Tim Blake Nelson
A fiercely intelligent character actor with a distinctive presence, equally at home in Coen brothers comedies and gritty indie dramas.
Born 1964 (age 62)·American actor·Birthday: May 11·Baby Boomers
Biography
With his round glasses and thoughtful demeanor, Tim Blake Nelson has carved out a unique space in American film as an actor of remarkable range and erudition. A Juilliard-trained playwright and director from Oklahoma, he brings a theatrical weight to every role, whether he's singing "In the Jailhouse Now" as the simple-hearted Delmar in 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?' or embodying the chilling calm of a criminal in 'The Ballad of Buster Scruggs.' He consistently chooses projects that interest him intellectually, moving seamlessly between blockbuster franchises like the MCU, where he plays the simmering Samuel Sterns, and intimate historical pieces like 'Lincoln.' Off-screen, his directorial efforts, such as 'The Grey Zone,' reveal a filmmaker unafraid to grapple with profound moral questions.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Tim was born in 1964, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Tim Was Born
The biggest hits of 1964
#1 Movie
Mary Poppins
Best Picture
My Fair Lady
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Tim's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1964Born
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1969Started school
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1977Became a teenager
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Could drive
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1982Could vote
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Turned 21
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1994Turned 30
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 40
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 50
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 60
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 62 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Received critical acclaim for his role as Delmar O'Donnell in the Coen brothers' film 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?'
- Wrote and directed the film 'The Grey Zone,' a harrowing drama about the Sonderkommando in Auschwitz.
- Portrayed the titular singing cowboy in the Coen brothers' anthology film 'The Ballad of Buster Scruggs.'
- Has appeared in multiple Steven Spielberg films, including 'Minority Report' and 'Lincoln.'
Did You Know?
He is a fluent speaker of Mandarin Chinese, which he studied at Brown University.
He is a published playwright and has had his works produced off-Broadway.
He provided the voice for the character of Fagin in the animated film 'The Animated Adventures of Tom Sawyer.'
“I'm drawn to characters who are in some way compromised, who are grappling with their own morality.”
