Kurt Vogel Russell is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his anti-hero roles in various films, such as Jack Burton in the 1986 martial arts comedy film Big Trouble in Little China, R.J. MacReady in the 1982 sci-fi horror film The Thing, and Snake Plissken in the 1981 sci-fi action film Escape from New York and its 1996 sequel Escape from L.A.. More recently, he played Santa Claus in the 2018 Netflix family comedy film The Christmas Chronicles and its 2020 sequel.
Russell had multiple Disney roles. As a child, he portrayed Dexter Rilley in The Strongest Man in the World, Now You See Him, Now You Don't, and The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, and Edward "Whitey" White, Jr. in Follow Me, Boys!, which was Walt Disney's final production released before he passed away. As a teenager, he played Sidney Bower in The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band. As an adult, he voiced Adult Copper in the 1981 Disney animated feature film The Fox and the Hound and also portrayed the titular character in Captain Ron, Steven Post in The Barefoot Executive, Ray Ferris in Charley and the Angel, Ronnie Gardner in The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit, Bart in Superdad, Coach Herb Brooks in the 2004 biographical sports film Miracle, The Commander in the 2005 superhero film Sky High, and Ego the Living Planet in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and What If...?.
Roles[]
(Follow Me, Boys!)
(The Barefoot Executive)
(Captain Ron)
(Miracle)
(Charley and the Angel)
(The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit)
(Superdad)
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Russell originally auditioned for the role of Han Solo in Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope. However, Harrison Ford was cast at the end.[1] Years later, he was originally considered for the role of Qui-Gon Jinn in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, along with several other actors, before Liam Neeson was ultimately selected.[2]
- Russell was also considered along with Jack Davenport and Tommy Lee Jones to voice Commander Lyle Tiberius Rourke in Atlantis: The Lost Empire, but James Garner was cast at the end.
- Russell was close to Walt Disney himself, and he credits him for making his career. Disney's last words he wrote were in fact "Kurt Russell", which, to this day, has not been verified as to why. Russell himself does not know the significance of it either, stating, "I don't know what it's connected to."[3]
- Russell's first big film as an adult was when he played the late Elvis Presley in the 1979 film of the same name, and Russell had previously met the King of Rock n' Roll when he was 10 years old.[4]
References[]
- ↑ "Kurt Russell Star Wars Audition". YouTube (Jan 9, 2008).
- ↑ "17 Things To Know About Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace". Phactual.
- ↑ "Walt Disney’s Last Words Were ‘Kurt Russell,’ According To Kurt Russel". Huff Post (Apr 27, 2017).
- ↑ "Kurt Russell Kicked Elvis Presley in the Shin!". YouTube (Oct 31, 2018).
