Thomas Haden Church Emmy Award winner and Academy Award nominee. Date of Birth: 17.06.1960 Country: USA

Biography of Thomas Hayden Church

Thomas Hayden Church, born on June 17, 1960, in El Paso, Texas, USA, is an Emmy-winning actor and Academy Award nominee. He was born as Thomas McMullen and was the third of six children in his family. His father was a healthcare worker and his mother was a homemaker. Church was raised under his stepfather's surname, "Quesada," and later changed it to "Haden Church," taking both components from his family tree.

Church received his education in Laredo, Texas, and graduated from Harlingen High School in Harlingen, Texas, in 1979. He continued his education at the University of North Texas. Church began his career in the entertainment industry as a radio personality and worked as a voice-over artist. After a small appearance in an independent film, Church decided to move to California to pursue an acting career.

He played the role of Lowell Mather, a dim-witted mechanic at the airport, in the six-season sitcom "Wings" on NBC from 1990 to 1995. Church also had a two-season stint on the show "Ned and Stacey," where he played the lead role of Ned Dorsey alongside actress Debra Messing. Church also had supporting roles in films such as "Tombstone" directed by George P. Cosmatos, "George of the Jungle" directed by Sam Weisman, and "The Specials" directed by Craig Mazin.

Church often portrays villains or comedic characters in films, showcasing his versatility as an actor. Examples include his role in the horror film "Demon Knight" and providing the voice for the character Dwayne in the animated film "Over the Hedge." After several small roles in films, such as the fantasy film "Monkeybone" and the crime film "3000 Miles to Graceland," Church made his directorial debut with the comedy film "Rolling Kansas" in 2003.

Following a break from the film industry, Church returned to his native Texas and continued to work behind the scenes in advertising, including collaborations with Merrill Lynch and Icehouse Beer. In 2003, Alexander Payne invited Church to play the role of Jack in the Oscar-winning film "Sideways," portraying the self-absorbed best friend of Paul Giamatti's character. Church fully undressed during his audition for a scene in the film, as he believed it was necessary for his character to be naked. This audacious move made him the only actor to strip down completely in front of the public. His performance in "Sideways" earned him the IFP Independent Spirit Award and an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

Since then, Church has appeared in projects such as the sci-fi comedy "Idiocracy" directed by Mike Judge, provided voice work for "Over the Hedge," and played one of the lead roles in the highly-rated film "Broken Trail" on the AMC network. His role in "Broken Trail," alongside Robert Duvall, earned him an Emmy Award. In 2007, Hayden Church portrayed Sandman, or Flint Marko, in the popular sequel "Spider-Man 3" alongside stars Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst.

In 2005, Church received an invitation to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. On September 16, 2007, he won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie for his role in "Broken Trail." Church currently resides on his small ranch in Bandera Country, Texas, which he purchased in 1998. He is married to Mia Zottoli and has a daughter named Cody. It is worth noting that Mia Zottoli is a former pornographic actress and model (her last film was released in 2004).