Biography of actor Billy Crudup

Ruggedly handsome actor Billy Crudup was born on July 8, 1968, on Long Island, New York. Crudup grew up in Florida and Texas, and earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill before going on to earn his master's degree from New York University.

Crudup initially garnered praise for his acting abilities in the theater, earning both an Outer Critics Circle Outstanding Newcomer Award as well as a Theater World Award New York for his work in a production of Arcadia. More stage roles followed until 1996, when Crudup made his film debut in Woody Allen's Everyone Says I Love You, with Julia Roberts, Edward Norton, Drew Barrymore, Gaby Hoffmann, Goldie Hawn, and Natalie Portman. Also in 1996, Crudup joined a star-studded cast for Sleepers, starring Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman, Brad Pitt, and Minnie Driver. With his star on the rise, Crudup continued to work with the best in the business the following year, starring alongside Joaquin Phoenix, Liv Tyler, and Jennifer Connelly in Inventing the Abbotts; as well as Penélope Cruz, Woody Harrelson, and Patricia Arquette in The Hi-Lo Country.

In 2000, Crudup kicked off the new millennium by starring in Cameron Crowe’s Almost Famous with Kate Hudson, earning a reported $1,000,000 salary for the film. In order to avoid overexposure from the hit movie, the actor then purposely followed-up with Indie films, such as World Traveler in 2001, Charlotte Grey in 2001, and Jesus' Son in 2000, in which he played a character named F**khead. Crudup was also reported to have turned down the lead in Titanic in 1997, which later went to Leonardo DiCaprio, as well as the lead in Fight Club, which went to Brad Pitt. However, it isn’t just artistic integrity that keeps Crudup from snatching up every script that comes his way – he reportedly earns millions each year doing commercial voice-overs for such companies as Mastercard.

Despite his aversion to mainstream success, Crudup just can’t seem to avoid big box-office hits. In 2003, he starred in Tim Burton’s Big Fish with Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, Jessica Lange, Helena Bonham Carter, and Danny DeVito. In 2006, Crudup starred in two highly-anticipated films, Mission: Impossible III with Tom Cruise, as well as The Good Shepherd with Angelina Jolie.

In late 2006, Crudup’s love life was the focus of much media attention following his split from girlfriend of two years, fellow actor, Claire Danes. Crudup was previously involved in a long-term relationship with actress, Mary-Louise Parker from 1996 to November 2003, and the couple had a son, William Atticus, on January 7, 2004.

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