John Malkovich

He married actress Glenne Headly in 1982. He was reported to have a fling with Michelle Pfeiffer which ended his marriage in 1988.

He is in a long term relationship with Nicoletta Peyran with whom he has two children.

He was one of the five children of Daniel Malkovich and Joe Anne. His father was the conservation director for the State of Illinois and the publisher of ‘Outdoor Illinois’, while his mother owned the ‘Benton Evening News’.

He was overweight as a child and was often made fun of by his elder brother. Resolving to lose weight, he ate nothing but Jell-O for two months and shed several pounds.

He attended Benton Consolidated High School and appeared in a number of plays during high school and also played with a folk rock music band.

He enrolled at Eastern Illinois University and later went to Illinois State University where he majored in theatre.

He joined the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in 1976 along with his friends Joan Allen, Gary Sinise and Glenne Headly. He got noticed for his performance in Sam Shepard's family tragedy, ‘Curse of the Starving Class’ at the Goodman Theatre in 1978.

In 1980 he appeared in Sam Shepard’s play ‘True West’ for which he won an Obie Award. This was followed by a role in ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ in Chicago’s Wisdom Bridge Theatre in 1982.

After gaining prominence as a stage actor, he made his foray into films. Initially he could get only small roles, but as the decade of the 1980s progressed he found himself bagging more substantial roles.

He played a blind boarder in the 1984 Depression Era film ‘Places in the Heart’. He was much appreciated for this portrayal which is often considered as his breakthrough role. He was nominated for an Academy Award for this role.

In 1985 he acted along with Dustin Hoffman, Kate Reid and Stephen Lang in the CBS made for television film, ‘Death of a Salesman’. The film was based on the 1949 play of the same name by Arthur Miller. It was a big hit.

His best known role is of Mr. Will, the blind boarder in the Depression Era film, ‘Places in the Heart’ which revolves around the story of a widow who tries to manage her farm with the help of two men, one white and the other black.