- Born
- Birth nameThomas Michael Moore
- Height5′ 11″ (1.80 m)
- Born in Chicago, Oscar nominee and Golden Globe and Emmy Award winner Tom Berenger was born Thomas Michael Moore and raised in a working class Roman Catholic family of Irish descent. His father was a printer for the Chicago Sun-Times. Tom attended the University of Missouri to study journalism. There, he first auditioned for a role in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" at the college theater on a whim and a bet with a roommate; he won the role of "Nick", the second male lead.
After several stints in regional theater, Berenger attended Herbert Berghof's Studio School for Acting in New York City. There, he pursued a professional acting. He selected "Berenger" as his professional name, after a school friend, as there was already a "Tom Moore" in Actors' Equity. His film debut was in Mr. Goodbar (1977), followed by roles in such films as The Big Chill (1983), Eddie and the Cruisers (1983), Platoon (1986), Someone to Watch Over Me (1987), Deadly Pursuit (1988), Betrayed (1988), Last Rites (1988), Major League (1989), Shattered (1991), Gettysburg (1993), The Substitute (1996), Sniper (1993), Rough Riders (1997), Inception (2010), Hatfields & McCoys (2012), among many others.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Ellipsis Entertainment Group
- SpousesLaura Moretti Moore(September 8, 2012 - present)Patricia Alvaran(January 23, 1998 - June 14, 2011) (divorced, 1 child)Lisa Berenger(July 19, 1986 - 1997) (divorced, 3 children)Barbara Wilson(1976 - February 1984) (divorced, 2 children)
- ChildrenPatrick Thomas MooreAllison Ann MooreShiloh Rory Michelle Moore
- RelativesSusan Moore(Sibling)
- Berenger's earlier career before he became an actor was as a flight attendant for the now-defunct Eastern Air Lines.
- Berenger's interest in Civil War history has led him to collect items on and research the American Civil War era in his personal life as well. One of his favorite roles was as Lt. General James Longstreet in Gettysburg (1993).
- Lives in Beaufort, South Carolina, when he is not appearing in films.
- He was offered his role in Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King (2006) and had 24 hours to decide if he wanted. He agreed without even getting a chance to read the script. He read it for the first time on the flight to Australia for the filming.
- Tom's first play was in high school was performed in the Spanish language for an advanced Spanish class. Being an extremely shy guy, he was forced to be in it by his teacher.
- [on playing bad guys] I enjoy playing them. I find something human in them, with the exception of Looking for Mr. Goodbar. It was such a slimy character with no redeeming qualities. To me it was like playing Charles Manson. I had nightmares after I finished shooting it. I felt dirty. Bad guys are interesting, even if you don't like them.
- [in 1975] I first started thinking about being an actor when I was in college at the University of Missouri. I auditioned for a television play, and the director, who has some professional New York credits, encouraged me to pursue acting. In college I had a double major--drama and film editing. I worked with 16 millimeter film upon graduating, and from Kansas City I went on to Dallas. All of this time I suppose I had an unrealized commitment to acting. But then, I guess I ran away from acting. I was afraid of the business--I still am.
- Even my agents say, 'We don't know what this business is anymore.' These days, you can do a TV series for five years and all of a sudden be on top of the business. Features don't even run in theaters very long anymore before going right to television. And every other movie is one of those action things. I mean, Lost in Space (1998)? - a bunch of good actors running around shooting at special effects on a soundstage? I took my kids to see that and almost felt like I was on an acid trip. Most of what gets made now, you laugh your way through, go home and forget you've seen it.
- [in 2002] Since the '70s I've seen myself as a poet. Sometimes I express that poetry through acting, sometimes through cooking, and sometimes just having a good chat, you know, one of those chats you have when you're stoned and the hour is getting late. I don't know what's gonna come my way, but I think Berenger's gonna be big these next couple years.
- [on Charlie Sheen] I've always liked him, and I always worry about him like his parents do. He was always a good listener, which is probably why he is a real good actor.
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