History of James Woods in Timeline
James Woods is an American actor recognized for his intense performances. He has received three Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe, and was nominated for two Academy Awards. Woods began his career with Broadway roles in the late 1960s and early 1970s, appearing in productions like *The Penny Wars* and *Moonchildren*. His early film appearances included roles in *The Visitors* and *The Way We Were*. He gained further recognition for his role in the NBC miniseries *Holocaust*.
April 18, 1947: James Woods' Birth
On April 18, 1947, James Howard Woods was born. He is an American actor known for his intense roles and has received numerous accolades.
1960: Death of Father
In 1960, James Woods' father, Gail Peyton Woods, a United States Army intelligence officer, died after routine surgery.
1963: Portrayal of Byron De La Beckwith's Assassination of Medgar Evers
In 1963, the event Woods would later portray in the movie Ghosts of Mississippi took place: Byron De La Beckwith, a white supremacist, assassinated civil rights leader Medgar Evers.
1965: Graduation from High School
In 1965, James Woods graduated from Pilgrim High School in Warwick, Rhode Island.
1969: Dropped out of MIT
In 1969, James Woods dropped out of MIT one semester before graduating to pursue an acting career.
1969: Broadway Debut in The Penny Wars
In 1969, James Woods made his Broadway debut in "The Penny Wars" after starting his career in minor roles on and off-Broadway.
1970: Acted in Borstal Boy
In 1970, James Woods acted in "Borstal Boy" on Broadway.
1971: Acted in The Trial of the Catonsville Nine
In 1971, James Woods acted in "The Trial of the Catonsville Nine" on Broadway.
1972: Acted in Moonchildren
In 1972, James Woods acted in "Moonchildren" on Broadway.
1972: Feature Film Debut in The Visitors and Acted in Hickey & Boggs
In 1972, James Woods made his feature film debut in Elia Kazan's "The Visitors" and also acted in the neo-noir crime film "Hickey & Boggs".
1972: Acted in Moonchildren and Won Theatre World Award
In 1972, James Woods played Bob Rettie in the American premiere of Michael Weller's "Moonchildren" and later won a Theatre World Award for his performance.
1973: Supporting Role in The Way We Were
In 1973, James Woods had a supporting role as Barbra Streisand's college boyfriend in "The Way We Were".
1973: Acted in The Way We Were
In 1973, James Woods had an early film role in "The Way We Were".
1973: Acted in Finishing Touches
In 1973, James Woods portrayed Steven Cooper in the original production of Jean Kerr's "Finishing Touches" at the Plymouth Theatre.
1974: Acted in The Gambler
In 1974, James Woods acted in the crime drama "The Gambler".
1975: Acted in Night Moves
In 1975, James Woods acted in the neo-noir "Night Moves".
1976: Acted in Alex & the Gypsy
In 1976, James Woods acted in the comedy "Alex & the Gypsy".
1977: Acted in The Choirboys
In 1977, James Woods acted in the Robert Aldrich directed comedy-drama "The Choirboys".
1978: Starred in Holocaust miniseries
In 1978, James Woods rose to prominence playing the husband of Meryl Streep in the critically acclaimed four-episode miniseries "Holocaust" which aired on NBC.
1979: Portrayed Gregory Powell in The Onion Field
In 1979, James Woods rose to prominence portraying Gregory Powell in "The Onion Field".
1979: Starred in The Onion Field
In 1979, James Woods took a leading role starring in "The Onion Field" playing murderer Gregory Powell.
1980: Marriage to Kathryn Morrison-Pahoa
In 1980, James Woods married costume designer Kathryn Morrison-Pahoa.
1981: Acted in Eyewitness
In 1981, James Woods played an eccentric janitor in "Eyewitness".
1982: Acted in Fast-Walking and Split Image
In 1982, James Woods acted in the prison drama "Fast-Walking" and the psychological drama "Split Image".
1983: Divorce from Kathryn Morrison-Pahoa
In 1983, James Woods divorced costume designer Kathryn Morrison-Pahoa.
1983: Acted in Videodrome
In 1983, James Woods played a notable film role in "Videodrome".
1984: Acted in Once Upon a Time in America and Against All Odds
In 1984, James Woods played Maximillian "Max" Bercovicz in Sergio Leone's "Once Upon a Time in America" and also starred in "Against All Odds".
1984: Acted in Once Upon a Time in America
In 1984, James Woods played a notable film role in "Once Upon a Time in America".
1986: Academy Award Nomination for Salvador
In 1986, James Woods earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his role as Richard Boyle in "Salvador".
1986: Starred in Salvador and Promise
In 1986, James Woods portrayed Richard Boyle in Oliver Stone's "Salvador", receiving an Academy Award nomination. He also starred in "Promise", for which he later won an Emmy.
1986: Golden Globe and Primetime Emmy Award for Promise
In 1986, James Woods received a Golden Globe Award and a Primetime Emmy Award for his performance in the made-for-television film Promise.
1987: Academy Award Nomination for Salvador
In 1987, James Woods received an Academy Award nomination for his performance in Oliver Stone's film, Salvador.
1987: Emmy Award for Promise
In 1987, James Woods won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for portraying D.J. in the CBS movie "Promise".
1987: Won Primetime Emmy Award for Promise
In 1987, James Woods won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for his role as a disabled man in the made-for-television film "Promise".
1988: Portrayed a man struggling with cocaine addiction in The Boost
In 1988, James Woods portrayed a man struggling with cocaine addiction in "The Boost", receiving praise for his performance.
1988: Lawsuit Against Sean Young
In 1988, James Woods sued Sean Young for $2 million, accusing her of stalking him after they appeared together in the film The Boost.
August 1989: Settlement of Lawsuit with Sean Young
In August 1989, James Woods' lawsuit against Sean Young was settled out of court, with Woods paying $227,000 to Young to cover her legal costs.
October 28, 1989: Hosted Saturday Night Live
On October 28, 1989, James Woods hosted "Saturday Night Live" with Don Henley as the musical guest.
1989: Marriage and Divorce from Sarah Owen
In 1989, James Woods married Sarah Owen, but they divorced four months later.
1989: Second Primetime Emmy Award for My Name is Bill W.
In 1989, James Woods won his second Primetime Emmy Award for his performance in My Name is Bill W.
1989: Emmy Award for My Name Is Bill W.
In 1989, James Woods won his second Primetime Emmy Award for his role as Bill W. in the ABC film "My Name Is Bill W.".
1991: Acted in The Hard Way
In 1991, James Woods played a notable film role in "The Hard Way".
1992: Dating Heather Graham
In 1992, James Woods dated Heather Graham, his co-star in the film Diggstown.
1992: Played Roy Cohn in Citizen Cohn
In 1992, James Woods played Roy Cohn in "Citizen Cohn".
1992: Acted in Chaplin
In 1992, James Woods played a notable film role in "Chaplin".
1992: Portrayed Roy Cohn in Citizen Cohn and Acted in Chaplin
In 1992, James Woods portrayed Roy Cohn in the HBO television film "Citizen Cohn" and also took a supporting role in "Chaplin".
1993: Voiced himself in The Simpsons
In 1993, James Woods voiced himself once in "The Simpsons".
1995: Acted in Casino and Nixon
In 1995, James Woods played a supporting role in Martin Scorsese's "Casino" and starred as H.R. Haldeman in Oliver Stone's "Nixon".
1996: Academy Award Nomination for Ghosts of Mississippi
In 1996, James Woods earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for playing Byron De La Beckwith in "Ghosts of Mississippi".
1996: Appearance in Ghosts of Mississippi
In 1996, James Woods starred in Rob Reiner's film Ghosts of Mississippi, portraying white supremacist Byron De La Beckwith, who assassinated Medgar Evers in 1963. Despite mixed reviews, Woods received praise for his performance, earning Golden Globe and Oscar nominations for Best Supporting Actor.
1997: Acted in Contact
In 1997, James Woods played a notable film role in "Contact".
1997: Voice Acting as Hades in Hercules
In 1997, James Woods voiced Hades in the Disney animated film Hercules, receiving critical acclaim for his performance. Critics compared his "verbal inventiveness" to Robin Williams in Aladdin.
1998: Acted in Vampires and Another Day in Paradise
In 1998, James Woods played notable film roles in both "Vampires" and "Another Day in Paradise".
1999: Acted in Any Given Sunday and The Virgin Suicides
In 1999, James Woods played notable film roles in both "Any Given Sunday" and "The Virgin Suicides".
1999: Appearance in The Virgin Suicides
In 1999, James Woods starred in Sofia Coppola's directorial debut, The Virgin Suicides, alongside Kirsten Dunst, Josh Hartnett, and Kathleen Turner. The film premiered at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival and received a largely positive critical reception.
1999: Departure from the Democratic Party
In 1999, James Woods stated that he left the Democratic Party due to the impeachment of Bill Clinton.
2000: Daytime Emmy Award
In 2000, James Woods won a Daytime Emmy Award for his work in season 2 of the Hercules television series, where he reprised his role as Hades.
August 1, 2001: Reported Suspicious Activity on Flight
On August 1, 2001, James Woods reported noticing four men acting suspiciously on a flight from Boston to Los Angeles. He alerted the co-pilot, and the information was allegedly passed to the FAA. He later contacted the FBI after the September 11 attacks, believing the men were involved.
2001: Voice Acting as Hades in House of Mouse
In 2001, James Woods continued to voice the character Hades in House of Mouse, adding to his roles voicing the character.
2001: Voice Acting in Recess: School's Out
In 2001, James Woods voiced Dr. Phillium Benedict in the Disney film Recess: School's Out.
2002: Voice Acting as Falcon in Stuart Little 2
In 2002, James Woods voiced Falcon in Stuart Little 2.
2002: Voiced Stuart Little 2
In 2002, James Woods voiced a role for "Stuart Little 2".
2003: Continues Voice Acting as Hades in House of Mouse
In 2003, James Woods voiced the character Hades in House of Mouse, adding to his roles voicing the character.
2004: Played in Hollywood Home Game series
In 2004, James Woods played in the WPT's Hollywood Home Game series for the American Stroke Association charity.
2005: Voiced himself in Family Guy
From 2005 to 2016, James Woods voiced himself several times in "Family Guy".
2005: Cameo in Be Cool and Recurring Role in Family Guy
In 2005, James Woods appeared in a cameo in the movie Be Cool and began a recurring role as himself in the animated series Family Guy.
August 17, 2006: Advertisement in Los Angeles Times
On August 17, 2006, James Woods' name appeared in an advertisement in the Los Angeles Times that condemned Hamas and Hezbollah and supported Israel in the 2006 Lebanon War.
2006: Death of Michael Jeffrey Woods
In 2006, James Woods' younger brother, Michael Jeffrey Woods, died from cardiac arrest at the age of 49.
2007: Voice Acting in Surf's Up
In 2007, James Woods voiced Reggie Belafonte in the animated film Surf's Up, which received an Academy Award nomination.
2009: Settlement of Lawsuit Against Kent Hospital
In 2009, James Woods' lawsuit against Kent Hospital in Warwick, Rhode Island, alleging negligence in the death of his brother, was settled.
2009: Book basis for "Too Big to Fail"
In 2009, the book Too Big to Fail by Andrew Ross Sorkin, on which the movie James Woods acted in, was released.
2011: Played Dick Fuld in Too Big to Fail
In 2011, James Woods played Dick Fuld in "Too Big to Fail".
2011: Stars in Too Big to Fail
In 2011, James Woods starred as Richard S. Fuld, Jr. in the HBO television drama film Too Big to Fail. For his performance, Woods earned nominations for the Screen Actors Guild Award and Primetime Emmy Award.
2012: Appearance in Coma
In 2012, James Woods appeared in the limited series Coma alongside Geena Davis, Richard Dreyfuss, and Ellen Burstyn.
2012: Anniversary Screening of Once Upon a Time in America
In 2012, James Woods attended an anniversary screening of a restored cut of Once Upon a Time in America (1984) at the 65th Cannes Film Festival.
2013: Recurring Role in Ray Donovan
In 2013, James Woods had a recurring role in the Showtime crime series "Ray Donovan".
2014: Anniversary Screening of Once Upon a Time in America
In 2014, James Woods joined Robert De Niro for an anniversary screening of Once Upon a Time in America (1984) at the 52nd New York Film Festival.
July 2015: Lawsuit Against Twitter Users
In July 2015, James Woods sued an anonymous Twitter user known as Abe List and ten other Twitter users for $10 million over an allegedly libelous tweet.
October 2015: Motion for Discovery Denied
In October 2015, the Los Angeles Superior Court denied James Woods' motion to obtain the name of the Twitter user he sued, holding that he could not pierce the anonymity of internet speakers without a prima facie case.
November 2015: Endorsement of Ted Cruz
In November 2015, James Woods shifted his endorsement in the 2016 presidential race to Ted Cruz after Carly Fiorina pulled out.
December 14, 2015: Car Accident in Glenwood Canyon
On December 14, 2015, James Woods was involved in a car accident in Glenwood Canyon, Colorado, caused by a speeding driver. He suffered a minor concussion.
2015: World Series of Poker Success
In 2015, James Woods placed seventh at the World Series of Poker in the $3000 No Limit Shootout event.
October 2016: Appeal Dismissed and Case Settled
In October 2016, the defendant's appeal in James Woods' lawsuit against a Twitter user was dismissed. The attorney for the anonymous user revealed that the user had died. The case was settled out of court soon afterwards.
2016: Voiced himself in Family Guy
From 2005 to 2016, James Woods voiced himself several times in "Family Guy".
2016: Shifted his endorsement to Ted Cruz
In 2016, James Woods shifted his endorsement in the 2016 presidential race to Ted Cruz after Carly Fiorina pulled out.
2016: Continues Role in Family Guy and Voices Lex Luthor
Since 2016, James Woods has continued his recurring role in Family Guy and began voicing Lex Luthor in the animated series Justice League Action.
2017: Appearance at Writers Guild of America Awards
In 2017, James Woods made a public appearance at the Writers Guild of America Awards to honor Oliver Stone, with whom he had collaborated on multiple films.
2017: Lawsuit by Portia Boulger
In 2017, Portia Boulger sued James Woods for misidentifying her as a Nazi in an allegedly libelous tweet. The court ruled in favor of Woods.
2017: Twitter Debate with Amber Tamblyn
In 2017, a Twitter debate between James Woods and Amber Tamblyn escalated after Tamblyn accused Woods of inviting her to Las Vegas when she was underage, which Woods dismissed as a lie.
July 4, 2018: Dropped by The Gersh Agency
On July 4, 2018, The Gersh Agency notified James Woods that they would no longer represent him, which Woods stated was due to his political views.
2018: Poker Tournament Successes
As of 2018, James Woods has over 80 poker tournament successes to his credit.
2018: Aid During California Wildfires
In 2018, James Woods used his Twitter feed to aid missing California wildfires' evacuees, helping to reunite loved ones and pets with their families.
2020: Woods was purveyor of election misinformation on Twitter
In 2020, analysis conducted by researchers with the University of Washington's Center for an Informed Public and the Krebs Stamos Group found Woods was the top purveyor of election misinformation on Twitter.
2022: Election Misinformation on Twitter
In 2022, James Woods was found to be a top purveyor of election misinformation on Twitter during the late months of 2020, according to researchers with the University of Washington's Center for an Informed Public and the Krebs Stamos Group. In that same year, he announced intentions to sue the Democratic National Committee following Elon Musk's release of the Twitter Files.
2022: Poker Win at Bally's Las Vegas
In 2022, James Woods won $12,000 at a poker game at Bally's Las Vegas.
November 2023: Advocated against ceasefire in Gaza war
In November 2023, James Woods advocated against a ceasefire in the Gaza war and called for the killing of all Palestinian activists, using the hashtag "#KillThemAll".
2023: Reprising Hades in Disney Speedstorm and Once Upon a Studio
In 2023, James Woods reprised his role as Hades in Disney Speedstorm and Once Upon a Studio.
2023: Executive Producer on Oppenheimer
In 2023, James Woods served as an executive producer on Christopher Nolan's biographical drama film "Oppenheimer".
February 2024: Criticized Rashida Tlaib
In February 2024, James Woods criticized Rashida Tlaib for her "present" vote regarding the condemnation of rape and sexual violence committed by Hamas against Israel.
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