This is one of those interviews that I so wish my daddy could have heard. He and I used to watch "Coach" together all the time. We even watched the re-runs. Getting to chat with one of my favorite actors from Movies and TV...well it was the perfect start to my week. I hope you enjoy my interview with the amazing, Mr. Craig T. Nelson.
CRAIG T. NELSON BIO
Emmy Award-winner Craig T. Nelson is an actor, writer, director, and producer. Nelson guest-starred on CBS TV's Young Sheldon, which completed its run on May 16, 2024. He portrayed coach 'Dale Ballard,' a little league baseball coach and owner of the local sporting goods store, in seasons 3 through 7 (2019-2024). 'Ballard' romanced Meemaw (Annie Potts) and employed her grandson Georgie and son-in-law George. Nelson will reprise his role as 'Dale Ballard' in the new CBS spinoff, Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage.
He continues his voice work as 'PawPaw' in Disney Jr.'s imaginative and music-filled animated series, Pupstruction. PawPaw is a grizzled and sweet farmer, who is Phinny's grandpa and Harry's father. He loves his farm dearly and loves his family even more.
He stars as 'Buck,' a fourth-generation dairy farmer in Wisconsin, in the independent film Green and Gold, which premiered at the Heartland Film Festival in October 2024. Facing foreclosure, he wagers everything on his beloved Green Bay Packers in a Hail Mary effort to save his little chunk of dirt. Nelson received the Pioneering Spirit: Lifetime Achievement Award in celebration of his impressive body of work in television and on the silver screen, inspiring conversation, igniting imagination, and shifting perspectives. Fathom Events are releasing Green and Gold and will open in select theaters in January 2025.
Nelson reprised his role as 'Bruce Colby,' husband of 'Carol Colby,' portrayed by Mary Steenburgen, in Book Club: The Next Chapter for Focus Features. It reunited the original cast: Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen, Don Johnson, and Andy Garcia. The sequel followed four best friends as they took their book club to Italy for the fun girls' trip they never had. When things go off the rails, and secrets are revealed, their relaxing vacation becomes a once-in-a-lifetime cross-country adventure. The film was shot on location in Rome and was released in theaters in May 2023.
He portrayed 'Zeek Braverman,' the gregarious patriarch of the very large and colorful Braverman family on NBC's critically acclaimed Parenthood for six seasons. Nelson starred as 'Jack Mannion' on The District, a drama inspired by the experiences of real-life police crime fighter Jack Maple. Mannion was an equal-opportunity antagonist and champion of the underdog who became the new police chief of Washington, D.C., a city in desperate need of a shakedown. The District aired for four seasons, 2000-2004. Nelson also served as co-executive producer and directed episodes.
In 1997, he completed his eighth and final season on Coach, starring as 'Hayden Fox.' He directed numerous episodes and received three Emmy nominations: 1990, 1991, and 1992 for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, which led to a win for the 1991-1992 season. He has also been honored by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association with four Golden Globe nominations.
Upon completing his successful series Coach, Nelson had a chance to vary his projects, including making his Broadway debut as Nat Miller in Eugene O'Neill's Ah, Wilderness! at the Vivian Beaumont Theater/Lincoln Center in the spring of 1998. The show played to rave reviews during its limited run.
Nelson was born on April 4 in Spokane, WA. He has always been interested in music, playing drums and guitar through high school and college. He attended the University of Arizona and studied at the Oxford Theater in Los Angeles.
In 2024, Nelson delivered the commencement address at the University of Arizona and received a Doctor of Fine Arts honorary degree. Nelson also received the Pioneering Spirit: Lifetime Achievement Award in celebration of his impressive body of work in television and on the silver screen, which inspired conversation, ignited imagination, and shifted perspectives.
He began his career as a writer/performer on the Lohman and Barkley Show, and his talent as a writer garnered him a Los Angeles Emmy Award. Nelson's writing credits include The Alan King Special and The Tim Conway Show.
Nelson's guest-star appearances include a four-episode arc on Netflix's hit Grace and Frankie, Hawaii 5-0, the series finale of Monk, a three-episode arc on CSI: NY, four episodes of My Name Is Earl, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and Private Benjamin. He starred in the critically acclaimed series Call to Glory and directed its final episode. His television movies include Showtime's award-winning Dirty Pictures, NBC's Take Me Home Again with Kirk Douglas, Rage, Toast of Manhattan, Alex: The Life of a Child, The Switch, The Fire Next Time, and HBO's The Josephine Baker Story. The mini-series includes NBC's To Serve and Protect and Creature. He co-hosted with Paula Zahn on the television special The Ultimate Driving Challenge.
When one adds writing, directing, and producing to his list of credits, it's no mystery as to why he formed Family Tree Productions to develop and produce motion picture and television projects. A special project for Nelson was the television movie Ride with the Wind. The story revolves around a young boy who is hopeful, discovering, and recovering. It was scripted by Nelson, who also served as executive producer under his Family Tree Productions banner in association with Hearst Entertainment.
In 2004, audiences got to "hear" a new side of the man. He voiced 'Bob Parr', or as he was known in his superhero days, 'Mr. Incredible', in the Oscar-winning Walt Disney Picture/Pixar Animation Studios The Incredibles. In 2018, he reprised his role as Bob Parr/Mr. Incredible and once again was joined by Holly Hunter, Helen Parr/Elastigirl, and Samuel L. Jackson as Frozone. The sequel found Bob Parr/Mr. Incredible at home with Violet, Dash, and Jack-Jack navigating the day-to-day heroics of daily life while Helen Parr/Elastigirl suited up once again to help save the world.
Feature film credits include Book Club, starring Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen, and Mary Steenburgen; Gold, portraying 'Kenny Wells' (Matthew McConaughey's father); Get Hard with Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart; The Company Men, written and directed by John Wells, also starring Tommy Lee Jones, Ben Affleck, Kevin Costner, and Chris Cooper; The Proposal with Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds; Blades of Glory with Will Ferrell; The Family Stone with Sarah Jessica Parker and Diane Keaton; The Skulls; All Over Again; Devil's Advocate, in which he co-starred with Al Pacino and Keanu Reeves; Ghosts of Mississippi with Whoopi Goldberg, directed by Rob Reiner; I'm Not Rappaport, co-starring Walter Matthau and Ossie Davis; Poltergeist I & Poltergeist II - The Other Side (he contributed to the screenplay); Action Jackson; The Killing Fields; Silkwood; and The Osterman Weekend.
He became enthralled with the art of auto racing as a participant in the 1991 Toyota Pro Celebrity Grand Prix. He formed Screaming Eagles Racing Enterprise in the spring of 1992 owned the team, and drove as well. The team competed in the American City Racing League and the International Motor Sports Association's World Sports Car series. Nelson raced in the Porsche Super Cup Series in May 1994 in Monte Carlo, Monaco. The team was disbanded in 1998. The following year, he was a guest driver in a Corvette in the 100 BF Goodrich Tires Trans Am Series Race at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach and the Tenneco Detroit Grand Prix.
Besides his love of show business and music, Nelson's passion for golf is well-documented. He was a champion amateur golfer in high school and college and has been known to shoot in the low 70s. In the December 2007 issue of Golf Digest, he was ranked 4th out of 100 TV and film stars.
Nelson and his wife, Doria, live in Los Angeles. He has three children, eight grandchildren, and ten great-grandchildren.
ABOUT GREEN AND GOLD, IN THEATERS JANUARY 31ST
Foreclosure looms over Wisconsin dairy farmer Buck (Craig T. Nelson). With mounting debt and the land his family has cultivated for four generations at risk, Buck refuses to give up his legacy without a fight. Buck's granddaughter (Madison Lawlor) works alongside him but dreams of a career in music. Her aspirations are fanned by an emerging friendship with a famous musician (Brandon Sklenar), but chasing her dreams might take her far from the farm. With time running out, Buck places a daring Super Bowl bet on his beloved Green Bay Packers, risking it all to save everything he holds dear.
Directed by Anders Lindwall, Green and Gold is an inspiring and poignant exploration of resilience, sacrifice, and the extraordinary courage required to steward a family farm through mounting challenges. Celebrating the power of purpose and the enduring strength of family and community, the film features M. Emmet Walsh, Ashton Moio, and Charlie Berens. Produced by Davin Lindwall and Aaron Boyd. Dan Visser, Darren Moorman, Scott Pomeroy, Craig Cheek, Brooks Malberg executive produce the feature film. The screenplay was written by Steven Shafer, Michael Graf, Missy Mareau Garcia, and Anders Lindwall.
Brought to you by Culver's in support of the Thank You Farmers® Project. The film is in proud partnership with the Green Bay Packers.
Here's the trailer:
Https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIYZ5rWQNtg
