Early Life and Education of Woody Harrelson: A Complete Timeline
How education and upbringing influenced the life of Woody Harrelson. A timeline of key moments.
Woody Harrelson is an American actor who rose to fame as Woody Boyd on the sitcom Cheers, earning him a Primetime Emmy Award. He has garnered critical acclaim and three Academy Award nominations for his roles in The People vs. Larry Flynt (Best Actor), The Messenger, and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (both for Best Supporting Actor). Harrelson is recognized for his diverse acting abilities, spanning comedy and drama.
July 23, 1961: Woody Harrelson's Birth
On July 23, 1961, Woodrow Tracy Harrelson was born. He is an American actor known for his roles in both television and film.
1979: High School Graduation
In 1979, Woody Harrelson graduated from Lebanon High School and spent the summer working at Kings Island amusement park.
1979: Father's Life Sentence
In 1979, Woody Harrelson's father received a life sentence for the killing of federal judge John H. Wood Jr.
1980: Setting for 'No Country for Old Men'
The novel "No Country for Old Men", released in 2005 and later adapted into a film in 2007, is set in 1980. Both the novel and film include a reference to the murder committed by Woody Harrelson's father.
1983: College Graduation
In 1983, Woody Harrelson graduated from Hanover College with degrees in theater and English.
February 1985: Death of Nicholas Colasanto
In February 1985, Nicholas Colasanto, who played Coach on Cheers, passed away, leading to Woody Harrelson's character replacing him.
1985: Married Nancy Simon
In 1985, Woody Harrelson married Nancy Simon in Tijuana, a marriage that lasted ten months longer than intended due to logistical issues with their planned divorce.
1987: Met Laura Louie
In 1987, Woody Harrelson met Laura Louie, who was working as his personal assistant at the time. They later married in 2008.
1991: Protested First Gulf War
In 1991, Woody Harrelson protested against the First Gulf War at UCLA and during a college concert tour under the auspices of "Woody Harrelson Educational Tours".
1993: Birth of Daughter
In 1993, Woody Harrelson and Laura Louie welcomed their first daughter.
June 1, 1996: Arrested for Hemp Seed Planting
On June 1, 1996, Woody Harrelson was arrested in Lee County, Kentucky, after symbolically planting four hemp seeds to challenge state law, and was later acquitted.
1996: Birth of Daughter
In 1996, Woody Harrelson and Laura Louie welcomed their second daughter.
1999: Drew Chess Game Against Garry Kasparov
In 1999, in Prague, Woody Harrelson drew against World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov in a chess match, employing the Parham Attack with assistance from chess Grandmasters.
1999: WTO Protests
In 2007, Woody Harrelson's film Battle in Seattle was released, depicting the 1999 World Trade Organization protests.
2002: Arrested in London
In 2002, Woody Harrelson was arrested in London after an incident in a taxi and a subsequent police chase. The case was later dismissed after Harrelson paid the taxi driver.
2002: Condemned US Invasion of Iraq
In 2002, Woody Harrelson wrote an article in The Guardian condemning President George W. Bush's preparation for a US invasion of Iraq.
2003: Publicly Opposed Invasion of Iraq
In 2003, Woody Harrelson publicly spoke against the invasion of Iraq.
2003: Joined NORML Advisory Board
Since 2003, Woody Harrelson has served as a member on the advisory board of NORML, an organization advocating for the legalization of marijuana and hemp.
2005: Novel 'No Country for Old Men' Released
In 2005, the novel "No Country for Old Men" was released. Set in 1980, the novel contains a reference to Woody Harrelson's father, Charles Harrelson, who murdered John H. Wood Jr.
2006: Birth of Daughter
In 2006, Woody Harrelson and Laura Louie welcomed their third daughter.
2006: Incident with Photographer
In 2006, an incident occurred outside a Hollywood nightclub involving Woody Harrelson and a photographer, which led to a lawsuit being filed in 2008.
March 15, 2007: Death of Charles Harrelson
On March 15, 2007, Woody Harrelson's father, Charles Voyde Harrelson, died in the United States Penitentiary, Administrative Maximum Facility.
September 2007: Attended PICNIC'07 Festival
In September 2007, Woody Harrelson attended the PICNIC'07 festival in Amsterdam, an event focused on creativity, science, technology, media, and business.
2008: Lawsuit Filed by Photographer
In 2008, TMZ photographer Josh Levine filed a lawsuit against Woody Harrelson for an alleged attack outside a Hollywood nightclub in 2006.
2008: Married Laura Louie
In 2008, Woody Harrelson married Laura Louie, whom he met in 1987 when she worked as his personal assistant. They have three daughters and reside in Maui, Hawaii.
2008: Campaign for John McCain and Sarah Palin
In 2012, Woody Harrelson had a leading role in the acclaimed HBO television film Game Change as republican strategist Steve Schmidt working for the 2008 Presidential campaign for John McCain and Sarah Palin.
October 2009: Discussed Religious Views
In October 2009, Woody Harrelson told Playboy that he began questioning the Bible's divine nature while studying theology in college and now describes himself as having "a strong spiritual life".
November 12, 2009: Head Shaving on The Colbert Report
On November 12, 2009, Woody Harrelson had his head shaved on The Colbert Report.
April 2010: Lawsuit Dismissed
In April 2010, the lawsuit filed against Woody Harrelson by a TMZ photographer was dismissed.
June 6, 2010: Soccer Aid 2010 Participation
On June 6, 2010, Woody Harrelson participated in Soccer Aid 2010 for UNICEF UK and scored the winning penalty.
June 2010: Participated in Soccer Aid
In June 2010, Woody Harrelson participated in Soccer Aid at Old Trafford in Manchester, scoring the winning goal in the penalty shootout for UNICEF.
2010: Featured in Hempsters Documentary
In 2010, the events surrounding Woody Harrelson's 1996 hemp seed planting arrest were featured in the Michael P. Henning documentary film "Hempsters: Plant the Seed".
2011: Featured on PETA Postage Stamp
In 2011, Woody Harrelson appeared on a postage stamp as one of PETA's 20 famous vegetarians.
February 3, 2012: Reddit AMA Disaster
On February 3, 2012, Woody Harrelson participated in an "Ask Me Anything" session on Reddit that turned into a PR disaster.
May 27, 2012: Soccer Aid 2012 Participation
On May 27, 2012, Woody Harrelson participated in Soccer Aid.
2012: Played in UNICEF Game
In 2012, Woody Harrelson played in the UNICEF game, playing the last 10 minutes for the Rest of the World team.
2012: Named PETA's Sexiest Vegetarian
In 2012, Woody Harrelson was named PETA's Sexiest Vegetarian, along with Jessica Chastain.
2013: Criticized President Obama
In 2013, Woody Harrelson condemned President Barack Obama for failing to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan.
2014: Received Honorary Doctorate
In 2014, Woody Harrelson was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters (DHL) from Hanover College.
2016: Ceremonial First Move, World Chess Championship
In 2016, Woody Harrelson played the ceremonial first move for the World Chess Championship held in New York.
November 2018: Attended World Chess Championship
In November 2018, Woody Harrelson attended the first game of the World Chess Championship in London and made the ceremonial first move.
April 2020: Promoted Conspiracy Theory
In April 2020, Woody Harrelson promoted a conspiracy theory linking 5G networks and COVID-19 on Instagram, which was later deleted.
2020: Practiced Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
In 2020, Woody Harrelson was seen practicing Brazilian jiu-jitsu while filming and received the first stripe on his white belt.
May 13, 2022: Opened Cannabis Dispensary
On May 13, 2022, Woody Harrelson opened The Woods WeHo, a cannabis dispensary in Los Angeles, California.
May 2022: Expressed Disbelief in Germ Theory
In May 2022, Woody Harrelson stated he "doesn't believe in the germ theory" and found the use of face masks against COVID-19 to be "absurd."
2023: Potential Brotherhood with Matthew McConaughey
In 2023, Matthew McConaughey suggested he and Woody Harrelson could be brothers, based on his mother's claim of intimacy with Harrelson's father.
2023: Appeared to endorse Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
In 2023, Woody Harrelson appeared to endorse Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
