Sharlto Copley

Sharlto Copley was born in Johannesburg and educated at St. Andrew's Preparatory School in Grahamstown and Redhill School in Morningside, Johannesburg.{{cite news | first = Lisa | last = Marks | url = http://news.scotsman.com/topstories/Interview-ATeam-star-Sharlto-Copley.6437528.jp | title = Interview with A-Team star Sharlto Copley | work = The Scotsman | date = 26 July 2010 | access-date = 21 February 2011 | archive-date = 29 June 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110629135917/http://news.scotsman.com/topstories/Interview-ATeam-star-Sharlto-Copley.6437528.jp | url-status = live }} His father is Dr. Bruce Copley, a former university professor.[http://evolution.skf.com/bruce-copley-%E2%80%93-holistic-learning-adds-value/ "Bruce Copley – Holistic Learning Adds Value"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927134812/http://evolution.skf.com/bruce-copley-%E2%80%93-holistic-learning-adds-value/ |date=27 September 2013 }} SKF Sweden Evolution Business and Technology Magazine article, 7 June 2006 His brother, Donovan, is the lead singer of the Cape Town band Hot Water.[http://www.overtone.co.za/band/hotwater Hotwater] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130422010436/http://www.overtone.co.za/band/hotwater |date=22 April 2013 }}. Overtone.co.za (16 October 2008). Retrieved on 22 September 2013.[http://www.hotwater.co.za/ Hotwater Official Site] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180118073915/http://www.hotwater.co.za/ |date=18 January 2018 }}. Hotwater.co.za. Retrieved on 22 September 2013.[http://www.blueworld.co.za/bands/profile.aspx?id=42] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081210101549/http://www.blueworld.co.za/bands/profile.aspx?id=42|date=10 December 2008}}

Shortly after leaving high school, Copley met Neill Blomkamp, who is six years younger. Copley allowed Blomkamp to use computers at his production company to help the company pitch various projects and allow Blomkamp to pursue his passion and talent for 3D animation and design.{{youTube|cSON9w5Pm8o|Sharlto and Neill sitdown interview Part 1}}

In Blomkamp's District 9 (2009), Copley played the lead role of Wikus van der Merwe, an Afrikaner bureaucrat assigned to move a race of extraterrestrial creatures stranded on Earth. In the film, the aliens, popularly and derogatorily referred to as "prawns", must be moved from District 9, a military-guarded slum in Johannesburg, South Africa, to an internment camp outside the city. Copley improvised all of his dialogue.{{cite web | url = https://www.avclub.com/district-9-director-neill-blomkamp-1798217462 | title = District 9 director Neill Blomkamp | work = A.V. Club | date = 12 August 2009 | access-date = 24 February 2020 | archive-date = 25 February 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200225045604/https://film.avclub.com/district-9-director-neill-blomkamp-1798217462 | url-status = live }} At the 2009 IGN Summer Movie awards, Copley won Favorite Hero [https://web.archive.org/web/20090923024859/http://movies.ign.com/summerawards/2009/favorite-hero.html IGN Summer Movie Awards Favorite Hero]. IGN Retrieved on 22 September 2013 and Best Performance.[https://web.archive.org/web/20091218171638/http://bestof.ign.com/2009/movies/best-performance.html IGN Movies Best Performance of 2009]. IGN Retrieved on 22 September 2013.

In 2010, Copley produced, wrote, and directed an insert for the South African Film and Television Awards called "Wikus and Charlize", featuring fellow South African star Charlize Theron. The clip features Copley as Wikus attempting to track down Charlize Theron in Hollywood to help him present the Award for Best Afrikaans Pop album.{{cite web|url=https://www.dreadcentral.com/news/37084/wikus-from-district-9-hunting-down-a-different-beast-charlize-theron|title=Wikus From District 9 Hunting Down a Different Beast – Charlize Theron!|date=5 September 2012 |publisher=DreadCentral|access-date=17 April 2020|archive-date=27 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927071248/http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/37084/wikus-from-district-9-hunting-down-a-different-beast-charlize-theron|url-status=live}}

Copley then starred alongside Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson in the feature film adaptation of The A-Team,[https://archive.today/20130210005241/http://www.zimbio.com/Quinton+'Rampage'+Jackson/articles/b_3a4RynGWV/Team+starring+Liam+Neeson+Bradley+Cooper+Jessica The A-Team starring Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Jessica Biel, Patrick Wilson, Sharlto Copley & Quinton Rampage Jackson]. Zimbio.com (3 December 2010) which was produced by Ridley Scott and Tony Scott. Copley used a Southern American dialect for his portrayal of A-Team member H. M. Murdock, and employed other dialects, including Scottish, English, Australian and Swahili, as part of the character's rapid-fire style. Dwight Schultz, who played Murdock in the original TV series, praised Copley's performance and said Copley was the only actor he knew of who was "true to his character."{{cite web |last=Schultz |first=Dwight |url=http://www.dwightschultzfansite.nl/engdwightupdates.php |title=Dwight's opinion about the A-team movie |date=22 June 2010 |access-date=10 August 2010 |archive-date=27 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100727065834/http://www.dwightschultzfansite.nl/engdwightupdates.php |url-status=dead }}

Copley guest-co-hosted WWE Raw on 7 June 2010, along with his A-Team co-stars Cooper and Jackson.

In 2013, Copley played fictional astronaut James Corrigan in Europa Report, the story of a crew of international astronauts sent on a private mission to Jupiter's fourth moon. The same year, Copley portrayed the villain Agent Kruger in Elysium,{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/dec/13/matt-damon-neill-blomkamp-elysium | location=London | work=The Guardian | first=Ben | last=Child | title=Matt Damon in talks to star in Neill Blomkamp's Elysium | date=13 December 2010 | access-date=13 December 2016 | archive-date=22 March 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170322112756/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/dec/13/matt-damon-neill-blomkamp-elysium | url-status=live }} a science fiction film written and directed by Blomkamp, starring Matt Damon and Jodie Foster.{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/2435003/district-9-director-neill-blomkamp-drops-a-few-hints-about-his-next-project/|title='District 9' Director Neill Blomkamp Drops A Few Hints About His Next Project|website=MTV|first=Adam|last=Rosenberg|date=6 January 2010|access-date=24 February 2020|archive-date=25 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200225045604/http://www.mtv.com/news/2435003/district-9-director-neill-blomkamp-drops-a-few-hints-about-his-next-project/|url-status=dead}}

Copley played villain Adrian Pryce in Spike Lee's Oldboy, a remake of the 2003 South Korean film of the same name.Wales, George. (2 May 2012) [http://www.totalfilm.com/news/sharlto-copley-will-play-oldboy-villain Sharlto Copley will play Oldboy villain] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141108160934/http://www.totalfilm.com/news/sharlto-copley-will-play-oldboy-villain |date=8 November 2014 }}. Totalfilm.com. Retrieved on 22 September 2013. He also starred opposite Angelina Jolie in the 2014 Disney film Maleficent and played King Stefan, Princess Aurora's father. He also provided the voice, reference work, and interaction with the cast as Chappie, the titular character of the 2015 film Chappie, also directed by Neill Blomkamp.{{Cite web|last=Frei|first=Vincent|date=2015-03-18|title=CHAPPIE: Chris Harvey - VFX Supervisor - Image Engine|url=https://www.artofvfx.com/chappie-chris-harvey-vfx-supervisor-image-engine/|access-date=2021-03-12|website=The Art of VFX|language=fr-FR|archive-date=14 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210214090437/https://www.artofvfx.com/chappie-chris-harvey-vfx-supervisor-image-engine/|url-status=live}}

In 2015, Copley was announced to star as Christian Walker in the superhero TV series Powers.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2014/08/sharlto-copley-lead-christian-walker-powers-michelle-forbes-retro-girl-820846/|title=Sharlto Copley Set As Lead Christian Walker In 'Powers', Michelle Forbes Is Retro Girl|work=Deadline|date=18 August 2014|access-date=18 August 2014|archive-date=22 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211022140409/https://deadline.com/2014/08/sharlto-copley-lead-christian-walker-powers-michelle-forbes-retro-girl-820846/|url-status=live}} He later provided the voiceover for the e-tron GT concept promotional video by Audi Sport GmbH.{{cite web|url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKS2L0EIyXo/|title= The Power of a Sports Car {{!}} Audi Sport|work= Audi Sport Official on YouTube}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead Youtube links|date=February 2022}}

Also in 2015, Copley played the supporting character Jimmy in the film Hardcore Henry.

In March 2018, Copley starred in the crime comedy film Gringo as Mitch Rusk.{{cite web |last=Tartaglione |first=Nancy |url=https://deadline.com/2016/05/stx-international-sales-nash-edgerton-comedy-amazon-1201753205/ |title=STX Partners With Amazon On Nash Edgerton Action Comedy; Will Sell In Cannes |work=Deadline Hollywood |publisher=Penske Business Media |date=May 11, 2016 |access-date=April 11, 2021 |archive-date=17 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210417145526/https://deadline.com/2016/05/stx-international-sales-nash-edgerton-comedy-amazon-1201753205/ |url-status=live }} Copley portrayed the titular character of a biographical film about Ted Kaczynski titled Ted K.{{cite web |url=https://collider.com/sharlto-copley-interview-gringo-ted-kaczynski/ |title=Sharlto Copley on 'Gringo' and Why 'The A-Team' Tank Sequence Is Possible - Collider |website=Collider |access-date=April 11, 2021 |archive-date=10 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410173716/https://collider.com/sharlto-copley-interview-gringo-ted-kaczynski/ |url-status=live }}

Copley has been in a relationship with actress and supermodel Tanit Phoenix since January 2012.[http://www.iol.co.za/ios/news/tanit-a-team-star-set-up-home-in-us-1.1539838#.Ugr6xMsayK0 Tanit, A-Team star set up home in US – Independent on Saturday |News] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151209214245/https://www.iol.co.za/ios/news/tanit-a-team-star-set-up-home-in-us-1.1539838#.Ugr6xMsayK0 |date=9 December 2015 }}. IOL.co.za (1 July 2013). Retrieved on 22 September 2013. They wed on 15 February 2016, in Cape Town, South Africa.{{cite web|url=http://you.co.za/news/exciting-news-for-sharlto-copley-and-tanit-phoenix/|title=Exciting news for Sharlto Copley and Tanit Phoenix!|access-date=6 April 2016|archive-date=3 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170803131953/http://www.you.co.za/news/exciting-news-for-sharlto-copley-and-tanit-phoenix/|url-status=live}} The couple have a daughter together.

As of 2010, Copley resides in Cape Town and Los Angeles.{{cite news | first = Gayle | last = Edmunds | url = http://www.citypress.co.za/Entertainment/News/Exclusive-Sharlto-Copley-speaks-to-City-Press-20100820 | title = A-Team's Sharlto Copley soars | work = City Press | date = 20 August 2010 | access-date = 21 February 2011 | archive-date = 23 July 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110723184238/http://www.citypress.co.za/Entertainment/News/Exclusive-Sharlto-Copley-speaks-to-City-Press-20100820 | url-status = dead }}{{Better source needed|date=August 2023}}

{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

• {{official website|http://www.sharltocopley.com/}}
• {{IMDb name|1663205|Sharlto Copley}}

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Category:Living people

Category:1973 births

Category:21st-century South African male actors

Category:Male actors from Johannesburg

Category:South African expatriates in the United States

Category:South African male film actors

Category:South African male television actors

Category:White South African people