History of Woody Harrelson in Timeline
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: Harrelson Joins Cheers
In 1985, Woody Harrelson joined the cast of the NBC sitcom Cheers as bartender Woody Boyd, marking a significant role in his early career.
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.
1986: Wildcats Film Debut
In 1986, Woody Harrelson's first movie, Wildcats, a football comedy with Goldie Hawn, was released.
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.
1989: Emmy Award Win
In 1989, Woody Harrelson won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his role on Cheers.
1990: Cool Blue Release
In 1990, Woody Harrelson starred in the romantic comedy Cool Blue, alongside Hank Azaria.
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".
1992: White Men Can't Jump Hit
In 1992, Woody Harrelson reunited with Wesley Snipes in the box-office hit White Men Can't Jump.
1993: Final Season of Cheers
1993 marked the end of Woody Harrelson's eight-season run on the television show Cheers.
1993: Birth of Daughter
In 1993, Woody Harrelson and Laura Louie welcomed their first daughter.
1993: End of Cheers Run
In 1993, Woody Harrelson finished his run on Cheers.
1993: Starred in Indecent Proposal
In 1993, Woody Harrelson starred in "Indecent Proposal", which led to him winning the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actor in 1994.
1993: Indecent Proposal Release
In 1993, Woody Harrelson starred in the drama Indecent Proposal, which was a box office success.
1994: The Cowboy Way Release
In 1994, Woody Harrelson starred alongside Kiefer Sutherland in The Cowboy Way.
1994: Natural Born Killers Release
In 1994, Woody Harrelson starred in the film Natural Born Killers.
1994: Won Golden Raspberry Award
In 1994, Woody Harrelson won the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actor for his role in 1993's "Indecent Proposal".
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.
1996: Oscar Nomination for The People vs. Larry Flynt
In 1996, Woody Harrelson received a Best Actor Oscar nomination for his role as Larry Flynt in "The People vs. Larry Flynt".
1996: Kingpin Release
In 1996, Woody Harrelson starred in the comedy Kingpin.
1997: Starred in Several Films
In 1997, Woody Harrelson starred in Welcome to Sarajevo, Wag the Dog and Road to Manhattan.
1998: The Thin Red Line Release
In 1998, Woody Harrelson appeared in The Thin Red Line.
1998: Starred in Palmetto and The Thin Red Line
In 1998, Woody Harrelson starred in Palmetto and played Sergeant Keck in The Thin Red Line.
1999: Cheers Spin-off Guest Appearance
In 1999, Woody Harrelson guest-starred in the Cheers spin-off Frasier, reprising his role as Woody Boyd.
1999: Narrated "Grass" Documentary
In 1999, Woody Harrelson narrated the documentary "Grass."
1999: Starred and Directed Plays
In 1999, Woody Harrelson starred in The Hi-Lo Country, EDtv, and Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me and directed his own play, Furthest from the Sun.
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.
2000: Broadway Revival of The Rainmaker
In 2000, Woody Harrelson starred in Roundabout's Broadway revival of the N. Richard Nash play The Rainmaker.
2001: Will & Grace Appearance
In 2001, Woody Harrelson appeared in several episodes of Will & Grace as Grace's boyfriend Nathan.
2001: The Late Henry Moss
In 2001, Woody Harrelson starred in Sam Shepard's The Late Henry Moss.
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.
2002: On an Average Day in London's West End
In the fall of 2002, Woody Harrelson starred in John Kolvenbach's On an Average Day opposite Kyle MacLachlan in London's West End.
2003: Film Comeback
In 2003, Woody Harrelson co-starred in the comedy film Anger Management and appeared in the action film After the Sunset and the Spike Lee film She Hate Me, marking his return to film after a hiatus.
2003: Publicly Opposed Invasion of Iraq
In 2003, Woody Harrelson publicly spoke against the invasion of Iraq.
2003: Directed Toronto Premiere
In the summer of 2003, Woody Harrelson directed the Toronto premiere of Kenneth Lonergan's This is Our Youth at the Berkley Street Theater.
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: Film Appearances
In 2005, Woody Harrelson appeared in The Big White, North Country, and The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio.
2005: Starred in North Country
In 2005, Woody Harrelson starred in the film "North Country".
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: Film Releases
In 2006, Woody Harrelson appeared in the animated film version of Free Jimmy and A Scanner Darkly.
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.
2007: No Country for Old Men Release
In 2007, Woody Harrelson appeared in No Country for Old Men.
2007: Key Roles in The Walker, No Country for Old Men, and Battle in Seattle
In 2007, Woody Harrelson played key roles in The Walker, No Country for Old Men, and Battle in Seattle.
2007: Starred in 'No Country for Old Men'
In 2007, Woody Harrelson starred in the film "No Country for Old Men", which contains a reference to his father, Charles Harrelson, who murdered John H. Wood Jr.
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: Appearances in Semi-Pro and Seven Pounds
In 2008, Woody Harrelson appeared in the films Semi-Pro and Seven Pounds.
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: Seven Pounds Release
In 2008, Woody Harrelson starred in the film Seven Pounds.
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".
October 2009: Received Honorary Degree from York University
In October 2009, Woody Harrelson was given an honorary degree by York University for his contributions in environmental education, sustainability, and activism.
November 12, 2009: Head Shaving on The Colbert Report
On November 12, 2009, Woody Harrelson had his head shaved on The Colbert Report.
2009: Oscar Nomination for The Messenger
In 2009, Woody Harrelson received a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for his role in "The Messenger".
2009: Praised for Role in The Messenger
In 2009, Woody Harrelson received significant praise and award nominations for his role as Captain Tony Stone in The Messenger, and he co-starred in Zombieland.
2009: Starred in Zombieland
In 2009, Woody Harrelson starred in the film "Zombieland".
2009: Zombieland Release
In 2009, Woody Harrelson starred in the film Zombieland.
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: Bunraku Role
In 2010, Woody Harrelson starred as a bartender and mentor in the futuristic western martial arts film Bunraku.
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".
May 7, 2011: Bullet for Adolf at Hart House Theatre
On May 7, 2011, Woody Harrelson's play Bullet for Adolf, which he co-wrote with Frankie Hyman, concluded its run at Hart House Theatre in Toronto.
2011: Featured on PETA Postage Stamp
In 2011, Woody Harrelson appeared on a postage stamp as one of PETA's 20 famous vegetarians.
2011: Friends with Benefits Release
In 2011, Woody Harrelson starred as Tommy in the movie Friends with Benefits.
2011: Rampart Release
Woody Harrelson received a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead for Rampart in 2011.
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.
July 19, 2012: Bullet for Adolf Off-Broadway Previews
On July 19, 2012, previews began for Woody Harrelson's play Bullet for Adolf Off-Broadway.
September 30, 2012: Bullet for Adolf Closed Off-Broadway
On September 30, 2012, Woody Harrelson's play Bullet for Adolf closed Off-Broadway.
2012: Charlie Frost Role
In 2009, Woody Harrelson co-starred in Roland Emmerich's 2012, where he played Charlie Frost.
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: Emmy Nomination for Game Change
In 2012, Woody Harrelson received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for his portrayal of Steve Schmidt in the HBO film Game Change.
2012: Emmy Nominations for Frasier and Game Change
In 2012, Woody Harrelson received two more Emmy nominations: for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for Frasier, and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie for Game Change.
2012: Starred in The Hunger Games film series
In 2012, Woody Harrelson starred in "The Hunger Games" film series.
2012: Seven Psychopaths Release
In 2012, Woody Harrelson starred in the film Seven Psychopaths and The Hunger Games.
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.
2013: Starred in Now You See Me
In 2013, Woody Harrelson starred in the film "Now You See Me".
2013: Now You See Me Release
In 2013, Woody Harrelson starred in the film Now You See Me.
2014: True Detective Role
In 2014, Woody Harrelson starred as a detective in the HBO crime anthology series True Detective, earning him another Primetime Emmy Award nomination.
2014: Received Honorary Doctorate
In 2014, Woody Harrelson was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters (DHL) from Hanover College.
2015: U2 Short Film
In 2015, Woody Harrelson and his daughter Zoe starred in a short film for U2's 'Song for Someone'.
2015: Last Hunger Games film
In 2015, Woody Harrelson appeared in the final movie of The Hunger Games film series.
2015: Starred in The Hunger Games film series
In 2015, Woody Harrelson starred in "The Hunger Games" film series.
2016: Announcement of Lost in London
In 2016, Woody Harrelson announced that he would direct, write, produce, and star in the film Lost in London.
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.
2016: Starred in Now You See Me 2, The Edge of Seventeen, and LBJ
In 2016, Woody Harrelson starred in "Now You See Me 2", "The Edge of Seventeen", and "LBJ".
2016: The Edge of Seventeen Release
In 2016, Woody Harrelson starred in the film The Edge of Seventeen.
January 19, 2017: Premiere of Lost in London
On January 19, 2017, Woody Harrelson's film Lost in London premiered live, shot as a single take.
2017: Oscar Nomination for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
In 2017, Woody Harrelson received a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for his role in "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri".
2017: "Lost in London" Film Release
In 2017, Woody Harrelson released "Lost in London," a live-streamed film inspired by his 2002 arrest in London.
2017: Starred in The Glass Castle
In 2017, Woody Harrelson starred in "The Glass Castle".
2017: War for the Planet of the Apes Release
In 2017, Woody Harrelson starred in the film War for the Planet of the Apes.
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.
2018: Solo: A Star Wars Story and Venom Appearance
In 2018, Woody Harrelson played Tobias Beckett in Solo: A Star Wars Story and appeared in a cameo in Venom.
November 2019: Midway Release
In November 2019, Woody Harrelson starred in Roland Emmerich's movie Midway, playing Admiral Chester Nimitz.
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.
March 2021: Cast as Felix Kersten
In March 2021, Woody Harrelson was cast to play Felix Kersten in "The Man with the Miraculous Hands", a film adaptation of Joseph Kessel's novel.
2021: Venom: Let There Be Carnage Release
In 2021, Woody Harrelson reprised his role as Cletus Kasady in Venom: Let There Be Carnage.
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."
2022: Triangle of Sadness Release
In 2022, Woody Harrelson starred in the film Triangle of Sadness.
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.
2023: White House Plumbers Role
In 2023, Woody Harrelson portrayed E. Howard Hunt in the HBO political limited series White House Plumbers.
2023: Starred in 'White House Plumbers' and 'Champions'
In 2023, Woody Harrelson starred as E. Howard Hunt in the HBO series "White House Plumbers", which he also executive produced, and in the film "Champions" as a coach for a Special Olympics basketball team.
May 2024: Narrated RFK Jr. Documentary
In May 2024, Woody Harrelson narrated a short documentary released by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s campaign on the life and career of RFK Jr.
