Aaron Stanford
Encyclopedia
Aaron Stanford is an American
actor
, best known for his role as Pyro
in X2
and X-Men: The Last Stand
films, and Doug Bukowski in the 2006 The Hills Have Eyes
remake.
Currently, Aaron stars in the Maggie Q
action television series Nikita
aired on CW.
, the son of Judith (née
Dupras), an English professor, and Don Stanford, who works in publishing
. He attended the State University of New York
in Purchase, NY
, but soon transferred to Rutgers University
Mason Gross School of Arts. He graduated in 2000 magna cum laude.
(2002), in which he portrays Oscar Grubman, a precocious 15-year-old with a crush on his stepmother, played by Sigourney Weaver
. At the time of filming, (2000) he was 23 years old. For this performance he earned a nomination for the Golden Satellite Award. In 2001 and 2002 he appeared multiple times on the television series Third Watch
as Russian teen Sergei. In the same year he was named as one of Daily Variety's
"Top Ten Actors to Watch" and included on Entertainment Weekly
s "It List". In 2004 he appeared in Christopher Shinn's play "Where Do We Live" at the Vineyard Theatre. Stanford also starred as Anthony LaPaglia's son in the 2004 film Winter Solstice.
Director Bryan Singer
was impressed with Stanford's performance in Tadpole
, and cast him as Pyro
in the 2003 blockbuster X2
, a sequel to X-Men
. He continued the role in the third installment, X-Men: The Last Stand
, released in May 2006. Both movies are based on the Marvel Comics
series X-Men
. Stanford also starred in ABC
's midseason replacement Traveler
, a drama about two friends who believe they are set up by their good friend (Stanford) in order to make them look like the conspirators of a terrorist attack.
Stanford appeared in the 2006 remake of Wes Craven
's The Hills Have Eyes
. He also won the "One To Watch" award at the 2006 Young Hollywood Awards. And in that same year, he starred in the New Hampshire–based comedy, Live Free or Die
, playing a wannabe tough-guy criminal named John Rudgate. Aaron also was the voice actor for Pvt. Polonsky in Call of Duty: World at War
. In 2009, he played a troubled poker genius in an episode of Law & Order: Criminal Intent
s season 8 as well as Horace Cook Jr. in an episode of AMC's acclaimed show Mad Men
. In 2010, he joined the CW's Nikita
as Birkhoff, a series regular role.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, best known for his role as Pyro
Pyro (comics)
Pyro is a fictional character in Marvel Comics and an enemy of the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne, he first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #141 ....
in X2
X2 (film)
X2 is a 2003 superhero film based on the fictional characters the X-Men. Directed by Bryan Singer, it is the second film in the X-Men film series...
and X-Men: The Last Stand
X-Men: The Last Stand
X-Men: The Last Stand is a 2006 superhero film and the third in the X-Men series. It was directed by Brett Ratner and stars an ensemble cast including Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Famke Janssen, Kelsey Grammer, Anna Paquin, Shawn Ashmore, Aaron Stanford, Vinnie Jones,...
films, and Doug Bukowski in the 2006 The Hills Have Eyes
The Hills Have Eyes (2006 film)
The Hills Have Eyes is a 2006 horror film and remake of Wes Craven's 1977 film The Hills Have Eyes. Written by filmmaking partners Alexandre Aja and Grégory Levasseur of the French horror film Haute Tension, and directed by Aja, the film follows a family who becomes the target of a group of...
remake.
Currently, Aaron stars in the Maggie Q
Maggie Q
Margaret Denise Quigley , professionally known as Maggie Q, is an American-born actress and former fashion model. She currently stars as the titular character on the action-thriller TV series Nikita.-Early life:...
action television series Nikita
Nikita (TV series)
La Femme Nikita is a Canadian action/drama television series based on the French film Nikita by Luc Besson. The series was co-produced by Jay Firestone of Fireworks Entertainment and Warner Brothers. It was adapted for television by Joel Surnow...
aired on CW.
Early life
Stanford was born in Westford, MassachusettsWestford, Massachusetts
Westford is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 21,951 at the 2010 census.-History:Originally a part of neighboring Chelmsford, West Chelmsford soon grew large enough to sustain its own governance, and was officially incorporated as Westford on September 23,...
, the son of Judith (née
NEE
NEE is a political protest group whose goal was to provide an alternative for voters who are unhappy with all political parties at hand in Belgium, where voting is compulsory.The NEE party was founded in 2005 in Antwerp...
Dupras), an English professor, and Don Stanford, who works in publishing
Publishing
Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public...
. He attended the State University of New York
State University of New York
The State University of New York, abbreviated SUNY , is a system of public institutions of higher education in New York, United States. It is the largest comprehensive system of universities, colleges, and community colleges in the United States, with a total enrollment of 465,000 students, plus...
in Purchase, NY
Purchase, New York
Purchase, New York is a hamlet of the town of Harrison, in Westchester County. Its ZIP code is 10577. Its name is derived from Harrison's purchase, for Harrison could have as much land as he could ride in one day...
, but soon transferred to Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
Mason Gross School of Arts. He graduated in 2000 magna cum laude.
Career
Stanford's first major film role was in the low-budget indie film TadpoleTadpole (film)
Tadpole is a 2002 American romantic comedy film directed by Gary Winick and written by Heather McGowan and Niels Mueller. It stars Sigourney Weaver, Bebe Neuwirth, Aaron Stanford, John Ritter, Robert Iler, and Kate Mara.-Plot:...
(2002), in which he portrays Oscar Grubman, a precocious 15-year-old with a crush on his stepmother, played by Sigourney Weaver
Sigourney Weaver
Sigourney Weaver is an American actress. She is best known for her critically acclaimed role of Ellen Ripley in the four Alien films: Alien, Aliens, Alien 3 and Alien Resurrection, for which she has received worldwide recognition .Other notable roles include Dana...
. At the time of filming, (2000) he was 23 years old. For this performance he earned a nomination for the Golden Satellite Award. In 2001 and 2002 he appeared multiple times on the television series Third Watch
Third Watch
Third Watch is an American television drama series which first aired on NBC from 1999 to 2005 for a total of 132 episodes, broadcast in 6 seasons of 22 episodes each....
as Russian teen Sergei. In the same year he was named as one of Daily Variety's
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
"Top Ten Actors to Watch" and included on Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
s "It List". In 2004 he appeared in Christopher Shinn's play "Where Do We Live" at the Vineyard Theatre. Stanford also starred as Anthony LaPaglia's son in the 2004 film Winter Solstice.
Director Bryan Singer
Bryan Singer
Bryan Singer is an American film director and film producer. Singer won critical acclaim for his work on The Usual Suspects, and is especially well-known among fans of the science fiction and superhero genres for his work on the X-Men films and Superman Returns.-Early life:Singer was born in New...
was impressed with Stanford's performance in Tadpole
Tadpole (film)
Tadpole is a 2002 American romantic comedy film directed by Gary Winick and written by Heather McGowan and Niels Mueller. It stars Sigourney Weaver, Bebe Neuwirth, Aaron Stanford, John Ritter, Robert Iler, and Kate Mara.-Plot:...
, and cast him as Pyro
Pyro (comics)
Pyro is a fictional character in Marvel Comics and an enemy of the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne, he first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #141 ....
in the 2003 blockbuster X2
X2 (film)
X2 is a 2003 superhero film based on the fictional characters the X-Men. Directed by Bryan Singer, it is the second film in the X-Men film series...
, a sequel to X-Men
X-Men (film)
X-Men is a 2000 superhero film based on the fictional Marvel Comics characters of the same name. Directed by Bryan Singer, the film stars Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, Anna Paquin, Famke Janssen, Bruce Davison, James Marsden, Halle Berry, Rebecca Romijn, Ray Park and Tyler Mane...
. He continued the role in the third installment, X-Men: The Last Stand
X-Men: The Last Stand
X-Men: The Last Stand is a 2006 superhero film and the third in the X-Men series. It was directed by Brett Ratner and stars an ensemble cast including Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Famke Janssen, Kelsey Grammer, Anna Paquin, Shawn Ashmore, Aaron Stanford, Vinnie Jones,...
, released in May 2006. Both movies are based on the Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
series X-Men
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
. Stanford also starred in ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
's midseason replacement Traveler
Traveler (TV series)
Traveler is a short-lived American television series that ran from May 10, 2007 until July 18, 2007 on ABC in the United States. The series was produced by Warner Bros. Television....
, a drama about two friends who believe they are set up by their good friend (Stanford) in order to make them look like the conspirators of a terrorist attack.
Stanford appeared in the 2006 remake of Wes Craven
Wes Craven
Wesley Earl "Wes" Craven is an American actor, film director, writer, producer, perhaps best known as the director of many horror films, particularly slasher films, including the famed A Nightmare on Elm Street and Wes Craven's New Nightmare, featuring the iconic Freddy Krueger character, the...
's The Hills Have Eyes
The Hills Have Eyes (2006 film)
The Hills Have Eyes is a 2006 horror film and remake of Wes Craven's 1977 film The Hills Have Eyes. Written by filmmaking partners Alexandre Aja and Grégory Levasseur of the French horror film Haute Tension, and directed by Aja, the film follows a family who becomes the target of a group of...
. He also won the "One To Watch" award at the 2006 Young Hollywood Awards. And in that same year, he starred in the New Hampshire–based comedy, Live Free or Die
Live Free or Die (film)
Live Free or Die is a 2006 American comedy film starring Aaron Stanford, Paul Schneider, Zooey Deschanel, Michael Rapaport, Judah Friedlander, Kevin Dunn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach...
, playing a wannabe tough-guy criminal named John Rudgate. Aaron also was the voice actor for Pvt. Polonsky in Call of Duty: World at War
Call of Duty: World at War
Call of Duty: World at War is a first-person shooter video game developed by Treyarch and published by Activision for PC, PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360. It is generally considered to be the fifth mainstream game of the Call of Duty series and returns the setting to World War II. The game was...
. In 2009, he played a troubled poker genius in an episode of Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Law & Order: Criminal Intent is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it was also primarily produced. Created and produced by Dick Wolf and René Balcer, the series premiered on September 30, 2001, as the second spin-off of Wolf's successful crime drama...
s season 8 as well as Horace Cook Jr. in an episode of AMC's acclaimed show Mad Men
Mad Men
Mad Men is an American dramatic television series created and produced by Matthew Weiner. The series premiered on Sunday evenings on the American cable network AMC and are produced by Lionsgate Television. It premiered on July 19, 2007, and completed its fourth season on October 17, 2010. Each...
. In 2010, he joined the CW's Nikita
Nikita (2010 TV series)
Nikita is an American television drama that has aired on The CW Television Network since September 9, 2010 in the United States. Based on the French film Nikita , the remake Point of No Return , and a previous series La Femme Nikita , the series focuses on Nikita , a woman who escaped from a...
as Birkhoff, a series regular role.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 25th Hour 25th Hour 25th Hour is a 2002 American drama film directed by Spike Lee and is based on the novel The 25th Hour written by David Benioff, who also wrote the screenplay. The film stars Edward Norton, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Barry Pepper, Rosario Dawson, Anna Paquin, and Brian Cox... |
Marcuse | |
| Hollywood Ending Hollywood Ending Hollywood Ending is a 2002 American film written and directed by Woody Allen, who also plays the principal character. It tells the story of a once-famous film director who suffers hysterical blindness due to the intense pressure of directing.-Plot:... |
Actor | ||
| Tadpole | Oscar Grubman | ||
| 2003 | Rick Rick (film) Rick is a 2003 movie based on Verdi's opera Rigoletto. Rick stars Bill Pullman and Aaron Stanford. It is directed by Curtiss Clayton and written by Daniel Handler.-Plot summary:... |
Duke | |
| X2 X2 (film) X2 is a 2003 superhero film based on the fictional characters the X-Men. Directed by Bryan Singer, it is the second film in the X-Men film series... |
John Allerdyce/Pyro Pyro (comics) Pyro is a fictional character in Marvel Comics and an enemy of the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne, he first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #141 .... |
||
| 2004 | Spartan Spartan (film) Spartan is a 2004 American political thriller film written and directed by David Mamet. It features Val Kilmer, Derek Luke, Tia Texada, Ed O'Neill, William H. Macy, and Kristen Bell. It was released in The United States and Canada on 12 March 2004.... |
Michael Blake | |
| Winter Solstice Winter Solstice (film) Winter Solstice is a 2005 American drama film written and directed by Josh Sternfeld. The screenplay focuses on the efforts of a man to interact with and relate to his sons in the years following the accidental death of his wife.-Plot:... |
Gabe Winters | ||
| 2005 | Runaway Runaway (2005 film) Runaway is a 2005 film directed by Tim McCann. It is about two siblings, Michael and Dylan Adler, twenty-one and eight years old respectively, who run away from home and attempt to start a new life because of a pedophile father.... |
Michael Adler | |
| Standing Still Standing Still "Standing Still" is a song by female American artist Jewel. Recorded in 2001, this song is featured on the album This Way. The single charted best in New Zealand, where it reached number seven. It also charted in the United States at number 25.... |
Rich | ||
| 2006 | X-Men: The Last Stand X-Men: The Last Stand X-Men: The Last Stand is a 2006 superhero film and the third in the X-Men series. It was directed by Brett Ratner and stars an ensemble cast including Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Famke Janssen, Kelsey Grammer, Anna Paquin, Shawn Ashmore, Aaron Stanford, Vinnie Jones,... |
John Allerdyce/Pyro Pyro (comics) Pyro is a fictional character in Marvel Comics and an enemy of the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne, he first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #141 .... |
|
| Live Free or Die Live Free or Die (film) Live Free or Die is a 2006 American comedy film starring Aaron Stanford, Paul Schneider, Zooey Deschanel, Michael Rapaport, Judah Friedlander, Kevin Dunn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach... |
John "Rugged" Rudgate | ||
| The Hills Have Eyes The Hills Have Eyes (2006 film) The Hills Have Eyes is a 2006 horror film and remake of Wes Craven's 1977 film The Hills Have Eyes. Written by filmmaking partners Alexandre Aja and Grégory Levasseur of the French horror film Haute Tension, and directed by Aja, the film follows a family who becomes the target of a group of... |
Doug Bukowski | ||
| 2007 | Flakes Flakes (film) Flakes is a 2007 American comedy film, directed by Michael Lehmann and starring Aaron Stanford and Zooey Deschanel. This film was written by Chris Poche & Karey Kirkpatrick-Plot:... |
Neal Downs | |
| The Cake Eaters The Cake Eaters The Cake Eaters is a 2007 American independent drama film about two small town families who must confront old issues with the return of one family's son. The film was directed by Mary Stuart Masterson and stars Kristen Stewart, Aaron Stanford, Bruce Dern, and Jayce Bartok... |
Dwight "Beagle" Kimbrough | ||
| Traveler Traveler (TV series) Traveler is a short-lived American television series that ran from May 10, 2007 until July 18, 2007 on ABC in the United States. The series was produced by Warner Bros. Television.... |
Will Traveler | (TV Series) | |
| Numb3rs NUMB3RS Numb3rs is an American television drama which premiered on CBS on January 23, 2005, and concluded on March 12, 2010. The series was created by Nicolas Falacci and Cheryl Heuton, and follows FBI Special Agent Don Eppes and his mathematical genius brother, Charlie Eppes , who helps Don solve crimes... |
Brett Chandler | (TV Series) | |
| 2008 | Holy Money | Anthony | |
| Call of Duty: World at War Call of Duty: World at War Call of Duty: World at War is a first-person shooter video game developed by Treyarch and published by Activision for PC, PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360. It is generally considered to be the fifth mainstream game of the Call of Duty series and returns the setting to World War II. The game was... |
Private Polonsky | Voice-over | |
| How I Got Lost How I Got Lost How I Got Lost is a 2009 American film that premiered at the Newport Beach Film Festival, the St. Louis International Film Festival and Austin Film Festival. It was written and directed by Joe Leonard, and stars Aaron Stanford, Jacob Fishel, and Rosemarie DeWitt. The film was scored by Golden Globe... |
Andrew Peterson | ||
| 2009 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent Law & Order: Criminal Intent Law & Order: Criminal Intent is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it was also primarily produced. Created and produced by Dick Wolf and René Balcer, the series premiered on September 30, 2001, as the second spin-off of Wolf's successful crime drama... |
Josh Snow | (TV Series) |
| Mad Men Mad Men Mad Men is an American dramatic television series created and produced by Matthew Weiner. The series premiered on Sunday evenings on the American cable network AMC and are produced by Lionsgate Television. It premiered on July 19, 2007, and completed its fourth season on October 17, 2010. Each... |
Horace Cook Jr. | (TV Series) | |
| Fear Itself Fear Itself (TV series) Fear Itself was a horror/suspense anthology television series shot in the city of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, with some additional shooting in the city of St. Albert and the town of Devon, Alberta. It began airing on June 5, 2008 on NBC.... |
Stephen | (TV Series) | |
| 2010 | Nikita Nikita (2010 TV series) Nikita is an American television drama that has aired on The CW Television Network since September 9, 2010 in the United States. Based on the French film Nikita , the remake Point of No Return , and a previous series La Femme Nikita , the series focuses on Nikita , a woman who escaped from a... |
Birkhoff | Series regular |