After several years of acting in motion pictures, JAMES CAVIEZEL
has successfully made the ascent from a scene-stealing supporting
player to a versatile leading man.
Born in Mount Vernon, Washington on September 26, 1968, James
Patrick Caviezel first made his foray into show business by
auditioning in Seattle for a miniscule part as an Italian ticket
agent in Gus Van Sant's highly acclaimed 1991 film "My Own Private
Idaho" starring Keanu Reeves and River Phoenix. He landed the role
by fooling casting agents into believing he was a recent Italian
immigrant.
Caviezel then moved to California and shortly thereafter was cast
as one of the ten boxers in Michael Ritchie's con caper
"Diggstown." In 1993, he declined his acceptance to Julliard
because he had won the role of Kevin Costner's youngest brother
in the unsuccessful "Wyatt Earp." He later appeared in small
roles in "The Rock" (1996) and the 1997 Demi Moore film "G.I.
Jane," as well as the television film "Children of the Dust."
In 1998, Caviezel had a more prominent role as Private Witt in
Terrence Malick's Academy Award®-nominated "The Thin Red Line."
The entire cast, which included Nick Nolte, Sean Penn and Ben
Chaplin, received almost unanimous critical acclaim, and Caviezel
began to be noticed by critics and audiences.
The following year, Caviezel gained further recognition with his
role as one of a group of renegade Civil War soldiers in Ang
Lee's "Ride With the Devil" and his portrayal of a football
coach's embittered son in Oliver Stone's "Any Given Sunday." In
2000, Caviezel starred in the supernatural thriller "Frequency,"
playing the son of a long-dead man ("Any Given Sunday" co-star
Dennis Quaid) with whom he is able to communicate over ham
radio. Later that year he had a substantial role in "Pay It
Forward," which cast him as a homeless junkie who is befriended
by a young boy (Haley Joel Osment). Unfortunately for its cast
(which included Kevin Spacey and Helen Hunt), the film received
negative reviews.
Caviezel starred opposite Jennifer Lopez in the mystery-thriller
"Angel Eyes" and had a leading role as an avenging count in the
successful "The Count of Monte Cristo." He was last seen with
Ashley Judd and Morgan Freeman in the thriller "High Crimes."
His upcoming films include "Princess of Paradise Park" and
"Rebels."
Caviezel's television work includes playing 'Bobby Ridell' in
the 1992 "Hero" episode of the classic series "The Wonder Years"
and a guest starring role as 'Darryl Harding' in the "Film Flam"
(1995) episode of "Murder, She Wrote."
The 6' 2" actor met his wife, Kerri, on a blind date in 1993.
![[James Caviezel]](james.jpg)