Lucas Hedges

Early life

Hedges was born in Brooklyn, New York City, the second of two boys born to poet and actress Susan Bruce (née Titman) and screenwriter and director Peter Hedges. His paternal grandfather, the Rev. Robert Boyden Hedges, was an Episcopal minister. His maternal grandfather was a former vice president in New York at HBO, and his maternal grandmother, Narcissa Titman, is a former theatre director and lecturer. He has an older brother, Simon, who works in private equity in New York. He grew up in Brooklyn Heights and Cobble Hill, frequently visiting his father's film sets. As a child, Hedges made his feature film debut as an extra in his father's film Dan in Real Life (2007), but his line in the film was cut in post-production.

A graduate of Saint Ann's School, he studied theatre at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts from 2015 to 2016. Hedges is a graduate of the Cherubs Theatre Program at Northwestern University's National High School Institute.

Career

Early roles and breakthrough (2012–2017)

During a middle-school play production, Hedges was spotted by the casting director for Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom (2012), who eventually cast him in the film as Redford. He went on to play small roles in the comedy-drama Arthur Newman (2012), Jason Reitman's romance Labor Day (2013), and Terry Gilliam's science fiction film The Zero Theorem (2013). In 2014, Hedges had a minor role in Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel and played the son of Jeremy Renner's character in Michael Cuesta's drama Kill the Messenger, which was based on CIA involvement in Contra cocaine trafficking. The latter led the critic Todd McCarthy to rank him as "very good," and Rodrigo Perez of IndieWire considered him to be the "surprise stand-out of the cast." In 2015, he was cast in the NBC miniseries The Slap, which was adapted from the Australian series of the same name.

Hedges next joined the cast of Kenneth Lonergan's independent drama Manchester by the Sea (2016). In it, he played Patrick Chandler, a 16-year-old boy dealing with the recent death of his father, who is left in the care of his unwilling and troubled uncle (played by Casey Affleck). The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Tim Robey of The Daily Telegraph wrote, "Hedges, phenomenal, fights off every cliché of 'troubled' teenagerhood and gives us a gruff, sympathetic boy with a tearaway sex drive." Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian said his performance was "glorious" and added that he "makes a tremendous troubled 16-year-old." It earned over $78 million against its $9 million budget. For his work, Hedges won a Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Young Performer, and received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, among others.

The following year, Hedges made his stage debut as the lead in the Trip Cullman-directed off-Broadway play Yen, penned by the playwright Anna Jordan. The production ran from February 19 to March 4 at the Lucille Lortel Theatre. Taking note of his performance as an aggressive and violent teenager who shares a troubled relationship with his half-brother, Ben Brantley of The New York Times wrote that he "delivers an expert anatomy of an adolescent on the edge of explosion". Hedges was nominated for the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play and won the Theatre World Award for Outstanding Off-Broadway Debut Performance. Also in 2017, Hedges had supporting roles in two films—Greta Gerwig's directorial debut Lady Bird and Martin McDonagh's crime drama Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, both of which were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. The cast of the latter film were awarded with the SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast.

Lead roles and theatre (2018–present)

Hedges had three film releases in 2018. He played the supporting role of a teenager who violently bullies his younger brother (played by Sunny Suljic) in Mid90s, which marked the directorial debut of Jonah Hill. Eric Kohn of IndieWire wrote, "Hedges, quickly becoming the most impressive actor of his generation, buries himself in the gruff, unhappy role of an angst-riddled teen." Hedges played the lead role in his two other 2018 filmsBoy Erased and Ben Is Back. In the former, based on the eponymous memoir, he played the son of a Baptist pastor who is forced to take part in a gay conversion therapy program. Russell Crowe and Nicole Kidman played his parents. Writing for The Hollywood Reporter, Stephen Farber noted that Hedges "carries the entire show and is alternately frightened, bewildered and defiant. There isn't a false note in his performance." For Boy Erased, Hedges received a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Drama. In Ben Is Back, a drama directed by his father and co-starring Julia Roberts, he played the titular character, a drug addict who returns home after spending time in rehab. Pete Hammond of Deadline Hollywood praised both Roberts's and Hedges's performances, adding that they "are pitch perfect together, never striking a false note in demonstrating the everlasting bond between a mother and son."

Also in 2018, Hedges made his first appearance on Broadway in a revival of Kenneth Lonergan's play The Waverly Gallery, alongside Elaine May, at the John Golden Theatre. He played the role of a teenager coping with his grandmother's Alzheimer's disease. Chris Jones of the Chicago Tribune credited him for effectively conveying the "frustration family members feel when one of their own starts to decline." Honey Boy, a drama penned by and co-starring Shia LaBeouf about his childhood and relationship with his father, marked Hedges's first film release of 2019. Hedges and Noah Jupe played Otis Lort, a character based on LaBeouf, at different ages. Reviewing the film for Entertainment Weekly, Leah Greenblatt wrote that Hedges "doesn’t seem to have found a role yet he can’t fully inhabit; his Otis is raw and furious, and genuinely funny." He next took on a supporting part in Trey Edward Shults' Waves, a drama about the emotional journey of a suburban family, which led Peter Debruge of Variety to consider it "an impactful reminder of how much the actor can bring to a smaller role".

In 2020, Hedges appeared in the miniseries Home Movie: The Princess Bride for Quibi to raise money for World Central Kitchen. Also that year, he starred alongside Michelle Pfeiffer in the black comedy French Exit, and was part of the ensemble cast of Steven Soderbergh's comedy film Let Them All Talk. In his review for the former film, IndieWire's David Ehrlich was appreciate of Hedges' "subdued but strikingly thoughtful performance". The following year, he appeared in an episode of the FX anthology series The Premise.

Hedges took a small break from acting to focus on writing, and returned to the stage in a 2023 West End theatre production of Brokeback Mountain at @sohoplace, in which he starred as Ennis Del Mar opposite Mike Faist's Jack Twist. Comparing his performance to Heath Ledger's portrayal of Del Mar in the 2005 film of the same name, theatre critic Matt Wolf of The New York Times wrote that Hedges "may not have the immediate physical command that Ledger had onscreen, but he shares his late predecessor’s furrowed brow and a sense of roiling anguish". The following year, he had a supporting role in the biographical film Shirley, about the 1972 presidential run of Shirley Chisholm.

Hedge's next release, Sorry, Baby, starring, written and directed by Eva Victor, premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. Commenting on his role as a kind neighbour of the film's troubled protagonist (played by Victor), Peter Debruge considered it "perfectly suited to Lucas Hedges’ uniquely sensitive energy". He is set to star alongside Daniel Radcliffe in the war thriller Trust the Man.

Personal life

When asked about his sexuality in 2018, Hedges said: "In the early stages of my life, some of the people I was most infatuated with were my closest male friends. That was the case through high school, and I think I was always aware of that, while for the most part I was attracted to women," also adding that he exists "on that spectrum: Not totally straight, but also not gay and not necessarily bisexual." He later spoke about being an ally to the LGBTQ community and said that he considered his sexuality to be a "fluid experience."

Filmography

Film

Television

Theatre

Audiobooks

Music Videos

Awards and nominations

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Lucas Hedges

Hedges was nominated for Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Manchester by the Sea (2016), and for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama for his performance in Boy Erased (2018).

Notes

References

References

1. "Lucas Hedges". [[Playbill]].
2. Hedges, Peter. (January 1, 1999). "Baby Anger". Dramatists Play Service, Inc..
3. Sacks, Ethan. (October 26, 2007). "Interview of Peter Hedges for his film ''Dan in Real Life''". [[New York Daily News]].
4. Kaufman, Sarah. (December 30, 2016). "Lucas Hedges, Born and Raised in Brooklyn Heights, Gets Buzz for Role in 'Manchester by the Sea'". [[Patch Media]].
5. Stamelman, Peter. (April 6, 2010). "'Dan in Real Life' director and writer Peter Hedges will speak April 14 at ISU". [[Iowa State University]].
6. Clavin, Tom. (July 28, 2009). "For filmmaker Peter Hedges, it's all in the timing". 27east.com.
7. Weinreich, Regina. (July 24, 2012). "Garden Party at Goose Creek: The Odd Life of Timothy Green". [[HuffPost]].
8. (June 6, 1993). "WEDDINGS; Susan B. Titman, Peter S. Hedges". [[The New York Times]].
9. Stamelman, Peter. (November 14, 2017). "Brooklyn kid now a star in supporting roles & lead". [[Brooklyn Eagle]].
10. Douglass, Lynn. (November 19, 2012). "Yoko Ono Honored For Feminist Art, Says Not Saying Anything With Art "A Waste"". [[Forbes]].
11. Nordstrom, Leigh. (January 24, 2016). "Sundance 2016: Five Minutes with Lucas Hedges". [[Women's Wear Daily]].
12. Rosen, Lisa. (November 10, 2016). "Lucas Hedges finds the lightness within the dark drama of 'Manchester by the Sea'". [[Los Angeles Times]].
13. Blickley, Leigh. (November 21, 2016). "Get To Know The Breakout Star Of 'Manchester By The Sea,' Lucas Hedges". [[HuffPost]].
14. "Lucas Hedges". [[Independent Spirit Awards]].
15. (January 5, 2017). "Spider-Man star Tom Holland among BAFTA'S 2017 EE Rising Star nominees". [[Metro (British newspaper).
16. Jacobs, Matthew. (November 25, 2017). "Lucas Hedges In Real Life". [[HuffPost]].
17. Debruge, Peter. (September 11, 2012). "Arthur Newman". [[Variety (magazine).
18. Miller, Daniel. (June 8, 2012). "'Moonrise Kingdom' Actor Joins Jason Reitman's 'Labor Day'". [[The Hollywood Reporter]].
19. Fleming, Mike. (October 1, 2012). "Terry Gilliam Sets David Thewlis, Tilda Swinton For 'The Zero Theorem'".
20. Lyttelton, Oliver. (September 18, 2014). "Review: Terry Gilliam's Uneven But Rewarding 'The Zero Theorem' Starring Christoph Waltz, Matt Damon & Tilda Swinton". [[IndieWire]].
21. Sneider, Jeff. (July 24, 2014). "'Moonrise Kingdom's' Lucas Hedges to Play Jeremy Renner's Son in 'Kill the Messenger' (Exclusive)". [[TheWrap]].
22. Perez, Rodrigo. (September 26, 2014). "Review: 'Kill The Messenger' Starring Jeremy Renner, Mary Elizabeth Winstead & Rosemarie DeWitt". [[IndieWire]].
23. McCarthy, Todd. (September 26, 2014). "'Kill the Messenger': Film Review". [[The Hollywood Reporter]].
24. (October 20, 2014). "Lucas Hedges & Penn Badgley Join 'The Slap' Miniseries On NBC; 'Full Circle' Sets Cast". [[Deadline Hollywood]].
25. "Manchester by The Sea".
26. Robey, Tim. (January 13, 2017). "Manchester By The Sea, review: Casey Affleck's heartbreaking loss is our gain". [[The Daily Telegraph]].
27. Bradshaw, Peter. (January 12, 2017). "Manchester By the Sea review – a minor-key masterpiece". [[The Guardian]].
28. "Manchester by the Sea (2016)".
29. Lodderhose, Diana. (January 5, 2017). "BAFTA Rising Star Nominees Include Lucas Hedges, Tom Holland, Ruth Negga". [[Deadline Hollywood]].
30. Eng, Joyce. "Oscar Snubs and Surprises: Amy Adams Out, but Mel Gibson Is Welcomed Back In". [[TV Guide]].
31. Gerard, Jeremy. (January 31, 2017). "'Yen' Review: Oscar Nominee Lucas Hedges Simmers, Explodes In Stage Debut". [[Deadline Hollywood]].
32. Lee, Ashley. (October 27, 2016). "Lucas Hedges to Star in Off-Broadway Play 'Yen' (Exclusive)". [[The Hollywood Reporter]].
33. Brantley, Ben. (January 31, 2017). "Review: 'Yen' Is a Den of Family Dysfunction". [[The New York Times]].
34. (April 4, 2017). "Ben Platt, Sutton Foster, Lucas Hedges & More Nominated for 2017 Lucille Lortel Awards". [[Broadway.com]].
35. Brantley, Ben. (January 31, 2017). "Review: 'Yen' Is a Den of Family Dysfunction". [[The New York Times]].
36. Scheck, Frank. (January 31, 2017). "'Yen': Theater Review". [[The Hollywood Reporter]].
37. Lefkowitz, Andy. (May 11, 2017). "Josh Groban, Christy Altomare, Lucas Hedges & More Win Theatre World Awards". [[Broadway.com]].
38. (October 28, 2016). "Lucas Hedges ('Manchester by the Sea') on his character's 'deep emotional well'". [[YouTube]].
39. (April 7, 2016). "Peter Dinklage, John Hawkes, Lucas Hedges Join Martin McDonagh's New Movie (Exclusive)". [[TheWrap]].
40. (January 22, 2018). "Three Billboards triumphs at Screen Actors Guild awards". [[BBC News]].
41. Mazzanti, Mike. (March 1, 2017). "Jonah Hill's Directorial Debut 'Mid '90s' to Reunite 'Manchester by the Sea' Stars".
42. Kohn, Eric. (September 10, 2018). "'Mid90s' Review: Jonah Hill Directs a Sweet Burst of Nostalgia, Courtesy 'Freaks and Geeks' and 'Kids' — TIFF". [[IndieWire]].
43. Fleming, Mike Jr.. (June 8, 2017). "Joel Edgerton To Direct, Lucas Hedges To Star In Gay Deprogram Drama 'Boy Erased'". [[Deadline Hollywood]].
44. Fleming, Mike Jr.. (October 23, 2017). "Julia Roberts And Lucas Hedges Team For Black Bear & 30WEST-Backed 'Ben Is Back'".
45. Farber, Stephen. (September 1, 2018). "'Boy Erased': Film Review - Telluride 2018". [[The Hollywood Reporter]].
46. (December 6, 2018). "Golden Globe Nominations: Complete List". [[Variety (magazine).
47. Hammond, Pete. (September 8, 2018). "'Ben Is Back' Review: Julia Roberts And Lucas Hedges Shine In Powerful Tale Of A Family In Crisis – Toronto Film Festival World Premiere". [[Deadline Hollywood]].
48. Schulman, Michael. (August 27, 2018). "Fall Theatre Preview".
49. Jones, Chris. (October 25, 2018). "Review: 'Waverly Gallery' on Broadway with Elaine May and Michael Cera: We all must come face to face with age". [[Chicago Tribune]].
50. Busch, Anita. (March 16, 2018). "Shia LaBeouf, Lucas Hedges To Star In 'Honey Boy'". [[Deadline Hollywood]].
51. Greenblatt, Leah. (January 26, 2019). "Shia LaBeouf doesn't go sweet in autobiographical indie Honey Boy: Sundance review".
52. N'Duka, Amanda. (July 2, 2018). "Kelvin Harrison Jr. Re-Teams With Trey Edward Shults In A24's 'Waves', Starring With Lucas Hedges, Sterling K. Brown". [[Deadline Hollywood]].
53. Debruge, Peter. (August 30, 2019). "Telluride Film Review: 'Waves'". Variety.
54. Breznican, Anthony. (June 26, 2020). "Watch the Celebrity-Filled Fan-Film Version of The Princess Bride".
55. McNary, Dave. (May 3, 2019). "Michelle Pfeiffer, Lucas Hedges, Tracy Letts Join 'French Exit' Comedy". [[Variety (magazine).
56. Kroll, Justin. (August 19, 2019). "HBO Max Lands Steven Soderbergh's Next Film Starring Meryl Streep". Variety.
57. Ehrlich, David. (October 10, 2020). "'French Exit' Review: Michelle Pfeiffer and Lucas Hedges Outshine a Sleepy Transatlantic Satire". [[IndieWire]].
58. Nakamura, Reid. (July 29, 2019). "Lucas Hedges, Jon Bernthal to Star in BJ Novak Anthology Pilot at FX".
59. Douglas, Greenwood. (May 12, 2023). "Onstage, 'Brokeback Mountain' Is Still a Tragedy". The New York Times.
60. Matt, Wolf. (May 19, 2023). "Review: A 'Brokeback Mountain' Lacking Some Intensity". The New York Times.
61. Rooney, David. (March 15, 2024). "'Shirley' Review: Regina King Is Formidable in Solid Political Bio That Only Sometimes Matches Its Subject's Passion". The Hollywood Reporter.
62. Lee, Benjamin. (December 11, 2024). "Sundance 2025: Olivia Colman, Jennifer Lopez and Josh O'Connor lead lineup". The Guardian.
63. Debruge, Peter. (January 27, 2025). "'Sorry, Baby' Review: Eva Victor Wrote, Directed and Stars in What's Sure to Be One of the Year's Most Talked About Debuts". Variety.
64. Wiseman, Andreas. (February 6, 2025). "Daniel Radcliffe & Lucas Hedges Aboard For Vietnam War-Set Thriller 'Trust The Man'; Neon Launching For EFM". Deadline Hollywood.
65. (April 11, 2018). "Will Lucas Hedges Survive the Fall?". [[New York (magazine)#Digital.
66. (October 30, 2018). "How Boy Erased Helped Unerase Lucas Hedges's Attraction to Men". [[The Advocate (LGBT magazine).