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Marty Kaan
Don Cheadle
Biography
MARTY KAAN
Played by Don Cheadle
An extraordinary but unscrupulous management consultant, Marty is gifted at identifying, and exploiting, the weaknesses of clients to get them to sign on the dotted line. From textbook psychology mind-tricks to the fine art of bullshitting, Marty is a master at shilling undecipherable biz-school jargon and flattering corporate honchos. He is offensive, egotistical, narcissistic, womanizing, crafty, ruthless and very "un-PC," all of which make him very good at his job. But despite his brash and ruthless demeanor, he's a (reasonably) dedicated family man, and deep down inside you may suspect he actually has a heart.
DON CHEADLE
With a resume that's as varied and expansive as it is rich in depth of the characters he brings to life, Academy Award nominee Don Cheadle is, without question, one of the most highly sought after and premier actors of his generation.
Turning in consistently powerful performances, Don has not only taken on challenging roles, but put his talents into producing projects he believes in as well.
Don currently stars as Marty Kaan on the critically acclaimed Showtime series HOUSE OF LIES, which has earned multiple nominations for the series and Don himself, including two Emmy Nominations for Season 1 and 2, a Golden Globe® Award for Season 1, and a Golden Globe® nomination and SAG Award nomination for Season 2. Don also is Executive Producer of the series, and has even stepped behind the camera as director.
2014 is shaping up to be another busy year as Don prepares to direct his first feature, RUN THE VODOO DOWN, which he co-wrote and will produce. Don will be pulling double duty, starring in the film as well, based on the life of legendary jazz artist, Miles Davis, along with Ewan McGregor and Zoe Saldana. Cheadle is also producing the feature ST. VINCENT OF VAN NUYS in 2014 which stars Bill Murray and Naomi Watts, and he will soon begin filming the sequel to the mega-box-office-hit AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON, reprising his role of Colonel James Rhodes from the 2010 and 2013 Marvel films IRON MAN 2 and 3.
Don is well known for his passionate performances on stage and screen, stemming from his breakout performance opposite Denzel Washington in DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS, where he was named Best Supporting Actor by the Los Angeles Film Critics.
In 2012 Cheadle garnered critical acclaim for his role in Robert Zemeckis' FLIGHT, which premiered at the New York Film Festival and was released by Paramount Pictures. In 2011, Cheadle produced and starred in THE GAURD, which premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival and was released by Sony Pictures Classics, and in 2008, he starred opposite Guy Pearce in Overture Films' TRAITOR, an international thriller which he also produced. Cheadle was honored by both the CineVegas Film Festival and the Los Angeles Film Festival and in 2007, receiving ShoWest's Male Star of the Year Award.
Additional film credits include TALK TO ME; the 2006 Oscar® winning Best Picture, CRASH, which Cheadle also produced; HOTEL RWANDA, for which his performance garnered Academy Award®, Golden Globe®, Broadcast Film Critics Award and Screen Actors Guild® Award nominations for Best Actor; OCEAN'S ELEVEN, OCEAN'S TWELVE, and OCEAN'S THIRTEEN, directed by Steven Soderbergh; Mike Binder's REIGN OVER ME with Adam Sandler; the Academy Award® winning film TRAFFIC and OUT OF SIGHT, both also directed by Soderbergh; Paul Thomas Anderson's critically acclaimed BOOGIE NIGHTS; BULWORTH, SWORDFISH, MISSION TO MARS, John Singleton's ROSEWOOD, for which Cheadle earned an NAACP Image Award nomination; FAMILY MAN, directed by Brett Ratner and starring Nicolas Cage; COLORS, HAMBURGER HILL, and the independent features MANIC and THINGS BEHIND THE SUN.
For his work on television, Cheadle received a Golden Globe® Award and an Emmy® nomination for his remarkable portrayal of Sammy Davis Jr. in HBO's THE RAT PACK in 1999. That same year, he received an Emmy® nomination for his starring role in HBO's adaptation of the critically-acclaimed, best-selling novel A LESSON BEFORE DYING by Ernest J. Gaines. He also starred for HBO in REBOUND: THE LEGEND OF EARL 'THE GOAT' MAMOGAULT, directed by Eriq La Salle. Cheadle is also well-known for his two-year stint in the role of District Attorney John Littleton on David E. Kelley's critically-acclaimed series PICKET FENCES, and an Emmy® nominated guest-starring role on ER and a series regular role on THE GOLDEN PALACE.
An accomplished stage actor, Cheadle originated the role of Booth in Suzan-Lori Parks' Pulitzer Prize winning play TOP DOG UNDERDOG at New York's Public Theatre under the direction of George C. Wolfe. His other stage credits include LEON, LENA and LENZ at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis; THE GRAPES OF WRATH and LIQUID SKIN at the Mixed Blood Theater in Minneapolis; CYMBELINE at The New York Shakespeare Festival; 'TIS A PITY SHE'S A WHORE at Chicago's Goodman Theater; and Athol Fugard's BLOOD KNOT at The Complex Theater in Hollywood. He also directed CINCINNATI MAN at the Attic Theatre and THE TRIP at Friends and Artists Theater in Hollywood.
In addition to his many acting honors, Cheadle was nominated for a Grammy® Award in 2004 for Best Spoken Word Album for his narration/dramatization of the Walter Mosley novel "Fear Itself."
Cheadle's philanthropic work includes serving as a U.N. Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme. He also produced the documentary film, Darfur Now, an examination of the genocide in Sudan's western region of Darfur.
Played by Don Cheadle
An extraordinary but unscrupulous management consultant, Marty is gifted at identifying, and exploiting, the weaknesses of clients to get them to sign on the dotted line. From textbook psychology mind-tricks to the fine art of bullshitting, Marty is a master at shilling undecipherable biz-school jargon and flattering corporate honchos. He is offensive, egotistical, narcissistic, womanizing, crafty, ruthless and very "un-PC," all of which make him very good at his job. But despite his brash and ruthless demeanor, he's a (reasonably) dedicated family man, and deep down inside you may suspect he actually has a heart.
DON CHEADLE
With a resume that's as varied and expansive as it is rich in depth of the characters he brings to life, Academy Award nominee Don Cheadle is, without question, one of the most highly sought after and premier actors of his generation.
Turning in consistently powerful performances, Don has not only taken on challenging roles, but put his talents into producing projects he believes in as well.
Don currently stars as Marty Kaan on the critically acclaimed Showtime series HOUSE OF LIES, which has earned multiple nominations for the series and Don himself, including two Emmy Nominations for Season 1 and 2, a Golden Globe® Award for Season 1, and a Golden Globe® nomination and SAG Award nomination for Season 2. Don also is Executive Producer of the series, and has even stepped behind the camera as director.
2014 is shaping up to be another busy year as Don prepares to direct his first feature, RUN THE VODOO DOWN, which he co-wrote and will produce. Don will be pulling double duty, starring in the film as well, based on the life of legendary jazz artist, Miles Davis, along with Ewan McGregor and Zoe Saldana. Cheadle is also producing the feature ST. VINCENT OF VAN NUYS in 2014 which stars Bill Murray and Naomi Watts, and he will soon begin filming the sequel to the mega-box-office-hit AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON, reprising his role of Colonel James Rhodes from the 2010 and 2013 Marvel films IRON MAN 2 and 3.
Don is well known for his passionate performances on stage and screen, stemming from his breakout performance opposite Denzel Washington in DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS, where he was named Best Supporting Actor by the Los Angeles Film Critics.
In 2012 Cheadle garnered critical acclaim for his role in Robert Zemeckis' FLIGHT, which premiered at the New York Film Festival and was released by Paramount Pictures. In 2011, Cheadle produced and starred in THE GAURD, which premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival and was released by Sony Pictures Classics, and in 2008, he starred opposite Guy Pearce in Overture Films' TRAITOR, an international thriller which he also produced. Cheadle was honored by both the CineVegas Film Festival and the Los Angeles Film Festival and in 2007, receiving ShoWest's Male Star of the Year Award.
Additional film credits include TALK TO ME; the 2006 Oscar® winning Best Picture, CRASH, which Cheadle also produced; HOTEL RWANDA, for which his performance garnered Academy Award®, Golden Globe®, Broadcast Film Critics Award and Screen Actors Guild® Award nominations for Best Actor; OCEAN'S ELEVEN, OCEAN'S TWELVE, and OCEAN'S THIRTEEN, directed by Steven Soderbergh; Mike Binder's REIGN OVER ME with Adam Sandler; the Academy Award® winning film TRAFFIC and OUT OF SIGHT, both also directed by Soderbergh; Paul Thomas Anderson's critically acclaimed BOOGIE NIGHTS; BULWORTH, SWORDFISH, MISSION TO MARS, John Singleton's ROSEWOOD, for which Cheadle earned an NAACP Image Award nomination; FAMILY MAN, directed by Brett Ratner and starring Nicolas Cage; COLORS, HAMBURGER HILL, and the independent features MANIC and THINGS BEHIND THE SUN.
For his work on television, Cheadle received a Golden Globe® Award and an Emmy® nomination for his remarkable portrayal of Sammy Davis Jr. in HBO's THE RAT PACK in 1999. That same year, he received an Emmy® nomination for his starring role in HBO's adaptation of the critically-acclaimed, best-selling novel A LESSON BEFORE DYING by Ernest J. Gaines. He also starred for HBO in REBOUND: THE LEGEND OF EARL 'THE GOAT' MAMOGAULT, directed by Eriq La Salle. Cheadle is also well-known for his two-year stint in the role of District Attorney John Littleton on David E. Kelley's critically-acclaimed series PICKET FENCES, and an Emmy® nominated guest-starring role on ER and a series regular role on THE GOLDEN PALACE.
An accomplished stage actor, Cheadle originated the role of Booth in Suzan-Lori Parks' Pulitzer Prize winning play TOP DOG UNDERDOG at New York's Public Theatre under the direction of George C. Wolfe. His other stage credits include LEON, LENA and LENZ at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis; THE GRAPES OF WRATH and LIQUID SKIN at the Mixed Blood Theater in Minneapolis; CYMBELINE at The New York Shakespeare Festival; 'TIS A PITY SHE'S A WHORE at Chicago's Goodman Theater; and Athol Fugard's BLOOD KNOT at The Complex Theater in Hollywood. He also directed CINCINNATI MAN at the Attic Theatre and THE TRIP at Friends and Artists Theater in Hollywood.
In addition to his many acting honors, Cheadle was nominated for a Grammy® Award in 2004 for Best Spoken Word Album for his narration/dramatization of the Walter Mosley novel "Fear Itself."
Cheadle's philanthropic work includes serving as a U.N. Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme. He also produced the documentary film, Darfur Now, an examination of the genocide in Sudan's western region of Darfur.
