Craig Chester
Craig Chester | |
---|---|
Born | West Covina,California, US | November 8, 1965
Education | TheAmerican Academy of Dramatic Arts |
Occupation(s) | Actor, writer, screenwriter |
Craig Chester(born November 8, 1965) is an American actor, writer, and screenwriter.
Early life
[edit]Chester was born inWest Covina, California,the son of Cecil, lead singer in the rock band “Whiskey”, and Linda, a homemaker. He moved with his family toCarrollton, Texasat the age of twelve when his father accepted a corporate job withNestlé.At age fifteen, Chester was diagnosed with the facial deformitylong face syndrome.[1]The condition's most striking symptom is an excessively long lower face height. At eighteen, Chester spent a year undergoing multiple reconstructive surgeries. Chester moved to New York City in 1985, with a new face, to study at TheAmerican Academy of Dramatic Arts.Following graduation, he performed in various stage productions in New York, including a play written byJoanne Woodwardwho, upon noticing his naturalistic acting style, encouraged Chester to pursue a career in film.
Career
[edit]Chester's acting debut was in the feature filmSwoon,a contemporary re-telling of the infamousLeopold & Loebmurder case, which earned Chester anIndependent Spirit Awardnomination for Best Actor.Janet MaslinofThe New York Timesdescribed the film as “dazzling”.[2]Peter TraversofRolling StonedescribedSwoonas “a great film…haunting and visionary”.[3]Chester went on to act in a string of critically acclaimed independent films.[4]He has been openlygaysince the inception of his career, rare at that time.[5]
As a result,St. Martin's Pressapproached Chester to write about his life and experiences. His memoirWhy the Long Face?: The Adventures of a Truly Independent Actorwas published in 2003. In 2009,Showtimeoptioned the book with Chester set to adapt it into a television pilot withDon Roos,Dan BucatinskyandLisa Kudrowas producers.[6]Publishers WeeklydescribedWhy The Long Faceas “witty, absorbing” with Chester an “engaging storyteller with a fresh voice”.[7]Kirkus Reviewsdescribed Chester's memoir as an “intriguing midpoint autobiography sure to rouse curiosity about what the next half has in store.”[8]
Chester transitioned into screenwriting withAdam & Steve,which he also directed and starred in withParker Posey,Chris KattanandMalcolm Gets.[9][10][11]The film was released on April 24, 2005. Writing forThe Village Voice,Melissa Levine described writer-director Chester's debut as “truly enjoyable”,[12]while Ronnie Scheib ofVarietypraised his performance: “Chester’s Adam, effortlessly able to slide from bathos to pathos and back again with none of the smarmy schmaltz of sitcom humanism, is a marvel of nuanced comic timing.”[13]Chuck Wilson, writing forLA Weeklydescribed the film as “something certain to makeJohn Waterscackle with glee.”[14]Adam & Stevehas since developed a cult following.[citation needed]
Since adapting his book for Showtime, Chester has been writing for television. He wrote for season seven of the hit HBO series,True Blood[citation needed]and has developed pilots with NBC andRyan SeacrestforE!amongst others.[15]On the June 5, 2013 edition of NPR's “Moth Radio Hour”, Chester recounted how he has been haunted by theAcademy Award-nominated actor, Montgomery Clift, who has been dead for over 40 years.[16]
In 2021, Chester shared that he had experienced homelessness for several months, beginning in mid-2019.[17]
In early 2024, Michael Musto announced that a sequel to “Adam & Steve” was in development and that Chester had penned the screenplay, titled “Adam & Steve 55+”.[18]
Filmography
[edit]Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1992 | Swoon | Nathan Leopold Jr. | |
1993 | Grief | Mark | |
1994 | Out of Darkness | Bill | TV film |
1995 | Frisk | Henry | |
1996 | I Shot Andy Warhol | Fred Hughes | |
1997 | David Searching | Mercedes Guy | |
1997 | Kiss Me, Guido | Terry | |
1998 | The Misadventures of Margaret | Richard Lane | |
1998 | Shucking the Curve | Steven | |
1999 | Charlie! | ||
2001 | The Anniversary Party | Party Guest | |
2001 | Circuit | White Party Customer | |
2001 | The Experience Box | Ryan | |
2001 | Sex and the City
|
Hermes Clerk |
TV series |
2002 | Bumping Heads | Craig | short film, 22 minutes; released in 2003 inBoys Life 4: Four Play |
2002 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent
|
Thor Derek |
TV series |
2003 | The Look | Henrik | |
2003 | Quintessence | Thomas | short film, 25 minutes |
2004 | Anonymous | Auditor | |
2004 | Out on the Edge | writer | |
2005 | Adam & Steve | Adam Bernstein | actor; writer; director |
2007 | Save Me | writer | |
2007–2008 | The Big Gay Sketch Show | writer (9 episodes) | |
2008 | Pedro | Counselor | |
2013 | Kill Your Darlings | Businessman | |
2021 | Cam Boy | Wegman |
References
[edit]- ^Chester, Craig (2004-04-01).Why the Long Face?: The Adventures of a Truly Independent Actor.Macmillan.ISBN9781429971980.
- ^Maslin, Janet(March 27, 1992)."Review/Film Festival; A New Vision of Leopold and Loeb".The New York Times.
- ^Travers, Peter(September 11, 1992)."Swoon".Rolling Stone.
- ^Shapiro, Gregg (June 25, 2003)."'Face' to Face: Gay Actor and Writer Craig Chester Windy City Times ".Windy City Times.
- ^"Agent provacateur".The Advocate.Here Publishing. 18 February 2003. pp. 59–.
- ^Littleton, Cynthia (22 October 2009)."Kudrow, Bucatinsky feel 'Rapture'".Variety.
- ^"Nonfiction Book Review: Why the Long Face? by Craig Chester, Author L.A. Weekly Books $23.95 (288p) ISBN 978-0-312-28713-9".Publishers Weekly.
- ^"WHY THE LONG FACE? by Craig Chester - Kirkus Reviews".kirkusreviews.
- ^"A Tangy Twist of Love & Humor: Funny Quotes About Love".about.Archived fromthe originalon 2016-03-04.Retrieved2013-10-10.
- ^Pasolini, Antonio (24 August 2006)."An interview with Craig Chester".kamera.co.uk.
- ^"Chemistry lesson: in Adam & Steve, Craig Chester and Malcolm gets explore a screen romance grounded in the chemistry of two actual gay actors! Hollywood, are you getting this? - Free Online Library".thefreelibrary.
- ^Levine, Melissa (March 21, 2006)."'Adam and Steve'".villagevoice.
- ^Scheib, Ronnie (22 June 2005)."Adam and Steve".variety.
- ^"TLA Releasing US - Adam & Steve".tlareleasing.
- ^Andreeva, Nellie (22 April 2013)."E! Developing Scripted Projects From Diane Warren, Josh Schwartz, Kevin Spacey, Mark Schwahn, Ryan Seacrest & Gale Anne Hurd".deadline.
- ^"The Moth - Stories - Montgomery Clift: The Sequel".The Moth.
- ^"Actor-writer Craig Chester opens up about homeless nightmare:" This was the defining experience of my life "".
- ^"'Adam & Steve' sequel! Broadway tragedy! When Mary met Sally! ".25 February 2024.