Martin Donovan


Martin Donovan is an American actor. He has had a long collaboration with director Hal Hartley, appearing in many of his films, including Trust, Surviving Desire, Simple Men, Amateur, Flirt, and The Book of Life, starring as Jesus Christ in the latter. Donovan played Peter Scottson on Showtime's cable series Weeds. He made his writing/directorial debut with the film Collaborator. Donovan played Detective Hap Eckhart in Christopher Nolan's psychological thriller Insomnia and the protagonist's CIA handler, Fay, in Nolan's science-fiction thriller Tenet.
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Early life

Donovan was born Martin Paul Smith in Los Angeles, California, one of four children in an Irish Catholic family. He was raised in Reseda and graduated from Crespi Carmelite High School and attended Pierce College for two years. He attended American Theater Arts, a combined conservatory and theater company in Los Angeles, where he appeared in the plays Richard's Cork Leg by Brendan Behan and Private Life of the Master Race by Bertold Brecht. In 1983, his future wife, Vivian, and he moved to New York City. He joined the off-off-Broadway Cucaracha Theater on Greenwich Street.

Career

Donovan has appeared in 14 episodes of the Showtime television series Weeds, which stars Mary-Louise Parker, for which he was nominated for a SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series. He has also acted with Parker in Saved!, Pipe Dream, and The Portrait of a Lady. For the latter, he won the National Society of Film Critics' Award for best supporting actor.

Personal life

Donovan married actress Vivian Lanko in 1984; they have two sons. They lived in New York City for many years before relocating to Vancouver.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1985Hard ChoicesJosh
1987At Mother's RequestDet. RogenTV movie
1990TrustMatthew Slaughter
1991Surviving DesireJude
1992Malcolm XFBI Agenta.k.a. X
1992Simple MenMartina.k.a. Uomini semplici
1993QuickHerschel Brewera.k.a. Crossfire
1994The RookJohn Abbott
1994NadjaJim
1994AmateurThomas Ludens
1995FlirtWalter
1996The Portrait of A LadyRalph TouchettNational Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated—1996 [New York Film Critics Circle Awards|New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor]
1996Hollow ReedMartyn Wyatt
1998The Opposite of SexBill Truitt
1998HeavenRobert Marling
1998Living Out LoudRobert Nelson
1998The Book of LifeJesus Christ
1998Spanish FlyCarl
1999In a Savage LandDr. Phillip Spence
1999OneginPrince Nikitin
2000Desire
2002InsomniaDetective Hap Eckhart
2002Pipe DreamDavid Kulovic
2003The United States of LelandHarry Pollard
2003Agent Cody BanksDr. Connors
2004The Pornographer: A Love Story
2004Saved!Pastor Skip
2004White Like MeGus
2005At LastMark Singleton
2005The QuietPaul Deer
2006The VisitationTravis Jordan
2006The GarageAdult Matt
2006The SentinelWilliam Montrose
2006Day on FireWalter Evering
2007Wind ChillHighway Patrolman
2008The Alphabet KillerJim Walsh
2009The Haunting in ConnecticutPeter Campbell
2009DuressRichard Barnet
2010Shadows and LiesVictor
2010UnthinkableJack Saunders
2011CollaboratorRobert LongfellowAlso writer and director
Karlovy Vary International Film Festival: FIPRESCI Prize
2012Silent Hill: Revelation 3DDouglas Cartland
2012The Reluctant FundamentalistLudlow Cooper
2013Nurse 3DLarry Cook
2014SabotageFloyd Demel
2014Ned RifleRev. Daniel Gardner
2014Inherent ViceCrocker Fenway
2015Ant-ManMitchell Carson
2017RememoryGordon Dunn
2017Indian HorseJack Lanahan
2018Fahrenheit 451Commissioner Nyari
2019The Art of Racing in the RainMaxwell
2019White LieDoug Arneson
2019Come to DaddyAnt Timpson
2020TenetFay
2020PercyRick Aarons
2021Redemption DayTom Fitzgerald
2021CrisisLawrence Morgan
2023BlackBerryRick Brock
2024The ApprenticeFred Trump Sr.