- Notes provided by Walt Disney Studios. -

Just when you think your vote doesn't count, it turns out it's the only one that does.
"Swing Vote" is a heartfelt comedy where politics is anything but usual when it falls to the most ordinary citizen to decide the Presidential race.
Bud Johnson (KEVIN COSTNER) is an apathetic, beer-slinging, lovable loser who is coasting through a life that has nearly passed him by. The one bright spot is his precocious, overachieving 12-yearold daughter Molly (MADELINE CARROLL). She takes care of both of
them, until one mischievous moment on Election Day, when she accidentally sets off a chain of events which culminates in the election coming down to one vote...her dad's. "Swing Vote" is a comical look at the journey of a father and daughter who discover that everyone has the power to change the world.
Joining the cast are KELSEY GRAMMER as Republican incumbent President Andrew Boone, and DENNIS HOPPER as Democratic hopeful Donald Greenleaf. NATHAN LANE portrays Art Crumb, Greenleaf's Democratic campaign manager who has lost seven elections, and STANLEY TUCCI plays Martin Fox, the slick campaign manager to the Republican President. PAULA PATTON takes on the role of local small-town TV reporter Kate Madison, who has aspirations for a big-time network news job, and GEORGE LOPEZ is her "seen-itall" boss John Sweeney, who manages the local Texico, New Mexico, TV station.
Directed by Joshua Michael Stern and produced by Jim Wilson and Costner, the film is executive produced by Robin Jonas, Ted Field, Terry Dougas and Paris Kasidokostas Latsis . The screenplay is written by Jason Richman & Joshua Michael Stern. A Touchstone Pictures presentation, "Swing Vote" is a Treehouse Films production in association with Radar Pictures and 1821 Pictures.
Collaborating behind the scenes, the creative team includes director of photography Shane Hurlbut ("Into The Blue," "We Are Marshall," "The Greatest Game Ever Played," "Drumline"), production designer Steve Saklad ("Juno," "Thank You For Smoking," "Spider-Man 2"), and costume designer Lisa Jensen ("In The Valley Of Elah," "The Ringer," "The Fabulous Baker Boys"). Jeff McEvoy ("Wonderland," "Touristas") is editor. Academy Award®--nominated composer John Debney ("Passion of the Christ," "I Know What You Did Last Summer") created the original score.


THE PRIMARIES
Putting Story First

Long-time friends, writer/director Joshua Michael Stern and writer Jason Richman had always wanted to work together, but it wasn't until Richman threw out an idea that they were both passionate about that they decided to dive in. "It's hard to write with somebody," says Stern. "But it really worked. It was a dream-writing scenario."
The idea was a comedic look at this country's political process, seen through the eyes of a small-town girl and her apathetic dad. "We felt it was important to write something that had some meaning beyond just the entertainment factor of the comedy," says Stern. "Our goal was to write a movie about a father and a daughter. The political craziness and chaos was almost a secondary story."
The idea caught the attention of Kevin Costner, both as a producer and as an actor, for its comic elements and believable characters. "It felt cinematic and I liked it immediately," recalls Costner. "I didn't really dance around. They've done a brilliant job with this comedy and I think you could put this in the same category as 'Tin Cup' or 'Bull Durham.' It doesn't stay a pure comedy. There are moments that have an emotional bottom and it adds to the experience. It's fun and funny but there are moments where, you know, your heart can break a little bit."
Oscar®-winning producer Jim Wilson, Costner's producing partner since "Dances with
Wolves," agrees. "The first few pages absolutely grabbed me because it wasn't about politics at all," recalls Wilson. "It was about a single father raising a 12-year-old daughter and their relationship. And the dialogue, the banter between these two is great."
"It's very much a 'Paper Moon' story," says Stern. "We follow the relationship between a father and daughter and how they deal with the chaos that surrounds them."
"Comedy is always part of everything I do because it's a natural human reaction," adds Richman about the tone of the script. "But I think the most important thing in this movie - and the most difficult - is truth."
The writers felt strongly that if they were going to write about politics, that the story had to be based in reality. "The 2000 election was quite a snafu," notes Richman about the initial inspiration for the story. "It really drove home the simple idea that every vote counts because it was so incredibly close."


Adds Stern, "We thought that if an entire election could come down to a district in Florida - some 500 votes - and a gubernatorial race in Oregon could come down to 30 votes - we could create a believable election that came down to one vote."
Stern says the filmmakers didn't want to take sides in the film's political story. "If there's a message to this film beyond the comedy and the relationships," he says, "it's that every vote counts."
Costner concludes, "I saw a billboard about eight years ago and it really stuck with me. It said, '92 million people in last year's election made a difference. They didn't vote.' It was so profound it was devastating."
THE ELECTION: FINDING THE PERFECT CANDIDATES

"I thought it would be great to just take Kevin and kind of deconstruct his persona -
his iconic movie-star persona - and just let him be a guy."
~ Joshua Michael Stern, Director

With more than 100 roles to fill, the process of casting might have been a bit arduous, but the pieces fell into place rather quickly, beginning with the film's protagonist, Bud Johnson.
"Bud Johnson represents a lot of people out there," notes Richman. "He's a person who just hears white noise coming from the political system - he's heard a lot of promises over the years, and he's sort of given up on the system. That's what was so fun about putting a character like that in the center of the storm."
Stern knew from the beginning who he wanted for the role. "I always thought Kevin Costner would be great. He's so good at playing the everyman - the guy that everyone relates to," says Stern. "I thought it would be great to just take Kevin and kind of deconstruct his persona - his iconic movie-star persona - and just let him be a guy."
Costner was intrigued with the everyman role. "Bud is a classic American character," says Costner. "He's kind of a ne'er-do-well - a likeable rascal but flawed. He's also a careless human being in the sense that he's drifted in his life, moves from job to job, was married at one point and now has a fifth grader he's raising who kind of runs the house."
As "Swing Vote" unfolds, Bud is courted by heavyweight politicos and their right-hand men, who add to the comedy and are key to making the story work.
But who would be President? Costner was quick to suggest Kelsey Grammer. "I had this really strong feeling about Kelsey - he has a presidential air about him and he's such a good actor," he says. Stern agrees, adding that he could easily envision Grammer in the White House. "He's got that vibe. He could run for President," says Stern, who describes Grammer's character as "a bit dim." "But he brought something completely different to it, something very sincere."



Grammer, a multiple Golden Globe® and Emmy Award® winner best known as the beloved character Frasier on the acclaimed series "Cheers" and "Frasier," signed on immediately. "I really enjoyed the way it sort of lampooned the whole political process, and paid equal shrift
to Republican and Democratic candidates," says Grammer. "It points out the foibles in both and actually does encourage us to believe in the political process based upon the fact that a man might actually see the light from time to time."
As for his character Andrew Boone, Grammer sees him as quite a complex man who is a dedicated public servant and an optimist with a belief in the American
people. "But he also is a man of political expediency and ambition," adds Grammer. "There's something hopeful and wonderful about him - and there's something formidable about him as well because he understands that he has power, he understands that he has a responsibility to do good with power."
But Grammer still finds a way to bring out the comedy in the role. "In this case, one man's vote is going to decide the Presidency," says Grammer, "and that actually is a great engine to drive a lot of foolish behavior."
Stern particularly liked the surprise Dennis Hopper promised. "Casting him as the Democratic contender was amazing. He looks so distinguished, but he mixes it up a little bit. He's unexpected and I think that's always fun for an audience. It's fun to see people you've liked in the past up there doing something new."
Indeed, Hopper's roster of film credits includes some of Hollywood's most classic film titles - from "Rebel Without a Cause" to "Easy Rider" to "Hoosiers"
- and, likewise, some gritty roles. So casting the actor as the Democratic hopeful offered a bit of a twist. Hopper's character, Donald Greenleaf, has the dignity and determination of a typical political candidate, but like President Boone, Greenleaf has trouble committing when the election is at stake.
Hopper embraced the role. "I just really enjoyed the script," he explains. "I'm really proud to be in this movie and it's great to work with Kevin again. It's been quite awhile." In fact, it had been 12 years since he worked with Costner on "Waterworld."
"We were so happy when Dennis decided to play Greenleaf," says Costner.
So the next step was surrounding the Presidential candidates with their right-hand men. Stern explains that at this point, casting was all about pairing people up. "It's asking, 'Who would be an interesting contrast to Dennis Hopper?'And the answer is instantly 'Nathan Lane.'"
Hopper compares Greenleaf and Lane's Art Crumb to Abbott and Costello - with Hopper the straight man to Lane's Costello. "Nathan Lane is one of the funniest men I've ever worked with," says Hopper, "but both of us played it straight. It's just that the circumstances were funny."


"I don't see it as such a comedic role," adds Lane. "It has its moments of humor but, essentially, I don't think of it as a funny role even though they seem to be laughing when we're doing scenes. We're playing them serious."
Lane was drawn to the story, which he characterizes as "smart, funny and certainly timely." But most of all, he liked the character, Art Crumb, who is the Democratic contender's campaign manager. "He's probably a workaholic," comments Lane, "and has gone from campaign to campaign but has not had a lot of luck so he's a little bitter about these past experiences. His need to win is so important and that's an interesting thing to play."
Crumb's counterpart on the Republican team is campaign manager Martin Fox. "I think there's a respect between them even though my character doesn't particularly like Fox," says Lane. "He finds him to be very slick. But they've been in the trenches together so there is a kind of strange friendship and a certain camaraderie."
The role of Martin Fox went to Stanley Tucci, who Stern felt was an ideal complement to Grammer's character. Like the others, Tucci had high praise for the script but also had another incentive for taking the role - Nathan Lane. "I think he's a wonderful actor and working with him was one of the reasons I signed on," says Tucci.
Tucci plays a ruthless perfectionist who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. "I like characters that are so intense and so focused on what they do that they're sort of innately comic. Because they're myopic, their behavior becomes somewhat extreme, in a way that can be either very scary or very funny." And in this case, it's definitely to comic effect. Says Tucci, "I haven't read or seen a good political comedy in a long time."
Costner was an instant fan of the presidential foursome. "With all of these guys, I don't want to call them scene-stealers but they're so good at their craft that they really can command a screen," he says.
They weren't the only ones. Newcomer Madeline Carroll, a sixth grader from Simi Valley, Calif., was cast in the role of Molly Johnson, the little girl who sets everything in motion. The part called for a young actress with the guts and emotional range to play in scenes opposite the likes of Costner, Grammer, Tucci and Lane. Yet, without an extensive resume, Carroll captured the hearts of the producers - and the director. "We found her through an open call. She was that little miracle where you find someone who is exactly the character on the page and you think, 'Okay, that's it.'"
According to Stern, much of the film relied on the success of the father-daughter relationship. "The biggest reward is that the relationship in the movie works," he says. "To me, that was the biggest challenge that turned out not to be a challenge at all."
Carroll, who had small roles in "Resident Evil: Extinction," "The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause" and "When a Stranger Calls," as well as some television credits and commercials, had read enough scripts to know a good role when she saw it. "When I read this, it just hit me like a ton of bricks," she says. "It was so powerful, I cried. And it's a great comedy, mixed with every emotion."


Co-writer Richman says the character - 12-year-old Molly - is wise beyond her years, "the one true guiding light in this story - the one person whose ideals have not been set off course. And she's a believer, trying to inspire her dad."
"She's trying to get her dad to vote," adds Carroll. "That's all she wants. She's trying to get him to pay attention to the world - to get involved - and he just doesn't care."
Kate Madison cares. A local Texico, New Mexico, TV news reporter, the character is itching to find the story that will catapult her onto the national media stage. When it came time to cast the role, Stern called on Paula Patton - literally.
"The character was from a small town - she was really perky and fresh faced," says Stern of Kate Madison. "I loved Paula Patton. She did 'Déjà Vu' and played it very organically and real. I spoke with her on the phone - and though I'd never hired anyone off of a phone call, I just knew. She's got something and she's fresh."
Patton was intrigued by the character. "When we find her, she's just doing kind of unimportant stories like what fifth graders think about voting on Election Day," explains Patton. "And then she stumbles upon a great story, one for the history books, really."
This great story - the election too close to call, all resting on the vote of one of her fellow
Texico, New Mexico, residents - seems like a sure catalyst for her career. "Kate gets to interview Bud and suddenly prospects for getting out of Texico become quite great," adds Patton.
Patton says she appreciated the film's potential for comedy from the moment she read the script. "I was just amazed," she recalls, "because it's really difficult to make somebody laugh when they're reading. And I laughed out loud."
Completing the cast is George Lopez
as John Sweeney, Kate Madison's boss and station manager of the local TV station where Bud's story breaks; Judge Reinhold as Walter, one of Bud's buddies; and Mare Winningham as Molly's estranged mother Larissa.
A RACE CAR DRIVER, A CROONER AND A HOST OF POLITICAL PUNDITS Rounding Out the Cast with Familiar Faces
To keep the story grounded in the real world, the film is peppered with high-profile cameos, including NASCAR racing legend Richard Petty, the great American singer/songwriter Willie Nelson, and television personality Mary Hart ("Entertainment Tonight").



Driving the political angle home is a host of political pundits who joined forces with the filmmakers without hesitation. "Josh and I had a great time casting the political hosts and pundits," says Executive Producer Jonas. "Every time we sent the script to one of these folks, they fell in love with it. The most common reaction was that it was very Capra-esque, sort of a reverse 'Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,' which is delightful to hear."
"It was a political junkie's dream," adds Stern, who was impressed that these non-actors pulled off their roles in the film. "Punditry is off the cuff," he says. "They were just on."
Tapped for the film were:
Aaron Brown - anchor of the PBS series "Wide Angle," a public affairs series with a global focus
Campbell Brown - anchor of "CNN Election Center," the network's daily examination of news from the campaign trail
Tucker Carlson - MSNBC's senior campaign consultant
James Carville - political commentator formerly on "Crossfire"
Matt Frei - BBC's Washington, D.C., correspondent and presenter of "BBC World News America"
Arianna Huffington - co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post, a nationally syndicated columnist, author of 11 books and co-host of "Left, Right & Center," public radio's popular political roundtable program
Larry King - Emmy Award®-winning host of CNN's "Larry King Live," who celebrated his 50th year in broadcasting in 2007
Anne Kornblut - staff writer for The Washington Post
Bill Maher - HBO's Emmy®-nominated host of "Real Time with Bill Maher," author of The New York Times best-selling book, "New Rules: Polite Musings from a Timid Observer"
Chris Matthews - host of MSNBC's "Hardball with Chris Matthews" and "The Chris Matthews Show," a syndicated weekly news program
Lawrence O'Donnell - MSNBC political analyst who appeared on "The McLaughlin Group" and "The Al Franken Show"

THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL
Location, Location, Location

Bud and Molly live in Texico, New Mexico, where their day-to-day life is pretty ordinary, low key and uneventful. The actual Texico is a tiny town in Curry County on the Texas/New Mexico border 10 miles due east of Clovis - a little too out of the way for a motion-picture production. So the filmmakers needed a town double. "We found a great town south of Albuquerque which had virtually been abandoned," says Stern. "So we could really take it over. The people who still lived there were very gracious to us."



The town was so perfect, in fact, that it offered the director greater flexibility, with no worries about which aspects of the town worked and which didn't - because everything he saw just "fit." Says Stern, "The great thing about shooting in a location straight from the script is that your camera can see everywhere. If something falls into the frame, it gives it more breadth. It freed me up to shoot how I wanted to shoot the film, with no restrictions."
In the film, when the unstoppable war machines of the two political parties learn Bud Johnson's identity, they invade this small town to battle for his attention, and more importantly
- his vote - whatever the cost. The circus-like atmosphere required a considerable coordinated effort for the production to keep things believable as the town is overrun by media outlets, campaign supporters, special-interest groups and lookie-loos.
For production designer Steve Saklad, this meant the colliding of two very different worlds. "We really wanted to express what it was like to live in that small town before the onslaught," says Saklad. "Once the outside forces arrive, there's an explosion of red, white and blue in this very beige, neutral little town."
When the outside world starts taking over with rallies and demonstrations, Saklad took particular pains to present all sides of the political spectrum. "At our street-fair scene," he explains, "we were careful to balance ACLU with the Minutemen Militia, the right to life with the right to choose. We wanted it clear that we were taking no particular side in the telling of this story.
"One of the great things about the script," continues Saklad, "is the way the series of public rallies build in size. We had great fun creating a small-scale rally for Greenleaf in Vermont, then a bigger event for President Boone, and finally the extraordinary gala in Texico transformed by Hollywood designers for the occasion."
KEEPING SCORE
The Music

Academy Award®--nominated composer John Debney ("The Passion of the Christ," "I Know What You Did Last Summer") created the original score for the movie.
"I wanted to create a theme for the film that captured the simple elegance and nobility of Kevin Costner's character and his journey through the film," says Debney. "I started the process of writing this score by focusing on the main title sequence. The visuals are rich and vibrant and I strove to create the most simple and elegant theme that I could. What came through was a very Americana theme stated first by solo piano, then strings and woodwinds.
"Much of the score was 'rural' in color, utilizing guitars, dulcimers, accordion and other folk instruments," Debney continues. "In particular, Kevin's character is represented in a bluesy way, with slide guitar and rhythm section. The character of Molly is much more childlike, utilizing celeste and harp with woodwinds. Molly's character is the moral compass of the film and her music is simple and sincere and a bit wistful."
According to the composer, Stern guided him through the process, aiming for a country flavor without it becoming a country-western score. "The intent was to give the feeling of rural locale without becoming too 'southern.'"
The film also features a live band headed by Costner's character. When Bud attends a party thrown by the Democrats, he finds himself center stage - literally. "They're thinking, 'How do we keep Bud happy?'" says Costner. "And so they give him the stage." Known in the movie as the Half-Nelsons, the band performs mostly cover versions of Willie Nelson songs along with some original music.
This wasn't a stretch for Costner, who is no stranger to singing, playing or fronting a band. He records, tours and performs regularly with the six other band members of Modern West. In addition to playing guitar and singing lead vocals, he also writes songs with the group. This gave them the perfect opportunity to write some songs inspired by "Swing Vote." "Songs that Bud could have written," says Costner. "And out of that, a few songs find their way into the film, whether it's the credit sequence or in the movie itself. I think it adds a little bit extra to the movie that one might not have expected."
Two of the Modern West songs from the film will be featured on the "Swing Vote" soundtrack: "Backyard" and "Hey Man What About You?" The soundtrack, scheduled for digital release by Hollywood Records on July 29, 2008, also features a variety of musicians, including Willie Nelson, Moby, The Marshall Tucker Band and David Gilmore.
ABOUT THE CAST


KEVIN COSTNER (Bud Johnson/Producer) is well known for signature roles in movies like "Bull Durham," "Field of Dreams" and "The Untouchables." But it was "Dances with Wolves" that fully showcased Costner's exceptional filmmaking abilities. The 1990 epic Civil War--era western, which he produced, directed and starred in, won seven Academy Awards®, including Best Picture and Best Director, as well as a Golden Globe Award®.
The California native studied business at Cal State, Fullerton, kicking off a career in marketing before deciding to take the leap into acting. His first major motion-picture role was in "The Big
Chill" - and though his scenes were ultimately cut from the film, Costner made an impression on director Lawrence Kasdan who later cast him in "Silverado." Since then, Costner has varied his choices within comedy, action, western and drama genres, starring in such popular box-office hits as "No Way Out" and "The Bodyguard."
In addition to appearing in memorable roles in "JFK" and "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves," Costner re-teamed with his "Bull Durham" director, Ron Shelton, for the hit feature "Tin Cup." Other film credits include "A Perfect World," "For Love of the Game," "Thirteen Days," "The War," "3,000 Miles to Graceland," "Dragonfly" and "The Postman," his second directing effort.


In 2003, Costner returned to the western genre, directing the box-office hit and critically acclaimed film "Open Range," which he also co-starred in alongside Robert Duvall and Annette Bening. He was next seen with Joan Allen in the drama "Upside of Anger," followed by Rob Reiner's "Rumor Has It" opposite Jennifer Aniston, and the action adventure "The Guardian," opposite Ashton Kutcher. Most recently, the actor took on the role of serial killer in the murder mystery "Mr. Brooks." His newest thriller is called "The New Daughter." Costner is also producing and lending his voice to "The Explorers Guild, Established 1610," an animated series based on a collection of gothic stories that follow a group of Victorian-era adventurers as they travel to the darkest corners of the map.
When he is not working on films, Costner plays lead guitar in his band, Modern West, and can be seen playing venues across the country.

Emmy Award® winner KELSEY GRAMMER (President Andrew Boone) has played the celebrated character Dr. Frasier Crane on three different television series ("Frasier," "Cheers" and "Wings") over a span of 20 years, tying James Arness of "Gunsmoke" for the record of longest-running television character. Grammer has won four Emmy Awards, two Golden Globes® and a SAG Award® for the role and received an unparalleled total of 16 Emmy nominations, eight Golden Globe nominations and 16 SAG nominations.
Grammer has recently wrapped production on David Zucker's film, "An American Carol." The movie is a political satire loosely based on an updated version of "A Christmas Carol." His upcoming projects include the comedy, "Crazy on the Outside," co-starring with Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver and Ray Liotta. In 2006, he starred in the blockbuster hit "X-Men: The Last Stand." He played one of Marvel Comics' most beloved characters, Dr. Henry McCoy, also known as Beast.
As the voice of the character Sideshow Bob on "The Simpsons," Grammer won an Emmy® in 2006. He also lent his voice to the feature films "Toy Story 2," "Anastasia" and "Teacher's Pet," to the television series "Father of the Pride" and "Gary the Rat," and to the Emmynominated "Animal Farm" for TNT.
In the fall of 2007, Grammer starred in Fox's "Back to You." His acting credits also include "A Christmas Carol" for NBC, "Benedict Arnold" for A&E, "Mr. St. Nick" for ABC's Hallmark Hall of Fame, "Fifteen Minutes" for New Line Cinema, "Down Periscope" for 20th Century Fox and "Even Money" for Yari Film Group.
Grammer's Fox-based production company Grammnet has produced hit television projects for nearly 15 years. Currently in production is the Emmy Award®--winning "Medium," for NBC, and "Girlfriends" and "The Game" for CW. Other producing credits include the NBC productions "The Innocent," "Kelsey Grammer Salutes Jack Benny," "Fired Up" and "In Laws." For PAX, he produced "World Cup Comedy." For Fox, he starred in and produced "Kelsey Grammer Presents: The Sketch Show." In addition to producing, Grammer has directed several episodes of "Frasier," one of which earned him a DGA nomination.
Grammer studied at the Juilliard School, then did a three-year stint at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, performing Shakespeare and Shaw. In 2007, he returned to the stage to play Professor Higgins in "My Fair Lady," for which he received critical acclaim. His other
Broadway credits include "Macbeth" and "Othello." He also performed the title role in "Richard II" and Lucio in "Measure for Measure" at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles.

DENNIS HOPPER (Donald Greenleaf), actor, director, photographer and art collector, began his film career in the mid1950s when he started acting as a teenager with a small role in "Rebel Without a Cause," followed by "Giant." He has starred in more than 150 films and appeared in over 140 television shows.
In 1969, he scored his greatest success on screen with a starring role in "Easy Rider," a film he directed and co-wrote with Peter Fonda and Terry Southern. The film received two Academy Award® nominations - one for a then-unknown Jack Nicholson for Best Supporting Actor and one for Hopper, Fonda, and Southern for Best
Original Screenplay. Hopper's other memorable screen performances include David Lynch's "Blue Velvet," for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe®, and "Hoosiers," for which he received both Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of an alcoholic father who tries to get sober and help coach his son's basketball team.
In the 1990s, he returned to the screen as the bad guy in such films as "Speed." Hopper's directing career includes "The Last Movie," "Colors," "The Hot Spot" and "Chasers."
More recently, Hopper has been acting in both films and on television. Recent films include "Elegy" with Penelope Cruz and Sir Ben Kingsley, Wim Wender's "The Palermo Shooting," "Sleepwalking," "Hell Ride," "Land of the Dead," "The Keeper," "Out of Season," and "10th & Wolf." On television, Hopper has appeared on HBO's Emmy Award®--winning "Entourage," in the USA Network's feature "The Last Ride," and NBC's "Las Vegas." He did several guest spots on the hit drama "24," and regularly appeared in the military series "E-Ring," with Benjamin Bratt.
In addition to his film and television work, Hopper is an accomplished photographer. His work has been shown at museums and galleries; several books of his photographs have been published. Hopper's most important exhibition of his artistic career took place in 2007 at The State Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Russia, with a photographic exhibition to follow at The Manege in Moscow, Russia. He is currently working on an extensive film and art retrospective with la Cinémathèque Française in Paris set to open October 13, 2008.
Equally successful on stage, screen and television, NATHAN LANE (Art Crumb) was nominated for a Golden Globe Award® for the movie version of the Tony Award®--winning musical "The Producers," reprising the role he created in the smash-hit Broadway musical. His wildly acclaimed portrayal of Max Bialystock earned him the Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Tony Award for Best Actor in a musical.
On the big screen, audiences will remember Lane's triumphant performance that helped catapult Mike Nichols' "The Birdcage" into a major blockbuster hit. Lane's portrayal of Albert earned a Screen Actors Guild Award® and a Golden Globe® nomination. He won great acclaim as the voice of Timon the meerkat in Disney's "The Lion King." Lane has also starred in such box-office hits as "Stuart Little" and "Mousehunt." He recently wrapped production on "Nutcracker: The Untold Story," opposite John Turturro and Elle Fanning.



Additional film credits include "Isn't She Great?" "Trixie," "Love's Labours Lost," "Addams Family Values," "Life with Mikey," "Frankie & Johnny," "He Said, She Said," "Ironweed," "The Lemon Sisters," "Jeffrey," "Nicholas Nickelby" and "Win a Date with Tad Hamilton."
Broadway audiences have long embraced Lane as one of the shining lights of the theater. In 1996, his performance in "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum," directed by Jerry Zaks, earned him the Tony Award®, the Outer Critics Circle and the Drama Desk Award. Lane also starred in the blockbuster Broadway production of Neil Simon's "The Odd Couple." In addition, Lane won the Olivier Award for his London performance of "The Producers." Lane starred in Stephen Sondheim's adaptation of Aristophanes' "The Frogs" at Lincoln Center, for which he wrote the book. In 2006, he starred in the title role of "Butley" on Broadway. He is currently starring in David Mamet's hit play "November" on Broadway.
Among other Broadway credits are "Love! Valor! Compassion!" (Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Obie Awards), Neil Simon's "Laughter on the 23rd Floor," "Guys and Dolls" (Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, Tony Award® nomination), "Present Laughter" (Drama Desk nomination), "On Borrowed Time," "Merlin," "The Wind in the Willows," "Some Americans Abroad," and the national tour of Neil Simon's "Broadway Bound." Lane also starred in the Roundabout Theater Company's revival of "The Man Who Came to Dinner."
Off-Broadway credits include "Lips Together, Teeth Apart, The Lisbon Traviata" (Drama Desk and Lucille Lortel Awards), "Bad Habits," "The Film Society," "In A Pig's Valise," "The Common Pursuit," "She Stoops to Conquer," "Measure for Measure," "Mizlansky/Zilinsky" and "Trumbo." Lane also starred in Huntington Theatre Company's staging of "Butley."
Lane's television appearances include "The Last Mile," the Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation of "The Boys Next Door," and "Laughter on the 23rd Floor." He has been recognized with two Daytime Emmy Awards® for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program for his work in Disney's "The Lion King's Timon and Pumbaa," and for his work in Disney's "Teacher's Pet."
Film, television and stage star STANLEY TUCCI (Martin Fox)
has appeared in more than 50 films, including "The Terminal" and
"Road to Perdition," critically acclaimed television roles such as
HBO's "Conspiracy," and more than a dozen plays on and off
Broadway. Tucci is not only an accomplished and gifted actor, he is
a writer, director and producer.
Recent films include the Golden Globe®--nominated "The Devil Wears Prada," alongside Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway, and "What Just Happened" with Bruce Willis, John Turturro and Robert De Niro. Tucci starred opposite Richard Gere and Jennifer Lopez in the romantic comedy "Shall We Dance" and lent his voice to the 2005 Fox Animation feature "Robots." Tucci was featured in "Spin" and the Disney comedy "Big Trouble," co-starring Tim

Allen and Rene Russo. His film credits also include "Sidewalks of New York," "America's Sweethearts," Woody Allen's "Deconstructing Harry," William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream," "The Alarmist," "A Life Less Ordinary," "The Daytrippers," "Kiss of Death," "Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle," "It Could Happen to You," "The Pelican Brief," "Prelude to a Kiss," "Billy Bathgate," "In the Soup," and "Slaves of New York."
Tucci directed USA Films' "Joe Gould's Secret," which starred Ian Holm and Tucci. "Big Night," his first effort as co-director, co-screenwriter and actor on the same film, earned him numerous accolades, including the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at the 1996 Sundance Film Festival, a recognition of Excellence by the National Board of Review, an Independent Spirit Award, The Critics Prize at the 1996 Deauville Film Festival, and honors from the New York Film Critics and the Boston Society of Film Critics. "The Impostors," written, directed, co-produced and starring Tucci, was an Official Selection at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival and was later acquired by Fox Searchlight Pictures. He returns to his post behind the camera, directing the 2008 movie "Blind Date."
Tucci has turned in a number of award-winning performances on television, receiving an Emmy Award® for his recent work on the USA series "Monk." The actor earned a Golden Globe® and an Emmy for his portrayal of fast-talking Walter Winchell in the HBO original film, "Winchell," directed by Paul Mazursky. He earned both Emmy Award and Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actor in a made-for-TV movie or miniseries for the highly acclaimed HBO drama "Conspiracy." He also portrayed Stanley Kubrick in HBO's "The Life and Death of Peter Sellers." The drama tied for the most Emmy nominations with 16 bids. Tucci's television credits include a recurring guest-starring role on TNT's "Bull," appearances on "Equal Justice," "Wiseguy," "The Equalizer," "Thirtysomething" and "The Street," and a role on a 2008 episode of NBC's "ER." Tucci also starred in the Steven Bochco drama "Murder One," a performance for which he earned an Emmy Award nomination.
Tucci, no stranger to the theater, has appeared in many plays, including "Execution of Hope," "The Iceman Cometh," "Brighton Beach Memoirs" and "The Misanthrope." He has also performed in a number of off-Broadway plays at Yale Repertory Theater and SUNY Purchase, where he first studied acting.
A relative newcomer to the big screen, 12-year-old Los Angeles
native MADELINE CARROLL (Molly Johnson) has spent more
than half her life in front of a camera. She has appeared in films,
television and national commercials.
Carroll was featured in last year's thriller, "Resident Evil:
Extinction." Her other recent film credits include "The Santa Clause
3: The Escape Clause" and "When a Stranger Calls." She has appeared on the small screen in ABC's hit series "Lost," as well as "Night Stalker," "Wanted," "Cold Case" and "All of Us."
Carroll's career began with modeling at the tender age of 3 when she was "discovered" in a nail salon in Sherman Oaks, Calif. Soon after, she started acting in commercials and has performed in approximately 50 national commercials.




PAULA PATTON (Kate Madison) emerged as an unforgettable talent with her leading role in the Tony Scott thriller "Déjà Vu," starring opposite Denzel Washington and Jim Caviezel.
Patton was seen in the original musical "Idlewild," in which she stars among an impressive cast, including Outkast's Andre Benjamin and Antwan Patton, Terrence Howard, Ving Rhames and Patti LaBelle. The musical, set in the Prohibition-era American South, is directed by Bryan Barber and produced by Charles Roven. Patton was also seen in Columbia Pictures' romantic comedy "Hitch," in which she co-starred opposite Will Smith, Eva Mendes and Kevin
James. She also appears in "Mirrors," shot on location in Romania and starring Kiefer Sutherland and Val Kilmer. Patton's most recent film was a passion project entitled "Push." It's the story of a young African-American girl who has endured unimaginable hardships in her life. Patton plays the challenging role of a teacher who tries to make a difference in the girl's life and reveals to her the opportunity that still awaits her.
Patton grew up in Los Angeles, attending the Hamilton School for the Performing Arts. She always had a passion for acting as well as filmmaking. Following her high school graduation, Patton was chosen as one of four young filmmakers for the PBS documentary series "The Ride," which followed the filmmakers as they directed their own documentaries about young people across America. After spending her freshman year of college at UC Berkeley with an increasing passion for filmmaking, Patton transferred to the prestigious USC Film School, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. Upon graduation, she took jobs as a production assistant and eventually worked her way up to shooting and producing a show entitled "Medical Diaries" for The Discovery Channel. She followed the accomplishment with a year of acting classes, ultimately pursuing a full-time career in acting.

GEORGE LOPEZ (John Sweeney) is one of the premier comedic talents, beloved by audiences and critics alike for his work in television and film. Maintaining an extremely active schedule as a stand-up comedian, Lopez continues to sell out concerts coast to coast.
Lopez provides the voice of a tough Chihuahua with a big heart in the upcoming Walt Disney Pictures film, "Beverly Hills Chihuahua." Lopez's other big screen roles include Mark Pellington's "Henry Poole Is Here," which premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival; "Balls of Fury," opposite Christopher
Walken and Dan Fogler; Robert Rodriguez's "The Adventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl," HBO's "Fidel," and the Wonderful World of Disney Christmas movie, "Naughty or Nice." Additionally, Lopez earned praise for his performance in the 2002 film "Real Women Have Curves," which received the Sundance Film Festival's Audience Award. He also appeared in the critically acclaimed independent feature "Bread and Roses," starring Adrien Brody.
Audiences fell in love with "George Lopez," the sitcom Lopez starred in, co-created, wrote and produced for six seasons on ABC. The series went into syndication in fall 2007 and continues to enjoy great success as part of Nickelodeon's Nick at Nite. In early 2007, he headlined his first HBO stand-up special, "George Lopez: America's Mexican." Lopez was a performer on HBO's "Comic Relief 2006" and his acclaimed comedy concert "Why You Crying?" debuted on Showtime in 2004. He has made more than 90 television comedy and co-hosting appearances to his credit, including co-host of the Emmy Awards® and two-time host of the Latin Grammy Awards®. Lopez was a commentator for HBO's hit sports show "Inside the NFL" for the 2003-2004 football season, and was named host of The Bob Hope Chrysler Classic in 2007. In 2001, he hosted a major morning radio show for Clear Channel Communications in Los Angeles, becoming the first Latino to headline the keystone morning-radio slot on an English-language station in the nation's top radio market. All of his success led Lopez to become the focus of a PBS documentary, "Brown is the New Green: George Lopez and the American Dream," examining how media and marketers are shaping the contemporary Latino identity.
Lopez released his third stand-up CD, "El Mas Chingon," in September 2006. His previous CD, "Team Leader," was nominated for a 2004 Grammy Award® for Best Comedy Album, and his 2001 CD, "Right Now Right Now," was a bestseller. Lopez's autobiography "Why You Crying?" made the Top 20 on The New York Times Bestseller List.
Charity and community service are a huge part of the identity of George Lopez. He has received the Manny Mota Foundation Community Spirit Award and was named Honorary Mayor of Los Angeles for his extensive fundraising efforts benefiting earthquake victims in El Salvador and Guatemala. In 2004, he was presented the Artist of the Year and Humanitarian Award by Harvard University in honor of his artistic work and charitable endeavors. That same year, People for the American Way honored him with the Spirit of Liberty Award. He also received the 2004 Imagen Vision Award, 2003 Latino Spirit Award for Excellence in Television, and the National Hispanic Media Coalition Impact Award. In 2005, Lopez received a kidney transplant donated from his wife Ann. They have since become spokespeople for the National Kidney Foundation, helping raise millions for the cause.
In 2006, Lopez was presented with a star on the legendary Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2005, Time magazine recognized him as one of the 25 Most Influential Hispanics in America. That same year he made his debut in the Harris Poll for Favorite TV Personalities, as one of the top-ten favorite TV personalities in the United States.

JUDGE REINHOLD (Walt) has been seen in more than 75 motion-picture and television projects. His many films include "Stripes," "Fast Times at Ridgemont High," "Beverly Hills Cop," "Beverly Hills Cop II," "Beverly Hills Cop III," "Ruthless People," Disney's box-office hit "The Santa Clause," "The Santa Clause 2" and "The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause." Reinhold received an Emmy Award® nomination for his performance as the "close talker" on Seinfeld and was featured in Steven Spielberg's epic television western "Into the West."
Reinhold is currently producing the upcoming feature film "Cabrini Green," written by Angelo Pizzo ("Hoosiers," "Rudy") and Pulitzer Prize--winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks, with Todd Wagner's 2929 Productions. They are also producing a comic feature on the true story of the Bigfoot hoax, with Academy Award®--winning producer Mark Johnson.
He splits his time between Los Angeles and New Mexico.


MARE WINNINGHAM (Larissa Johnson) has appeared in more than 50 television films and mini-series. For her performance in TNT's "George Wallace," she received an Emmy Award® as well as Golden Globe® and SAG Award® nominations. Winningham also received an Emmy Award for "Amber Waves" and has been nominated for an Emmy for the Hallmark Hall of Fame presentations of "Love Is Never Silent" and "The Boys Next Door." Additionally, she starred in such telefilms and mini-series as "Off the Minnesota Strip," "Helen Keller: The Miracle Continues," "Everything that Rises," "Eye on the Sparrow" and "The
Thornbirds." In 2003, Winningham made her television series debut in David E. Kelley's "The Brotherhood of Poland, New Hampshire." She received a Daytime Emmy Nomination for her performance in Showtime's "Maldonado Miracle" and starred in "The Magic of Ordinary Days" for the Hallmark Channel.
For her performance in the feature film "Georgia," Winningham garnered Academy Award® and SAG Award® nominations, as well as an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actress. Her other feature credits include "Wyatt Earp," "St. Elmo's Fire," "Turner and Hooch," "Made In Heaven," "One Trick Pony," "The War," "Miracle Mile" and "Shy People."
Following a recurring role in the ABC hit series "Grey's Anatomy," Winningham made her New York stage debut in the musical "10 Million Miles," based on the music of Patty Griffin. An accomplished singer-songwriter, Winningham occasionally performs in Los Angeles clubs and recently released a CD entitled "Refuge, Rock, Sublime."

Known to many simply as "The King," RICHARD PETTY (himself) is the most decorated driver in the history of NASCAR racing, winning a record-number 200 career victories and seven NASCAR Sprint Cup championships in his illustrious career, which spans three decades and 1,184 races. He has been elected to the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame, International Motorsports Hall of Fame, North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame, and the North Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame. He serves as Chairman of the North Carolina Motorsports Association. Petty was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1992.
Today, Petty oversees the operation of the No. 43 car he made famous. In 1996, he won his first race as an owner in the Dura Lube 500 at the Phoenix, Ariz., International Raceway with driver Bobby Hamilton. He followed with two additional wins - in 1997 with Hamilton, and in 1999 with driver John Andretti. The 2008 season marks Bobby Labonte's third season behind the wheel with General Mills and its Cheerios brand teaming up with Petty to sponsor the No. 43 Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge till the end of the racing season.
Petty was instrumental in the development of the Victory Junction Gang Camp, a camp for chronically ill children, after donating acres of land that the camp sits on today.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS

"Swing Vote" marks the second foray as writer/director for JOSHUA MICHAEL STERN (Writer/Director). His directorial debut, "Neverwas," for which he also wrote the screenplay, received its World Premiere at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival. The independent drama, starring Aaron Eckhart, Ian McKellen, Brittany Murphy, Nick Nolte, William Hurt and Jessica Lange, demonstrated Stern's ability to attract first-rate actors to his films. With "Swing Vote," the commitment of such talent to him and his vision clearly continues, as Kevin Costner not only stars in but also produces the film.
A career as a filmmaker seemed like a natural fit for Stern, who was born into a family with a unique show-business pedigree. His grandmother, Nancy Green, worked as David O. Selznick's East Coast studio executive, discovering such talent as Marlon Brando, and bringing British actors like Alec Guinness and Jessica Tandy to America. Stern's grandfather, Jules Green, was the original executive producer of "The Tonight Show," which he created with Steve Allen.
Given his ease with actors and a passion for filmmaking that galvanizes production talent around his work, Stern expanded his energies toward producing as well as directing. He currently has several major films in development, including an intense and innovative screen adaptation of "King Lear," starring Anthony Hopkins, Keira Knightley, Gwyneth Paltrow and Naomi Watts, which Stern is directing.
Veteran producer/director JIM WILSON (Producer) won the Best Picture Oscar® and the Producers Guild Award in 1991 for "Dances with Wolves," a film he produced with business partner Kevin Costner. Wilson went on to produce a dozen films, including "The Bodyguard," "Wyatt Earp," "Message in a Bottle" and "Mr. Brooks."
Wilson has concentrated on directing smaller independent films. He cast Cameron Diaz as his lead in "Head Above Water," Monet Mazur in "Whirlygirl," and most recently directed a feature documentary on the world-famous thoroughbred jockey, Laffit Pincay, Jr. The film, "Laffit: All About Winning" just had its network debut.
When not making movies, Wilson loves to play tennis, tend to his stable of thoroughbred racehorses and watch his two daughters grow up.
A long-time colleague of Costner's, Treehouse Films and Tig Productions President ROBIN JONAS (Executive Producer) has more than 17 years of experience in the film business. Jonas has worked on more than 300 feature films, in capacities such as marketing and publicity, acquisitions, development and production, at several major film companies, including Miramax Films, Paramount Pictures and Walt Disney Pictures. She oversaw or worked on many successful release, award and film-festival campaigns for such films as "Shakespeare in Love," "The English Patient," "Frida," "Chicago," "The Hours," "Lemony Snicket," "Bridget Jones' Diary" and "Open Range," leading teams that won many Oscars® and Golden Globes® for the respective talent, producers and studios. Recently, Jonas was the associate producer on the Costner vehicle, "Mr. Brooks," and is currently executive producing "The Explorers Guild, Established 1610" for Treehouse Films, and "The Ides" for Black Lamp Pictures. She also leads Treehouse Films and Tig Productions' development and production of television series and online/multi-platform content.


Before moving to Boston to pursue a degree at Boston University, Jonas spent her time ski racing at a national level and continues to occasionally race on the USSA Masters Tour.
TED FIELD, TERRY DOUGAS and PARIS KASIDOKOSTAS LATSIS (Executive Producers) together form Radar Pictures, one of Hollywood's leading production and cofinancing companies. Radar Pictures' founder, Ted Field, is a proven entertainment-industry leader and one of its most successful producers, overseeing more than 60 movies that have generated $4 billion in worldwide box-office receipts. Since its inception, Radar Pictures has implemented an impressive slate of movies, including "The Last Samurai," "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and "The Amityville Horror."
Prior to Radar Pictures, Field produced numerous box-office smash hits, such as "Runaway Bride," "Jumanji," "Three Men and a Baby," "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle," "Outrageous Fortune," "Mr. Holland's Opus," "Cocktail," "Bird on a Wire," "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure" and "Revenge of the Nerds."
1821 Pictures, an independent development and production company headed by Paris Latsis Kasidokostas Latsis and Terry Dougas, strategically funds film and television projects for the international marketplace. In addition to "Swing Vote," 1821 Pictures is involved with Cameron Diaz's "The Box," directed by Richard Kelly. 1821 Pictures also acquired a stake in Ted Field's Radar Pictures and the two companies will produce at least two films together during the course of the next 18 months.
JASON RICHMAN (Writer), born and raised in Los Angeles, never set out to be a screenwriter. He began his creative life as a musician, writing songs and playing guitar in various Los Angeles--based bands.
After one of those bands broke up, Richman found himself craving a new challenge. He wrote a science-fiction script called "Revolver," which landed him an agent. His big break came when Jerry Bruckheimer signed him to a three-picture deal.
Professionally, Richman's first assignments were action films. Today, he writes for a variety of genres. In addition to "Swing Vote," Richman wrote the upcoming Nicolas Cage thriller, "Bangkok Dangerous." He is currently writing a fantasy film for Paramount, a cop thriller for New Regency, as well as 62 spec scripts, which he plans to finish by the year 2032. Though constant deadlines keep him very busy, he still finds time to write and record music.
STEVE SAKLAD (Production Designer) served as production designer on 2006's "Thank You for Smoking," starring Aaron Eckhart and Robert Duvall. Also in 2006 was the release of "Shadowboxer," starring Helen Mirren and Cuba Gooding, Jr. Saklad designed "Pride," starring Terrence Howard, and more recently, "Juno," starring Ellen Page and Jennifer Garner. He has designed more than 250 commercials for Harvest Films, Tate USA and Tool of North America. Saklad's extensive career as an art director includes "Spider-Man 2," "Charlotte's Web" and "Message in a Bottle."
SHANE HURLBUT (Director of Photography) began work in the film industry as a gaffer on commercials and music videos, collaborating with cinematographers Daniel Pearl and Joseph Yacoe. He began shooting in 1995 with music videos for the Rolling Stones, Nirvana and Smashing Pumpkins, followed by commercials and ultimately feature work in 1998.
Hurlbut's first feature was HBO's award-winning biopic "The Rat Pack," directed by Rob Cohen and starring Ray Liotta, Joe Mantegna and Don Cheadle. It was nominated by the
A.S.C. for Best Cinematography in the category of Motion Picture, Miniseries or Pilot Television. In 1999, Cohen and Hurlbut reunited on the thriller "Skulls," starring Paul Walker and Joshua Jackson.
In 2000, director John Stockwell and Hurlbut teamed up for the critically acclaimed romantic drama "Crazy/Beautiful" starring Kirsten Dunst and Jay Hernandez. The duo reunited in 2004 on "Into the Blue," a treasure-hunting film which takes place predominantly on or under water. Hurlbut's credits also include the hit film "Drumline," "Mr. 3000," "11:14," "The Greatest Game Ever Played," "Something New," "Waist Deep" and "We Are Marshall."
LISA JENSEN (Costume Designer) has enjoyed an inspiring collaboration with some of Hollywood's brightest stars in her impressive career, including Charlize Theron, Tommy Lee Jones, Susan Sarandon, John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Anthony Hopkins, Andie McDowell and Brendan Fraser. More recently, her work has been seen in Paul Haggis' drama "In the Valley of Elah" and in the hit comedy "Wild Hogs."
Jensen studied at Alfred University, Alfred, NY, and the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. She trained and worked in the costume department for Joseph Papp's NY Public Theatre and also designed costumes for numerous off-off-Broadway productions in Manhattan.
Relocating to Los Angeles, Jensen designed for music videos and after-school specials before landing her first feature film, the hit comedy "Mannequin." This was followed in quick succession by a wide variety of comedies, dramas and romantic comedies, including "Maid to Order," "White Palace," "Freejack," "Crisscross," "The Gun in Betty Lou's Handbag" and "The Fabulous Baker Boys." With the hugely successful "Grumpy Old Men," Jensen began an association with Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau that continued with "Grumpier Old Men" and "The Odd Couple II." She also designed costumes for the short film, "Puppies for Sale," which starred Lemmon and won five international film-festival awards.
Jensen's other credits include such notable films as "Funny Farm," "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants," "The Ringer," "Dudley Do-Right," "Baby's Day Out" and "George of the Jungle."
JEFF McEVOY (Editor) graduated in 1993 from the University of Oklahoma with a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism. While in college, he began working as a video editor with local television sports departments in both North Carolina and Oklahoma. After graduating, McEvoy moved to Los Angeles and began his career as an assistant editor. Among his credits as assistant editor are such critically acclaimed independent films as "Alone," "The Alarminst" and "Jerry and Tom."
Best known for the Hollywood bio-pic "Wonderland" starring Val Kilmer, McEvoy's work as editor encompasses a wide range of genres. His credits include the suspense thriller "Turistas" with Josh Duhamel, and the romantic comedy "The Ex" starring Zach Braff and Amanda Peet.
McEvoy's association with "Swing Vote" writer/director Josh Stern began on "Neverwas," Stern's highly anticipated debut drama which opened the 2005 Toronto Film Festival.


Academy Award®--nominated JOHN DEBNEY (Composer) combines his classical training and a strong knowledge of contemporary sounds to easily adapt to any assignment.
The son of Disney Studios producer Louis Debney ("Zorro," "The Mickey Mouse Club"), John Debney earned his B.A. degree in music composition from the California Institute of Arts. Television composing legend Mike Post ("Magnum P.I.," "Law and Order") gave Debney his start. He furthered his hands-on training by working with Hanna-Barbera composer Hoyt Curtin. Debney went on to score television projects as diverse as "Star Trek: The Next Generation," "A Pup Named Scooby-Doo" and "Sea Quest DSV," for which he won an Emmy Award® for Best Main Title. In 1993, Debney secured his first studio feature, the Disney comedy "Hocus Pocus" starring Bette Midler.
Debney has proven his versatility with films ranging from blockbuster comedies such as "Elf," "Liar Liar" and "Bruce Almighty," action adventures like "The Scorpion King" and "Spy Kids (1 & 2)," and dramatic features including "I Know What You Did Last Summer" and "Sin City."
Blending symphonic orchestra, a wide range of world instruments and the beauty of the human voice, Debney composed the landmark score for "The Passion of the Christ," which became one of the top-ten box office--grossing films of all time, and his emotional score for the film debuted on Billboard's charts at #1 on the Soundtrack and Christian Album charts and #19 on the Billboard Top 200. The record was certified gold by the RIAA and won the Dove award for Best Instrumental Album. The score was nominated for an Oscar® in 2005. In July 2005, Debney premiered "The Passion of the Christ Symphony" in Rome, Italy. The performance featured an 83-person choir and a 96-piece orchestra, and included special guest vocalist Lisbeth Scott and woodwind soloist Pedro Eustache, plus solo musicians from both the film and the classical worlds.
Recent credits include "Dreamer," "Idlewild," "Sin City (2 & 3)," "Evan Almighty" and "Ant Bully."
In addition to conducting some of the world's greatest orchestras performing his original works, Debney also conducted the Royal Scottish National Orchestra on a series of classic film scores for Varese Sarabande Records. He has been celebrated for incorporating a myriad of musical styles and techniques into his work, from contemporary beats to ancient instrumentation. Debney received ASCAP's prestigious Henry Mancini Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005.
Information contained within as of June 18, 2008.

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