Scott Coffey

Scott Coffey
Born
Thomas Scott Coffey

(1964-05-01) May 1, 1964 (age 60)
Other names
  • T. Scott Coffee
  • T. Scott Coffey
Occupations
  • Actor
  • director
  • producer
  • screenwriter
Years active1983–present
PartnerBlair Mastbaum

Scott Coffey (born Thomas Scott Coffey; May 1, 1964) is an American actor, director, producer and screenwriter. His film credits include Shag, Some Kind of Wonderful, Dream Lover, and Mulholland Drive. He directed the films Ellie Parker (2005) and Adult World (2013).

Coffey was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male for his performance in Shag.

Biography

Personal life

Coffey was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, where he began his acting career appearing in school plays, community theatre and with the Hawaii Performing Arts Company. He also appeared in several episodic television shows. He later became a writer and director. Coffey lives in New York with his longtime boyfriend, novelist Blair Mastbaum.[1]

Career

At sixteen, he moved to Rome, attending high school and acting in films including Once Upon a Time in America.[2] Coffey's favorite film was Bertolucci's La Luna[3] which sparked his desire to move to Italy.[4] Later, he moved to New York where he signed with the William Morris Agency and studied acting while co-starring in the off-Broadway play It's All Talk.

After a year he moved to Los Angeles to pursue his film career, appearing in Ferris Bueller's Day Off and SpaceCamp. His television work included a special The Twilight Zone episode entitled "Private Channel", as well as an episode of Amazing Stories directed by Robert Zemeckis. In 1989, Coffey played the major role of Chip in Shag.[5]

His first feature film, Ellie Parker (2005), which finished production in July 2005, was an Official Selection of the 2005 Sundance Film Festival and won the New American Cinema Special Jury Prize at the Seattle International Film Festival.[6] He wrote All God's Children Can Dance, a film adaptation of a story by Haruki Murakami.[7] Coffey also directed the 2013 indie Adult World.[3]

Coffey formed a friendship with actress Naomi Watts when the two worked together in the 1995 film Tank Girl.[8] Coffey directed Watts in the 2001 short film Ellie Parker, which was later expanded into the feature film of the same name.[6] The two have also appeared in other works together, mostly directed by David Lynch, including the 2001 mystery feature Mulholland Drive and the web series Rabbits.[8][9]

Filmography

Film
Year Film Role Notes
1984 Il peccato di Lola Albert Remake of Private lessons
1986 SpaceCamp Gardener Credited as T. Scott Coffey
Ferris Bueller's Day Off Adams Credited as T. Scott Coffey
1987 Some Kind of Wonderful Ray
Zombie High Felner Alternative title: The School That Ate My Brain
1988 Satisfaction Nickie Alternative title: Girls of Summer
1989 Shag Chip Guillyard Alternative title: Shag: The Movie
The Big Picture Waiter Credited as T. Scott Coffey
1990 Wild at Heart Billy Scenes deleted
1991 Shout Bradley
1993 Cigarettes & Coffee
The Temp Lance
Wayne's World 2 Heavy Metaller
1994 Dream Lover Billy
1995 Breaking Free Blitz Alternative title: A Leap of Faith
Tank Girl Donner
1996 Rolling Thunder Lewis
1997 Lost Highway Teddy
The Disappearance of Kevin Johnson Video Engineer
2001 Never Date an Actress The caring boyfriend
Mulholland Drive Wilkins
2002 Rabbits Jack
2005 Ellie Parker Chris Writer, director, producer
2006 Inland Empire Jack Rabbit Voice
2007 Normal Adolescent Behavior Philosophy Teacher Alternative title: Havoc 2: Normal Adolescent Behavior
All God's Children Can Dance
-
Writer
2013 Adult World Bookstore owner Director
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1985 Christopher Columbus Vallejo Miniseries
1986 Hotel Martin 1 episode
Highway to Heaven Tim Brent 1 episode
Amazing Stories Peter Brand 1 episode
1987 MacGyver Michael Thornton 1 episode
The Twilight Zone Keith Barnes Episode: "Private Channel"
1988 Paradise Dick Bradley 1 episode
1990 Montana Willie Television movie
The Outsiders Randy Anderson 2 episodes
1993 seaQuest DSV Bobby 1 episode
1995 JAG Corporal David Parr 1 episode
1996 Nowhere Man Gary Greer, recruit No. 5 1 episode
1998 Route 9 Nate Television movie
2017 Twin Peaks Trick 1 episode

Directorial work

Films
Year Film
2005 Ellie Parker
2013 Adult World
2021 Rhino
Music videos
Year Song Artist Album
2011 "What About Us" Handsome Furs Sound Kapital
2010 "Yulia" Wolf Parade Expo 86
2009 "I'm Confused" Handsome Furs FACE CONTROL
2009 "Circa" Death Vessel Nothing is Precious Enough For Us
2008 "Move You" Anya Marina Slow and Steady Seduction

Awards and nominations

Year Award Result Category Film or series
1990 Independent Spirit Award Nominated Best Supporting Male Shag
2005 Seattle International Film Festival Won New American Cinema Special Jury Prize Ellie Parker
2005 Sundance Film Festival Nominated Grand Jury Prize (Dramatic) Ellie Parker

References

  1. ^ Winter Miller (July 8, 2007). "A Night Out With Dean and Britta:Rock On, but Turn In Early". New York Times. Joining them for dinner on a recent Thursday night at Supper on Second Street off Avenue A were Scott Coffey, a screenwriter, director and sometime bit player; and his boyfriend, Blair Mastbaum, a novelist. They sat at a table in a room just light enough not to be taken for a bat cave.
  2. ^ Longsdorf, Amy (July 29, 1989). "For Quality-Minded Scott Coffey, 'Shag' Was A Good Step". The Morning Call.
  3. ^ a b Gardiner, Kat (April 18, 2013). "Irrelevant Interviews: 'Adult World' Director Scott Coffey". Vice.com. VICE.
  4. ^ Harada, Wayne (October 26, 2001). "Love and life in Kailua grist for independent film". The Honolulu Advertiser.
  5. ^ Dworkin, Norine (July 23, 1989). "'Shag' Actor Has Greater Film Goals". Sun-Sentinel.
  6. ^ a b "Scott Coffey". filmindependent.org. Film Independent.
  7. ^ "All God's Children Can Dance". Metropolis. October 28, 2010.
  8. ^ a b Vary, Adam B. (November 22, 2005). "Short Answers: Ellie Parker". The Advocate. Here Publishing.
  9. ^ "Scott Coffey & Naomi Watts Collaborations". IMDb.com.