Alexx ONell
Encyclopedia
Alexx O'Nell is an American actor and musician who is based in India and has appeared in numerous films and television programs in English and Indian languages.
O'Nell began his acting career with community and regional theater in the United States, later working in television advertisements in India and internationally, and finally landing character roles and appearances in films such as the blockbuster Hindi feature Cheeni Kum
(starring Indian superstars Amitabh Bacchan and Tabu
) and the English feature “Loins of Punjab Presents
”. He later gained recognition as a contestant on the hugely popular Indian celebrity dance competition Nach Baliye
(season 3). O'Nell's first leading role in a big-budget production came with Madrasapattinam in which he was cast opposite Amy Jackson
(Miss Teen World) and well-known south Indian actor Arya
. Following Madrasapattinam, ONell starred in supporting roles in the yet to be released Hindi Language features Jo Dooba So Paar and Chittagong, both slated for late 2011 release. He returned to television to star in the ongoing Indian primetime historical drama Jhansi Ki Rani
(JKR) in mid 2010, and in early 2011 he also appeared in a guest role on the popular contemporary drama Dhoondh Legi Manzil Humein
(DLMH). In late 2010 O'Nell also returned to film with lead roles in the multilingual Urumi
, (in which he plays a double role), and the English language Vasco Da Gama, (in which he plays a triple role) both simultaneously directed by acclaimed Indian director “Santosh Sivan
”. Urumi and Vasco Da Gama are expected to release mid 2011 and Late 2011 respectively. In February 2011 O'Nell began work on Shirish Kunder
’s Akshay Kumar
and Sonakshi Sinha
starrer Joker
anticipated to complete in late 2011 and be released in 2012.
Following a high-profile relationship with Indian actress Sweta Keswani, ONell and Keswani were married in October and November 2008 in four different ceremonies.
ONell and Keswani lived together in Mumbai, India until their separation in mid 2011.
at the Hard Rock Cafe
, Mumbai, India in September 2008. He also appeared in Kashyap’s music video Alvida. He is reported to have recorded with music directors The Meet Brothers, however none of his original music has released and other musical performances have been rare.
(2007) in which he played the minor but memorable role of a flabbergasted New Jersey hotel manager (Wesminton) in the mist of a chaotic Indian American-Idol-like competition. Though Loins was his first film shot, his first cinematic release would be the dry Hindi comedy Cheeni Kum
(2007) in which he appeared as a bumbling English waiter who takes the brunt of the boss’s (Amitabh Bacchan) ire.
In the same year, O'Nell gained recognition as a contestant on the hugely popular Indian celebrity dance competition Nach Baliye
(season 3) where he participated with his wife, Indian actor Sweta Keswani and enjoyed widespread praise for his effort, dancing and lipsynch, The Times of India
commenting "when Shweta Keswani and beau Alexx O'Nell perform on stage all eyes naturally are on Alexx". He holds the distinction of being the first non-Indian participant seen in a significant capacity on Indian national primetime television.
Following Nach Baliye, O'Nell appeared in a cameo in the 2010 Hindi language feature Malik Ek
, which, despite a cast of well known and well respected actors including Jackie Shroff
(in the title role), Smriti Irani, Rajeshwari Sachdeva, Shakti Kapoor
, and Divya Dutta
, was almost unanimously regarded as a "miserable" film with "shoddy script, bad direction, [and] poor camerawork". Among the few positive mentions, critics commented about the supporting cast: "Alex O’Neil … and the rest lend fair support."
O'Nell's first leading role in a big-budget production came in 2010 with the English/Tamil language 1940’s period drama Madrasapattinam in which he starred opposite Amy Jackson
(Miss Teen World) and well-known south Indian actor Arya
. His performance as a spurned lover and sadistic police commissioner in 1940’s colonial south India attracted praise from both critics and audiences alike. Critics commented "Alex O’Neill as the menacing Robert Ellis provides the ample antagonism and evokes sympathy...". Madrasapattinam became the 4th highest grossing and the 8th most profitable film in its industry in 2010. Despite its critical acclaim and commercial success in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu
, Madrasapattinam did not fare well outside its region, (perhaps due to the lack of subtitling) despite releasing in Hindi speaking markets in India, and internationally in English speaking markets in Europe and the United States, and therefore did not in itself further O'Nell’s career outside south India. Madrasapattinam was re-released as "1947 - A Love Story" in Telugu in the south east of India in August 2011 to positive reviews from critics.
Following work on Madrasapattinam, O'Nell completed filming supporting roles in the yet to be released Hindi language features Jo Dooba So Paar and Chittagong, both shot in 2009 & 2010 and slated for late 2011 release. He also appeared with real-life wife Sweta Keswani as her husband in a cameo for friend-director Rohit Roy
’s yet unreleased Chaar Mulakatein.
Jo Dooba So Paar is a contemporary drama in which O'Nell plays an American who’s Italian girlfriend (Sita Spada) gets kidnapped in the Indian state of Bihar. The film also stars notable Indian actors Vinay Pathak
and Rajat Kapoor
.
Chittagong, a period drama based on historical events, deals with the East Indian Chittagong armoury raid
of 1930. O'Nell plays Charles Johnson, the British Official in charge of law and order, who is pitted against a school teacher named Suriya Sen (played by indian actor Manoj Bajpai
) and a group of students who go on to famously defeat the imperial force for the first time in the history of British India. Due to similar subject matter, Chittagong is being compared to the Abhishek Bachchan
starrer Khele Hum Jee Jaan Sey which received a lukewarm reception in 2011. O'Nell has commented that Chittagong is a "grittier" depiction of the events. Chittagong also stars notable India-based British actor and acting instructor Barry John
.
In mid 2010 O'Nell returned to television for the first time since Nach Baliye to star in the Zee TV
Indian primetime historical drama Jhansi Ki Rani
(JKR) wherein he played Robert Ellis, a British officer sympathetic to the plight of a revolutionary Indian queen in her struggle against the British colonial rule of the 1850s. His character is loosely based on the real-life historical figure of the same name who’s relationship with the queen (Rani Lakshmibai
) is the controversial subject of a historical fiction novel Rani – a work which has attracted protest and was subsequently banned in present day Jhansi. O'Nell appears to have incorporated the author’s creative interpretation into his performance, commenting: “I’ll be portraying the role of a British officer named Ellis who has an affair with an Indian Queen (Jhansi Ki Rani).”
In early 2011 O'Nell also appeared in a guest role on the popular Star One
TV contemporary drama Dhoondh Legi Manzil Humein
(DLMH) as Ralph, the jealous and borderline abusive boyfriend of the protagonist – a role that showed him in stark contrast to his brooding yet loveable and heroic performance in JKR. DLMH was his first portrayal of a character with “negative shades” on Indian national primetime television.
In early 2011, while continuing to shoot for JKR and DLMH, O'Nell completed filming for lead roles in the multilingual Urumi
and the English language Vasco Da Gama, both simultaneously directed by acclaimed Indian director Santosh Sivan
.
O'Nell was approached for Urumi after being recommended to Santosh Sivan
by multiple sources, including Madrasapattinam director A. L. Vijay
as well as Italian Actor Sita Spada (with whom O'Nell acted in Jo Dooba So Paar). After casting O'Nell for the character Estêvão da Gama, Sivan expanded the role, and later offered him the role of Vasco Da Gama
as well. Therefore, in Urumi, O'Nell plays both Vasco da Gama
and Vasco’s son Estêvão da Gama. Sivan reportedly decided to shoot additional scenes and make a 90 minute English feature entitled Vasco da Gama, and offered O'Nell an additional character of a modern day traveler, and therefore he is expected to appear in three roles in the film Vasco da Gama. Both films have as their subject matter the travels of the 15th century explorer Vasco Da Gama
and the Indian warriors that set out to assassinate him, but the two have very different plot lines and perspective. The two films are expected to release 2011. Urumi will release in Malylam, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and English languages mid year. And Vasco da Gama in English late in 2011. Speaking about working with Sivan, O'Nell commented in an interview that "Sivan is the Steven Spielberg of Indian cinema".
2011 Marked a significant turning point for O'Nell’s career in terms of the volume of work, the significance of roles, and the array of languages in which they will release. Four films are expected to release, two in Hindi in supporting roles, one in multiple languages including Hindi and English in a leading role, and one in English in a leading role. A fifth (in Hindi) is in progress for 2012 release.
In February 2011 O'Nell began work on Shirish Kunder
’s Akshay Kumar
and Sonakshi Sinha
starrer Joker
, anticipated to complete in late 2011 and be released in December 2011 or early 2012. O'Nell’s first comedy since Cheeni Kum, details of Joker are not yet available, except that it is slated to be the first Indian live action feature film to be shot in 3D in which O'Nell and Kumar play “Rivals… pitted against each other”.
O’Nell’s relationship with Indian actress Sweta Keswani, began in 2006 and saw the two compete successfully in the Indian Celebrity dance competition “Nach Baliye
” Season 3 in 2007. Their relationship was not free of scandal. O'Nell was linked to India-based British actor Hazel Crowney in April 2008, and an article alleges “Shweta's parents were dead against her marrying Alex who is an American. When Sweta made up her mind to marry him finally against her parents wishes – her parents parted ways with her.” Nevertheless, their relationship and subsequent marriage was widely regarded as an ideal coming together of eastern and western cultures with significant attention paid to the pair. O'Nell and Keswani were married in October and November 2008 in four different ceremonies including Court (Legal), Buddhist, Hindu, and Christian. The Hindu wedding was a secret affair closed to the media and took place in Mumbai The Christian wedding took place on a private beach in the Indian state of Goa. Their honeymoon in Egypt was marred by the Mumbai Terror Attacks of 2008, and they returned shortly after. Following their wedding O'Nell and Keswani appeared as a couple in the news, magazines (including the cover of India Today
, Simply Mumbai, December 2007) and on various television programs including “Star Vivaah
”, and "Ghar Ghar Mein". They reportedly played a couple in yet to be released film “Chaar Mulakatein” directed by friend of the couple Rohit Roy
. O'Nell and Keswani lived together in Mumbai India until their separation in 2011. Preferring to keep their relationship out of the public eye, the two initially issued a joint statement to the media, but later both parties broke their silence. Explaining why they were apprehensive to speak to the media O'Nell commented in an interview "People like drama and sensationalism, but unfortunately or fortunately, there's none here. Sweta and I are very close and there's no bad blood. I wish people understand that we wish well for each other.” Keswani cited “different goals, desires and needs [as well as] professional commitments [that] kept us apart” as reason for the breakup. The separation and subsequent relationship appears amicable, Keswani commenting: “Alexx … remains my close friend” and O'Nell adding: "We've got no plans of cutting each other out of our lives".
O'Nell began his acting career with community and regional theater in the United States, later working in television advertisements in India and internationally, and finally landing character roles and appearances in films such as the blockbuster Hindi feature Cheeni Kum
Cheeni Kum
Cheeni Kum is an 2007 Bollywood romance film directed by R. Balki, starring Amitabh Bachchan as an 64 year-old man, opposite Tabu, who plays an 34-year old who falls in love with Bachchan. Produced by Sunil Manchanda, the film releasd on 25 May 2007.-Plot:Cheeni Kum focuses on Buddhadev Gupta...
(starring Indian superstars Amitabh Bacchan and Tabu
Tabu (actress)
Tabu is an Indian film actress. She has mainly acted in Hindi films, though she has also starred in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Bengali language films, as well as one American film...
) and the English feature “Loins of Punjab Presents
Loins of Punjab Presents
Loins of Punjab Presents is a 2007 Indian film directed by Manish Acharya. It stars Shabana Azmi, Ayesha Dharker and Ajay Naidu. The film marked Manish Acharya's first feature film as a director.-Cast:*Shabana Azmi .... Rrita Kapoor...
”. He later gained recognition as a contestant on the hugely popular Indian celebrity dance competition Nach Baliye
Nach Baliye
Nach Baliye is a dance, reality-television series on the Indian STAR Plus channel. The contestants are couples who are television stars. The first and second season aired on Star One and then shifted to Star Plus. Its name in Punjabi is inspired by a song from the Bollywood film Bunty Aur Babli .-...
(season 3). O'Nell's first leading role in a big-budget production came with Madrasapattinam in which he was cast opposite Amy Jackson
Amy Jackson
Amy Louise Jackson is a British model and film actress. Before starting her acting career, Jackson won the Miss Teen World competition in 2008 and went on to win Miss Liverpool in 2010 and was hotly tipped to be Miss England in 2010 but lost out to Jessica Linley...
(Miss Teen World) and well-known south Indian actor Arya
Arya (actor)
Arya is an Indian film actor who mainly appears in Tamil films. He is best known for his roles in the films Pattiyal , Naan Kadavul , Madrasapattinam , and Boss Engira Bhaskaran.-Personal life:...
. Following Madrasapattinam, ONell starred in supporting roles in the yet to be released Hindi Language features Jo Dooba So Paar and Chittagong, both slated for late 2011 release. He returned to television to star in the ongoing Indian primetime historical drama Jhansi Ki Rani
Jhansi Ki Rani (TV series)
Ek Veer Stree Ki Kahaani... Jhansi Ki Rani is a historical television series on Zee TV created by Contiloe Telefilms. As the title suggests, the story is based on the life of Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi, one of the leading figures of the Central Indian rebellion of 1858...
(JKR) in mid 2010, and in early 2011 he also appeared in a guest role on the popular contemporary drama Dhoondh Legi Manzil Humein
Dhoondh Legi Manzil Humein
Dhoondh Legi Manzil Humein is an Indian television series on STAR One which used to be aired every Monday to Friday at 9:00pm from 22nd November 2010 to 14th October 2011 and produced by Sanjay Surkar and Monish Sekhri. The show premiered on 22nd November 2010. It is a love story set in a Political...
(DLMH). In late 2010 O'Nell also returned to film with lead roles in the multilingual Urumi
Urumi
The urumi is a long sword made of flexible steel, sharp enough to cut into flesh, but flexible enough to be rolled into a tight coil. Originating in South India, it was most popular in the North Malabar Coast of Kerala and is often mentioned in the ballads of the region.In kalaripayat, the urumi...
, (in which he plays a double role), and the English language Vasco Da Gama, (in which he plays a triple role) both simultaneously directed by acclaimed Indian director “Santosh Sivan
Santosh Sivan
Santosh Sivan is an Indian cinematographer, film director, and producer who has worked in Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, and Hindi cinema....
”. Urumi and Vasco Da Gama are expected to release mid 2011 and Late 2011 respectively. In February 2011 O'Nell began work on Shirish Kunder
Shirish Kunder
Shirish Kunder is an editor and film director in the Hindi Film Industry. He was born in Mangalore on May 24, 1973.- Career :He graduated as an electronics engineer from SDM College of Engineering and Technology, Dharwad, Karnataka and worked for Motorola. He later entered the film industry as an...
’s Akshay Kumar
Akshay Kumar
Akshay Kumar is an Indian film actor, producer and martial artist who has appeared in over a hundred Hindi films. When he began his acting career in the 1990s, he primarily starred in action films and was particularly known for his appearances in feature films commonly called the "Khiladi series",...
and Sonakshi Sinha
Sonakshi Sinha
Sonakshi Sinha is an Indian actress and model.She is the daughter of actor and politician Shatrughan Sinha and Punam Sinha...
starrer Joker
Joker (2011 film)
Joker is an upcoming Hindi fantasy adventure film and the first 3D film directed by Shirish Kunder. The film will star Akshay Kumar opposite Sonakshi Sinha. It will be the fourth Hindi film to be released in both 2D and 3D formats after Haunted – 3D, Ra.One and Don 2...
anticipated to complete in late 2011 and be released in 2012.
Following a high-profile relationship with Indian actress Sweta Keswani, ONell and Keswani were married in October and November 2008 in four different ceremonies.
ONell and Keswani lived together in Mumbai, India until their separation in mid 2011.
Non-Entertainment
O'Nell began working at various jobs from an early age and continued to change his career frequently throughout his adult life including working in counseling marketing and modeling. It was a marketing firm that sent him abroad and first introduced him to India, a second firm would extend his experience in India and expand it to South Africa, the Philippines and the UK.Modeling & Advertising
After working in theater, and then briefly as a fashion / print model for brands like Hyundai and Lenovo, O'Nell’s onscreen career began with acting in advertisements. His most notable campaigns included Panasonic Air Conditioners and Esys Computers as well as being the brand ambassador for Moulin Glaciere perfumes from 2006 to 2009.Music
O'Nell performed on guitar and lead vocals extensively in the United States until 2005, and appeared on lead vocals and guitar with acclaimed Indian singer/songwriter Shibani KashyapShibani Kashyap
Shibani Kashyap is an India female singer, who is actively working in Bollywood film Industry, Some of her songs are very popular like Sajna Aaa Bhi Ja from movie Waisa Bhi Hota Hai Part II, she has anchored a Singer Hunt Show named Bathroom Singer....
at the Hard Rock Cafe
Hard Rock Cafe
Hard Rock Cafe is a chain of theme restaurants founded in 1971 by Americans Peter Morton & Isaac Tigrett. In 1979, the cafe began covering its walls with rock and roll memorabilia, a tradition which expanded to others in the chain. In 2006, Hard Rock was sold to the Seminole Tribe of Florida, and...
, Mumbai, India in September 2008. He also appeared in Kashyap’s music video Alvida. He is reported to have recorded with music directors The Meet Brothers, however none of his original music has released and other musical performances have been rare.
Film & Television
O'Nell’s film career began with the English comedy Loins of Punjab PresentsLoins of Punjab Presents
Loins of Punjab Presents is a 2007 Indian film directed by Manish Acharya. It stars Shabana Azmi, Ayesha Dharker and Ajay Naidu. The film marked Manish Acharya's first feature film as a director.-Cast:*Shabana Azmi .... Rrita Kapoor...
(2007) in which he played the minor but memorable role of a flabbergasted New Jersey hotel manager (Wesminton) in the mist of a chaotic Indian American-Idol-like competition. Though Loins was his first film shot, his first cinematic release would be the dry Hindi comedy Cheeni Kum
Cheeni Kum
Cheeni Kum is an 2007 Bollywood romance film directed by R. Balki, starring Amitabh Bachchan as an 64 year-old man, opposite Tabu, who plays an 34-year old who falls in love with Bachchan. Produced by Sunil Manchanda, the film releasd on 25 May 2007.-Plot:Cheeni Kum focuses on Buddhadev Gupta...
(2007) in which he appeared as a bumbling English waiter who takes the brunt of the boss’s (Amitabh Bacchan) ire.
In the same year, O'Nell gained recognition as a contestant on the hugely popular Indian celebrity dance competition Nach Baliye
Nach Baliye
Nach Baliye is a dance, reality-television series on the Indian STAR Plus channel. The contestants are couples who are television stars. The first and second season aired on Star One and then shifted to Star Plus. Its name in Punjabi is inspired by a song from the Bollywood film Bunty Aur Babli .-...
(season 3) where he participated with his wife, Indian actor Sweta Keswani and enjoyed widespread praise for his effort, dancing and lipsynch, The Times of India
The Times of India
The Times of India is an Indian English-language daily newspaper. TOI has the largest circulation among all English-language newspaper in the world, across all formats . It is owned and managed by Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd...
commenting "when Shweta Keswani and beau Alexx O'Nell perform on stage all eyes naturally are on Alexx". He holds the distinction of being the first non-Indian participant seen in a significant capacity on Indian national primetime television.
Following Nach Baliye, O'Nell appeared in a cameo in the 2010 Hindi language feature Malik Ek
Malik Ek
Malik Ek is a Hindi spiritual film on Sai Baba of Shirdi featuring Jackie Shroff, Manoj Kumar and Divya Dutta. Shroff will be playing in the title role. The film is directed by Deepak Balraj Vij and the music is scored by Anup Jalota, who also plays the role of Das Ganu...
, which, despite a cast of well known and well respected actors including Jackie Shroff
Jackie Shroff
Jackie Shroff is an Indian actor. He has been in the industry for more than 28 years and has appeared in over 150 films.-Personal life:...
(in the title role), Smriti Irani, Rajeshwari Sachdeva, Shakti Kapoor
Shakti Kapoor
Shakti Kapoor is an Indian Bollywood actor. He is notably known for playing vulgar comic and villainous roles. He is known for acting alongside comedian Kader Khan as his sidekick along with Asrani in over 100 films.-Early life:...
, and Divya Dutta
Divya Dutta
Divya Dutta is an Indian actress from Ludhiana, Punjab, India who appears in Hindi and Punjabi films.- Career :She did her schooling from Sacred Heart Convent, Ludhiana...
, was almost unanimously regarded as a "miserable" film with "shoddy script, bad direction, [and] poor camerawork". Among the few positive mentions, critics commented about the supporting cast: "Alex O’Neil … and the rest lend fair support."
O'Nell's first leading role in a big-budget production came in 2010 with the English/Tamil language 1940’s period drama Madrasapattinam in which he starred opposite Amy Jackson
Amy Jackson
Amy Louise Jackson is a British model and film actress. Before starting her acting career, Jackson won the Miss Teen World competition in 2008 and went on to win Miss Liverpool in 2010 and was hotly tipped to be Miss England in 2010 but lost out to Jessica Linley...
(Miss Teen World) and well-known south Indian actor Arya
Arya (actor)
Arya is an Indian film actor who mainly appears in Tamil films. He is best known for his roles in the films Pattiyal , Naan Kadavul , Madrasapattinam , and Boss Engira Bhaskaran.-Personal life:...
. His performance as a spurned lover and sadistic police commissioner in 1940’s colonial south India attracted praise from both critics and audiences alike. Critics commented "Alex O’Neill as the menacing Robert Ellis provides the ample antagonism and evokes sympathy...". Madrasapattinam became the 4th highest grossing and the 8th most profitable film in its industry in 2010. Despite its critical acclaim and commercial success in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, Madrasapattinam did not fare well outside its region, (perhaps due to the lack of subtitling) despite releasing in Hindi speaking markets in India, and internationally in English speaking markets in Europe and the United States, and therefore did not in itself further O'Nell’s career outside south India. Madrasapattinam was re-released as "1947 - A Love Story" in Telugu in the south east of India in August 2011 to positive reviews from critics.
Following work on Madrasapattinam, O'Nell completed filming supporting roles in the yet to be released Hindi language features Jo Dooba So Paar and Chittagong, both shot in 2009 & 2010 and slated for late 2011 release. He also appeared with real-life wife Sweta Keswani as her husband in a cameo for friend-director Rohit Roy
Rohit Roy
Rohit Roy is an Indian television star known for his role in Hindi television serials, such as Des Mein Niklla Hoga Chand and Swabhimaan. Besides working in television series, Rohit has also acted in some of the Bollywood movies, such as Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena, Plan, etc...
’s yet unreleased Chaar Mulakatein.
Jo Dooba So Paar is a contemporary drama in which O'Nell plays an American who’s Italian girlfriend (Sita Spada) gets kidnapped in the Indian state of Bihar. The film also stars notable Indian actors Vinay Pathak
Vinay Pathak
Vinay Pathak is an Indian actor and a theatre person born and raised in Bhojpur, Bihar. He is known for his great Comic timing and as a revolution in Indian Cinema along with Ranvir Shorey, Rajat Kapur, Abhay Deol, who are tagged as actors of a new genre...
and Rajat Kapoor
Rajat Kapoor
Rajat Kapoor is an Indian actor, writer and director born in 1961.Kapoor was born in Delhi, India. As a teenager he would watch films with his family and decided to become a filmmaker at the age of 14. He mainly focused on acting at first...
.
Chittagong, a period drama based on historical events, deals with the East Indian Chittagong armoury raid
Chittagong armoury raid
The Chittagong armoury raid was an attempt on April 18, 1930 to raid the armoury of police and auxiliary forces from the Chittagong armoury in Bengal province of British India, by armed revolutionaries led by Surya Sen....
of 1930. O'Nell plays Charles Johnson, the British Official in charge of law and order, who is pitted against a school teacher named Suriya Sen (played by indian actor Manoj Bajpai
Manoj Bajpai
Manoj Bajpai , also credited as Manoj Bajpayee, is an Indian film actor, known for playing offbeat and unconventional roles. He first shot into fame with his breakthrough role in Ram Gopal Varma's 1998 film Satya.-Early life:...
) and a group of students who go on to famously defeat the imperial force for the first time in the history of British India. Due to similar subject matter, Chittagong is being compared to the Abhishek Bachchan
Abhishek Bachchan
Abhishek Bachchan is an Indian actor and producer. He is the son of Indian actors Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan and is married to actress and former Miss World Aishwarya Rai....
starrer Khele Hum Jee Jaan Sey which received a lukewarm reception in 2011. O'Nell has commented that Chittagong is a "grittier" depiction of the events. Chittagong also stars notable India-based British actor and acting instructor Barry John
Barry John (theatre director)
Barry John is a British born, Indian theatre director and teacher, who was the Founder-Director of 'Theatre Action Group' , one of the early theatre group based in Delhi. In 1997, he launched Imago Media Company, along with Sanjay Sujitabh, and also started Imago Acting School in Delhi, both of...
.
In mid 2010 O'Nell returned to television for the first time since Nach Baliye to star in the Zee TV
Zee TV
Zee TV is an India-based satellite television channel owned by Zee Entertainment Enterprises based in Mumbai, Maharashtra, which broadcasts various programmes in Hindi and other regional languages of India. Broadcasting is also present in various nations of South Asia, Europe, the Middle East,...
Indian primetime historical drama Jhansi Ki Rani
Jhansi Ki Rani (TV series)
Ek Veer Stree Ki Kahaani... Jhansi Ki Rani is a historical television series on Zee TV created by Contiloe Telefilms. As the title suggests, the story is based on the life of Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi, one of the leading figures of the Central Indian rebellion of 1858...
(JKR) wherein he played Robert Ellis, a British officer sympathetic to the plight of a revolutionary Indian queen in her struggle against the British colonial rule of the 1850s. His character is loosely based on the real-life historical figure of the same name who’s relationship with the queen (Rani Lakshmibai
Rani Lakshmibai
Lakshmi Bai, the Rani of Jhansi was the queen of the Maratha-ruled princely state of Jhansi, situated in the northern part of India...
) is the controversial subject of a historical fiction novel Rani – a work which has attracted protest and was subsequently banned in present day Jhansi. O'Nell appears to have incorporated the author’s creative interpretation into his performance, commenting: “I’ll be portraying the role of a British officer named Ellis who has an affair with an Indian Queen (Jhansi Ki Rani).”
In early 2011 O'Nell also appeared in a guest role on the popular Star One
Star One
Star One is a Dutch progressive metal supergroup/side-project of Arjen Anthony Lucassen of Ayreon fame. Unlike Ayreon, the band did not follow one storyline; instead, each song was a different story with a sci-fi concept, most of the tracks based on existing movies and series.-Origins and first...
TV contemporary drama Dhoondh Legi Manzil Humein
Dhoondh Legi Manzil Humein
Dhoondh Legi Manzil Humein is an Indian television series on STAR One which used to be aired every Monday to Friday at 9:00pm from 22nd November 2010 to 14th October 2011 and produced by Sanjay Surkar and Monish Sekhri. The show premiered on 22nd November 2010. It is a love story set in a Political...
(DLMH) as Ralph, the jealous and borderline abusive boyfriend of the protagonist – a role that showed him in stark contrast to his brooding yet loveable and heroic performance in JKR. DLMH was his first portrayal of a character with “negative shades” on Indian national primetime television.
In early 2011, while continuing to shoot for JKR and DLMH, O'Nell completed filming for lead roles in the multilingual Urumi
Urumi
The urumi is a long sword made of flexible steel, sharp enough to cut into flesh, but flexible enough to be rolled into a tight coil. Originating in South India, it was most popular in the North Malabar Coast of Kerala and is often mentioned in the ballads of the region.In kalaripayat, the urumi...
and the English language Vasco Da Gama, both simultaneously directed by acclaimed Indian director Santosh Sivan
Santosh Sivan
Santosh Sivan is an Indian cinematographer, film director, and producer who has worked in Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, and Hindi cinema....
.
O'Nell was approached for Urumi after being recommended to Santosh Sivan
Santosh Sivan
Santosh Sivan is an Indian cinematographer, film director, and producer who has worked in Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, and Hindi cinema....
by multiple sources, including Madrasapattinam director A. L. Vijay
A. L. Vijay
A. L. Vijay is a Tamil film director. Earlier he worked as an assistant and close associate of director Priyadarshan. His father A. L. Azhagappan was the president of Tamilnadu Producers Council and appeared in the film Eesan. His brother, Udhaya, has also starred in Tamil films. Presently A. L...
as well as Italian Actor Sita Spada (with whom O'Nell acted in Jo Dooba So Paar). After casting O'Nell for the character Estêvão da Gama, Sivan expanded the role, and later offered him the role of Vasco Da Gama
Vasco da Gama
Vasco da Gama, 1st Count of Vidigueira was a Portuguese explorer, one of the most successful in the Age of Discovery and the commander of the first ships to sail directly from Europe to India...
as well. Therefore, in Urumi, O'Nell plays both Vasco da Gama
Vasco da Gama
Vasco da Gama, 1st Count of Vidigueira was a Portuguese explorer, one of the most successful in the Age of Discovery and the commander of the first ships to sail directly from Europe to India...
and Vasco’s son Estêvão da Gama. Sivan reportedly decided to shoot additional scenes and make a 90 minute English feature entitled Vasco da Gama, and offered O'Nell an additional character of a modern day traveler, and therefore he is expected to appear in three roles in the film Vasco da Gama. Both films have as their subject matter the travels of the 15th century explorer Vasco Da Gama
Vasco da Gama
Vasco da Gama, 1st Count of Vidigueira was a Portuguese explorer, one of the most successful in the Age of Discovery and the commander of the first ships to sail directly from Europe to India...
and the Indian warriors that set out to assassinate him, but the two have very different plot lines and perspective. The two films are expected to release 2011. Urumi will release in Malylam, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and English languages mid year. And Vasco da Gama in English late in 2011. Speaking about working with Sivan, O'Nell commented in an interview that "Sivan is the Steven Spielberg of Indian cinema".
2011 Marked a significant turning point for O'Nell’s career in terms of the volume of work, the significance of roles, and the array of languages in which they will release. Four films are expected to release, two in Hindi in supporting roles, one in multiple languages including Hindi and English in a leading role, and one in English in a leading role. A fifth (in Hindi) is in progress for 2012 release.
In February 2011 O'Nell began work on Shirish Kunder
Shirish Kunder
Shirish Kunder is an editor and film director in the Hindi Film Industry. He was born in Mangalore on May 24, 1973.- Career :He graduated as an electronics engineer from SDM College of Engineering and Technology, Dharwad, Karnataka and worked for Motorola. He later entered the film industry as an...
’s Akshay Kumar
Akshay Kumar
Akshay Kumar is an Indian film actor, producer and martial artist who has appeared in over a hundred Hindi films. When he began his acting career in the 1990s, he primarily starred in action films and was particularly known for his appearances in feature films commonly called the "Khiladi series",...
and Sonakshi Sinha
Sonakshi Sinha
Sonakshi Sinha is an Indian actress and model.She is the daughter of actor and politician Shatrughan Sinha and Punam Sinha...
starrer Joker
Joker (2011 film)
Joker is an upcoming Hindi fantasy adventure film and the first 3D film directed by Shirish Kunder. The film will star Akshay Kumar opposite Sonakshi Sinha. It will be the fourth Hindi film to be released in both 2D and 3D formats after Haunted – 3D, Ra.One and Don 2...
, anticipated to complete in late 2011 and be released in December 2011 or early 2012. O'Nell’s first comedy since Cheeni Kum, details of Joker are not yet available, except that it is slated to be the first Indian live action feature film to be shot in 3D in which O'Nell and Kumar play “Rivals… pitted against each other”.
Personal life
The son of a Dutch Mother and Irish-American Father, ONell was born in the US state of Connecticut and has one sister who was married in September 2007.O’Nell’s relationship with Indian actress Sweta Keswani, began in 2006 and saw the two compete successfully in the Indian Celebrity dance competition “Nach Baliye
Nach Baliye
Nach Baliye is a dance, reality-television series on the Indian STAR Plus channel. The contestants are couples who are television stars. The first and second season aired on Star One and then shifted to Star Plus. Its name in Punjabi is inspired by a song from the Bollywood film Bunty Aur Babli .-...
” Season 3 in 2007. Their relationship was not free of scandal. O'Nell was linked to India-based British actor Hazel Crowney in April 2008, and an article alleges “Shweta's parents were dead against her marrying Alex who is an American. When Sweta made up her mind to marry him finally against her parents wishes – her parents parted ways with her.” Nevertheless, their relationship and subsequent marriage was widely regarded as an ideal coming together of eastern and western cultures with significant attention paid to the pair. O'Nell and Keswani were married in October and November 2008 in four different ceremonies including Court (Legal), Buddhist, Hindu, and Christian. The Hindu wedding was a secret affair closed to the media and took place in Mumbai The Christian wedding took place on a private beach in the Indian state of Goa. Their honeymoon in Egypt was marred by the Mumbai Terror Attacks of 2008, and they returned shortly after. Following their wedding O'Nell and Keswani appeared as a couple in the news, magazines (including the cover of India Today
India Today
India Today is an Indian weekly news magazine published by Living Media India Limited, in publication since 1975 based in Mumbai. India Today is also the name of its sister-publication in Hindi...
, Simply Mumbai, December 2007) and on various television programs including “Star Vivaah
Star Vivaah
Star Vivaah is a reality show premiered on STAR Plus at May 13, 2009. A cooperation with Shaadi.com, STAR Plus has made a reality show which will help young men and women find their perfect lifepartners.- Plot :...
”, and "Ghar Ghar Mein". They reportedly played a couple in yet to be released film “Chaar Mulakatein” directed by friend of the couple Rohit Roy
Rohit Roy
Rohit Roy is an Indian television star known for his role in Hindi television serials, such as Des Mein Niklla Hoga Chand and Swabhimaan. Besides working in television series, Rohit has also acted in some of the Bollywood movies, such as Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena, Plan, etc...
. O'Nell and Keswani lived together in Mumbai India until their separation in 2011. Preferring to keep their relationship out of the public eye, the two initially issued a joint statement to the media, but later both parties broke their silence. Explaining why they were apprehensive to speak to the media O'Nell commented in an interview "People like drama and sensationalism, but unfortunately or fortunately, there's none here. Sweta and I are very close and there's no bad blood. I wish people understand that we wish well for each other.” Keswani cited “different goals, desires and needs [as well as] professional commitments [that] kept us apart” as reason for the breakup. The separation and subsequent relationship appears amicable, Keswani commenting: “Alexx … remains my close friend” and O'Nell adding: "We've got no plans of cutting each other out of our lives".
Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Loins of Punjab Presents Loins of Punjab Presents Loins of Punjab Presents is a 2007 Indian film directed by Manish Acharya. It stars Shabana Azmi, Ayesha Dharker and Ajay Naidu. The film marked Manish Acharya's first feature film as a director.-Cast:*Shabana Azmi .... Rrita Kapoor... |
Wesminton | |
| 2007 | Cheeni Kum Cheeni Kum Cheeni Kum is an 2007 Bollywood romance film directed by R. Balki, starring Amitabh Bachchan as an 64 year-old man, opposite Tabu, who plays an 34-year old who falls in love with Bachchan. Produced by Sunil Manchanda, the film releasd on 25 May 2007.-Plot:Cheeni Kum focuses on Buddhadev Gupta... |
English Waiter | |
| 2009 | "Chaar Mulakatein" | Unknown | Not Released |
| 2010 | “Madrasapattinam” | Robert Ellis | |
| 2010 | Malik Ek Malik Ek Malik Ek is a Hindi spiritual film on Sai Baba of Shirdi featuring Jackie Shroff, Manoj Kumar and Divya Dutta. Shroff will be playing in the title role. The film is directed by Deepak Balraj Vij and the music is scored by Anup Jalota, who also plays the role of Das Ganu... |
MacMillian | |
| 2011 | Urumi Urumi The urumi is a long sword made of flexible steel, sharp enough to cut into flesh, but flexible enough to be rolled into a tight coil. Originating in South India, it was most popular in the North Malabar Coast of Kerala and is often mentioned in the ballads of the region.In kalaripayat, the urumi... |
Vasco da Gama Vasco da Gama Vasco da Gama, 1st Count of Vidigueira was a Portuguese explorer, one of the most successful in the Age of Discovery and the commander of the first ships to sail directly from Europe to India... , Estêvão da Gama |
Completed |
| 2011 | Vasco Da Gama | The Traveler, Vasco da Gama Vasco da Gama Vasco da Gama, 1st Count of Vidigueira was a Portuguese explorer, one of the most successful in the Age of Discovery and the commander of the first ships to sail directly from Europe to India... , Estêvão da Gama |
In Post Production |
| 2011 | Chittagong Chittagong Chittagong ) is a city in southeastern Bangladesh and the capital of an eponymous district and division. Built on the banks of the Karnaphuli River, the city is home to Bangladesh's busiest seaport and has a population of over 4.5 million, making it the second largest city in the country.A trading... |
Charles Johnson | In Post Production |
| 2011 | Jo Dooba So Paar | Mike | In Post Production |
| 2012 | Joker Joker (2011 film) Joker is an upcoming Hindi fantasy adventure film and the first 3D film directed by Shirish Kunder. The film will star Akshay Kumar opposite Sonakshi Sinha. It will be the fourth Hindi film to be released in both 2D and 3D formats after Haunted – 3D, Ra.One and Don 2... |
Unknown | Filming |
| Year | Project | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Nach Baliye Nach Baliye Nach Baliye is a dance, reality-television series on the Indian STAR Plus channel. The contestants are couples who are television stars. The first and second season aired on Star One and then shifted to Star Plus. Its name in Punjabi is inspired by a song from the Bollywood film Bunty Aur Babli .-... |
Contestant | TV Celebrity Dance Competition; Jodi (Couple) #1, Competed along side then girlfriend Actor Sweta Keswani. Eliminated in the top 4 of 11 couples. |
| 2009 | Ghar Ghar Mein | Self, with wife Sweta Keswani | TV series, Zee TV (one episode: 23 February) |
| 2009 | Vivaah Vivaah Vivah - A Journey From Engagement To Marriage ... is a 2006 Bollywood romantic drama film. The film is written and directed by Sooraj R. Barjatya and stars Shahid Kapoor and Amrita Rao in their fourth movie together.... |
Self, with wife Sweta Keswani | TV series, Star Plus (one episode: 5 June) |
| 2009–2010 | Jhansi Ki Rani (TV series) Jhansi Ki Rani (TV series) Ek Veer Stree Ki Kahaani... Jhansi Ki Rani is a historical television series on Zee TV created by Contiloe Telefilms. As the title suggests, the story is based on the life of Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi, one of the leading figures of the Central Indian rebellion of 1858... |
Robert Ellis | TV series, Zee TV |
| 2010 | Dhoondh Legi Manzil Humein Dhoondh Legi Manzil Humein Dhoondh Legi Manzil Humein is an Indian television series on STAR One which used to be aired every Monday to Friday at 9:00pm from 22nd November 2010 to 14th October 2011 and produced by Sanjay Surkar and Monish Sekhri. The show premiered on 22nd November 2010. It is a love story set in a Political... |
Ralph | TV series, Star One |