Christian Slater is an actor and producer from the United States who is well-known for his work in both television and movies. Slater, who grew up in a film-making household, discovered his true calling as an actor when he was just eight years old. He has gone a long way since his start in the ABC soap drama ‘One Life to Live.’ Though Slater appeared in a few films during the 1980s, it was the cult picture ‘Heathers,’ released in 1989, that garnered him acclaim as an actor and catapulted him into the spotlight. ‘Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves,’ ‘Interview with the Vampire,’ ‘FernGully: The Last Rainforest,’ ‘Broken Arrow,’ and ‘Hard Rain’ were among the large budget projects in which he landed meaty roles during the 1990s. With the dawn of the twenty-first century, Slater has continued to work in both television and film. In 2015, he earned a boost to his career when he was cast as the eponymous character in the critically praised cyber thriller ‘Mr. He also won his first Golden Globe for the television series ‘Robot.’
Childhood and Adolescence
Michael Hawkins (né Thomas Knight Slater) and Mary Jo Slater (née Lawton) had Christian Slater on August 18, 1969 in New York City. His mother worked as an acting agent who later became a casting executive and producer, while his father was an actor.
Before attending the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music, Art, and Performing Arts, Slater attended Dalton School and the Professional Children’s School.
Career Of Christian Slater
Christian Slater was born into a family with a strong cinema background, so it was only natural for him to follow in their footsteps. Slater got his first acting role in the ABC serial opera ‘One Life to Live,’ following in his father’s footsteps. He was only eight at the time.
In the 1980 production of ‘The Music Man,’ he made his Broadway debut as the lisping Winthrop Paroo alongside Dick Van Dyke. Other Broadway stage shows such as ‘Copperfield,’ ‘Merlin,’ ‘Macbeth,’ ‘Side Man,’ and ‘The Glass Menagerie’ quickly followed. He also appeared in the West End productions of ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ and ‘Swimming With Sharks.’
With the film ‘The Legend of Billie Jean,’ Slater made his big break in 1985. He portrayed Billie Jean’s brother, ‘Binx,’ in the film. Despite the fact that the picture was expected to be a big smash, it fell short of expectations. Despite this, it developed a cult following.
Slater rose to prominence as an actor in the 1986 picture ‘The Name of the Rose.’ He co-starred with Sean Connery in the film as an apprentice monk to Connery as they investigated a series of murders in a Benedictine abbey. Following that, he appeared in a number of films, including ‘Tucker: The Man and His Dream,’ ‘Beyond the Stars,’ and ‘Gleaming the Cube,’ the latter being his first main role.
Despite the fact that Slater had a few films under his belt by the late 1980s, he didn’t have a significant hit until 1989, when he starred in the dark comedy ‘Heathers.’ In the film, he played JD, a rebellious adolescent who, alongside Winona Ryder’s character, challenges their high school’s social structure, which is ruled by many females named Heather. The film ‘Heathers’ became a cult classic and was hailed as the best teen picture of the 1980s.
Early in his career, Christian Slater’s performance in “Heathers” stood out from the rest. He gained a strong foothold in the film industry as a result of his spectacular performance, which was praised by both the audience and reviewers. He was even compared to Jack Nicholson by certain critics. Following ‘Heathers,’ Slater appeared in a couple of films in which he played a troubled adolescent, including ‘Pump Up the Volume’ and ‘Young Guns II.’
With the Hollywood large budget production ‘Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves’ in 1991, he had his biggest box office smash to that point. Slater played Will Scarlet opposite Kevin Costner, Morgan Freeman, and Alan Rickman in the film. The movie was a box office hit, grossing $390 million worldwide. The film’s phenomenal success had a significant impact on Slater’s acting career, as he was enlisted as one of the key A-list performers of the 1990s.
In the years that followed, he continued to have a successful career, starring in films such as ‘Mobsters’ and ‘Kuffs.’ Slater, who is a huge Star Trek fan, leaped at the chance to appear in ‘Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.’
Fearing being typecast as a dark actor, Slater branched out and starred in the romantic drama film ‘Untamed Heart’ in 1993, opposite Marisa Tomei. Later that year, he played Clarence Worley in the cult classic ‘True Romance,’ directed by Quentin Tarantino.
He portrayed a variety of characters toward the end of the 1990s, including an interviewer in ‘Interview with the Vampire,’ Lewis in the romance picture ‘Bed of Roses,’ and Riley Hale in the large budget film ‘Broken Arrow.’ ‘Hard Rain’ and ‘Very Bad Things’ are two other films in which he appeared.
Since 2000, Slater has primarily worked as a lead actor in low-budget films, while he has occasionally appeared as a supporting character in popular projects such as ‘Bobby’ and ‘3000 Miles to Graceland.’
He was a mainstay on television in the 2000s, starring in hit shows including ‘The West Wing’ and ‘Alias.’ ‘The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron,’ ‘My Own Worst Enemy,’ and ‘The Forgotten,’ are among the other television shows in which he has appeared.
Christian Slater has appeared in a number of successful films, including ‘The River Murders,’ ‘Soldiers of Fortune,’ ‘Bullet to the Head,’ ‘The Power of Few,’ ‘Nymphomaniac,’ ‘Ask Me Anything,’ and ‘The Adderall Diaries,’ beginning in 2011. As of January 2017, his most recent appearance on the big screen was in ‘King Cobra.’
Since 2015, he has starred as ‘Mr. Robot,’ a computer hacker in the critically acclaimed television series ‘Mr. Robot.’ Slater received his first Golden Globe nomination for his outstanding performance as the titular character, the leader of an underground hacktivist gang, and won the prize the following year. The third season of the show is now airing.
Slater has recently voiced characters in three television episodes, including the Grim Buccaneer in ‘Jake and the Never Land Pirates,’ Ushari in ‘The Lion Guard,’ and Elliot Decker in ‘Milo Murphy’s Law.’
Major Projects Of Christian Slater
Christian Slater’s career culminated with the dark comedy ‘Heathers,’ released in the late 1980s. The film became a cult classic and was dubbed “the best teen picture of the 1980s” by critics. This performance cemented Slater’s reputation as a popular performer.
Slater became a household celebrity because to the television series ‘Mr Robot.’ Though he acquired enormous fame and notoriety through films, it was the television series ‘Mr Robot’ that made him a household name. Slater gives a strong performance in the critically praised television series, which is presently in its third season. He gave an outstanding performance as the commander of an underground hacktivist gang. He won his first Golden Globe for his outstanding performance in the part.
Achievements & Awards
For ‘Untamed Heart,’ Christian Slater won the MTV Movie Award for ‘Most Desirable Male’ and ‘Best Kiss’ (with Marisa Tomei) in 1993.
For ‘Very Bad Things,’ he got the Slate Award for Best Male Performance in 2000.
Slater won his first Golden Globe Award for ‘Mr Robot’ in the category Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries, or Television Film in 2016, almost three decades after his debut. He also won the Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries, or Television Film for his outstanding performance in the show.
Personal History and Legacy
Christian Slater has dated many celebrities, including actresses Winona Ryder and Samantha Mathis, as well as model Christy Turlington. In the year 2000, he married Ryan Haddon for the first time. Jaden Christopher and Eliana Sophia, the couple’s two children, were born to them. However, the two’s relationship worsened, and they separated up in 2005. Slater and Haddon officially divorced two years later.
Slater married Brittany Lopez in December 2013. Before getting married, the two had been dating for three years.
Slater has been arrested and detained multiple times for various offenses such as drunk driving, attempting to carry a gun on a commercial plane, sexually abusing women, and drug addiction.
Estimated Net Worth Of Christian Slater
Christian Slater has a net worth of $30 million as an actor and producer in the United States. Slater has had a long and illustrious career, and he continues to book noteworthy jobs to this day. He began his career as a kid actor before moving on to adult parts and establishing himself as a skilled voice actor.