Brad Dourif (born Bradford Claude Dourif) is an American actor of French origin who played the role of Gríma Wormtongue in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy.
Biography[]
Brad Dourif was born on March 18, 1950.
Dourif is especially known for his villainous roles such as Charles Lee Ray/Chucky the killer doll in the Child's Play horror series, Mentat Piter DeVries in the 1984 David Lynch film Dune (based on Frank Herbert's novel), the Gemini Killer in The Exorcist III (1990) and his BAFTA and Golden Globe winning portrayal of Billy Bibbit in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest in 1975.
He also played Lon Suder in the show Star Trek: Voyager and Saavedro in the videogame Myst III: Exile.
Dourif had to shave off his eyebrows for the part of Wormtongue. Many of his Lord of the Rings co-stars thought him to be English due to the British accent he used (even off camera), and were surprised to hear him speak with an American accent when filming was complete.
Personal life[]
Brad's father, Jean Dourif, an art collector, died when Brad was three years old. His mother, Joan, remarried champion golfer William C. Campbell, who helped raise Brad and his five siblings. Brad considered being an artist, but followed in his mother's footsteps instead, becoming an actor.
He was previously married to a woman named Joni. He had two daughters by her, Kristina and Fiona. Fiona (b. 1981) has been an actress since 2005. Brad is also a grandfather.
Brad plays the didgeridoo, an Australian Aboriginal musical instrument.
He is said to currently reside in New York City.
Trivia[]
- He appeared in the 1980 film Heaven's Gate, which also featured John Hurt.
- He had a voice role in the 2004 film Seed of Chucky, which also featured the voice of Billy Boyd.
- He appeared in the 2011 film Priest, which also featured Karl Urban and Lily Collins.
- He appeared in one episode of the first season of the 2013-2020 TV series Marvel's Agents of Shield.
- Marvel's Agents of Shield is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which has also featured Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, Liv Tyler, Karl Urban, Andy Serkis, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Lee Pace, Evangeline Lilly, Benedict Cumberbatch, David Wenham, Craig Parker and Nazanin Boniadi.
- He appeared in the 2018 film Wildling, which also featured Liv Tyler.
- He is the only American actor in Peter Jackson's trilogy, out of both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, to play a villain. Aragorn, Frodo, Sam, Arwen and Thranduil are played by Americans, but are not villains.
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