Tommy Wiseau
Encyclopedia
Tommy Wiseau is a screenwriter
, director
, producer
, executive producer
, and actor
. He is the founder of the film production company Wiseau Films. Wiseau is best known for his film The Room
which has been described as "one of the worst movies ever made" and has gained cult film
status. Wiseau also made the documentary
Homeless in America and filmed the pilot episode of the sitcom, The Neighbors.
has called him "famously mysterious".
Despite his vaguely eastern European accent, Wiseau claims to have grown up in New Orleans, and lived in France
"a long time ago." He says to have moved back and forth between the United States
and Europe
throughout his life, and at some point moved to San Francisco, where he was employed at a hospital. He also states that he prefers to be referred to as an American, and that he studies psychology
as a "hobby."
, Marlon Brando
, Elizabeth Taylor
, Tennessee Williams
, The Guns of Navarone
, and Citizen Kane
.
In 2004 Wiseau produced and appeared in a short documentary, Homeless in America. In 2010, Wiseau acted in a short film entitled The House That Drips Blood on Alex
, a parody horror film written and produced by sketch comedy
group Studio8. The film had a preview showing at Comic-Con
on July 24, 2010. It premiered on Comedy Central and appeared online on October 14, 2010.
In 2009 Wiseau guest-starred in a Season 4 episode of Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!
entitled "Tommy", wherein Wiseau guest-directed a segment; he later told an interviewer he was merely an actor on the episode, and would work with the duo again "any time." An interview with Tim
and Eric
in Wired
reveals they are working with Wiseau on two series.
web series called "Tommy Explains It All." The episodes feature Wiseau explaining his views on various topics ranging from Citizen Kane
to the art of kissing.
Wiseau has also starred in segments on Machinima.com
called "The Tommy Wi-show". The segments show Wiseau playing various video games, such as Mortal Kombat 9
and offering commentary.
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
, director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
, executive producer
Executive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
, and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. He is the founder of the film production company Wiseau Films. Wiseau is best known for his film The Room
The Room (film)
The Room is a 2003 independent drama film starring Tommy Wiseau, who also wrote, directed, and produced the feature. In addition to Wiseau, the principal cast includes Juliette Danielle, Greg Sestero, Philip Haldiman, Kyle Vogt, Carolyn Minnott, and Robyn Paris...
which has been described as "one of the worst movies ever made" and has gained cult film
Cult film
A cult film, also commonly referred to as a cult classic, is a film that has acquired a highly devoted but specific group of fans. Often, cult movies have failed to achieve fame outside the small fanbases; however, there have been exceptions that have managed to gain fame among mainstream audiences...
status. Wiseau also made the documentary
Documentary
A documentary is a creative work of non-fiction, including:* Documentary film, including television* Radio documentary* Documentary photographyRelated terms include:...
Homeless in America and filmed the pilot episode of the sitcom, The Neighbors.
Personal life
Little has been confirmed about Wiseau's early life, and most of what is known has been learned through interviews with the director. Entertainment WeeklyEntertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
has called him "famously mysterious".
Despite his vaguely eastern European accent, Wiseau claims to have grown up in New Orleans, and lived in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
"a long time ago." He says to have moved back and forth between the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
throughout his life, and at some point moved to San Francisco, where he was employed at a hospital. He also states that he prefers to be referred to as an American, and that he studies psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
as a "hobby."
Career
Wiseau was interested in becoming a rock star before turning to a career in acting. He has said that he has been influenced by James DeanJames Dean
James Byron Dean was an American film actor. He is a cultural icon, best embodied in the title of his most celebrated film, Rebel Without a Cause , in which he starred as troubled Los Angeles teenager Jim Stark...
, Marlon Brando
Marlon Brando
Marlon Brando, Jr. was an American movie star and political activist. "Unchallenged as the most important actor in modern American Cinema" according to the St...
, Elizabeth Taylor
Elizabeth Taylor
Dame Elizabeth Rosemond "Liz" Taylor, DBE was a British-American actress. From her early years as a child star with MGM, she became one of the great screen actresses of Hollywood's Golden Age...
, Tennessee Williams
Tennessee Williams
Thomas Lanier "Tennessee" Williams III was an American writer who worked principally as a playwright in the American theater. He also wrote short stories, novels, poetry, essays, screenplays and a volume of memoirs...
, The Guns of Navarone
The Guns of Navarone (film)
The Guns of Navarone is a 1961 British-American Action/Adventure war film based on the 1957 novel of the same name about the Dodecanese Campaign of World War II by Scottish thriller writer Alistair MacLean. It stars Gregory Peck, David Niven and Anthony Quinn, along with Anthony Quayle and Stanley...
, and Citizen Kane
Citizen Kane
Citizen Kane is a 1941 American drama film, directed by and starring Orson Welles. Many critics consider it the greatest American film of all time, especially for its innovative cinematography, music and narrative structure. Citizen Kane was Welles' first feature film...
.
Film
Wiseau's best known production is the cult film The Room, released in 2003. The movie was immediately lambasted by critics. However, The Room soon became a "cult classic" with late-night showings at theaters around the country. Audience members typically arrive wearing wigs resembling their favorite characters, interact with the dialogue on screen, and throw plastic cutlery and footballs around the theater. This attention grew into what was dubbed The Rooms 2010-2011 "Love is Blind" International Tour, with the movie being screened in the U.K, Germany, Denmark, Australia and India, among other locations. Wiseau appears at many of these events, posing for photographs with fans and often addressing them before the screenings as well.In 2004 Wiseau produced and appeared in a short documentary, Homeless in America. In 2010, Wiseau acted in a short film entitled The House That Drips Blood on Alex
The House That Drips Blood on Alex
The House That Drips Blood on Alex is a 2010 comedy horror short starring Tommy Wiseau, Justine Ezarik and Joey Greco. The film was written by sketch comedy group Studio8. It first aired October 14, 2010 on Comedy Central and was released online at atom.com...
, a parody horror film written and produced by sketch comedy
Sketch comedy
A sketch comedy consists of a series of short comedy scenes or vignettes, called "sketches," commonly between one and ten minutes long. Such sketches are performed by a group of comic actors or comedians, either on stage or through an audio and/or visual medium such as broadcasting...
group Studio8. The film had a preview showing at Comic-Con
Comic-Con
Comic-Con, Comic Con or ComiCon may refer to any of the following Comic book conventions, none of them affiliated to any other:*San Diego Comic-Con International, annual fan convention in San Diego held since 1970, also known as Comic-Con or San Diego Comic-Con*Dallas Comic Con, annual fan...
on July 24, 2010. It premiered on Comedy Central and appeared online on October 14, 2010.
Television
In 2008 Wiseau produced and appeared in the pilot episode of a television series titled The Neighbors, which he intended to become a regular sitcom. As of October 2011, the pilot has not been picked up by any network for broadcast.In 2009 Wiseau guest-starred in a Season 4 episode of Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!
Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!
Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! is an American sketch comedy television series, created by and starring Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim, which premiered February 11, 2007 on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim comedy block and ran until May 2010...
entitled "Tommy", wherein Wiseau guest-directed a segment; he later told an interviewer he was merely an actor on the episode, and would work with the duo again "any time." An interview with Tim
Tim Heidecker
Tim Heidecker is an American actor, comedian, musician, writer and director. He is one half of the comedy team of Tim and Eric...
and Eric
Eric Wareheim
Eric Wareheim is an American actor, comedian, writer and director. He is one half of the comedy team of Tim and Eric. Wareheim, along with Tim Heidecker, created the television shows Tom Goes to the Mayor, Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! and Check It Out! with Dr...
in Wired
Wired (magazine)
Wired is a full-color monthly American magazine and on-line periodical, published since January 1993, that reports on how new and developing technology affects culture, the economy, and politics...
reveals they are working with Wiseau on two series.
Internet
In 2011, Wiseau starred in a YoutubeYouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
web series called "Tommy Explains It All." The episodes feature Wiseau explaining his views on various topics ranging from Citizen Kane
Citizen Kane
Citizen Kane is a 1941 American drama film, directed by and starring Orson Welles. Many critics consider it the greatest American film of all time, especially for its innovative cinematography, music and narrative structure. Citizen Kane was Welles' first feature film...
to the art of kissing.
Wiseau has also starred in segments on Machinima.com
Machinima.com
Machinima.com is a gaming and media streaming website, that aims to be a hub for machinima, the art of creating animated videos in real-time virtual 3-D environments. The site features machinima-related articles, and news. Machinima productions can be submitted for possible redistribution after...
called "The Tommy Wi-show". The segments show Wiseau playing various video games, such as Mortal Kombat 9
Mortal Kombat 9
Mortal Kombat, also known as Mortal Kombat , is a 2D fighting game with 3D graphics and the ninth installment in the Mortal Kombat series. It was developed by NetherRealm Studios and published exclusively under the Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment label...
and offering commentary.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | The Room The Room (film) The Room is a 2003 independent drama film starring Tommy Wiseau, who also wrote, directed, and produced the feature. In addition to Wiseau, the principal cast includes Juliette Danielle, Greg Sestero, Philip Haldiman, Kyle Vogt, Carolyn Minnott, and Robyn Paris... |
Johnny | Director, producer, executive producer, writer, lead actor |
| 2004 | Homeless in America | Interviewer | Director, producer, writer |
| 2009 | Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! is an American sketch comedy television series, created by and starring Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim, which premiered February 11, 2007 on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim comedy block and ran until May 2010... |
Himself | 1 episode |
| 2010 | The House That Drips Blood on Alex The House That Drips Blood on Alex The House That Drips Blood on Alex is a 2010 comedy horror short starring Tommy Wiseau, Justine Ezarik and Joey Greco. The film was written by sketch comedy group Studio8. It first aired October 14, 2010 on Comedy Central and was released online at atom.com... |
Alex | |
Awards
| Year | Award | Category | Film |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | New York International Independent Film & Video Festival | Best Social Documentary (L.A. Festival) | Homeless in America (Shared with Kaya Redford) |
| Audience Award – Feature (Miami Festival) | The Room | ||
| 2010 | Harvard's Ivory Tower (Harvard Undergraduate Television) Filmmaker of the Year | Filmmaker of the Year | The Room and other projects |