The World's Most Underrated Actor

Bill Paxton

A tribute

Bill Paxton, an underrated actor if ever there was one, was born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas and discovered his acting aspirations during High School. Where he and his friends made their own movies, with the old trusty Super 8. Not ones for any cheap looking effects, the would-be cinema makers , once used real guts in one scene and Bill once set his own arm alight for another shot

At the age of 18, Bill moved to L.A after the promise of three weeks work in an educational film. This turned into 3 years, after he managed to get a job at Roger Corman's New World Pictures, as a set dresser. It was while working there that he made his acting Debut.

After this debut Bill moved to New York, convinced that he would get more roles if he took proper acting lessons. He enrolled in New York university, to study under famed drama coach Stella Aider. This seemed to pay off, as on his return to the West coast, his career really began to take off. Between 1981 and 1986 he made 11 screen appearances in such films as The Lord of Discipline (1983) and The Terminator (1984)

It was in 1986 that he got his big break through, his first major role, as Hudson in the big budget Aliens. Over the next years, Bill continued to play supporting roles in mainstream films, such as Predator 2 (1990) Tombstone (1993) and True Lies (1994). It was 1997 and the mega blockbuster Apollo 13 that finally brought Bill to the public's eye, with his portrayal of family man Fred Haise. Over the last three years since then, Bill has continued to star in major mainstream films and independent features, such as Twister (1996), Titanic (1997) and the excellent A Simple Plan (1998)

As well as making films, Bill has found time to write, produce and direct two award winning short films, made an album as part of the rock group Martini Ranch and marry the girl he met in London in 1982, Louise Newbury. So let's hear it for Bill Paxton, probably one of the world's most versatile actors. And certainly a favourite of mine, I for one will never confuse him with Bill Pullman, like so many others seem to do.