Martin Donovan was born on August 19, 1957 in Reseda, California, USA as Martin Paul Smith. He is an actor and director, known for Tenet (2020), Big Little Lies (2017) and Inherent Vice (2014). He has been married to Vivian Lanko since 1984. They have two children.
Martin Donovan
Movies
Nurse
By day Abby Russell is a dedicated nurse, someone you wouldn’t hesitate to trust your life with. But by night, her real work begins…using her smoldering sexuality she lures cheating men to their brutal deaths and exposes them for who they really are. When a younger nurse starts to suspect…
Fun Facts
Has enjoyed a long, valued association with writer/director Hal Hartley, starring in several of his films including Simple Men (1992) and Amateur (1994), both of which were selected for the Cannes Film Festivals, Trust (1990), Surviving Desire (1992), Flirt (1995) and The Book of Life (1998), the last mentioned being shown at the New York Film Festival.
Has two sons with actress/wife Vivian Lanko. They lived in New York City for many years before relocating to Vancouver, Canada.
Born Martin Paul Smith, one of four children, in Reseda, California. He was raised Catholic, and has Irish and German ancestry. Attended Crespi Carmelite High School, then Pierce College for two years, then switched to the American Theater Arts (a combined conservatory and theater company), all in Los Angeles County.
Has collaborated twice with director Christopher Nolan, in Insomnia (2002) and Tenet (2020).
Quotes
Hal and I are close friends. I understand his language, his humor, his film language, what he is trying to say. I tell actors who are new to Hal--this is more like dance. It's not acting naturalistically, it's carefully choreographed. Gestures are important and specific gestures are very important. -- On Writer/Director Hal Hartley
When you are raised Catholic there is one thing that you are confronted with at a young age, and that's death. You're confronted with all the big issues - and that sparks deep questions, like what the hell are we doing here anyway?
I'm always looking for something that tells me a little bit about what it means to be human. That's how I measure the success of any artistic endeavor.
I love watching Marty Scorsese's films, but they always make me feel terrible about being a man.
[on reality TV] Those shows could have the potential of drawing out the human condition, but they are shallow and have no interest in that. It's all about self-aggrandizement and people who are hopelessly self-centered.They make no attempt to connect with other people. They just proclaim and glorify the self.
I'm a sucker for entertainment and escapism as much as the next person. I like silly and lowbrow stuff, but I get nervous when I indulge in that too often. I want to know what's going on in the world. I have a morbid fear of being surprised by bad news. I want to anticipate everything.