Cast Bios

ELIZABETH REASER /Inge Altenberg

Elizabeth Reaser's natural talent, striking beauty and undeniable energy has established her as one of the most promising young actresses in Hollywood. She has appeared in numerous television roles, including featured roles in TNT's "Saved," "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," and "The Sopranos." Her feature film resume includes such titles as "The Family Stone," "Thirteen Conversations About One Thing," "The Believer," and "Stay," opposite Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor. Elizabeth's most recent triumph came at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival as the star of Maria Maggenti's new comedy "Puccini For Beginners," and she recently finished production on "Purple Violets" for director Ed Burns opposite Debra Messing and Selma Blair. She was also featured in a recent issue of Interview magazine as one of the "14 To Be," a profile of an emerging group of creative women. Elizabeth attended the Juilliard School and currently resides in New York.

TIM GUINEE /Olaf Torvik

Tim Guinee is a versatile actor who has played an extraordinarily broad range of roles in his prolific career. His film work includes Sundance Festival winner "Personal Velocity," "How To Make An American Quilt," Lasse Hallstrom's "Once Around," "Ladder 49," Horton Foote's "Lily Dale," "Beavis & Butthead Do America," Oliver Stone's "Heaven And Earth," Griffin Dunne's Oscar-nominated "The Duke Of Groove," and "The Shovel" co-starring David Strathairn. On television he has been seen internationally in "Moby Dick" (BBC), Linda LaPlante's "Comics" (Channel 4), "Vietnam War Stories" (HBO), "The Road From Coorain" (Australian Broadcasting Company), "The Suitor" (PBS), "Elvis," "The West Wing," "Law & Order," "Vinegar Hill," "CSI," and many more. He recently completed Zoe Cassavetes' film "Broken English" and Hesham Issawi's "American East," as well as the miniseries "The Lost Room." Irish American Magazine named Tim one of the top one hundred Irish Americans. Tim resides in upstate New York with his wife, Daisy Foote.

ALAN CUMMING /Frandsen

Few actors can claim Alan Cumming's achievements as both an audience favorite and an "actor's actor." His gift for broad comedy has been put to good use in films ranging from the "Spy Kids" franchise to "Romy & Michele's High School Reunion." Alan's skills as a dramatic actor have been equally burnished in such films as Julie Taymor's "Titus" and Stanley Kubrick's "Eyes Wide Shut." Alan distinguished himself as a filmmaker sharing writing and directing credit with Jennifer Jason Leigh on "The Anniversary Party." Alan is also a venerable stage actor, having received the Tony Award for his now legendary performance as the Emcee in the Broadway revival of Kander & Ebb's "Cabaret." A true renaissance man, Alan has also worked as a published novelist, screenwriter, director and producer. A native of Perthshire, Scotland, Alan studied drama for three years at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.

ALEX KINGSTON /Brownie

Although she is best known to most American television viewers as Dr. Elizabeth Corday on the hit NBC series "ER," Alex Kingston also has a distinguished career as a film actor. She has appeared in such films as "Croupier," "Carrington," and "The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover." A London native, Alex attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, and was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company.

NED BEATTY /Harmo

Ned Beatty is arguably one of the finest American actors working today. Beginning with his courageous role in the 1971 hit "Deliverance," he has created a body of work that is virtually without parallel. He has appeared in films such as Robert Altman's "Nashville," "All the President's Men," "Superman," "Hear My Song," and received a supporting actor Oscar nomination for his performance in "Network." Ned will be seen in 2007 in Paul Schrader's "The Walker."

In addition to his feature film credits, Ned has also established himself as a sought-after actor for television, with starring and supporting roles on such series as "Homicide: Live on the Street," and "Roseanne."   

JOHN HEARD / Minister Sorrensen

Audiences may be most familiar with John Heard from his supporting turns as Macaulay Culkin's father in "Home Alone" and "Home Alone 2: Return to New York." John began his career as a stage actor who made the transition to motion pictures, appearing in such films as "Cutter's Way," "The Trip to Bountiful," "Beaches," "Big," "The Milagro Beanfield War," and "The Pelican Brief."

LOIS SMITH /Inge (as an older woman)

Lois Smith is truly an actor of rare distinction. Her career in feature films began in 1955 when she played opposite James Dean in "East of Eden." Since then, she has appeared in such films as "Five Easy Pieces," "Fried Green Tomatoes," "Dead Man Walking," and "Minority Report."

Her prolific output also includes numerous notable TV and stage performances. She is a two-time Tony Award nominee for Broadway performances in "The Grapes of Wrath" and "Buried Child." She is a member of Chicago's celebrated Steppenwolf Theater Company, and has taught acting at New York's Juilliard Institute.

TOM GILROY /Comrade Vik

Tom Gilroy is an accomplished actor, writer & director with numerous film and television roles to his credit. His resume includes appearances in such films as "Harry and Max," "Postcards from America," "Shooting Vegetarians," and "Bread and Roses." Tom's television credits include featured roles on "Third Watch," "Sex in the City," "Law & Order: SVU," and "100 Centre Street."

PATRICK HEUSINGER /Lars

This is Patrick Heusinger's feature film debut. Patrick is a graduate of the Juilliard Drama School, and is also a singer and songwriter who recently starred opposite Harvey Fierstein in the Broadway revival of Fiddler on the Roof .

PAUL SAND /Frandsen (as an older man)

A gifted improvisational comedian, Paul Sand is a veteran of Chicago's legendary Second City comedy troupe. He appeared in the popular off-Broadway revue, "The Mad Show," after which he won a Tony Award for his portrayal of an itching dog in the Broadway production Story Theatre. In the 1970s, Paul was a general-purpose comic actor for MTM Productions, and starred in his own sitcom, "Paul Sand in Friends and Lovers." Throughout his career, Paul has been a distinctive performer in such films as "Viva Max," "The Hot Rock," and Miguel Arteta's "Chuck & Buck."  

JODIE MARKELL /Donna Torvik

Jodie Markell has appeared in such films as "Insomnia," "Hollywood Ending," "Queen's Logic" and "Mystery Train." She has also been featured on TV series such as "China Beach," "Brooklyn Bridge," and "Law & Order."