Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story
Encyclopedia
Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story is an America
n TV film directed by Peter Levin
. It was first released on April 7, 2003 in the United States. This movie is adapted from Liz Murray's autobiography, which named Breaking Night, written by herself.
stars as Liz Murray
, the homeless daughter of an extremely dysfunctional Bronx family. Liz is a young girl who is taken care of by her loving, but drug-addicted father & mother, who is also an alcoholic. After her mother dies of HIV
, which she got from sharing needles during her drug abuse, she got a 'slap in the face' by her mother's death and begins her work to finish high school, which she amazingly completed in two years, rather than the usual four. She becomes a star student and earns a scholarship to Harvard University
through an essay contest sponsored by the New York Times.
s:
2003 Casting Society of America
(Artios):
2004 American Cinema Editors
(Eddies):
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
n TV film directed by Peter Levin
Peter Levin
-Career:Since 1967, Levin has amassed a large number of credits directing episodic television and television films. Some of his television series credits include Love Is a Many Splendored Thing, James at 15, The Paper Chase, Family, Starsky & Hutch, Lou Grant, Fame, Cagney & Lacey, Law & Order and...
. It was first released on April 7, 2003 in the United States. This movie is adapted from Liz Murray's autobiography, which named Breaking Night, written by herself.
Synopsis
Thora BirchThora Birch
Thora Birch is an American actress. She was a child actor in the 1990s, starring in movies such as All I Want for Christmas , Patriot Games , Hocus Pocus , Now and Then , and Alaska . She came to prominence in 1999 after earning worldwide attention and praise for her performance in American Beauty...
stars as Liz Murray
Liz Murray
Elizabeth "Liz" Murray is an American inspirational speaker who is best known as having been homeless in her youth, and as having overcome her hardship to achieve success.- Biography :...
, the homeless daughter of an extremely dysfunctional Bronx family. Liz is a young girl who is taken care of by her loving, but drug-addicted father & mother, who is also an alcoholic. After her mother dies of HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
, which she got from sharing needles during her drug abuse, she got a 'slap in the face' by her mother's death and begins her work to finish high school, which she amazingly completed in two years, rather than the usual four. She becomes a star student and earns a scholarship to Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
through an essay contest sponsored by the New York Times.
Cast
- Thora BirchThora BirchThora Birch is an American actress. She was a child actor in the 1990s, starring in movies such as All I Want for Christmas , Patriot Games , Hocus Pocus , Now and Then , and Alaska . She came to prominence in 1999 after earning worldwide attention and praise for her performance in American Beauty...
- Liz Murray - Michael RileyMichael RileyMichael Riley is a Canadian actor and graduate of the National Theatre School in Montreal, Canada in 1984. Riley's first appearance was in the film No Man's Land...
- Peter - Robert BockstaelRobert BockstaelRobert Theodore Bockstael was a Liberal party member of the Canadian House of Commons. He was a businessman by career....
- David - Makyla SmithMakyla SmithMakyla Smith is a Canadian actress.She is best known for her supporting role as Justin's best friend Daphne on Queer as Folk...
- Chris - Kelly LynchKelly LynchKelly Lynch is an American actress. Once a model for the Elite modeling agency, Lynch appeared in the film Drugstore Cowboy which starred Matt Dillon, and the film Road House which starred Patrick Swayze....
- Jean Murray - Jennifer Pisana - Young Liz Murray
- Aron TagerAron TagerAron Tager is an American actor and artist.- Background :As an artist, Tager has had numerous exhibitions of his work and has sculptures installed at the following locations: Mount Anthony Union High School, Bennington, VT; Shaftsbury Elementary School, VT; Delaware County Community College,...
- Pops - Ellen PageEllen PageEllen Philpotts-Page , known professionally as Ellen Page, is a Canadian actress. Page received both Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations for Best Actress for her role as the title character in the film Juno...
- Young Lisa - Marla McLean - Lisa
- Marguerite McNeil - Eva
- Amber Godfrey - Dawn
- Seamus Morrison - Bobby
- John FultonJohn FultonJohn Fulton may refer to:* John P. Fulton , American special effects supervisor and cinematographer* John Fulton , American author* John H...
- Old Irish Cop - Rejean CournoyerRejean CournoyerRéjean Cournoyer is a Canadian actor and singer, and was raised in a bilingual, Mormon home. After graduating from Mount Saint Vincent University with a degree in public relations, and leaving Mormonism, he began working at the Charlottetown Festival, then made his way to Toronto in 1995 to...
- Young Irish Cop - Mauralea Austin - Miss Wanda
- Cecil Wright - Mr. Maki
- Juan Martínez Maaco - Findingo
Awards and nominations
2003 Emmy Award55th Primetime Emmy Awards
The 55th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards were held on September 21, 2003. The awards show was broadcast on FOX. Nominees are listed below; winners are in bold.-Outstanding Drama Series:* 24, Fox* CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CBS...
s:
- Nominated: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie — Thora BirchThora BirchThora Birch is an American actress. She was a child actor in the 1990s, starring in movies such as All I Want for Christmas , Patriot Games , Hocus Pocus , Now and Then , and Alaska . She came to prominence in 1999 after earning worldwide attention and praise for her performance in American Beauty...
- Nominated: Outstanding Made for Television Movie
- Nominated: Outstanding Single Camera Picture Editing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special — Anita Brandt-Burgoyne
2003 Casting Society of America
Casting Society of America
Founded in Los Angeles, California in 1982, the Casting Society of America is a professional society of about 350 casting directors for film, television, and theatre in Australia, Canada, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States. The society is not to be confused with an industry union. The...
(Artios):
- Nominated - Best Casting for TV Movie of the Week — Susan Edelman
2004 American Cinema Editors
American Cinema Editors
Founded in 1950, American Cinema Editors is an honorary society of film editors that are voted in based on the qualities of professional achievements, their education of others, and their dedication to editing itself. The society is not to be confused with an industry union, such as the I.A.T.S.E...
(Eddies):
- Won - Best Edited Miniseries or Movie for Commercial Television — Anita Brandt-Burgoyne
External links
- Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story at Hollywood.com
- Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story at Starpulse.com
- Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story movie review & synopsis at Fandango.com
- Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story at Mylifetime.com