Alex Winter

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For the Welsh television personality, see Alex Winters.

Alex Winter
Winter in 2013
Born
Alexander Ross Winter

(1965-07-17) July 17, 1965 (age 58)
London, England
NationalityBritish/American
Occupation(s)Actor, filmmaker
Years active1978–present
Spouses
  • Sonya Dawson
    (m. 1995; div. ?)
  • ​
    (m. 2010)​
Children3

Alexander Ross Winter (born July 17, 1965)[1] is a British-American actor and filmmaker. He played the slacker Bill S. Preston Esq. in the 1989 film Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure and its sequels Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (1991) and Bill & Ted Face the Music (2020). He is also known for his role as Marko in the 1987 vampire film The Lost Boys; for co-writing, co-directing, and starring in the 1993 film Freaked;[2][3] and for directing documentaries in the 2010s.

Early life[edit]

Winter was born in London, England. His mother, Gregg Mayer, is a New York-born dancer who trained with Martha Graham, and founded the first modern-dance company in London in the mid-1960s. His father, Ross Albert Winter, is an Australian who danced with Winter's mother's troupe and co-founded the Mid American Dance Company in St. Louis.[4][5]

Winter received training in dance as a child. He has an older brother named Stephen. His father has English ancestry and his mother is Jewish, of Ukrainian Jewish descent.[6][7][8]

When Winter was five, his family moved to Missouri, where his father ran the Mid-American Dance Company (later, Modern American Dance Company[9]), while his mother taught dance at Washington University in St. Louis.[10][11] The two divorced in 1973.[12]

In 1978, Winter moved to the New York City area, where he and his mother lived in Montclair, New Jersey.[13] During this time Winter began performing as an actor on and off Broadway, commuting into New York City.[12] He reports his experience in New Jersey as being positive.[14]

In 1983, after graduating from Montclair High School, Winter was accepted into the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. While at NYU, he met fellow aspiring filmmaker Tom Stern.[15] The two collaborated on a number of 16 mm short films.[16]

Career[edit]

As an actor, Winter spent many years on Broadway with supporting roles in productions of The King and I, Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up, and the American premiere of Simon Gray's Close of Play at the Manhattan Theatre Club.[17]

Winter dropped out of NYU film school before his senior year, and he and Tom Stern moved out to Hollywood, where the two wrote and directed a number of short films and music videos. Winter continued to find work as an actor, landing notable roles in such big productions as The Lost Boys[3] and Rosalie Goes Shopping.[18]

In 1989, Winter found international success when he co-starred with Keanu Reeves, playing William "Bill" S. Preston Esq. in the smash-hit comedy Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, a role he reprised in its 1991 sequel, Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey.[19]

Following the success of Bill & Ted, Winter and creative collaborators Tom Stern and Tim Burns were hired to develop a sketch comedy show for MTV. The result, 1991's The Idiot Box, was canceled after six episodes. Winter, Stern and Burns accepted a $12 million deal from 20th Century Fox to film their own feature film, which became 1993's Freaked. While the film was never widely released, despite positive reviews from The New York Times and Entertainment Weekly,[20] Freaked went on to become a cult favourite, through festivals, TV and DVD, and was cited by Entertainment Weekly, on their list of Top Ten Comedies of the Nineties.[citation needed]

Winter at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival

Winter did not return to directing until 1999, when he filmed Fever. The film was shown at film festivals worldwide, including Official Selection in the Director's Fortnight at Cannes. New York Daily News praised the film, calling it "a claustrophobic mind bender. Winter sustains an aura of creepiness worthy of Roman Polanski."

Winter directed the live-action adaptation of the hit Cartoon Network series Ben 10, which aired in November 2007 and garnered the highest ratings in Cartoon Network history. He directed its sequel, Ben 10: Alien Swarm, which aired on Cartoon Network in November 2009 and captured over 16 million viewers in its premiere weekend. As of 2008, he was attached to write the screenplay for the Howard Stern-produced remake of Rock 'n' Roll High School.[21] In 2010, he was attached to direct a 3D-remake of the 1987 horror film The Gate, which was scheduled for release in 2011.[22]

Winter's 2012 VH1 rock doc Downloaded earned worldwide critical acclaim at theatrical and festival screenings. Winter's multiple award-winning 2015 documentary Deep Web had its world premiere at SXSW and a broadcast premiere in the U.S. on the Epix network alongside a global festival tour. The film went wide on September, 2015, opening as the #1 documentary on iTunes.

In 2013, he had a role in the thriller Grand Piano, starring Elijah Wood and John Cusack, playing The Assistant.[citation needed]

In 2016, Winter released a short documentary entitled Relatively Free[23] about journalist Barrett Brown's release from prison. This was followed in 2017 by another short documentary, Trump's Lobby[24] about President elect Donald Trump.[citation needed]

In 2018, Winter released two documentaries, The Panama Papers, about the Panama Papers, and Trust Machine: The Story Of Blockchain, which premiered in Los Angeles on November 16, 2018.[25][26] In July 2015, Winter began work on a biographical documentary of the rock guitarist and composer Frank Zappa. The Zappa Family Trust publicly gave its approval to Winter's plans for the film.[27] Released on November 27, 2020, Zappa was not only the first documentary with access to his archives, but this project was the highest funded documentary in crowdfunding history, via Kickstarter.[28][29]

In April 2011, Winter's Bill & Ted co-star Keanu Reeves confirmed that a third installment of the film series was under way; the film was in development for most of the 2010s.[30][31][32] Winter returned as Bill Preston in the film, Bill & Ted Face the Music, which was released on August 28, 2020;[33] with Reeves describing the plot as, "Basically, they're supposed to write a song to save the world and they haven't done that."[34]In January, 2024, Alex hinted about a possibility of a 4th film "Bill & Ted 4".[35]Destroy All Neighbors is another film from 2024 of gonzo horror genre.[35][36]

Technology and privacy activism[edit]

Winter began devoting a lot of his attention to the internet not just because he liked technology, but also because "I found this community there." Winter liked the idea of large numbers of anonymous users discussing a variety of topics in an anonymous space. "I found that really striking then. And it seemed liked the beginning of something." He has criticized media companies and news outlets for exaggerating how many people used Napster for digital piracy. "Napster was a huge threat to the power structure," Winter said.[citation needed]

Winter's interest in technology, the Internet and privacy inspired him to make the 2012 documentary film Downloaded, about internet file sharing and Napster, and the 2015 film Deep Web, about the Silk Road, bitcoin, and the dark web.[33]

Personal life[edit]

Winter was married to Sonya Dawson, with whom he had a son, born in 1998. The couple later divorced. In 2010, he married Ramsey Ann Naito. They have two children.[37]

Winter maintains dual British and American citizenship.[38]

On February 2, 2018, Winter revealed that he was molested by an older man at age 13 while acting on Broadway.[39] Winter refused to name his abuser, but revealed he is coping with PTSD since the incident, saying "I had extreme PTSD for many, many years, and that will wreak havoc on you."[40][33]

Filmography[edit]

Film[edit]

Directing
Year Title Director Writer Producer Notes
1984 NYU Sight & Sound Project Yes No No Co-director with Tom Stern
Short film
1985 Squeal of Death Yes Yes Yes Co-director with Tom Stern, co-writer
Short film
1989 Aisles of Doom Yes Yes No
Bar-B-Que Movie Yes No No Co-director with Tom Stern
Short film
1990 Howie Meets the Ghost of Environmental Disasters Yet to Come Yes No No
1991 or 1992 Meals on Wheels Yes Yes No Co-director with Tom Stern, co-writer
Short film
1993 Freaked Yes Yes Yes Co-director with Tom Stern, co-writer, co-producer
1999 Fever Yes Yes No
2012 Downloaded Yes Yes Yes Documentary film on Napster and its community[41][33]
2015 Deep Web: The Untold Story of Bitcoin and the Silk Road Yes Yes Yes Documentary film[42][33]
Smosh: The Movie Yes No No
2016 Anyone Can Quantum Yes No Yes Short film
Relatively Free Yes No Yes Documentary short on Barrett Brown
2017 Trump's Lobby Yes No Yes
2018 The Panama Papers Yes Yes Yes Documentary film
Trust Machine: The Story Of Blockchain Yes Yes Yes Documentary film
2020 Showbiz Kids Yes Yes Yes Documentary film on child actors in Hollywood
Zappa Yes Yes Yes Documentary film on Frank Zappa's archives[43]
2023 The YouTube Effect Yes Yes Yes Documentary film on YouTube
Acting
Year Title Role Notes
1984 NYU Sight & Sound Project Geek Short film
1985 Squeal of Death Howie / various characters Short film
Aired on Night Flight and West Coast Cable
Death Wish 3 Hermosa
1987 The Lost Boys Marko Credited as Alexander Winter
Medium Rare Timmy
1988 Haunted Summer Dr. John William Polidori
1989 Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure Bill S. Preston, Esq.
Rosalie Goes Shopping Schatzi Greenspace
Aisles of Doom Grendel T.W. Ulcerous Short film
Aired on Night Flight and West Coast Cable
Entering Texas a.k.a. Bar-B-Que Movie Mexican hitchhiker Short film
Part of Stuart S. Shapiro's Impact Video Magazine
1990 Howie Meets the Ghost of Environmental Disasters Yet to Come Howie Short film
Part of Nigel Dick-directed Save the Planet: A CBS/Hard Rock Cafe Special
1991 Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey Bill S. Preston, Esq. / Evil Robot Bill / Granny Preston
1991 or 1992 Meals on Wheels Dweeb Short film
Made for The Playboy Channel's Inside Out late night anthology series
1993 Freaked Ricky Coogin Last widely released film until 2013
1997 The Borrowers TV Gangster Cameo; he points to Jeff the Exterminator's van
1999 Fever Subway passenger Cameo
2013 Grand Piano Assistant First widely released film since 1997
2015 Smosh: The Movie Uncle Keith
2019 In Search of Darkness Himself Documentary film
2020 Bill & Ted Face the Music Bill S. Preston, Esq.
In Search of Darkness: Part II Himself Documentary film
2022 In Search of Tomorrow Himself Documentary film
Blue's Big City Adventure Cab Driver
2024 Destroy All Neighbors Vlad
TBA Absolute Dominion Post-production[44]

Television[edit]

Directing
Year Title Director Writer Producer Notes
1991 The Idiot Box Yes Yes No 6 episodes
Co-director with Tom Stern, co-writer of 1 episode: "The Best of the Idiot Box"
2003 Jimmy Kimmel Live! Yes No No Various segments
2005 Dirty Famous Yes No No
2005–2007 The Andy Milonakis Show Yes No No
2007 Ben 10: Race Against Time Yes No Yes Television film
2009 Ben 10: Alien Swarm Yes No Yes Television film
2011 Blue Mountain State Yes No No Episodes "The Corn Field" and "The Corn Field 2"
2011–2013 Supah Ninjas Yes No No 5 episodes
2012 Level Up Yes No No 4 episodes
2013 Marvin Marvin Yes No No Episode "Mr. Earth"
Betas Yes No No Episode "Show & Tell"
2014 Maker Shack Agency Yes No No Episode "Pilot"
2015 Bella and the Bulldogs Yes No No Episode "Tornado Afraido"
Kirby Buckets Yes No No Episodes "Gimme Some Room" and "All Hands on Dexter"
2016 Quantum Is Calling Yes No Yes Television film
Acting
Year Title Role Notes
1985 The Equalizer Jeffrey 1 episode: "Mama's Boy"
1990 Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures Bill S. Preston, Esq. (voice) 13 episodes
1991 The Idiot Box Various roles 6 episodes
1993 Basic Values: Sex, Shock & Censorship in the 90's Stinx on Ice Television film
2007 Ben 10: Race Against Time Constantine Jacobs Television film
Bones Monte Gold 1 episode: "The Girl in the Gator"
Saul of the Mole Men King Mole Man (voice) 5 episodes
2009 Ben 10: Alien Swarm Nanomech (voice) Television film
2012, 2019 Robot Chicken Bill S. Preston, Esq., Steve Burns, Earl the Lego Man (voice) 2 episodes
2018 Into the Dark The Voice (voice) Episode: "The Body"

Music videos[edit]

Year Song Artist Notes
1989 "Higher Ground" Red Hot Chili Peppers Actor
"Knock Me Down" Co-director with Tom Stern
Actor, as Young Man
"Taste the Pain" Director
1990 "Who's the Mack?" Ice Cube Co-director with Tom Stern
"Me & Elvis" Human Radio
"Decadence Dance" Extreme
1991 "Photograffitti" Director
1993 "The Jackal" Ronny Jordan
1994 "Hard Act to Follow" Brother Cane Actor
"Milquetoast" Helmet Director
"Wilma's Rainbow"
1995 "1 to 1 Religion" Bomb the Bass feat. Carlton
"Verklemmt" Foetus
1996 "If 6 Was 9" Axiom Funk
1997 "Bug Powder Dust" Bomb the Bass feat. Justin Warfield
"Exactly What You Wanted" Helmet
2003 "Talamanam Sound Clash" Tabla Beat Science Concert DVD
Co-director with Zane Vella

Theatre[edit]

Year Show Role Notes
1977–1978 The King and I Louis Leonowens 1977 Broadway revival, Replacement part
1979–1981 Peter Pan John Darling 1979 Broadway revival
1981 Close of Play Matthew American Premiere, Manhattan Theater Club

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Alexander R Winter, England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008". FamilySearch. 1965.
  2. ^ Smith, Kyle (March 25, 2015). "What happened to the other guy from 'Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure'?". New York Post.
  3. ^ a b Thompson, Simon. "Alex Winter Recalls 'The Lost Boys' As The 80s Classic Arrives In 4K". Forbes. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  4. ^ "Alex Winter Biography – Yahoo! Movies".
  5. ^ "Alex Winter Biography". filmreference.com. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  6. ^ "HBO Doc 'Showbiz Kids' Exposes the Dark Side of Child Stardom". Jewish Journal. July 6, 2020.
  7. ^ "Ten Things You Never Knew About Bill & Ted's Alex Winter". June 26, 2018.
  8. ^ "Alex Winter Wiki: Everything To Know About Ramsey Naito's Husband". pandagossips.com. December 24, 2015. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  9. ^ "Our Story". MADCO dance .com. Retrieved September 11, 2023.
  10. ^ "Dude! It's Alex Winter!". CNN. November 12, 2002. Archived from the original on December 5, 2008. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  11. ^ "Bill and Ted – Articles Archive". billandted.org. Archived from the original on November 20, 2010.
  12. ^ a b Schindehette, Susan (August 12, 1991). "An Excellent Dude Goes to Hell". People.
  13. ^ Whitty, Stephen (May 29, 2015). "Alex Winter's excellent adventure, from NJ to the 'Deep Web'". NJ.com.
  14. ^ Spanadoris, Maria. "Alex Winter – Exclusive Interview from Bill and Ted: Face the Music". Famadillo.com. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
  15. ^ Garrity, Philip (January 29, 2014). "The Revolution Will Be Digitized". Westchester Magazine.
  16. ^ Fox, Audrey (October 1, 2023). "Freaked At 30: A Look Back At Alex Winter And Tom Stern's Cult Classic Comedy". /Film. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  17. ^ Rich, Frank (February 25, 1981). "THEATER: 'CLOSE OF PLAY,' BY SIMON GRAY, OPENS". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  18. ^ Rosalie Goes Shopping (1989), retrieved January 21, 2024
  19. ^ "Alex Winter's Most Excellent and Bogus Journey".
  20. ^ Burr, Ty (October 15, 1993). "EW review of 'Freaked'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved September 21, 2007.
  21. ^ Sciretta, Peter (July 30, 2008), Alex Winter to Write Howard Stern's Rock 'n' Roll High School Remake, /Film, archived from the original on January 5, 2010, retrieved June 9, 2010
  22. ^ "Remaking The Gate – Interview Alex Winter". screen/read. Archived from the original on September 9, 2010. Retrieved August 12, 2010.
  23. ^ Relatively Free
  24. ^ Trump's Lobby,
  25. ^ "Alex Winter LA Premier with Blockchain Beach & Singular DTV". BlockchainBeach.us. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
  26. ^ "Trust Machine LA Premier with Alex Winter, Rosario Dawson & Austin Davis". IMDB.com. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
  27. ^ "Frank Zappa Documentary by Alex Winter Starts Production". Rolling Stone. July 24, 2015.
  28. ^ "Alex Winter". AlexWinter.com. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
  29. ^ Anita Busch (April 21, 2016). "Frank Zappa Pic Highest-Funded Documentary Ever On Kickstarter With Final $1.12M – Update". deadline.com. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
  30. ^ "Bill & Ted 3". NME. Archived from the original on April 10, 2011.
  31. ^ Freeman, Hadley (April 17, 2014). "Bill & Ted's 25th birthday: party on, dudes!". The Guardian. Retrieved April 18, 2014.
  32. ^ "Bill & Ted 3 is finally going into production". consequence.net. April 13, 2016. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
  33. ^ a b c d e "Starring in Bill and Ted was 'therapeutic' says abused actor Alex Winter". February 2, 2018. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  34. ^ "Keanu Reeves confirms new Bill & Ted movie, and it's got a bonkers plot". consequence.net. February 11, 2017. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
  35. ^ a b Ehrlich, Brenna (January 18, 2024). "Alex Winter Talks Becoming a Horrifying Ogre, 'Bill & Ted 4,' and Breaking Up Big Tech". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  36. ^ Hoad, Phil (January 10, 2024). "Destroy All Neighbors review – prog-rock comedy horror is splatterhouse turned up to 11". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  37. ^ "Alex Winter, the Slacker from Bill & Ted's Excellent Edventure, Finds Directing More Bodacious Than Acting". November 18, 2002. Retrieved May 23, 2013.
  38. ^ Kevin Pollak interview with Alex Winter Archived September 12, 2014, at the Wayback Machine (September 8, 2014).
  39. ^ Chiles, Adrian; Winter, Alex (February 2, 2018). "Chiles on" (Audio interview, starts at 1:07). BBC Radio 5 Live. BBC.
  40. ^ "Alex Winter: 'I had extreme PTSD for many, many years. That will wreak havoc'". the Guardian. September 21, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
  41. ^ Cangialosi, Jason. "Interview: Alex Winter on Napster Documentary 'Downloaded'". Yahoo! Movies. Archived from the original on May 13, 2012. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
  42. ^ "Kickstarter: Deep Web: The Untold Story of Bitcoin and the Silk Road". Retrieved December 18, 2013.
  43. ^ "'Zappa': Magnolia Pictures Serving Up Frank Zappa Documentary For Thanksgiving". August 6, 2020. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
  44. ^ 'Absolute Dominion': Netflix Martial Arts Pic Casts Désiré Mia, Fabiano Viett, Alex Winter, Patton Oswalt, Julie Ann Emery, More

External links[edit]

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