Jason Schwartzman had to overcome the mammoth task of escaping his family’s shadow even before his career began, which he did excellently. He founded a band at the age of fourteen and landed his first movie role at the age of eighteen, indicating that his family’s past influenced him. His performance in the film ‘Rushmore’ was outstanding, and he handled a difficult character with ease. He was more focused on his music ventures during the next few years, with only a few acting roles. However, as his acting skills grew in popularity, he began to receive bigger offers, prompting him to rethink his strategy and leave the band to pursue acting full-time. Over the next few years, he was cast in a variety of parts, both leading and supporting, as part of ensemble casts. He continues to pursue his musical interests by releasing two solo albums, some of which have been included in television series. He also demonstrated his versatility by appearing in a few television shows, most notably in ‘Bored to Death.’
Childhood and Adolescence
Jason Schwartzman was born in Los Angeles, California, to actress Talia Shire and producer Jack Schwartzman. His distinguished family includes actor Nicolas Cage and director Sofia Coppola, as well as his grandpa, musician Carmine Coppola, and uncle, director Francis Ford Coppola of the ‘Godfather’ fame. He co-founded the alternative rock band ‘Phantom Planet,’ in which he was a drummer and lyricist, when he was fourteen years old. He went to the ‘Windward School in Los Angeles’ for his education. The band’s debut album, ‘Phantom Planet Is Missing,’ was published in 1998.
Career of Jason
He auditioned for the role of Max Fisher in the comedy ‘Rushmore’ in 1998 and was cast. He was picked from over a thousand applicants, and critics praised his performance in the picture. He made an appearance in the TV series ‘Freaks and Geeks’ in the year 2000. The next year, he appeared in his cousin Roman Coppola’s film ‘CQ’ as a supporting character. He had a comeback in 2002, starring in the forgettable romantic comedy ‘Slackers’ and the comedic drama ‘Spun,’ in which he played a meth addict. In 2004, he appeared in the season-long sitcom ‘Cracking Up’ as well as the philosophical comedy ‘I Heart Huckabees,’ which starred Dustin Hoffman, Jude Law, and Mark Wahlberg among its cast.
In 2004, he left the band ‘Phantom Planet’ to focus on his acting career. He’d written music for programs like ‘Smallville,’ ‘Orange County,’ and ‘Cracking Up’ by this point. In 2005, he continued to perform in comedies and acted in the box office hit ‘Bewitched,’ which was based on the same-named TV show. Another comedy from the same year was ‘Shopgirl,’ starring Steve Martin and Jason Schwartzman. The box receipts and critical reception of Schwartzman’s subsequent films improved dramatically. In 2006, he starred as ‘King Louis XVI’ in the historical comedy ‘Marie Antoinette,’ directed by his cousin Sofia Coppola. The following year, he starred in and co-wrote another comedy, ‘The Darjeeling Limited.’ Both movies were critically and commercially successful.
He started a record label called ‘Coconut Records’ in 2007 and released an album called ‘Nighttiming.’ Its tracks were utilized in the films ‘Spider-Man 3’ and ‘Cloverfield.’ In 2009, he provided a voice-over for the critically acclaimed Wes Anderson animated picture ‘Fantastic Mr. Fox,’ as well as a supporting role and the soundtrack for the comedy ‘Funny People.’ He starred as an amateur investigator in the two-year-long comedy series ‘Bored to Death.’ In the same year, he released his second solo album, ‘Davy.’ He appeared in another Wes Anderson film, ‘Moonrise Kingdom,’ in 2012 as part of an ensemble cast. The film gained widespread appreciation and was nominated for numerous awards at film festivals. In 2013, he starred in the comedy-drama ‘Saving Mr. Banks,’ which grossed more over $100 million at the box office.
Major Projects of Jason
With his debut film, ‘Rushmore,’ Schwartzman made a great first impression. His portrayal of ‘Max Fischer,’ a brilliant overachiever, was spot on. His comic timing and ability to pronounce humorous lines while maintaining a poker face earned him a lot of accolades and attention, as well as launching his acting career. For nine years, he was a co-founder, drummer, and songwriter for the alternative rock band ‘Phantom Planet,’ during which time the group published two albums. ‘The Guest,’ their second album, featured the smash song ‘California,’ which was used as the theme song for the TV show ‘The OC.’
Achievements & Awards
For ‘Rushmore,’ Schwartzman won a ‘YoungStar Award’ in 1999 for ‘Best Performance by a Young Actor in a Comedy Film.’ In 2009, GQ magazine created a list of the “Top 10 Most Stylish Men in America.” He was a member of the cast of ‘Moonrise Kingdom,’ which won the ‘Central Ohio Film Critics Association’ or COFCA award for ‘Best Ensemble’ in 2013.
Personal History and Legacy
In 2009, Schwartzman married apparel designer Brady Cunningham. Marlowe Rivers Schwartzman is the couple’s daughter. For the animal welfare charity ‘Farm Sanctuary,’ he voiced an environmental documentary titled ‘What to Eat: The Environmental Impacts of Our Food.’ Schwartzman has a vegetarian diet himself.
Estimated Net Worth
Jason Schwartzman is a musician and actor from the United States with a net worth of $25 million. Schwartzman amassed his fortune through a successful music career as the drummer for the band Phantom Planet, as well as parts in a number of Hollywood films and television shows, mostly comedies.
Trivia
This American actor and percussionist comes from a prominent family of filmmakers, producers, actors, cinematographers, and vocalists spanning three generations.