The stars everyone is crushing on in 2024
When he decided he wanted to act, he moved to LA and eventually landed a few TV appearances on shows like 'Maude' (1972) and 'The Mary Tyler Moore Hour' (1979). His big break was opposite Jim Belushi in the short-lived TV comedy 'Working Stiffs' (1979).
Keaton married Caroline McWilliams, an actress best known for playing Marcy Hill in the TV show 'Benson,' in 1982. They had one child together before divorcing in 1990.
'Working Stiffs' catapulted him to the big screen, co-starring with Henry Winkler in the comedy 'Night Shift' (1982), in which Keaton portrayed a fast-talking scammer who worked in a morgue.
Keaton started his career in comedy, at first struggling as a stand-up comic in Pittsburgh. He also worked as a TV cameraman in a cable station for a short time.
Michael Keaton was actually born Michael Douglas on September 5, 1951, in Pennsylvania. The youngest of seven kids, Keaton studied speech for two years at Kent State University before moving to Pittsburgh.
Partly due to the popularity of 'Beetlejuice,' Keaton's role as a drug-addicted realtor in Glenn Gordon Caron's 'Clean and Sober' was a little overlooked, though it was a critically-acclaimed performance and showed a whole new side to the actor.
Actor Robert Wuhl, who played Alexander Knox in 'Batman,' revealed that Pfeiffer was in the running to play Vicki Vale (ultimately played by Kim Basinger), but Keaton blocked her. “Michael Keaton and Michelle Pfeiffer had previously dated and broken up,” Wuhl told The Hollywood Reporter. “At the time, Michael told me he was trying to get back with his ex-wife. Keaton was firmly, and underline firmly, against that casting of Pfeiffer and he and [producer Jon Peters] got into it.”
After co-starring in 'Night Shift,' Keaton landed more comedy roles, notably 'Mr. Mom' (1983), which was met with universal acclaim. He also starred in 'Johnny Dangerously' (1984) and 'Gung Ho' (1986).
Apparently things didn't work out with his ex-wife, and Keaton went on to have a relationship with 'Friends' star Courteney Cox from 1989 to 1995.
In another attempt to show his range, Keaton took on the role of a psychopathic tenant in 'Pacific Heights' (1990).
In the '90s, Keaton saw more success with films like the Shakespearean 'Much Ado About Nothing' (1993), 'Multiplicity' (1996), and Quentin Tarantino's 'Jackie Brown' (1997).
In the early 2000s, Keaton had mixed success. 'Live from Baghdad' (2002) did earn him a Golden Globe Award nomination, and his other films included 'First Daughter' (2004), and 'Herbie Fully Loaded' (2005).
Keaton provided character voices in the animated films 'Cars' (2006), 'Toy Story 3' (2010), and 'Minions' (2015). 'Toy Story 3,' in which Keaton voices Ken, is weirdly his highest-rated film on Rotten Tomatoes!
Keaton and Michelle Pfeiffer reunited anyway in 'Batman Returns' (1992), as Pfeiffer replaced a pregnant Annette Bening for the sequel. Pfeiffer's portrayal of Selina Kyle/Catwoman garnered much praise.
Even the vice president of DC Comics in New York, Michael Uslan, had doubted the choice of Keaton, but he changed his mind after seeing an early screening of 'Clean and Sober.' “After seeing that film, I said, 'I take it all back. This is a great, serious actor,'” Uslan told The Hollywood Reporter.
He decided to use a stage name since there was already an actor (Michael Douglas) and daytime host (Mike Douglas) with the same name. Of course, many wondered if he chose his surname with regard to Diane Keaton or Buster Keaton, but he has said in interviews that he just looked in phone book under "K," saw "Keaton" and made up his mind!
The year 2014 was enormous for Keaton, as he returned to the spotlight in films like 'RoboCop,' 'Need for Speed,' and, of course, 'Birdman.'
Keaton's success continued into 2015 with the drama 'Spotlight,' in which he gave a fantastic performance as a Boston Globe reporter investigating the cover-up of sexual abuse by Roman Catholic priests. Keaton triumphantly returned to the Academy Awards as the film won the Oscar for Best Picture.
Keaton's role in 'Birdman,' in which he played an actor who had struck fame as the titular superhero and was desperately trying to return to his career high by staging a serious Broadway play, played on interesting parallels to Keaton's career but also earned him immense critical acclaim for his performance. He won a Golden Globe Award, received his first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor, and the film took home the Oscar for Best Picture.
Keaton continued with action thrillers with 'American Assassin' (2017), in which he portrays a Persian Gulf War veteran who trains a young CIA recruit.
Keaton didn't slow down and the following year he starred in 'The Founder,' based on the true story of Ray Kroc, the salesman who grew McDonald's from a small hamburger restaurant in California to a worldwide enterprise.
In 2019, Keaton reunited with Tim Burton to star in his live-action take on 'Dumbo.' Keaton played the owner of an amusement park in the remake of the 1941 Disney classic.
In 2017, Keaton returned to comic book characters, playing the villainous Adrian Toomes (Vulture) in 'Spider-Man: Homecoming.'
While 2020 was admittedly a tough year for the film industry, Keaton landed a role in one of the year's biggest features. Aaron Sorkin's 'The Trial of the Chicago 7' is a drama based on the true story of a group of political activists who were tried for their antiwar activities during the 1968 Democratic National Convention.
The actor will co-star in the upcoming comedy film 'Goodrich' alongside Mila Kunis, set for release in October 2024. The story follows Andy Goodrich as he navigates fatherhood with the help of his pregnant daughter after his wife enters rehab. He shows no signs of slowing down!
Sources: (Britannica) (Rotten Tomatoes) (The Hollywood Reporter)
See also: Who is the best superhero of them all?
Keaton's first truly big film, which earned him widespread acclaim and A-lister fame, was Tim Burton's horror-comedy 'Beetlejuice' (1988). He played the titular role as an obnoxious ghost in the film, which quickly became a Halloween classic.
Keaton drew much criticism when he was first cast by Tim Burton to appear as the Caped Crusader in his dark atmospheric film 'Batman' (1989). Many people thought he was a mere comic actor, but Keaton proved them wrong by surprising everyone with his superb performance opposite Jack Nicholson as the Joker.
Keaton was initially set to reprise the role for a third Batman film, but when Tim Burton was dropped as director, he exited the franchise. He reportedly didn't like the screenplay approved by the new director, Joel Schumacher. Reports say Warner Bros. even offered him US$15 million to return after he refused, but he remained steadfast. He was then replaced by Val Kilmer in 'Batman Forever' (1995).
Keaton played Dr. Samuel Finnix in 'Dopesick,' which earned him his first Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series. In his acceptance speech, Keaton thanked his family in particular for supporting his love of performing ever since he was a kid. “To this day, they were never demeaning, they were never dismissive, they never looked down on it,” he said, later adding, "I just want to thank all those people in my family, for never making me feel foolish because I went on to do that several times myself.” Keaton beat Colin Firth for 'The Staircase,' Andrew Garfield for 'Under the Banner of Heaven,' Oscar Isaac for 'Scenes From a Marriage,' and Himesh Patel for 'Station Eleven.'
Winona Rider and Keaton were reunited for Tim Burton’s 'Beetlejuice' sequel. Fans were dying to see the duo return to the quirky, supernatural world that turned the film into a cult classic.
Different generations have vastly different ideas of who Michael Keaton is. For some, he's a comedic actor whose straight face could make you burst into laughter. For others, he's the iconic Batman—perhaps even their favorite Batman. And still for others he's a dramatic actor who has chillingly perfected serious and realistic roles.
The beloved star's career trajectory has been one of immense success, big learning lessons, and surprising twists and turns, yet he's managed to stay on people's radar for over four decades now. Click through to refresh yourself on Michael Keaton's incredible journey from comedy to critical appeal.
In 1983, Keaton welcomed his first and only child, Sean Douglas, who would go on to become a well-known songwriter and record producer, including a Grammy Award-winner for his work on Lizzo's 'Cuz I Love You.' Douglas has also written for Thomas Rhett, Demi Lovato, Jessie J, Fifth Harmony, Nick Jonas, Chris Brown, Madonna, The Chainsmokers, Kesha, Selena Gomez, and Sia.
Michael Keaton: From comedy to critical appeal
The actor reprises the legendary Beetlejuice role after 35 years of career milestones and an Oscar nomination.
CELEBRITY Retrospective
Different generations have vastly different ideas of who Michael Keaton is. For some, he's a comedic actor whose straight face could make you burst into laughter. For others, he's the iconic Batman—perhaps even their favorite Batman. And still for others he's a dramatic actor who has chillingly perfected serious and realistic roles.
The beloved star's career trajectory has been one of immense success, big learning lessons, and surprising twists and turns, yet he's managed to stay on people's radar for over four decades now. Click through to refresh yourself on Michael Keaton's incredible journey from comedy to critical appeal.