Soldier's Girl
Encyclopedia
Soldier's Girl is a 2003 drama film produced by Showtime. It is based on a true story: the relationship between Barry Winchell
and Calpernia Addams
and the events that led up to Barry's murder by fellow soldiers. It was written by Ron Nyswaner
and directed by Frank R. Pierson
, with Barclay Hope
starring as Howard Paxton, Troy Garity
starring as Barry, and Lee Pace
starring as Calpernia.
of the United States Army
, stationed at Fort Campbell
, Kentucky
. Calpernia works as a showgirl at a transgender
revue in Nashville, Tennessee
when the two met in 1999. Barry's roommate Justin Fisher (Shawn Hatosy
) brings Barry to the club where she performs. When Barry and Calpernia begin seeing each other regularly, Fisher begins spreading rumors on base about their relationship, which appeared to be a violation of the military's "don't ask, don't tell
" policy about discussing the sexual orientation
of military personnel. Barry faces increasing harassment and pressure, which explodes into violence over Fourth of July weekend. While Calpernia performs in a pageant in Nashville, Barry is beaten to death in his sleep with a baseball bat by Calvin Glover, who had been goaded by Fisher into committing the crime. The film ends with a discussion of the aftermath.
Soldier's Girl was also hailed as one of the ten best Television Programs of the Year (2003
) by the American Film Institute
.
Barry Winchell
Barry Winchell was an infantry soldier in the United States Army, whose murder by a fellow soldier, Calvin Glover, became a point of reference in the ongoing debate about the law known as "Don't ask, don't tell", which required the US military to discharge service members based on sexual...
and Calpernia Addams
Calpernia Addams
Calpernia Sarah Addams is an American author, actress, musician, and a spokesperson and activist for transgender rights and issues.-Biography:...
and the events that led up to Barry's murder by fellow soldiers. It was written by Ron Nyswaner
Ron Nyswaner
Ronald L. Nyswaner is an American screenwriter and film director.Nyswaner wrote his first screenplay for the Susan Seidelman film Smithereens. After two other notable screenplays for Swing Shift and Mrs...
and directed by Frank R. Pierson
Frank R. Pierson
Frank Romer Pierson is an American screenwriter and film director.-Life and career:Pierson was born in Chappaqua, New York, the son of Louise , a writer, and Harold C. Pierson, an entrepreneur. Pierson attended Harvard. He got his break in Hollywood when he penned a script for the television...
, with Barclay Hope
Barclay Hope
-Life and career:Hope was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He is the brother of actor William Hope. Hope appeared in the TV series Psi Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal as Peter Axon...
starring as Howard Paxton, Troy Garity
Troy Garity
Troy Garity is an American film actor. He was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film for his role as Barry Winchell in the 2003 television movie Soldier's Girl, but may be best known for his role as Isaac Rosenberg in the Barbershop films.-Early life and...
starring as Barry, and Lee Pace
Lee Pace
Lee Grinner Pace is an American actor. Pace has been featured in film, stage and television. He is known best for his starring role as Ned in the ABC series Pushing Daisies for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe award and an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in 2008.-...
starring as Calpernia.
Plot
Barry is a private with the 101st Airborne Division101st Airborne Division
The 101st Airborne Division—the "Screaming Eagles"—is a U.S. Army modular light infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for its role in Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France, Operation Market Garden, the...
of the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, stationed at Fort Campbell
Fort Campbell
Fort Campbell is a United States Army installation located astraddle the Kentucky-Tennessee border between Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and Clarksville, Tennessee...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. Calpernia works as a showgirl at a transgender
Transgender
Transgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles....
revue in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
when the two met in 1999. Barry's roommate Justin Fisher (Shawn Hatosy
Shawn Hatosy
Shawn Wayne Hatosy is an actor with over 40 film and television credits to his name.-Personal life:Hatosy was born in Frederick, Maryland, the son of Carol , a loan officer, and Wayne Hatosy, a graphic designer and event planning director...
) brings Barry to the club where she performs. When Barry and Calpernia begin seeing each other regularly, Fisher begins spreading rumors on base about their relationship, which appeared to be a violation of the military's "don't ask, don't tell
Don't ask, don't tell
"Don't ask, don't tell" was the official United States policy on homosexuals serving in the military from December 21, 1993 to September 20, 2011. The policy prohibited military personnel from discriminating against or harassing closeted homosexual or bisexual service members or applicants, while...
" policy about discussing the sexual orientation
Sexual orientation
Sexual orientation describes a pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to the opposite sex, the same sex, both, or neither, and the genders that accompany them. By the convention of organized researchers, these attractions are subsumed under heterosexuality, homosexuality,...
of military personnel. Barry faces increasing harassment and pressure, which explodes into violence over Fourth of July weekend. While Calpernia performs in a pageant in Nashville, Barry is beaten to death in his sleep with a baseball bat by Calvin Glover, who had been goaded by Fisher into committing the crime. The film ends with a discussion of the aftermath.
Cast
- Barclay HopeBarclay Hope-Life and career:Hope was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He is the brother of actor William Hope. Hope appeared in the TV series Psi Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal as Peter Axon...
- Sergeant Howard Paxton - Troy GarityTroy GarityTroy Garity is an American film actor. He was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film for his role as Barry Winchell in the 2003 television movie Soldier's Girl, but may be best known for his role as Isaac Rosenberg in the Barbershop films.-Early life and...
- Pfc. Barry WinchellBarry WinchellBarry Winchell was an infantry soldier in the United States Army, whose murder by a fellow soldier, Calvin Glover, became a point of reference in the ongoing debate about the law known as "Don't ask, don't tell", which required the US military to discharge service members based on sexual... - Lee PaceLee PaceLee Grinner Pace is an American actor. Pace has been featured in film, stage and television. He is known best for his starring role as Ned in the ABC series Pushing Daisies for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe award and an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in 2008.-...
- Calpernia AddamsCalpernia AddamsCalpernia Sarah Addams is an American author, actress, musician, and a spokesperson and activist for transgender rights and issues.-Biography:...
/Scottie - Andre BraugherAndre BraugherAndre Braugher is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Thomas Searles in the film Glory, as the fiery detective Frank Pembleton on Homicide: Life on the Street from 1993 to 1998 and again in the 2000 made-for-TV film Homicide: Life on the Street, and as Owen Thoreau Jr...
- Sgt. Carlos Diaz - Shawn HatosyShawn HatosyShawn Wayne Hatosy is an actor with over 40 film and television credits to his name.-Personal life:Hatosy was born in Frederick, Maryland, the son of Carol , a loan officer, and Wayne Hatosy, a graphic designer and event planning director...
- Spc. Justin Fisher - Philip Eddolls - Calvin Glover
- Merwin MondesirMerwin MondesirMerwin Mondesir is a Canadian actor. His ancestry is Saint Lucian. Now he is living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.- Movies :*2000: Seventeen Again as Todd*2001: Bones as Bill Peetas*2004: Godsend as Maurice...
- Henry Millens - Dan PetronijevicDan PetronijevicDaniel Petronijevic is a Canadian actor, who performed the role Thad Guerwitcz on ESPN's football series Playmakers and is also the voice actor of Geoff in Total Drama Island, Total Drama Action, and Total Drama World Tour, a role which he had to sing for, and even got an entire solo song. He...
- Collin Baker
Awards and nominations
| Year | Group | Award Nomination | Won? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Emmy | Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special (Frank Pierson) | No |
| Outstanding Makeup for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special (Prosthetic) (Raymond Mackintosh and Russell Cate) | No | ||
| Gotham Awards Gotham Awards The Gotham Awards is an annual ceremony of awards presented to the makers of independent films which takes place in New York City... |
Breakthrough Award (Lee Pace Lee Pace Lee Grinner Pace is an American actor. Pace has been featured in film, stage and television. He is known best for his starring role as Ned in the ABC series Pushing Daisies for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe award and an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in 2008.-... ) |
Yes | |
| 2004 | GLAAD | Outstanding Television Movie or Mini-Series | No |
| Golden Globe | Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture made for Television | No | |
| Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television (Troy Garity Troy Garity Troy Garity is an American film actor. He was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film for his role as Barry Winchell in the 2003 television movie Soldier's Girl, but may be best known for his role as Isaac Rosenberg in the Barbershop films.-Early life and... ) |
No | ||
| Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Lee Pace Lee Pace Lee Grinner Pace is an American actor. Pace has been featured in film, stage and television. He is known best for his starring role as Ned in the ABC series Pushing Daisies for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe award and an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in 2008.-... ) |
No | ||
| Independent Spirit Awards Independent Spirit Awards The Independent Spirit Awards , founded in 1984, are awards dedicated to independent filmmakers. Winners were typically presented with acrylic glass pyramids containing suspended shoestrings representing the paltry budgets of independent films. In 1986, the event was renamed the Independent Spirit... |
Best Male Lead (Lee Pace Lee Pace Lee Grinner Pace is an American actor. Pace has been featured in film, stage and television. He is known best for his starring role as Ned in the ABC series Pushing Daisies for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe award and an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in 2008.-... ) |
No | |
| Best Supporting Male (Troy Garity Troy Garity Troy Garity is an American film actor. He was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film for his role as Barry Winchell in the 2003 television movie Soldier's Girl, but may be best known for his role as Isaac Rosenberg in the Barbershop films.-Early life and... ) |
No | ||
| Peabody Award Peabody Award The George Foster Peabody Awards recognize distinguished and meritorious public service by radio and television stations, networks, producing organizations and individuals. In 1939, the National Association of Broadcasters formed a committee to recognize outstanding achievement in radio broadcasting... |
Yes | ||
| Satellite Awards Satellite Awards The Satellite Awards are an annual award given by the International Press Academy. The awards were originally known as the Golden Satellite Awards.- Film :*Best Actor – Drama*Best Actor – Musical or Comedy*Best Actress – Drama... |
Best Motion Picture Made for Television | No | |
| Best Performance by an Actor in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television (Troy Garity Troy Garity Troy Garity is an American film actor. He was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film for his role as Barry Winchell in the 2003 television movie Soldier's Girl, but may be best known for his role as Isaac Rosenberg in the Barbershop films.-Early life and... ) |
No | ||
| Best Performance by an Actor in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television (Lee Pace Lee Pace Lee Grinner Pace is an American actor. Pace has been featured in film, stage and television. He is known best for his starring role as Ned in the ABC series Pushing Daisies for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe award and an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in 2008.-... ) |
No | ||
| Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television (Shawn Hatosy Shawn Hatosy Shawn Wayne Hatosy is an actor with over 40 film and television credits to his name.-Personal life:Hatosy was born in Frederick, Maryland, the son of Carol , a loan officer, and Wayne Hatosy, a graphic designer and event planning director... ) |
No | ||
| Television Critics Association Awards | Outstanding Movie, Miniseries or Special | No |
Soldier's Girl was also hailed as one of the ten best Television Programs of the Year (2003
2003 in film
The year 2003 in film involved some significant events. Releases of sequels took place with movies like The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, Pokémon Heroes, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines,...
) by the American Film Institute
American Film Institute
The American Film Institute is an independent non-profit organization created by the National Endowment for the Arts, which was established in 1967 when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act...
.