Troy Garity is an American actor who rose to prominence after starring in the television movie ‘Soldier’s Girl.’ Garity had a first-hand knowledge of the world of showbiz as the son of a worldwide recognized performer mother and a political father, and he quickly understood acting was his true destiny. So, without further ado, Garity has been taking acting and theater classes since he was a child. His professional acting career began in 1979, but it was the 2000 film ‘Steal The Movie!’ that catapulted him into the spotlight. He played the fictionalized version of his real-life father, which was ironic. His performance in the 2003 television film ‘Soldier’s Girl’ gave him the much-needed break in his career, and his career took off from there. In the ‘Barbershop’ trilogy, he was seen portraying the magnificent character of Isaac Rosenberg. Apart from films, Garity has also been in a number of television series. He, like his parents, is an active advocate in addition to acting.
Childhood and Adolescence
Troy Garity was born in Los Angeles, California on July 7, 1973 as Troy O’Donovan Garity Hayden to Jane Fonda and Tom Hayden. His mother was an Academy Award-winning actress, while his father was an elected official. Mary Williams, Troy’s adopted sister, is an activist. Troy’s parents preferred that he be given the surname Garity (after his paternal grandmother) rather than Hayden.
Troy Garity has wanted to be an actor since he was a child. He began training himself because he wanted to pursue it professionally. His first acting session was at the Laurel Springs Camp for the Arts in Santa Barbara, where he played commedia dell’arte. He went on to study acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. He was also accepted into the Academy Repertory Company.
Career of Troy Garity
Troy Garity had his first appearance in front of the camera in 1974 for the documentary film ‘Introduction to the Enemy,’ in which he played himself. The camera followed his antiwar activist parents as they traveled around Vietnam inquiring about the war’s consequences, making it more of a family film. Surprisingly, they did not confine their poll to persons from a specific social class, instead collecting data from people from all walks of life.
Following an uncredited performance in the 1981 film ‘On Golden Pond,’ Garity performed a brief role as a bartender in the 1996 television film ‘The Cherokee Kid,’ and then played an antagonist in ‘Conspiracy Theory.’
Troy’s breakthrough into mainstream film came in the year 2000. He starred in the biographical film ‘Steal This
Movie!’ in the United States. Abbie Hoffman, a radical activist in the 1960s and the creator of the Yippies, was the inspiration for the film. Garity capped the part of his father Tom Hayden in the film, which is as intriguing as it may appear. He gave the character a lot of depth and an inside perspective that no other actor could have done justice to.
Garity landed a couple of roles after ‘Steal This Movie,’ including Simon in ‘Perfume’ and Harvey Pollard in ‘Bandits.’
He also appeared in the short films ‘Solomon Bernstein’s’ and ‘Lather.Rinse.Repeat’, as well as the television series ‘Rude Awakening.’
‘Barbershop,’ released in 2002, was his career’s breakout film. The film was a comedy and the first in the Barbershop series, and it gave him a major boost in his career. His performance as Isaac Rosenberg was so favorably received that he returned for the second and third installments of the series.
Garity’s big ticket to fame, notoriety, and popularity came in 2003, when she starred in the television film Soldier’s Girl. The film was a huge hit, and it was named one of the Top Ten Television Programs of the Year. He was also nominated for Golden Globe and Satellite film awards in the Best Actor category.
In 2007, he starred as Harvey in Danny Boyle’s and Alex Garland’s film ‘Sunshine.’ He also appeared as ‘Eichmann’ in the same year. In the film ‘Lake City,’ he plays a troubled survivor of a devastating family accident. ‘Winged Creatures’ and ‘A Cat’s Tale’ are his other two 2008 projects.
Garity had a busy year in 2009, with three films and a cameo appearance on the hit television show ‘House.’ ‘My One and Only,’ ‘A Day in the Life,’ and ‘Cajun’ Babbineaux are among his cinematic credits.
In an episode of ‘Hawaii Five-0,’ he played Agent Edward Kipton. Following that, he portrayed John Bianchi in ‘The Playboy Club,’ and then a recurrent role as Sam Miller in ‘Boss,’ which he continued until 2013.
He also starred in the neo-noir action crime movie ‘Gangster Squad’ and the TV series ‘Elementary’ in 2013.
His current project, as of 2017, is resuming his role as Jason in ‘Ballers,’ an HBO comedic drama television series currently in its third season. He also appeared in the first two seasons of the show.
Major Projects of Troy Garity
Despite the fact that Garity has done a lot of work in both cinema and television, his best work appears to be the one for ‘Soldier’s Girl,’ in which he played Barry Witchell. Garity’s best qualities shone through in the television film. Not only the judges, but also the critics, praised his performance. While the film was not among the top 10 television films of the year, it was the pinnacle of Garity’s career, as it enabled him earn a couple of significant award nominations.
Achievements & Awards
Troy Garity’s biggest role to date was in ‘Soldier’s Girl,’ where he played Barry Winchell. He was nominated for a Golden Globe and a Satellite Award for Best Actor in a Miniseries for the TV picture. He also received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Supporting Male.
Garity won the Young Hollywood Award for a Standout Performance in 2002.
Garity was voted one of the ’50 Most Beautiful People’ by People magazine in 1998.
Personal History and Legacy
In August 2007, Troy Garity married actress Simone Bent at Columbia University’s St. Paul’s Chapel.
Troy, like his parents, is an outspoken activist. He founded the Peace Process Network, a worldwide alliance dedicated to preventing gang violence. He is also the chairman of Homies Unidos, a Los Angeles-based gang violence prevention organization.