Alessandro Nivola is an American actor and producer. He owes his name and surname to the Italian paternal ancestors. Nivola's career in Hollywood cinema developed smoothly and stably. But for a long time, the actor was not able to achieve real popularity. His first bright and noticeable work was the role of the negative character in the film “Without a Face”. In this sci-fi action movie, Nivola starred with such Hollywood celebrities as John Travolta and Nicolas Cage.
early years
The actor was born in the US state of Massachusetts in 1972. Nivola's mother was an artist, and her father a professor of political science. His male grandfather is an Italian sculptor. Nivola studied at Yale and received a bachelor's degree in English literature. He has an older brother, Adrian.
As a student, Nivola made his debut on the stage. In 1995, he, along with the legendary British actress Helen Mirren, took part in a Broadway production called "A Month in the Country". For his role in this performance, Alessandro Nivola was nominated for the prestigious theater prize "Drama Desk".
"Without a face"
Soon after his debut on the Broadway stage, the actor had a chance to try his hand at big cinema. He received an offer from director John Wu to embody on the screen the image of a minor negative character in the film “Without a Face”. This high-budget picture received unusually positive reviews from critics, and its box office met the expectations of the creators.
The role of the main antagonist went to the famous Nicolas Cage. He played a dangerous terrorist obsessed with revenge. Alessandro Nivola played the role of his younger brother and accomplice. Using experimental human face transplant technology, the main terrorist and the FBI agent, played by John Travolta, are transformed into each other.
The tense plot with elements of science fiction and the skill of the actors delighted the audience and critics. The image of the dangerous criminal and sociopath who created Alessandro Nivola on the screen did not go unnoticed. The biography of the actor entered a new phase: the role in the film "Without a Face" became the starting point of a long career in a big Hollywood movie.
"Eye"
Filmed in 2008, the psychological thriller touches on the topic of supernatural phenomena. Alessandro Nivola played a doctor in him, helping the patient cope with inexplicable visions. The role of the main character was played by the famous actress Jessica Alba. The painting "Eye" is based on the plot of the Hong Kong film of the same name and reflects the traditional Asian faith in the other world. Despite the commercial success of the American version, it received low ratings from critics.
This is not the most brilliant film project in which Alessandro Nivola took part. Films belonging to the mystical genre are often too stereotyped and monotonous. But with all the shortcomings of the script, the acting game of Nivola in the film "Eye" makes a worthy impression.
"The most cruel year"
Crime drama about the strongest rise in crime rates in the history of New York. The film received many nominations for prestigious awards and was recognized as the best film of 2014 according to the National Council of Film Critics of the United States. Nivola played in the drama the role of a businessman closely associated with the criminal world. His character confronts the main character, the owner of a fuel company, who wants to develop his business without resorting to cooperation with the mafia. Despite numerous awards and recognition from professional film critics, the film failed at the box office.
Personal life
Alessandro Nivola is married to the famous British actress Emily Mortimer. The couple has a son and daughter. The couple together founded a television production company. Their first project was a comedy series called Doll and Em. Emily Mortimer wrote a script for him and played one of the main roles. The duties of the producer of the series took over Alessandro Nivola. The photo of the actors who starred in episodic roles in this television project impresses with the presence of famous faces of John Cusack and Mikhail Baryshnikov.
Alessandro Nivola's cinematic career continues. He annually pleases fans with his participation in new films.