Woodrow Tracy Harrelson, a renowned actor, was born on July 23, 1961, in Midland, Texas, to Diane Lou Oswald and Charles Harrelson. His mother hailed from Lebanon, Ohio, where the family eventually settled.
Harrelson's educational background included degrees in theater arts and English from Hanover College in southern Indiana. After college, he briefly pursued a career in New York theater before landing the iconic role of Woody on the popular TV series Cheers (1982). His exceptional performance earned him an Emmy Award in 1989.
During his time on Cheers, Harrelson made his film debut, but it wasn't until the show's conclusion that his movie career truly took off. He appeared in notable films such as Doc Hollywood (1991),White Men Can't Jump (1992),Indecent Proposal (1993),and Natural Born Killers (1994). More recently, he has starred in No Country for Old Men (2007),Zombieland (2009),2012 (2009),Friends with Benefits (2011),and Game Change (2012),a critically acclaimed HBO movie.
In 2011, Harrelson landed the coveted role of Haymitch Abernathy in The Hunger Games (2012),which became one of the highest-grossing films in the United States. He is set to reprise this role in the sequels, scheduled for release in 2013, 2014, and 2015.
Throughout his career, Harrelson has received numerous awards and nominations, including two Academy Award nominations for his roles in The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996) and The Messenger (2009). He has also been recognized with Golden Globe nominations for these performances.
In addition to his film and television work, Harrelson has had a stand-out role as a wise teacher in the teen drama The Edge of Seventeen (2016).
In his personal life, Harrelson was briefly married to Nancy Simon in the 1980s and later married his former assistant, Laura Louie, with whom he has three daughters.
