathan Pryce. British television audiences also saw her in *The Day Today* with Steve Coogan, and in smaller roles in *Casualty*, *The House of Eliott*, *Lovejoy*, and *Peak Practice*. Her star truly ascended in 1995 when she landed the lead role in *Circle of Friends*, opposite Chris O'Donnell. This was followed by a memorable turn in *GoldenEye*, a supporting role in *Sleepers*, a leading part in *Big Night*, and a co-starring role in the sharp and witty *Grosse Pointe Blank* with John Cusack. In the critically acclaimed drama *Good Will Hunting*, Driver captivated as Skylar, playing opposite Matt Damon. This performance garnered her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress and a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination. In 1998, she starred in Sandra Goldbacher's film *The Governess* and co-starred in the action thriller *Hard Rain* with Christian Slater and Morgan Freeman. Her voice talent was further showcased in animated features, lending her voice to Jane in Disney's 1999 rendition of *Tarzan* and the unforgettable Lady Eboshi in the English-dubbed release of the Japanese masterpiece *Princess Mononoke*. From 2003 to 2004, she delighted audiences as Lorraine Finster, the formidable nemesis of Karen Walker in *Will & Grace*. March 2007 marked Minnie Driver's return to television with the FX Network show *The Riches*, earning her Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 2007 and 2008 respectively. Though her planned appearance in *The Simpsons Movie* was ultimately cut, she graced the screen in a memorable January 2010 episode of *Modern Family* titled "Moon Landing." She also starred in the television series *The Deep* and appeared in *Conviction*, and the comedy-drama *Barney's Version*, for which she received a Genie Award for Best Supporting Actress. In October 2013, she began filming *The Crash*, released in January 2017. More recently, Driver took on the lead role in the ABC sitcom *Speechless*, portraying the mother of three children, one of whom navigates the world with cerebral palsy. The series, which debuted in the 2016-17 TV season, concluded in May 2019 after three successful seasons. Minnie Driver's musical journey began at boarding school. In 1994, she collaborated on Bomb the Bass's album *Clear* as part of the outfit River. She was also part of the Milo Roth Band, which secured a recording contract when she was just 19. In 2001, she signed with EMI and Rounder Records, performing at the SXSW music festival. Her debut album, *Everything I've Got in My Pocket*, saw its title track reach number 34 in the UK charts, while "Invisible Girl" peaked at number 68. Notably, Driver penned 10 out of the 11 songs on the album. In 2004, she had the honor of being the supporting act for the Finn Brothers on their UK tour. Her musical talents were also showcased in Joel Schumacher's 2004 film *The Phantom of the Opera*. While she played Carlotta Giudicelli and sang the original song "Learn to be Lonely" by Andrew Lloyd Webber, her operatic vocals were dubbed by the accomplished opera singer Margaret Preece due to her lack of formal opera experience. In July 2007, Driver released her second album, *Seastories*, featuring collaborations with Ryan Adams, the Cardinals, and Liz Phair. Her third album, *Ask Me to Dance*, released in October 2014, featured a collection of songs by artists like Elliott Smith, Neil Young, and The Killers. In 2021, Minnie Driver launched her own podcast, *Minnie Questions with Minnie Driver*. In this engaging series, she poses a series of seven questions, inspired by the Proust Questionnaire, to her distinguished guests, who have included notable figures like Chelsea Clinton, Nick Jonas, and Cindy Crawford. In her personal life, Minnie Driver began dating Matt Damon in 1997 while filming *Good Will Hunting*, a relationship that concluded in early 1998. She was briefly engaged to Josh Brolin in 2001. In 2008, she welcomed her son, born from a relationship with television writer and producer Timothy J. Lea. In 2019, Driver confirmed she was in a relationship with Addison O'Dea. In 2016, she bravely shared her experience of being sexually assaulted at the age of 17 while on holiday in Greece. On December 21, 2017, Minnie Driver officially became a citizen of the United States. After residing in California for several years, she has since returned to her roots in London. Minnie Driver has also been a dedicated advocate, serving as a long-time ambassador and supporter for Oxfam until her withdrawal in 2018, in response to a sexual abuse scandal within the organization.
Minnie_Driver

Full Wikipedia Article

 Amelia Fiona Jessica "Minnie" Driver (born 31 January 1970) is a British and American actress and singer. She rose to prominence with her break-out role in the 1995 film Circle of Friends. She went on to star in a wide range of films, including the cult classic Grosse Pointe Blank; Gus Van Sant's Good Will Hunting (for which she was nominated for both the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and a Screen Actors Guild Award); the musical The Phantom of the Opera; and Owning Mahowny. She also provided the voice of Lady Eboshi in Hayao Miyazaki's Princess Mononoke. In television, Driver starred with Eddie Izzard in The Riches, for which she was nominated for both an Emmy and a Golden Globe. She starred in the ABC sitcom Speechless, the NBC sitcom About a Boy, and had a recurring role in the NBC series Will & Grace. She has also starred in several British dramas, including The Deep for BBC One. Before she began working as an actress, Driver was a singer; she has released three full solo albums in the course of her career. She has also lent her voice to a variety of animated series and films, including SuperMansion and Tarzan, as well as video games, including Jurassic Park: Trespasser. == Early life and education == Amelia Fiona Jessica Driver was born in London on January 31, 1970, and she was raised in Barbados until she was six. The nickname Minnie was given to her by her older sister, Kate, in childhood. Her mother, Gaynor Churchward (née Millington), was a fabric designer and former couture model. Her father, Charles Ronald Driver, was born in Swansea, Wales, and was of English and Scottish descent. He earned the Distinguished Flying Medal for his role in the Battle of Heligoland Bight and was a director of London United Investments. Her parents never married. Her father was married to another woman throughout his relationship with her mother. Her parents broke off their relationship when she was six years old. She was sent to Bedales School in Hampshire as a boarder soon after. She later attended the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art, and Collingham College in Kensington, Central London. == Career == === Acting === Driver's television debut was in a 1991 TV advertisement for Right Guard deodorant. Driver also made her stage debut in 1991, supplementing her income by performing as a jazz vocalist and guitarist. In 1993 she featured in an episode of Maigret, alongside Michael Gambon and Michael Sheen. Also in 1993, she played alongside Jonathan Pryce in the mini-series Mr Wroe's Virgins. She appeared in The Day Today, on British television, with comedian Steve Coogan and for satirist Armando Iannucci, and had small parts in Casualty, The House of Eliott, Lovejoy and Peak Practice. Driver gained broader public attention when she played the lead role in Circle of Friends in 1995, opposite Chris O'Donnell. She followed this with a minor role in GoldenEye (1995), a supporting role in Sleepers (1996), a leading role in Big Night (1996), and as a co-star in Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), opposite John Cusack. Driver played opposite Matt Damon as Skylar in the drama Good Will Hunting (1997), for which she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and a Screen Actors Guild Award. In 1998, Driver starred in Sandra Goldbacher's film The Governess. That year, she co-starred opposite Christian Slater and Morgan Freeman in the action thriller Hard Rain. Driver has also worked on several animated features, voicing Jane in Disney's 1999 version of Tarzan and Lady Eboshi in the 1999 English-dubbed release of the Japanese film Princess Mononoke. In 2003 and 2004, she had a recurring role on Will & Grace as Lorraine Finster, the nemesis of Karen Walker (Megan Mullally) and daughter of Karen's lover, Lyle Finster (John Cleese). In March 2007, Driver made her return to television in the FX Network show The Riches. She was nominated for an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award as Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 2007 and 2008, respectively. She was scheduled to appear in The Simpsons Movie, although her appearance was cut from the final version. Driver appeared in the January 2010 episode of Modern Family entitled "Moon Landing". She also starred in the television series The Deep and appeared in Conviction, in the comedy drama Barney's Version, winning a Genie Award for Best Supporting Actress. In October 2013, Driver started filming for The Crash which was released on 13 January 2017. Driver landed the lead role in the ABC sitcom Speechless, playing the mother of three children, one of whom has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. The series debuted in the 2016–17 TV season. It was cancelled in May 2019 after three seasons. === Music === Driver began making music at boarding school. She collaborated on Bomb the Bass's album Clear, in 1994, as part of the outfit River. She was part of the Milo Roth Band, which received a recording contract when she was 19. In 2001 she signed with EMI and Rounder Records and performed at the SXSW music festival. The title song of Everything I've Got in My Pocket, her first album, reached No. 34 in the U.K., and the song "Invisible Girl" peaked at No. 68. Driver wrote 10 of the 11 songs on the album. In 2004, Driver was the supporting act for the Finn Brothers on the U.K. portion of their world tour. In 2004, Driver played Carlotta Giudicelli in Joel Schumacher's film The Phantom of the Opera, based on the musical of the same name by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Driver sang "Learn to be Lonely", an original song written for the film by Lloyd Webber. However, because of her lack of opera experience, all her songs as Carlotta were dubbed by opera singer Margaret Preece. Driver released her second album, Seastories, in July 2007, featuring guest appearances by Ryan Adams, the Cardinals and Liz Phair. Driver released a third album in October 2014 called Ask Me to Dance that includes songs by Elliott Smith, Neil Young and The Killers. === Podcast === In 2021, Driver started a podcast, Minnie Questions with Minnie Driver, in which she asks guests a series of seven questions, inspired by the Proust Questionnaire. Guests have included Chelsea Clinton, Nick Jonas and Cindy Crawford. == Personal life == In 1997, Driver began dating Matt Damon while filming Good Will Hunting. The two split in early 1998. She was briefly engaged to Josh Brolin in 2001. She has a son born in 2008 from a brief relationship with television writer and producer Timothy J. Lea. Driver confirmed that she was in a relationship with Addison O'Dea in 2019. In 2016, Driver revealed that she was sexually assaulted at age 17 while on holiday in Greece. On 21 December 2017, Driver became a citizen of the United States. After living in California for a number of years, Driver moved back to London. == Activism == Driver was a long-time ambassador for and supporter of Oxfam until withdrawing her support in 2018 over a sexual abuse scandal in the organisation. == Filmography == === Film === === Television === === Video games === == Awards and nominations == == Other media == === Web === === Video games === == Discography == === Albums === === Singles === == Works == Managing Expectations: A Memoir. London: Manilla Press. 2022. ISBN 9781786582409. OCLC 1300420971. == References == == External links == Official website Minnie Driver at IMDb Home Languages