Nat Wolff
Encyclopedia
Nathaniel Marvin "Nat" Wolff (born December 17, 1994) is an American child actor
, and singer-songwriter
, composer
, and keyboardist
. He is the frontman of Nat & Alex Wolff
. He is best known for his role as himself on the Nickelodeon series The Naked Brothers Band
.
to actress Polly Draper
(of TV's Thirtysomething) and jazz pianist Michael Wolff
. He is the older brother of actor/musician and composer Alex
. Wolff's father is Jewish
and his mother is a Quaker. He says that in his spare time he likes to play basketball
, write music
, and play with the family's dog
, E.T.
When Wolff was very young, he put signs on his bedroom door stating: "I want to be a child actor!" At first, his mother refused because she didn't want her children exposed to superstardom because they were very young. As a result, Draper decided to appease Nat by filming his own sitcom called, Don't Eat Off My Plate.
, which he created with his brother Alex
who is the drummer.
Nat gained notice in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks when he held his birthday party at his apartment; it was for the children of New York City Fire Department
's Squad 18, which is where he performed his own composition entitled "Firefighters". He has performed Off Broadway in Getting Into Heaven with Cooper Pillot
, which his mother wrote; he also starred in The Heart of Baghdad.
Wolff became best known for his starring role in the Nickelodeon
television series The Naked Brothers Band
, which was created by his mother. The series is a parody of him and his brothers lives. The show was adapted by The Naked Brothers Band: The Movie
, which was picked up as a pilot for the cable television channel. The film was in the style of a mock documentary
and was also written and directed by his mother. In a New York Times article, Nat explains why he enjoyed working on the television show: "I always loved it. I love the Beatles—I know every Beatles song—I wanted to be like them. It's all based on reality; it's not like work. It's things we might say or do or want to say or do. I like the feeling of creating something that wasn't there. If we have another season, I'm totally getting ideas."
Child actor
The term child actor or child actress is generally applied to a child acting in motion pictures or television, but also to an adult who began his or her acting career as a child; to avoid confusion, the latter is also called a former child actor...
, and singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, and keyboardist
Keyboardist
A keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...
. He is the frontman of Nat & Alex Wolff
Nat & Alex Wolff
Nat & Alex Wolff are an American rock-music duo from New York, New York, consisting of brothers Nat and Alex Wolff. The siblings are known for their work on the Nickelodeon television series The Naked Brothers Band, which was created and produced by their mother, actress Polly Draper...
. He is best known for his role as himself on the Nickelodeon series The Naked Brothers Band
The Naked Brothers Band (TV series)
The Naked Brothers Band is an American television musical comedy created by Polly Draper. The show depicts the daily lives of Draper's sons, who lead a faux rock band from New York City. As a mockumentary, the storyline is a hyperbole of their real lives, and the fictional presence of a camera is...
.
Early life
Wolff was born in Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
to actress Polly Draper
Polly Draper
Polly Carey Draper is an American actress, screenwriter, playwright, producer and director. She is renowned for her ensemble role in ABC's hit series Thirtysomething. In 1998, Draper starred in her screenwriting debut The Tic Code, featuring Gregory Hines which was inspired by her husband Michael...
(of TV's Thirtysomething) and jazz pianist Michael Wolff
Michael Wolff
Michael Blieden Wolff is an American jazz pianist, composer, producer, actor, and jazz educator. He was the bandleader and musical director of The Arsenio Hall Show...
. He is the older brother of actor/musician and composer Alex
Alex Wolff
Alexander Draper "Alex" Wolff is an American child actor and musician, currently playing in Nat and Alex Wolff. He is best known for his role as himself on the Nickelodeon series The Naked Brothers Band, also starring his older brother, Nat Wolff; the series was created by the boys' mother, Polly...
. Wolff's father is Jewish
Secular Jewish culture
Secular Jewish culture embraces several related phenomena; above all, it is the international culture of secular communities of Jewish people, but it can also include the cultural contributions of individuals who identify as secular Jews...
and his mother is a Quaker. He says that in his spare time he likes to play basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, write music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
, and play with the family's dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
, E.T.
When Wolff was very young, he put signs on his bedroom door stating: "I want to be a child actor!" At first, his mother refused because she didn't want her children exposed to superstardom because they were very young. As a result, Draper decided to appease Nat by filming his own sitcom called, Don't Eat Off My Plate.
The Naked Brothers Band
Wolff is the lead singer-songwriter and keyboardist for Nat & Alex WolffNat & Alex Wolff
Nat & Alex Wolff are an American rock-music duo from New York, New York, consisting of brothers Nat and Alex Wolff. The siblings are known for their work on the Nickelodeon television series The Naked Brothers Band, which was created and produced by their mother, actress Polly Draper...
, which he created with his brother Alex
Alex Wolff
Alexander Draper "Alex" Wolff is an American child actor and musician, currently playing in Nat and Alex Wolff. He is best known for his role as himself on the Nickelodeon series The Naked Brothers Band, also starring his older brother, Nat Wolff; the series was created by the boys' mother, Polly...
who is the drummer.
Nat gained notice in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks when he held his birthday party at his apartment; it was for the children of New York City Fire Department
New York City Fire Department
The New York City Fire Department or the Fire Department of the City of New York has the responsibility for protecting the citizens and property of New York City's five boroughs from fires and fire hazards, providing emergency medical services, technical rescue as well as providing first response...
's Squad 18, which is where he performed his own composition entitled "Firefighters". He has performed Off Broadway in Getting Into Heaven with Cooper Pillot
Cooper Pillot
Cooper Pillot is an American teen actor. He attends Friends Seminary.-Summary:Cooper was born in Manhattan, New York. He is best known for his starring role as himself, the band manager on The Naked Brothers Band...
, which his mother wrote; he also starred in The Heart of Baghdad.
Wolff became best known for his starring role in the Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (TV channel)
Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
television series The Naked Brothers Band
The Naked Brothers Band (TV series)
The Naked Brothers Band is an American television musical comedy created by Polly Draper. The show depicts the daily lives of Draper's sons, who lead a faux rock band from New York City. As a mockumentary, the storyline is a hyperbole of their real lives, and the fictional presence of a camera is...
, which was created by his mother. The series is a parody of him and his brothers lives. The show was adapted by The Naked Brothers Band: The Movie
The Naked Brothers Band: The Movie
The Naked Brothers Band is an American film written and directed by actress Polly Draper and stars her sons, Nat Wolff and Alex Wolff, who portray members of a fictional rock group. It tells of the boys' struggles with their fame and an internal dispute that causes the band to temporarily break up...
, which was picked up as a pilot for the cable television channel. The film was in the style of a mock documentary
Mockumentary
A mockumentary , is a type of film or television show in which fictitious events are presented in documentary format. These productions are often used to analyze or comment on current events and issues by using a fictitious setting, or to parody the documentary form itself...
and was also written and directed by his mother. In a New York Times article, Nat explains why he enjoyed working on the television show: "I always loved it. I love the Beatles—I know every Beatles song—I wanted to be like them. It's all based on reality; it's not like work. It's things we might say or do or want to say or do. I like the feeling of creating something that wasn't there. If we have another season, I'm totally getting ideas."
Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | The Naked Brothers Band: The Movie The Naked Brothers Band: The Movie The Naked Brothers Band is an American film written and directed by actress Polly Draper and stars her sons, Nat Wolff and Alex Wolff, who portray members of a fictional rock group. It tells of the boys' struggles with their fame and an internal dispute that causes the band to temporarily break up... |
Himself | A mock documentary Mockumentary A mockumentary , is a type of film or television show in which fictitious events are presented in documentary format. These productions are often used to analyze or comment on current events and issues by using a fictitious setting, or to parody the documentary form itself... , co-starring he and his brother Alex Wolff Alex Wolff Alexander Draper "Alex" Wolff is an American child actor and musician, currently playing in Nat and Alex Wolff. He is best known for his role as himself on the Nickelodeon series The Naked Brothers Band, also starring his older brother, Nat Wolff; the series was created by the boys' mother, Polly... , who both wrote and performed all the film's music. Written & directed by their mom, actress Polly Draper Polly Draper Polly Carey Draper is an American actress, screenwriter, playwright, producer and director. She is renowned for her ensemble role in ABC's hit series Thirtysomething. In 1998, Draper starred in her screenwriting debut The Tic Code, featuring Gregory Hines which was inspired by her husband Michael... . Music produced/arranged by Draper's husband, jazz pianist Michael Wolff Michael Wolff Michael Blieden Wolff is an American jazz pianist, composer, producer, actor, and jazz educator. He was the bandleader and musical director of The Arsenio Hall Show... . Indie film Independent film An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced... -turned TV movie pilot; Musical/family film. Award(s): 2005: Polly Draper, Michael Wolff, Nat Wolff, Alex Wolff, Joshua Kaye, David Levi, Thomas Batuello, Cooper Pillot; Audience Award for Family Feature Film, Hamptons International Film Festival Hamptons International Film Festival Hamptons International Film Festival was founded to provide a forum for independent filmmakers from around the world to express their vision. The Festival is traditionally held for five days in mid-October in theatre venues from Montauk to Southampton and attracts roughly 15,000 visitors annually... |
| 2007-2009 | The Naked Brothers Band The Naked Brothers Band (TV series) The Naked Brothers Band is an American television musical comedy created by Polly Draper. The show depicts the daily lives of Draper's sons, who lead a faux rock band from New York City. As a mockumentary, the storyline is a hyperbole of their real lives, and the fictional presence of a camera is... television show |
Himself | A mock documentary, co-starring he and his brother Alex Wolff, who both wrote and performed all the show's music. Created & produced by their mom actress Polly Draper. Music produced and supervised by their dad, jazz pianist Michael Wolff. 40 episodes, Family/musical, Teen/children. Award(s): 2009: Polly Draper; Polar Bears (TV movie), Children's Script — Long Form or Special, Writer's Guild of America |
| 2009 | Mr. Troop Mom Mr. Troop Mom Mr. Troop Mom is an American 2009 Comedy Family film directed by William Dear, written by Thomas Ian Griffith and starring George Lopez, Daniela Bobadilla, April Telek, Julia Anderson, Elizabeth Thai, Geoff Gustafson, and Jane Lynch. It tells of Eddie Serrano , a widower, and his teenage daughter... |
Himself | |
| BrainSurge BrainSurge BrainSurge is an American children's game show aired on Nickelodeon hosted by Jeff Sutphen. The show taped its first season in February 2009, and debuted on September 28, 2009... |
Episode, "Celebrity BrainSurge" | ||
| 2011 | Peace, Love, & Misunderstanding | Jake | Directed by Bruce Beresford Bruce Beresford Bruce Beresford is an Australian film director who has made more than 30 feature films over a 40-year career.-Early life:... |