Michael Vartan

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Michael Vartan
Michael Vartan 2010 cropped.jpg
Vartan in July 2010
Born (1968-11-27) November 27, 1968 (age 55)
Boulogne-Billancourt, Hauts-de-Seine, France
Occupation Actor
Years active 1988–present
Spouse(s) Lauren Skaar (m. 2011; div. 2014)

Michael S. Vartan (born November 27, 1968) is a French-American[1] actor, known for his role as Michael Vaughn on the American television action drama Alias, and his role on the TNT medical drama Hawthorne.

Early life

Vartan was born in Boulogne-Billancourt, Hauts-de-Seine, France. He is the son of Eddie Vartan, a Bulgarian-born musician, and Doris (née Pucher), a painter and artist.[2][3] His paternal aunt is singer Sylvie Vartan and his stepfather is writer Ian La Frenais.[4] Michael's paternal grandfather was of Armenian and Bulgarian descent, while Michael's paternal grandmother was of Hungarian Jewish background.[5][6][7] Michael's mother is a Polish Jewish immigrant to the United States.[8][9][10]

Vartan has said about his French background that "The funny thing is I'm actually a Polish Jew who happens to be born in France. My mom is Polish and my dad is Bulgarian. I don't have an ounce of French blood. But I work it".[8][11] He has stated that he tends to be considered a Frenchman in the United States and an American in France.[12]

His parents divorced when he was five and he moved to the United States with his mother.[13] He moved back to France to be with his father until his high school years, and grew up a "farm kid" in a "simple environment"[10] in Fleury, Manche, a small town in Normandy.[13][14] At the age of eighteen, Vartan moved back in with his mother in Los Angeles, telling her that he wanted to be an artist,[15] because he did not wish to fulfill the mandatory military service required in France.[10] In Los Angeles, he attended an acting school after he was told he possessed acting talent. He had also attended the prestigious Lycée Français de Los Angeles. Vartan now considers himself to be American and stated on the talk show Rove that he would like Australia to be his second home.[16] He is bilingual, being fluent in French and English.[17]

Career

After starring roles in European films, including an acclaimed performance in the Taviani Brothers' Fiorile, and several smaller film roles, Vartan had noticeable supporting roles in major Hollywood movies, including Never Been Kissed (1999), One Hour Photo (2002) and Monster-in-Law (2005).[16] In 2007, he appeared in the Australian horror film Rogue, and starred in the film Jolene in 2008.

Vartan's most notable role to date has been as Michael Vaughn in the American television series Alias (2001–2006). He played the role of Lancelot in TNT's production of Marion Zimmer Bradley's The Mists of Avalon (2001). Vartan has also had guest appearances on Friends (as Dr. Tim Burke, Tom Selleck's character's son) and Ally McBeal (as Jonathan Basset). He also appeared on the show Kitchen Confidential, which starred his former Alias co-star Bradley Cooper, as a French chef who was Cooper's rival. In September 2007, Vartan played James Walker, a main role in the ABC drama Big Shots. However, the show was canceled after one season.

Vartan is co-starred opposite Jada Pinkett Smith in TNT's series Hawthorne. Vartan replaced Jeffrey Nordling, who played the role in the pilot.[18] TNT canceled the series after its third season.[19]

Personal life

Vartan at the 23rd Genesis Awards, Beverly Hills, California, March 28, 2009

Vartan began dating his Alias co-star Jennifer Garner in mid-2003. After several months of rumors, their break-up was confirmed in August 2004.[20][21][22][23]

In March 2010, Vartan announced his engagement to Lauren Skaar, whom he met in a Whole Foods Market parking lot in Los Angeles in 2009.[24] The couple married on April 2, 2011 at the Pelican Hill Resort in Newport Beach, California.[25] Skaar filed for divorce in July 2014, citing irreconcilable differences.[26]

Vartan has a dog named Millie, with whom he appeared in a PETA video about good canine care and to whom he wrote a "love letter" for an anthology.[27] He is a keen supporter of Australian rules football, having watched the game on numerous visits to Australia, in particular Melbourne. He is good friends with Brendan Fevola and supports Carlton.[28] After the completion of the film Rogue, Vartan got a Southern Cross tattoo on his right arm to show his love for Australia.[29]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1988 Black Leather Jacket Motorcycle boy Television film
1991 Un homme et deux femmes Fred
1992 Promenades d'été Thomas
1992 Stringer Chris
1993 Fiorile Jean/Massimo
1995 To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar Tommy
1996 The Pallbearer Scott
1997 Touch Me Adam
1997 The Myth of Fingerprints Jake
1998 The Curve Chris
1999 Never Been Kissed Sam Coulson Nominated—MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss (with Drew Barrymore)
2000 It Had to Be You Charlie Hudson
2000 The Next Best Thing Kevin Lasater
2000 Sand Tyler Briggs
2001 The Mists of Avalon Lancelot Television film
2002 One Hour Photo Will Yorkin
2005 Monster-in-Law Dr. Kevin Fields
2007 Rogue Pete McKell
2008 Jolene Brad
2010 High School Calculus teacher Uncredited
2011 Demoted Rodney McAdams
2011 Colombiana Danny Delanay
2015 Crawlspace TBD Post-production

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1993 Spender Paul Ducheyne Episode: "Puck"
1993 Fallen Angels Harry Stone Episode: "Murder, Obliquely"
1997 Friends Dr. Tim Burke Episode: "The One with Chandler in a Box"
2000 Ally McBeal Jonathan Bassett 2 episodes
2001–2006 Alias Michael Vaughn 95 episodes
Nominated—Saturn Award for Best Actor on Television
Nominated—Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Actor – Drama/Action Adventure
Nominated—Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Male Breakout Star
2005 Kitchen Confidential Michel Valentine Episode: "French Fight"
2007 Big Shots James Walker 11 episodes
2009–2011 Hawthorne Dr. Tom Wakefield 30 episodes
2012 Go On Himself Episode: "Bench-Clearing Bawl"
2012 Ring of Fire Dr. Matthew Cooper 2 episodes
2014 Bates Motel George Heldens 6 episodes
2014 Satisfaction Dylan 3 episodes
2015 Rectify Forrest Episode: "Sown with Salt"

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Sylvie Vartan, by Emmanuel Bonini, Flammarion, 2004
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ j. – Celebrity Jews
  12. ↑ Interview Michael Vartan – Alias
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ :: Michael Vartan – vartanfan[dot]com – fan site ::
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Susman, G, "Undercover Work". Entertainment Weekly. August 14, 2003. Retrieved on December 13, 2006.
  21. ↑ Buzzle Staff and Agencies, "Garner & Vartan Split?". Buzzle.com. March 24, 2004. Retrieved on January 23, 2007.
  22. ↑ "Jennifer Garner and Michael Vartan". Moono.com. August 21, 2004. Retrieved on January 23, 2007.
  23. ↑ "Garner Confirms Love Split". AskMen.com. August 19, 2004. Retrieved on January 23, 2007.
  24. ↑ "Michael Vartan of Alias is Engaged!". People.com. March 19, 2010.
  25. ↑ "Alias Star Michael Vartan Gets Married!". Us Weekly. April 2, 2011.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ "Michael Vartan Pens Love Letter To His Dog," People, 7 December 2011.
  28. ↑ "Outback tests Michael Vartan". November 10, 2007. Retrieved on April 19, 2010.
  29. ↑ "Rogue star Michael Vartan answers back". November 16, 2007. Retrieved on April 19, 2010

External links

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