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Eric Stoltz (born September 30, 1961) is an American actor widely considered a prominent and diverse actor in independent film^{[citation needed]}. He has appeared in movies such as Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Mask, Some Kind of Wonderful, Memphis Belle, Rob Roy, Little Women, The Waterdance, Pulp Fiction, Kicking and Screaming, and The House of Mirth.

He is known for playing either sensitive misfits (Mask, Kicking and Screaming, The Waterdance) or sociopathic criminals with a cowardly or nice side (Pulp Fiction, Killing Zoe).

Originally cast as Marty McFly in Back to the Future (1985), he was replaced after filming had started, when Michael J. Fox (the director's first choice for the role) agreed to divide time between the movie and his television sitcom Family Ties. The director, Robert Zemeckis, has said that while Stoltz was provided an admirable performance, it lacked the humorous feel that Zemeckis was looking for.

On television, he has played Helen Hunt's ex-boyfriend on Mad About You, Debra Messing's boyfriend on Will and Grace, and the English teacher-poet August Dimitri in ABC's Once and Again.

He was a production assistant on Say Anything and Singles, and has produced the films Bodies, Rest & Motion in 1993, Sleep with Me in 1994, and Mr. Jealousy in 1997.

More recently, he has starred in The Butterfly Effect with Ashton Kutcher, and The Triangle with Sam Neill. He also guest-starred in a 2003 episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as well as the 2005 season finale of the NBC sitcom Will & Grace.

Stoltz started directing in 2002 with an episode of Once and Again. The following year he was nominated for a daytime Emmy for his direction of the cable movie My Horrible Year. He has also directed a short film entitled The Bulls, as well as the highest rated episode of Law & Order in 2005, entitled Tombstone. (This was the episode where Det. Green (Jesse L. Martin) was shot and hospitalized.)

Trained in the theatre, Stoltz has also appeared on Broadway and off-Broadway, in such diverse plays as Three Sisters, The Importance of Being Earnest, Arms and the Man, The Glass Menagerie, Two Shakespearean Actors, Sly Fox, and Our Town, He was nominated for a Tony Award for the latter performance.

He has contributed essays to the books City Secrets—New York as well as Life Interrupted by Spalding Gray, and appears on the children's CD Philadelphia Chickens.

On a personal note, he lived with Bridget Fonda from 1990-1998, and with actress Jennifer Jason Leigh from 1985-1989. In 2005 he married Irish singer/songwriter Bernadette Moley.

• Howl (2008)
• Dragster (2008)
• The Lather Effect (2006)
• The Honeymooners (2006)
• The Triangle (2005)
• The Butterfly Effect (2004)
• When Zachary Beaver Came to Town (2003)
• Happy Hour (2003)
• The Rules of Attraction (2002)
• Harvard Man (2001)
• Things Behind the Sun (2001)
• It's a Shame About Ray (2000)
• Jesus & Hutch (2000)
• The House of Mirth (2000)
• The Simian Line (2000)
• The Passion of Ayn Rand (1999)
• Hi-Life (1998)
• Highball (1997)
• The Rocking Horse Winner (1997)
• Mr. Jealousy (1997)
• Anaconda (1997)
• Keys to Tulsa (1997)
• Jerry Maguire (1996)
• 2 Days in the Valley (1996)
• Grace of My Heart (1996)
• Don't Look Back (1996)
• Kicking and Screaming (1995)
• The Prophecy (1995)
• Fluke (1995)
• Rob Roy (1995)
• Little Women (1994 version)
• Pulp Fiction (1994)
• Sleep with Me (1994)
• Killing Zoe (1994)
• Naked in New York (1993)
• Bodies, Rest & Motion (1993)
• Singles (1992)
• The Waterdance (1992)
• Money (1991)
• Memphis Belle (1990)
• Say Anything (1989)
• The Fly II (1989)
• Haunted Summer (1988)
• Manifesto (1988)
• Lionheart (1987)
• Sister, Sister (1987)
• Some Kind of Wonderful (1987)
• Code Name: Emerald (1985)
• The New Kids (1985)
• Mask (1985)
• Running Hot (1984)
• Surf II (1984)
• The Wild Life (1984)
• Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)

• Eric Stoltz interview at www.sci-fi-online.com
• Eric Stoltz at the Internet Movie Database
• Eric Stoltz at TV.com
• Eric Stoltz interview