Woody Harrelson is a prominent actor, playwright, and activist known for his versatile acting range and compelling performances in film and television. He was born on July 23, 1961, in Midland, Texas, to Diane Lou Oswald and Charles Harrelson, who was a hitman convicted of multiple murders.
Woody’s early life was marked by constant relocation as his mother tried to keep the family away from his father’s criminal associates. Woody made his acting debut in 1985 with the television movie “Wildcats,” and subsequently appeared in several TV shows and movies, including the highly popular “Cheers.” He gained widespread recognition and critical acclaim for his role as Larry Flynt in the biopic “The People vs. Larry Flynt,” for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.
Woody’s filmography is diverse and includes a range of genres, from dramas to comedies and action movies. Some of his notable film roles include “Natural Born Killers,” “No Country for Old Men” and “The Hunger Games” franchise.
Throughout his career, Woody has won several awards and nominations for his acting, including three Emmy Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and a Golden Globe Award. He has also written and directed several plays and movies, including “Bullet for Adolf,” which premiered in 2011.
Apart from his acting career, Harrelson is an ardent activist and has been involved in various environmental and social causes. He is a vegan and has been vocal about animal rights and factory farming. He has also been active in campaigns against climate change and deforestation.
Woody, 61, has been in a long-term relationship with his wife, Laura Louie, 58, since 1987. The couple has three children together and has been committed to sustainable living, including building a home powered entirely by solar energy and growing their own food.
Woody’s personal life has not been without its share of controversies and struggles. He has been open about his battles with addiction, including alcohol and marijuana, and has spent time in rehab. Woody was known as a womanizer before he met Louie, who changed the course of his life. He told The Hollywood Reporter:
“I never believed in the concept of (marriage). I just never believed that it made any sense, this long-term monogamy thing that humans do. Also, relationships do tend to get very proprietary. And so you end up, before you realize it, in a cage — maybe a very comfortable cage, but still a cage — and you can’t be the person you want. … I just was incapable of long-term relationships. I was with whoever would have me. Then I met my wife.”
Woody met Louie while working on “Cheers,” when she was hired to be his personal assistant. However, sparks soon flew, and their relationship progressed into romance.
“It was one of those things I wouldn’t admit to myself: I didn’t want to be attracted to my amazing assistant,” he told the outlet.
Once the pair admitted their feelings for each other, the relationship blossomed. They welcomed their first child, Deni Montana Harrelson, in 1994 and had two more daughters, Zoe Giordano Harrelson in 1996, and Makani Ravello Harrelson in 2006.
“I got the most amazing wife I could imagine. But did marriage calm me down? I don’t think anything will ever calm me down,” he added.
Despite finding solace in family life, Woody found himself on the cusp of losing it all when controversy struck in 2002. While in London, Woody was photographed in bed with three other women and days later, arrested after a fight with a cab driver.
Describing the incident as “one of the worst nights of my life,” Woody revealed to The Hollywood Reporter how Louie reacted to the news. He said:
“Laura — this really gives you a sense of the depth of her compassion — what she said to me after finding out was, ‘That must be really hard for you, to have this s**t exposed.’ She just said that. Now that doesn’t mean she wasn’t upset. How did I apologize? You know, just your standard Texan grovel. But she forgave me, and we’re still together.”
The bond Woody and Louie shared was so strong even infidelity couldn’t break it, and in 2008, they married in Maui. Now 15 years later, the couple is still going strong, and Woody has continued to gush about his beloved wife. In June 2017, he shared a photo of Louie while out and about on the town captioned: “Laura in Ravello My favorite person in my favorite place.”
Among the passions they share is their love for sustainable living. Woody lives with his family in Maui, where they try to keep things as green as possible.
“I run my car on biodiesel. … And we mostly grow our own food – probably 90%,” he told SF Gate.
However, nothing comes higher on Woody’s list of priorities than his family. “I think it’s the best thing going, parenthood,” Woody told Esquire. On Feb. 28, 2023, Woody, Louie and his daughter Deni, 30, and Makani, 16, walked the red carpet together at the New York premiere of his film “Champions.”
Woody also cited his family as the reason behind his growth as a person.
“Luckily, this life and my family – my wife and my daughters, they kind of loved me into a better human being,” he said.
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