Biography: Topher Grace

Christopher John "Topher" Grace (pronounced /ˈtoʊfər/; born July 12, 1978)^[[1]][2][3] is an American actor, best known for playing the lead role of Eric Forman on the Fox sitcom That '70s Show for seven of the show's eight seasons, and the villain Eddie Brock, Jr./Venom in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 3.

Early life

Grace was born in New York City, New York,^[4][5] the son of Patricia, an office worker and assistant to the schoolmaster of the Darien High School in Darien, Connecticut, and John Grace, a business executive.^[6] He has a younger sister, Jennifer.

Grace grew up in Darien, where he knew actress Kate Bosworth, as well as Opie & Anthony producer Nathaniel Bryan, and was sometimes babysat by actress Chloë Sevigny, who later appeared with him in high school stage plays.^[7] He chose to go by the name Topher in high school after becoming frustrated with his full name being abbreviated as Chris.

Grace attended the Fay School in Southborough, Massachusetts, The Neighborhood Playhouse in New York and Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire — where he was noticed by the producer of That '70s Show (whose daughter attended the school) while playing the leading role of Pseudolus in a local stage production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.

Career

Grace was cast as Eric Forman on Fox's That '70s Show, which debuted in 1998. The sitcom was successful and Grace became well known among television watchers; he played the role until the seventh season. The series was renewed for another season despite his absence before its ending in 2006. His character was written out and was replaced with a new character named Randy Pearson who was portrayed by Josh Meyers. Despite this, Grace made a very brief guest appearance in the finale at the end of the episode.

Grace briefly attended college at the University of Southern California, but left during his freshman year to concentrate on his television work and to pursue a career in film. He played a prep school student who uses cocaine and introduces his girlfriend to heroin in director Steven Soderbergh's 2000 film Traffic, as well as having uncredited cameos as himself in Soderbergh's Ocean's Eleven, and its 2004 sequel, Ocean's Twelve. "The joke is that you’re supposed to play the worst version of yourself and I don’t think too many people are comfortable with that. I never thought for a second that people were really going to think that’s what I was like. I think that people will know that I was faking it in those movies," he told Flaunt magazine in 2007.^[8] He planned to cameo in Ocean's Thirteen but due to his filming Spider-Man 3 he had to drop out.^{[citation needed]}He also appeared in director Mike Newell's 2003 film Mona Lisa Smile.

In 2004, Grace had the starring role in two major feature films; he played the leading roles in the Robert Luketic-directed Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! and the Paul Weitz dramedy, In Good Company, in which he played an ambitious but troubled corporate executive. That same year, Grace also starred in the film P.S., which received only a limited theatrical release. Grace's work in P.S. and In Good Company was recognized by the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures in the category of "Breakthrough Performance by an Actor".

In 2005, Grace hosted Saturday Night Live.

In 2007, Grace portrayed Eddie Brock/Venom in Spider-Man 3, directed by Sam Raimi. Grace himself was a fan of the comics, and read the Venom stories as a kid. A spin off film of Venom is in the works, but it is unknown if he will reprise the role. Grace is set to appear in the 1980s retro comedy Young Americans.^[9] Grace co-wrote the script and will be co-producing the film. Grace will also be starring in the 2009 comedy Coxblocker.^[10] In 2010, Grace will play a dangerous serial killer named Edwin in Predators (film), a reboot of the popular science fiction franchise.

In 2009, Grace became the subject of a reoccurring Videogum.com column entitled "What's Up With Topher Grace?" which relates the latest news.

Personal life

He dated Ivanka Trump in 2006.^[11] He dated his Young Americans co-star, Teresa Palmer, in mid-to-late 2007.^[12][13] They reunited in 2009, after she broke up with Russell Brand.^[14]

Filmography

Awards and nominations

2008 MTV Movie Awards

• Nominated: Best Villain, in "Spider-Man 3" (2007)

National Board of Review, USA

• Won: Best Breakthrough Performance by an Actor, In Good Company (2004)

Screen Actors Guild Award

• Won: Outstanding Performance by the Cast of a Theatrical Motion Picture, Traffic (Shared with cast, 2001)

Young Hollywood Awards

• Won: Breakthrough Performance - Male, Traffic (2001)

Teen Choice Awards

• Nominated: Choice Movie: Rumble, Spider-Man 3 (Shared with Tobey Maguire, James Franco, and Thomas Haden Church, 2007)
• Nominated: Choice Movie: Villain, Spider-Man 3 (2007)
• Nominated: Choice Movie Actor - Comedy, Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! (2004)
• Nominated: Choice Movie Hissy Fit, Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! (2004)
• Nominated: Choice Movie Liplock, Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! (Shared with Kate Bosworth, 2004)
• Nominated: Choice TV Actor - Comedy, That '70s Show (2004)
• Nominated: Choice TV Actor - Comedy, That '70s Show (2003)
• Nominated: Choice TV Actor - Comedy, That '70s Show (2002)
• Nominated: Choice TV Actor - Comedy, That '70s Show (2001)
• Nominated: Choice TV Actor - Comedy, That '70s Show (2000)
• Nominated: Choice TV Actor - Comedy, That '70s Show (1999)

Young Artist Awards

• Nominated: Best Performance in a TV Series - Young Ensemble, That '70s Show (Shared with cast, 1999)

References

1. ^ Topher Grace:Biography, http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/topher-grace/177487, retrieved 2007-10-10 
2. ^ Flint, Rebecca, Topher Grace:Biography, http://movies.msn.com/celebs/celeb.aspx?c=165284&mp=b, retrieved 2007-10-10 
3. ^ Topher Grace, http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1804147074/bio, retrieved 2007-10-10 
4. ^ Brunner, Borgna (2005). Time Almanac 2006: With Information Please. Time Inc.. pp. 295. ISBN 1932994416. 
5. ^ Topher Grace Profile, http://www.eonline.com/celebrities/profile/?uuid=ee8c6fdc-2a2b-4d10-b5e9-00988504b685, retrieved 2007-10-10 
6. ^ Topher Grace's Plan for Crossover Success
7. ^ USATODAY.com - The personification of Grace
8. ^ [[1]]Flaunt Magazine - Youth Issue 2007
9. ^ Faris, Fogler "Kids" again in comedy film Reuters, February 8, 2007.
10. ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0488097/
11. ^ "People.com". Ivanka Trump & Topher Grace Cozy Up. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,26334,1552878,00.html. Retrieved October 12, 2007. 
12. ^ Teresa Palmer caught with hand in Topher Grace's pocket News.com.au, August [1], 2007.
13. ^ New Couple Alert: Minka Kelly & Topher Grace Okmagazine.com, May 16, 2008.
14. ^ Teresa Palmer and Topher Grace hit Adelaide The Daily Telegraph, January 25, 2009.
15. ^ http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Interview-Personal-Effects-Director-David-Hollander-12359.html

External links

• Topher Grace at the Internet Movie Database
• IGN Films interview (December 22, 2004)
• About.com interview (January, 2004)

Topher Grace main page.