"Norman Reedus"

Norman Mark Reedus (born January 6, 1969) is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his portrayal of Murphy MacManus in the 1999 film The Boondock Saints as well as its 2009 sequel The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day and for the character of Daryl Dixon in the AMC television series The Walking Dead. He has also directed several videos and modeled for various fashion designers.

Reedus was born on January 6, 1969 in Hollywood, Florida and months later he moved to Los Angeles, California. He also spent some time living in Japan, England and Spain.

While in Los Angeles, he worked at a Harley Davidson shop in Venice and at the same time contributed artwork to various shows as a painter, photographer, sculptor, and video artist. He got his first taste of acting in the play Maps for Drowners at the Tiffany Theater on Sunset Boulevard. He was first discovered at a party in Los Angeles where he started screaming with giant sunglasses on, until someone asked if he wanted to be in a play.

His first film was in 1997 the Guillermo del Toro horror thriller film Mimic, where he played the character Jeremy. He was 28 at the time. He has also played roles in the films Floating, Six Ways to Sunday, Deuces Wild, Blade II, Gossip, 8mm, American Gangster, Hero Wanted and Moscow Chill. In 2005 he had a bit-part in the Christian Alvart German film Antibodies as a German Polizist (policeman). In 2008 he starred in the film Red Canyon as the character of Mac.

Norman is perhaps best known for playing the role of Murphy MacManus in the 1999 movie The Boondock Saints, written and directed by Troy Duffy and starring opposite Sean Patrick Flanery and Willem Dafoe. He also starred opposite Flanery in the sequel 2009 The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day. Because of his role as Murphy, Norman gained a cult following. He is notoriously kind and appreciative of his enthusiastic fans.


As of 2010 he stars as Daryl Dixon in the AMC television series The Walking Dead. The character was not originally in the comic book series of the same name, but was created specifically for Reedus after his audition for the character of Merle Dixon. The Walking Dead comic creator, Robert Kirkman has stated he feels "absolutely blessed [Reedus] has honored the show with his presence, and the way he has come in and taken over that role and defined Daryl Dixon. A lot of Norman's portrayal of the character in the first season inspired all the writers to do what we did with him in the second season. We love writing him and end up doing cool stuff with him." The third season of the show is scheduled to air in fall 2012.

Reedus has modeled for Prada, Alessandro Dell'Acqua, Durban, Levi's, Lexus and most recently Morgenthal Fredrics. He has appeared in seven music videos: Flat Top by Goo Goo Dolls, Cats In The Cradle by Ugly Kid Joe, Strange Currencies by R.E.M., Fake Plastic Trees by Radiohead, Violently Happy by Björk, Wicked as it Seems by Keith Richards and Judas by Lady Gaga.

He is also a painter, sculptor and photographer. He currently shows his art work in galleries in New York, Berlin and Frankfurt.

Reedus had a long term relationship with Peruvian/Danish fashion model, Helena Christensen. Together they have a son, Mingus Lucien Reedus (born October 13, 1999), named after the legendary jazz musician Charles Mingus. He lives with his son in Chinatown, New York City.

In 2005, while in Berlin, Germany, Reedus was in a car accident. He had to have surgery and his left eye has a metal eye socket. He has several tattoos: his father's name on the left side of his chest, a devil on his upper right arm, "Mingus" in red on his right forearm, a star on his right hand, two demons on his back, a heart on his right wrist and a snake on his left leg.

Reedus has directed several short films and music videos. His 3 short films are titled "The Rub", "I Thought of You", and "A Filthy Little Fruit". His first feature film directorial debut was in early 2008. He runs a New York-based film production company named Bigbaldhead.

Source : http://en.wikipedia.org