Channing Tatum stars as Shawn MacArthur in Fighting

With his first few films, CHANNING TATUM (Shawn MacArthur) has already captured the attention of critics and audiences alike. With his upcoming roles in 2009, he will establish his place among Hollywood’s next generation of leading men.

Tatum has recently wrapped production on the adaptation of the Nicholas Sparks (“The Notebook”) bestseller “Dear John,” starring opposite Amanda Seyfried (Mamma Mia!). He plays a soldier on leave from the army who meets and falls in love with a young woman (Seyfried). Lasse Hallström (The Cider House Rules, Chocolat) directs the adapted script by Jamie Linden.

Tatum will also star as the lead of the highly anticipated Paramount Pictures G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, directed by Stephen Sommers. Tatum will star as Duke, the lead member of an elite military unit comprised of special operatives known as “G.I. Joe.” Others in the cast include Sienna Miller, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Dennis Quaid and Rachel Nichols. The film is slated for release on August 7, 2009.

In 2006, Tatum received Film Independent’s Spirit Award and Gotham Award nominations for his powerful role in the independent film A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, which won the Special Jury Prize for Best Ensemble Performance, as well as the dramatic directing award for Dito Montiel, at the Sundance Film Festival. The film was written and directed by Montiel and was based on Montiel’s 2003 memoir of the same title. This powerful coming-of-age drama takes place in 1980s Astoria, New York, and follows Montiel’s impoverished and violent life from his youth (portrayed by Shia LaBeouf) to adulthood (portrayed by Robert Downey, Jr.). Chazz Palminteri portrays his father and Tatum plays the role of Antonio, Montiel’s best friend.

Newsday called his performance “charismatic,” with Daily Variety going on to say, “Tatum creates a powerful study of a self-destructive street guy trapped with no good options.” Rolling Stone stated, “Keep your eyes on newcomer Channing Tatum as Dito’s loose-cannon friend Antonio. Shirtless and oozing physical and sexual threat, Tatum stalks his turf like Brando in Streetcar.” The Boston Herald referred to his performance as “Robert De Niro-esque,” and a journalist from The New York Times stated, “Mr. Tatum, who has the bullish physicality of a young Brando, is an electrifying actor, and I suspect we’ll be seeing a lot more of him after this breakout performance.”

In March 2006, Tatum starred opposite Amanda Bynes in the DreamWorks film She’s the Man. The film was directed by Andy Fickman and produced by Lauren Shuler Donner. Inspired by the Shakespeare play Twelfth Night, the film starred Amanda Bynes as a boarding school student, Viola, who, disguised as her twin brother, enrolls in the school and falls in love with her handsome roommate Duke, played by Tatum. Again Tatum drew exceptional reviews, including one from Daily Variety that referred to the film as having a “bright and enthusiastic cast, centered on the swarthy and magnetic Channing Tatum as Duke.”

In August 2006, Tatum starred in the box-office hit Step Up, directed by Anne Fletcher and produced by Adam Shankman. The film centers on Tyler Gage (Tatum), a street-smart juvenile delinquent who gets sentenced to community service at a high school for the performing arts.

Tatum’s other credits include Stop-Loss, Coach Carter, Havoc and Supercross.

Tatum was born in Alabama and grew up in Florida. He began modeling at age 21 and, at age 23, he starred in an international Pepsi commercial directed by Tarsem Singh, and two highly popular national Mountain Dew commercials directed by Kinka Usher. His natural charisma and athleticism in these commercials brought him to the attention of both extreme-sports fans and Hollywood industry executives. He was then signed by a talent agency, started taking acting classes with Harold Guskin and studied at the Deena Levy Theatre Studio.

Tatum currently resides in Los Angeles.

Channing Tatum Movies: Step Up

No comments: