Who is that guy? Campbell Scott

Several of my friends have asked about Campbell Scott... so I thought I'd post this little filmography and send them the link. Oh yeah - it's THAT guy.

There is always something familiar about Campbell Scott. The award-winning actor, known for his ability to dodge the spotlight, has a wide and varied career and it is a testament to his chameleon-like dexterity and range that he can never be locked into a type. Below is a sampling of Scott’s most recognizable films.

Longtime Companion – 1990
Scott’s breakthrough film, Longtime Companion, was for PBS TV’s “American Playhouse” series and chronicled the lives of Manhattanites learning and struggling through the very early years of the AIDS epidemic. This marked Scott’s first collaboration with renowned playwright Craig Lucas, which would prove fruitful. Scott would go on to star in other Lucas-penned films, like the screen adaptations of his plays The Dying Gaul and The Secret Lives of Dentists.

Dying Young – 1991
Scott’s first big starring role, he played Victor Geddes, a dying leukemia patient who falls in love with his nurse, played by Julia Roberts. Directed by Joel Schumacher, the film costarred Ellen Burstyn and Scott’s real-life mother, Colleen Dewhurst.

Singles – 1992
In Cameron Crowe’s ode to grunge-era Seattle, Scott played Steve Dunne, a civil engineer with bad dating luck as part of a pack of unattached twenty-somethings living in the same apartment complex. Also starring Bridget Fonda, Kyra Sedgewick, and Matt Dillon, Singles captured early 1990s life with its quirky mix of angst and wit, and its of-the-moment soundtrack including the era’s biggest bands like Pearl Jam and Soundgarden.

Roger Dodger – 2002
In a performance that won him a Best Actor Award from the National Board of Review, and a nomination from the Independent Spirit Awards, Scott plays Roger Swanson, a smooth talking advertising exec with a penchant for seducing women. When a surprise visit from his 16-year-old nephew turns him into a love tutor, Roger must reevaluate the direction his life has taken. Roger Dodger was a darling on the film festival circuit, winning 11 awards, including Best Narrative Feature at the Tribeca Film Festival.

The Spanish Prisoner – 1997
Award-winning playwright David Mamet wrote this thriller about Scott’s character, Joe Ross, who develops “the process” for his “company” that will make “millions.” Intentionally cryptic, The Spanish Prisoner weaves a trail of double-crosses, false trusts, and shady con artists for Scott to navigate. Steve Martin, Ben Gazzara, Rebecca Pidgeon, and Felicity Huffman round out the cast of charming ne’er-do-wells.

Hamlet – 2000
Huntington audiences might experience some déjà vu after watching this film, having seen Scott perform the role of Shakespeare’s tormented Dane on the B.U. Theatre stage in 1996. Scott co-directed this film version with Eric Simonson, and reprised his turn in the title role. The supporting cast was filled with a who’s who of theatre actors including Tony Award winners Blair Brown and Denis O’Hare.

No End in Sight – 2007
Scott narrates this recently-released documentary from writer/director Charles Fergueson that examines the American occupation of Iraq from the perspective of those inside the Bush administration. A candid retelling of the events following the fall of Baghdad in 2003 by high ranking officials, Iraqi civilians, American soldiers, and prominent analysts, No End in Sight is a riveting look at the state of Iraq today and was the recipient of a Special Jury Prize at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival

Check out more the bios of the entire artistic team here. Nice to have so many BU College of Fine Arts folks working with us!

Photos (top to bottom): (1) Campbell Scott. (2) Campbell Scott, Patricia Clarkson, and Peter Sarsgaard in The Dying Gaul. (3) Campbell Scott, Matt Dylon, Bridget Fonda, and Jim True-Frost in The Singles. (4) Campbell Scott and Jesse Eisenberg in Roger Dodger. (5) Campbell Scott in The Spanish Prisoner. (6) Campbell Scott in the title role of the Huntington's 1996 production of Hamlet; photo T. Charles Erickson