Aidan Quinn The brother of successful cinematographer Declan Quinn, and brother-in-law of Academy Award nominated actress Lorraine Bracco, Aidan Quinn began his stage career at the age of nineteen. Over the last two decades, he has appeared on television and film, and has received an Emmy nomination for his impressive talents. Aidan Quinn was born on March 8, 1959, in Rockford, Illinois. During his childhood, the Irish-American called many places home, including Chicago, Dublin, Offaly, and other locales within Ireland. After graduating from the acting program at DePaul University, Quinn began to appear on stage in the Chicago area at the age of nineteen. A member of both the Goodman Theatre Acting Company and the Steppenwolf Theatre Company, he acted in well-known plays such as One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Like so many actors, Quinn made the transition from stage to screen, appearing first in the 1984 film Reckless, followed by a successful co-starring role in Desperately Seeking Susan, which counted among its cast, pop queen Madonna.
In 1985 Quinn was a part of history, as well as controversy, when he appeared in the television movie An Early Frost, the first major film to focus on the then emerging topic of HIV and AIDS. This movie earned Quinn an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor, but he ended up losing the award to Dustin Hoffman. During the late 1980s, he was chosen for the lead role in the Scorsese directed The Last Temptation of Christ. Although the controversial film was later released, Paramount Pictures had originally dropped it, and the role went to another actor. Quinn has never reached super-star status through his appearances, but he has taken on a significant number of supporting roles in successful major films, as well as some independent productions. Notable film appearances throughout his career include The Handmaid’s Tale (a film adaptation of the Margaret Atwood novel), Benny and Joon (also starring Johnny Depp), and Practical Magic (featuring actresses Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman). In recent years, Quinn has acted in the television film Empire Falls and starred in Mayday, a 2003 made for television movie. He also had a lead role in the 2006 television series The Book of Daniel. The show was cancelled after only three weeks, but Aidan will have more opportunity to show off his acting skills with lead roles in the upcoming films Dark Matter and 32A.
Quinn found long lasting love (a rarity in Hollywood) with Elizabeth Bracco, a modestly successful actress whose film credits include Closer to Home and 13 Moons. Since their marriage in September of 1987, the couple has had two daughters. The first, Ava, was born in 1989, and the second, Mia, was born in 1998. YUDDY |
