Topher Grace
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Topher Grace (19 July 1978), born Christopher Grace, is an American actor best known for the role of Eric Forman on the situation comedy That '70s Show.
Grace, raised in Darien, Connecticut, began acting in high school musicals. He attended the prestigious Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. His breakthrough television role, on That '70s Show, was also his first. He was discovered by the show's creators, one of whose daughter attended the same school as him, when they attended a school production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum where Grace played the leading role of Pseudolus. He chose to go by the name Topher in high school, after becoming frustrated with his name being abbreviated as Chris.
Grace's first professional role was an unexpected success playing Eric Forman on FOX TV's That '70s Show. The show was recently renewed for the 2005-6 calendar year, but there is no word on whether he will guest star.
While Grace briefly attended college at the University of Southern California, he left during his freshman year to pursue a movie career. His first small breakthrough role was as the prep school drug addict in director Steven Soderbergh's Traffic (2000) and a small uncredited cameo in Soderbergh's Ocean's Eleven (2001) followed.
Grace has recently expanded into feature films with bigger roles, with the Mike Newell directed Mona Lisa Smile (2003) and a leading role in the Robert Luketic directed Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! (2004), and roles in the Dylan Kidd film, p.s. (2004), another small romp in Soderbergh's follow up to Ocean's 11, Ocean's 12 (2004), and the Paul Weitz dramedy, In Good Company (2004).
Grace's work in p.s. and In Good Company was recognized by the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures in the category of Breakthrough Performance by an Actor in 2004. The ceremony was held in January 2005.
In 2005, Grace had the honor of hosting Saturday Night Live. Musical guest for the evening was the rock act The Killers (band).
Grace just wrapped up his seven year stint on the FOX sitcom That '70s Show.
Grace recently signed on to do a romantic comedy based on the Friendster website with director Harold Ramis. Film details and release dates are unknown at this time.
Grace has also joined the cast of Spider-Man 3 directed by Sam Raimi. The details of his character have not been made available to the public yet. He more than likely will be playing a villain as a contrast to his usual nice guy image (see That '70s Show).
Grace recently received The New Power award along with some of his contemporaries which celebrates Hollywood's younger power brokers, all under the age of 35.
Filmography
- Spider-Man 3 (2007)
- In Good Company (2004)... Carter Duryea
- P.S. (2004)... F. Scott Feinstadt
- Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! (2004)... Pete Monash
- Mona Lisa Smile (2003)... Tommy Donegal
- Traffic (2000)... Seth Abrahms
- That '70s Show (1998) (TV series)... Eric Forman (1998-2005)