Cory Michael Smith

Last updated

Cory Michael Smith
Cory Michael Smith in 2018.jpg
Smith in 2018
Born (1986-11-14) November 14, 1986 (age 38)
Education Otterbein University
OccupationActor
Years active2009–present
Parents
  • David R. Smith
  • Theresa Smith (Fagan)

Cory Michael Smith (born November 14, 1986) is an American actor. He appeared in 2013 in Breakfast at Tiffany's on Broadway, which starred Emilia Clarke. He has also appeared in several of Todd Haynes's films, including Carol (2015), Wonderstruck (2017), and May December (2023), as well as Jason Reitman's film Saturday Night (2024).

Contents

Early life

Smith grew up in Columbus, Ohio, and graduated from Hilliard Darby High School in 2005. [1] [2] He had aspirations ranging from becoming a concert pianist to a lawyer. [3] While at Otterbein University, he was cast in such plays as The Scene , The Caucasian Chalk Circle , Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? , and Tartuffe . [4] He majored in art musical theater and minored in jazz piano, although he considered dropping out of art musical theater for philosophy or pre-law.

Career

In 2011, Smith was seen in the New York City premiere of The Shaggs: Philosophy of the World at Playwrights Horizons and in 2009 to early 2012 could be seen in various regional theatre productions for the likes of New York Stage and Film. He starred in The Fantasticks at both Barrington Stage Company and The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. He was also seen in Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them. [5] [6]

Smith made his Broadway debut in Breakfast at Tiffany's in 2013. In the same theatre season, he also starred Off-Broadway in both the U.S. premiere of Cock a.k.a. The Cockfight Play by Mike Bartlett and The Whale by Samuel D. Hunter, which had its world premiere at Denver Center for the Performing Arts with the New York premiere at Playwrights Horizons. [7] His first feature film was Camp X-Ray , which premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival in January. He appeared in a short horror movie, Dog Food, co-starring Amanda Seyfried and premiered at the 2014 South by Southwest in March. Smith also appeared in the HBO mini-series Olive Kitteridge and the film Carol . [8] In 2018, he starred in his first leading role in the independent drama 1985 . Smith also appeared as Georgie in the 2023 drama May December .

Smith has also narrated an episode of The New York Times Modern Love Podcast, for which he read Kalle Oskari Mattila's essay about catfishing. [9]

Gotham

"What I love about [the character's history] is how diverse it is in terms of how the character is portrayed, in terms of his appearance, the different costumes and hair color," Smith says. "Sometimes it's incredibly ostentatious, other times it's almost professional, or regal. Sometimes, he's a showman, sometimes he's a nerd." [10]

—Smith, on playing Edward Nygma (2015)

He appears in Gotham as Edward Nygma. [11] Of playing the character, Smith said in an interview: "What I'm really excited about is the bottom of that curve. Going from this quite innocent, well-intentioned, joyful person to starting to find this other part of him that he didn't know he had [...] realizing that when you start taking control of situations like that, you can gain power that way." [10] [12] His journey, Smith says, will be to "claim his identity and claim his power and perhaps finally become someone that is a player in the field and not just this irritating, flimsy young lad." [13]

Personal life

In a March 2018 interview, Smith stated that he is queer. [14]

Acting credits

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2014 Camp X-Ray Pvt. Bergen
Dog FoodDeclan MooreShort film
2015 Carol Tommy Tucker
2017 Wonderstruck Walter
2018 1985 Adrian Lester
First Man Roger B. Chaffee
2021 The Same Storm Jeremy Salt
2022 Call Jane Dean
2023 May December Georgie Atherton
IncompleteNarratorShort film
2024 Saturday Night Chevy Chase
TBA Sentimental Value Post-production
Famous Filming

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2014 Olive Kitteridge Dr. Kevin CoulsonEpisode: "Incoming Tide"
Nominated — Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Movie/Miniseries
2014–2019 Gotham Edward Nygma / Riddler Main role; 100 episodes
Nominated — Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Villain
2020 Utopia Thomas ChristieMain role; 8 episodes
2023 Transatlantic Varian Fry Main role; Miniseries; 7 episodes
2024 Law & Order George ShaversEpisode: "Unintended Consequences"

Theater

YearTitleRoleVenue
2013 Bright Star Billy Cane Powerhouse Theater
2013 Cock JohnDuke
2013 The Whale Elder Thomas Playwrights Horizons
2013The Shaggs: Philosophy of the WorldKyle Playwrights Horizons
2013 Breakfast at Tiffany's Fred / Narrator Cort Theatre
2017 Assassins Lee Harvey Oswald New York City Center

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryWorkResultref
2015 Critics' Choice Television Awards Best Supporting Actor in a Movie/Miniseries Olive Kitteridge Nominated [15]
2017 Teen Choice Awards Choice TV: Villain Gotham Nominated [16]
2018 Queen Palm International Film Festival Best Actor in a Feature Film 1985 Won [17]

Related Research Articles

<i>Batman Forever</i> 1995 superhero film by Joel Schumacher

Batman Forever is a 1995 American superhero film based on the DC Comics character Batman by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. It is the third installment of Warner Bros.' initial Batman film series and a sequel to Batman Returns (1992). Directed by Joel Schumacher and produced by Tim Burton and Peter MacGregor-Scott, it stars Val Kilmer as Bruce Wayne / Batman, replacing Michael Keaton, alongside Tommy Lee Jones, Jim Carrey, Nicole Kidman, and Chris O'Donnell. The film follows Batman as he attempts to prevent Two-Face (Jones) and the Riddler (Carrey) from uncovering his secret identity and extracting information from the minds of Gotham City's residents, while at the same time navigating his feelings for psychologist Dr. Chase Meridian (Kidman) and adopting orphaned acrobat Dick Grayson (O'Donnell)—who becomes his partner, Robin.

<i>Gotham</i> (TV series) American superhero crime drama television series (2014–2019)

Gotham is an American television series developed by Bruno Heller, produced by Warner Bros. Television and based on characters from the Batman mythos in comic books published by DC Comics. The series premiered on Fox on September 22, 2014, and ended on April 25, 2019, after five seasons consisting of 100 episodes. It features an ensemble cast that includes Ben McKenzie as James "Jim" Gordon, Donal Logue as Harvey Bullock, and David Mazouz as Bruce Wayne. The show follows Gordon's early days at the Gotham City Police Department following the murder of Bruce's parents, as well as the origin stories of Batman's infamous rogues gallery.

"A Bitter Pill to Swallow" is the ninth episode of the second season and 31st episode overall from the FOX series Gotham. The episode was written by Megan Mostyn-Brown and directed by Louis Shaw-Milito. It was first broadcast in November 16, 2015 in FOX. In this episode, Tabitha sends a group of hitmen to kill Gordon after Galavan's arrest. Gordon and Barnes investigate Galavan's penthouse for clues until they're ambushed by Tabitha's hitmen.

"Under the Knife" is the twentieth episode of the television series Gotham. It premiered on FOX on April 20, 2015 and was written by John Stephens, and directed by TJ Scott. In this episode, Gordon and Bullock continue to track down The Ogre. Meanwhile, Bruce digs deeper into Wayne Enterprises' corrupt board and Nygma makes an unexpected move.

"Into the Woods" is the seventeenth episode of the second season, and 39th episode overall from the Fox series Gotham. The episode was written by producer Rebecca Perry Cutter and directed by Oz Scott. It was first broadcast on April 11, 2016. In the episode, Gordon tries to clear his name after having escaping from Blackgate Penitentiary with help from Nygma, not knowing Nygma is the one who set him up.

"Anything for You" is the fifth episode of the third season, and 49th episode overall from the Fox series Gotham. The episode was written by consulting producer Denise Thé and directed by TJ Scott. It was first broadcast on October 17, 2016. In the episode, Oswald Cobblepot's first days as mayor are threatened when the newly emerged Red Hood comes back to spread chaos and challenge his authority. Edward Nygma makes a new discovery while being reinstated at the GCPD as a liaison in the case while Bruce Wayne and Jim Gordon set off to find Ivy Pepper, still not aware that she has grown up physically.

"Blood Rush" is the eighth episode of the third season, and 52nd episode overall from the Fox series Gotham. The episode was written by Tze Chun and directed by Rob Bailey. It was first broadcast on November 7, 2016. In the episode, Barnes loses control of the effects of Alice Tetch's blood and begins to use his powers to target a killer, no matter the cost of those who stand in his way. Gordon is reinstated as detective and investigates along with Bullock the killer, who uses plastic surgery to fake identities. Meanwhile, Cobblepot tries to stop Isabella from continuing to see Nygma.

"Ghosts" is the twelfth episode and mid-season premiere of the third season, and 56th episode overall from the Fox series Gotham. The episode was written by executive producer Danny Cannon and directed by Eagle Egilsson. It was first broadcast on January 16, 2017. In the episode, after Mario's funeral, Falcone places a hit on Gordon for his murder while also complicating Gordon's relationship with Lee, who continues seeing him as a murderer. Meanwhile, a morgue employee is revealed to be conspiring to bring Jerome Valeska back to life as part of his cult. Also, Selina's mom's arrival could shake things up between Bruce and Selina while Cobblepot begins to have strange events occurring to him while on his way to the most important interview he may have.

"The Gentle Art of Making Enemies" is the fourteenth episode and winter finale of the third season, and 58th episode overall from the Fox series Gotham. It is also the last episode to have the subtitle "Mad City". The episode was written by Seth Boston and directed by Louis Shaw Milito. It was first broadcast on January 30, 2017.

"How the Riddler Got His Name" is the fifteenth episode and spring premiere of the third season, and 59th episode overall from the Fox series Gotham. The show is itself based on the characters created by DC Comics set in the Batman mythology. It's also the first episode with the subtitle "Heroes Rise". The episode was written by Megan Mostyn-Brown and directed by TJ Scott. It was first broadcast on April 24, 2017.

"The Primal Riddle" is the seventeenth episode of the third season, and 61st episode overall from the Fox series Gotham. The show is itself based on the characters created by DC Comics set in the Batman mythology. The episode was written by co-executive producers Steven Lilien and Bryan Wynbrandt and directed by Maja Vrvilo. It was first broadcast on May 8, 2017.

"Pretty Hate Machine" is the twentieth episode of the third season, and 64th episode overall from the Fox series Gotham. The show is itself based on the characters created by DC Comics set in the Batman mythology. The episode was written by co-executive producers Steven Lilien and Bryan Wynbrandt and directed by Danny Cannon. It was first broadcast on May 29, 2017. The episode is named after the 1989 studio album by American industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails of the same name.

Oswald Cobblepot (<i>Gotham</i>) Fictional character on Gotham

Oswald Cobblepot is a character and one of the main antagonists of the FOX television series Gotham, portrayed by Robin Lord Taylor. Based on the DC Comics supervillain of the same name, he was adapted by showrunner Bruno Heller for the series, which is intended to explore the origin stories of characters from the Batman mythos. Introduced in the first season, Cobblepot is depicted as an intelligent low-level criminal who aspires to rule Gotham City's criminal underworld. His character arc in the series explores his rise to power.

<i>Gotham</i> season 3 Season of television series

The third season of the American television series Gotham, based on characters from DC Comics related to the Batman franchise, revolves around the characters of James "Jim" Gordon and Bruce Wayne. The season is produced by Primrose Hill Productions, DC Entertainment, and Warner Bros. Television, with Bruno Heller, Danny Cannon, John Stephens, and Ken Woodruff serving as executive producers. The season included inspirations from The Dark Knight Returns, Batman: The Killing Joke, and Batman: Death of the Family.

"The Demon's Head" is the fourth episode of the fourth season and 70th episode overall from the Fox series Gotham. The show is itself based on the characters created by DC Comics set in the Batman mythology. The episode was written by main cast member Ben McKenzie on his writing debut and directed by Kenneth Fink. It was first broadcast on October 12, 2017.

"Pieces of a Broken Mirror" is the twelfth episode and midseason premiere of the fourth season and 78th episode overall from the Fox series Gotham. The show is itself based on the characters created by DC Comics set in the Batman mythology. The episode was written by executive producer Danny Cannon and directed by Hanelle M. Culpepper. It was first broadcast on March 1, 2018.

<i>Gotham</i> season 5 Fifth season of the TV series Gotham

The fifth and final season of the American television series Gotham, based on characters from DC Comics related to the Batman franchise, revolves around the characters of James "Jim" Gordon and Bruce Wayne. The season is produced by Primrose Hill Productions, DC Entertainment, and Warner Bros. Television, with John Stephens serving as the showrunner. The season was inspired and adapted elements from the comic book storylines of Batman: No Man's Land and Batman: Zero Year. The subtitle for the season is Legend of the Dark Knight.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Riddler in other media</span> DC Comics villain

The Riddler, a supervillain in DC Comics and an adversary of the superhero Batman, has been adapted into numerous forms of media, including feature films, television series, and video games. The character has been portrayed in live-action by Frank Gorshin and John Astin in the 1960s television series Batman, Jim Carrey in the 1995 film Batman Forever, Cory Michael Smith in the 2014 Fox series Gotham, and Paul Dano in the 2022 film The Batman. Actors who have voiced the Riddler include John Glover in the DC Animated Universe, Robert Englund in The Batman, and Wally Wingert in the Batman: Arkham video games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Beginning...</span> 12th episode of the 5th season of Gotham

"The Beginning..." is the series finale of the American television series Gotham, based on the DC Comics characters Jim Gordon and Bruce Wayne. It is the twelfth episode of the fifth season and the 100th overall episode of the series. The episode was written by showrunner John Stephens and directed by Rob Bailey.

References

  1. Grossberg, Michael (March 26, 2013). "Actor a gem in "'Tiffany's"". The Columbus Dispatch. Archived from the original on February 23, 2018. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
  2. Corvo, Kevin (August 27, 2013). "Convocation celebrates legacy of educators". Hilliard Northwest News. Archived from the original on January 17, 2016. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
  3. Ferri, Josh (August 2, 2012). "Otterbein Alum Hits Broadway in Breakfast at Tiffany's". Broadway.com. Retrieved January 9, 2015.
  4. Ulmer, Meredith (February 6, 2014). "Alum Hits Broadway in Breakfast at Tiffany's". Otterbein University. Archived from the original on February 15, 2014. Retrieved January 9, 2015.
  5. "Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them". actorstheatre.org. Archived from the original on June 26, 2015. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
  6. "CORY MICHAEL SMITH". playwrightshorizons.org. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
  7. "Cory Michael Smith". Broadway.com. Retrieved January 9, 2015.
  8. "Cory Michael Smith". IMDb . Retrieved January 9, 2015.
  9. "Listen: Cory Michael Smith Reads 'Catfishing Strangers to Find Myself'". The New York Times . July 11, 2018. Retrieved April 28, 2019.
  10. 1 2 McMillan, Graeme (January 26, 2015). "'Gotham's' Cory Michael Smith Unlocks the Mystery of the Riddler". The Hollywood Reporter . Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved February 5, 2015.
  11. Yamato, Jen (April 1, 2014). "Cory Michael Smith joins Fox's Batman series Gotham as The Riddler". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved January 9, 2015.
  12. Barr, Merrill (January 26, 2015). "'Gotham' Casts Dollmaker; Cory Michael Smith Talks Riddler Transformation". screenrant.com. Retrieved February 5, 2015.
  13. Chan, Robert (January 18, 2015). "'Gotham' Star Cory Michael Smith Explains How the Riddler Will Find His 'Evil Nature'". Yahoo . Retrieved February 5, 2015.
  14. "The Stirring AIDS Drama Being Told in Black and White". The Daily Beast. March 13, 2018.
  15. "Justified, Broad City, Empire, Mom, 24, Jane The Virgin, Transparent Lead the 2015 Critics Choice Nominations". tvline.com. May 6, 2015. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
  16. "2017 Teen Choice Nominees". teenchoice.com. Archived from the original on July 17, 2017. Retrieved April 28, 2019.
  17. "August's gold awards winners". Queen Palm International Film Festival. Retrieved April 28, 2019.