Harvey Keitel

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18 Feb 2024

Harvey Keitel

Harvey Keitel, born on May 13, 1939, is an American actor renowned for his portrayal of morally complex and tough characters. He gained prominence during the New Hollywood era, particularly for his collaborations with director Martin Scorsese. Keitel starred in six of Scorsese's films, including "Who's That Knocking at My Door" (
1967), "Mean Streets" (1973), "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore" (1974), "Taxi Driver" (1976), "The Last Temptation of Christ" (1988), and "The Irishman" (2019). Additionally, he has appeared in three films directed by Wes Anderson: "Moonrise Kingdom" (2012), "The Grand Budapest Hotel" (2014), and "Isle of Dogs" (2018).
Keitel received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Mickey Cohen in "Bugsy" (1991) and won the AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for "The Piano" (1993). His diverse filmography includes notable roles in "Blue Collar" (1978), "Wise Guys" (1986), "Thelma & Louise" (1991), "Reservoir Dogs" (1992), "Bad Lieutenant" (1992), "Pulp Fiction" (1994), "From Dusk till Dawn" (1996), "Holy Smoke!" (1998), "Cop Land" (1997), and "Youth" (2015).
Keitel portrayed FBI agent Peter Sadusky in the "National Treasure" franchise, appearing in "National Treasure" (2004), its sequel "National Treasure: Book of Secrets" (2006), and the Disney+ series "National Treasure: Edge of History" (2022). From 1995 to 2017, he served as co-president of the Actors Studio alongside Al Pacino and Ellen Burstyn.

Harvey Keitel, born on May 13, 1939, in New York City, was the youngest child of Jewish immigrants. His mother, Miriam (née Klein), hailed from Romania, while his father, Harry Keitel, came from Poland. They owned and operated a luncheonette, with his father also working as a hat maker. Keitel grew up in the Brighton Beach neighborhood of Brooklyn alongside his elder sister, Renee, and elder brother, Jerry. He attended Abraham Lincoln High School.
At the age of 17, Keitel enlisted in the Marines. Following his discharge, he spent 10 to 12 years working as a court stenographer before embarking on his acting career.

Harvey Keitel honed his craft under the tutelage of esteemed acting teachers Stella Adler and Lee Strasberg, and also studied at the HB Studio. He began his career by landing roles in Off-Broadway productions before catching the eye of filmmaker Martin Scorsese. Keitel scored a starring role as "J.R." in Scorsese's debut feature film, "Who's That Knocking at My Door" (1967), marking the beginning of a fruitful collaboration between the two.
His collaboration with Scorsese continued with Keitel's starring role in "Mean Streets" (1973), a film that also served as Robert De Niro's breakthrough. He then appeared in Scorsese's "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore" (1974) in a villainous supporting role, and reunited with De Niro in Scorsese's iconic "Taxi Driver" (1976), portraying the pimp of Jodie Foster's character.
Throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s, Keitel starred in the directorial debuts of Paul Schrader ("Blue Collar" in 1977), Ridley Scott ("The Duellists" in 1978), and James Toback ("Fingers" in 1978). He was also cast as Captain Willard in Francis Ford Coppola's "Apocalypse Now" (1979), though he was replaced after the first week of filming due to creative differences with Coppola.
In the 1980s, Keitel continued to showcase his versatility, portraying a corrupt police officer in "Copkiller" (1983) and taking on a supporting role in "Falling in Love" (1984). He appeared in numerous films during this period, including Brian De Palma's "Wise Guys" (1986) and Martin Scorsese's "The Last Temptation of Christ" (1988), where he portrayed Judas.

Harvey Keitel's career continued to flourish in the 1990s and beyond. He co-starred with Jack Nicholson in "The Two Jakes" (1990), directed by Nicholson himself. Ridley Scott cast Keitel as a sympathetic policeman in "Thelma & Louise" (1991), a role that garnered him critical acclaim. The same year, he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Barry Levinson's "Bugsy" (1991). In 1992, Keitel starred in Quentin Tarantino's iconic film "Reservoir Dogs," which he also co-produced, delivering a memorable performance as "Mr. White."
Keitel continued to diversify his roles, showcasing his acting range in films like "Bad Lieutenant" (1992), "The Piano" (1993), and "Pulp Fiction" (1994), where he played Winston "The Wolf" Wolf. He also starred in Spike Lee's "Clockers" (1995) and Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez's "From Dusk till Dawn" (1996). In 1997, he appeared in the crime drama "Cop Land" alongside Sylvester Stallone, Ray Liotta, and Robert De Niro.
Throughout the 2000s and beyond, Keitel remained active in the film industry, taking on diverse roles in movies like "Little Nicky" (2000), "U-571" (2000), and "National Treasure" (2004) and its sequel. He garnered praise for his performances in "Holy Smoke!" (1999) and "Youth" (2015) and earned the Stanislavsky Award for his outstanding achievement in acting in 2002.
In recent years, Keitel has continued to make notable appearances in films, television, and music videos. He reprised his role as Winston Wolf from "Pulp Fiction" in a television advertising campaign for Direct Line and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Newport Beach Film Festival in 2021. In 2022, he starred in the noir thriller "Joe Baby" and returned to the role of FBI Agent Peter Sadusky in the Disney+ series "National Treasure: Edge of History." Keitel's enduring career has cemented his status as one of Hollywood's most respected actors.

Harvey Keitel's personal life has been marked by significant relationships and family dynamics. He was in a relationship with American actress Lorraine Bracco from 1982 to 1993. However, their relationship ended on a bitter note, leading to a prolonged custody battle over their daughter, Stella, who was born in 1985.
In 2001, Keitel married Canadian actress Daphna Kastner. Together, they have a son named Roman. Before his marriage to Kastner, Keitel had another child named Hudson from his relationship with Lisa Karmazin.
Despite the challenges in his personal life, Keitel has remained dedicated to his family and continues to balance his successful career with his roles as a husband and father.