Steven Wiig

Last updated
Steven Wiig
Born
Steven Ray Wiig

(1972-12-30) December 30, 1972 (age 52)
Negaunee, Michigan
NationalityAmerican
Occupation(s)Musician, songwriter, producer, actor, director
Notable work Into the Wild (film), Milk (2008 American film), Yosemite (film), I'm Charlie Walker

Steven Ray Wiig (born December 30, 1972) is an American film actor, director, producer and musician. He appeared in the films Into the Wild , I'm Charlie Walker , Metallica: Some Kind of Monster , Milk (2008 American film), [1] Yosemite and The Master . [2] He is also the drummer in the band Papa Wheelie. [3] Wiig is also a primary songwriter in the bands Hoofbound, The Lesser, The Martichora, Shrakys and Radio Incognito. [4] [5]

Contents

Life and career

Wiig was born December 30, 1972, in Ishpeming, Michigan in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. He grew up in Negaunee and graduated from Negaunee High School in 1991, where he was voted "Most Artistic" by his classmates. Wiig attended Northern Michigan University. [6] He relocated to Minnesota after college in the mid-nineties, where he performed with his band, The Martichora, and produced & acted in several student films, including All Praise The Electric Light. Soon after, he began working on the road and in the recording studio with multi-Grammy Award-winning heavy metal band Metallica. [7]

In 2000, Wiig relocated to Sausalito, California to work with Metallica bassist Jason Newsted at his home studio and play in Newsted's band, Papa Wheelie. [8] They recorded two albums for Chophouse Records - "Unipsycho" in 2002 and "Live Lycanthropy in 2003, which was recorded at The Record Plant in Sausalito, California. [9] [10] The band played local gigs around the Bay Area regularly during this time including Nadine's Wild Weekend. [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16]

Wiig continued working and traveling the world with Metallica for well over a decade performing numerous duties through out the years—fan club writer, photographer, videographer, backline assistant, production, and band personal assistant. Wiig played bass for Metallica at The Playboy Mansion in 1998 (filling in for Newsted). [17] He first appeared on screen as himself in the Metallica documentary Some Kind Of Monster while he worked as Lars Ulrich's Personal Assistant. [18] [19]

Wiig went on to act professionally in the films Into The Wild and Milk (2008 American film) with Sean Penn and continued assisting the Academy Award-winner on several projects. [20] He also worked as a consultant for Social Capital Films for Ridley Scott's Tell-Tale. [21] In 2009, Wiig teamed up with fellow Upper Michigan-native Ron Riekki to produce Riekki's novel, U.P. (2008), later to be made into a movie. [22] [23] [24] [25]

In 2010, Wiig documented Faith No More's homecoming reunion 'trilogy' performances at San Francisco's Warfield Theatre and directed Jerry Hannan's "The Bridge", [26] a music video for the film Guitar Man. In September 2010, Wiig & Riekki embarked on a tour of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, promoting Riekki's novel, U.P.. During a homecoming event at The Vista Theater, Mayor Paul Gravedoni presented Wiig with a resolution recognizing him for his vision of bringing the City of Negaunee recognition through film and his dedication to the arts. [27]

2011 saw Wiig return to acting in HBO's Hemingway & Gellhorn . Under Philip Kaufman's direction, Wiig portrayed Simo Häyhä during the Winter War, leading a group of Finnish soldiers to shelter where Martha Gellhorn (played by Nicole Kidman) is reporting on World War II. [2] In July of that year, Wiig acted in Paul Thomas Anderson's movie The Master [28] resulting in him joining the Screen Actors Guild. As a member of the SAG-AFTRA, Steven continued working on numerous films with a variety of well-known directors, including Paul Thomas Anderson's Inherent Vice , Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine , Tim Burton's Big Eyes and Jordan Peele's Us (2019 film) . According to Wiig, working with such caliber of filmmakers and actors "was my film school." [28] [29]

2011 also saw Wiig resurrect the band Papa Wheelie with Metallica's Jason Newsted for a series of west coast live dates, including shows with Anvil and Kyuss Lives. [30] [31] [32] A third album was recorded at this time but has yet to be released. [33]

Wiig is also known for his diverse lead acting roles in award-winning independent films such as the dark and gritty Dead Metaphors - a film in which he portrays a self-destructive, reclusive novelist to the comedic, self-parodying in Waiting For Wiig (which he was also asked to direct). [34] [35] [36] [37] [38] [39] [40] Both films were Audience Choice Winners at the Soo Film Festival in 2015 [41] and 2016. [42]

In Dead Metaphors, Wiig plays novelist Hank Nichols who hasn't published in decades who is discovered and pushed to the brink of a complete mental breakdown by a curious female journalist. The film features songs by Tom Waits and was featured at the 2014 ArcovertLA Film festival. [2] [43] [44]

In 2015, Wiig played the insomniac father Ted in Yosemite (film) loosely based on James Franco's "A California Childhood" by filmmaker Gabrielle Demeester. The character was inspired by Franco's own father, Silicon Valley entrepreneur Doug Franco. [45] Franco also played a father in the film. [46] He also played a lonely businessman who succumbs to vampires in Christopher Coppola's Sacred Blood.

In 2018, Wiig acted as a New England Patriots drummer for an NFL/Tostitos 'Lucky Bags' Super Bowl commercial.

After working on over fifty film and television productions, Steven Wiig still resides in the San Francisco Bay Area with his family and has enjoyed many years of working on both sides of the camera. Wiig continues acting, producing & directing and is actively working to bring more film projects to Upper Michigan. [47]

In 2022, I'm Charlie Walker was released which featured Steven Wiig in a major supporting role as Charlie Walker's main ally Dan Wallace. The film is based on a true story and features Mike Colter, Dylan Baker and Monica Barbaro. [48] [49] [50] [51]

Most recently he has been busy focusing on recording with the musical projects Shrakys (who have released two albums "Anthems For The Damaged" (2021) and "Lightning Medicine" (2023)) and Radio Incognito who are currently recording a full length album at Joshua Tree Recording Studios which is set for release in 2025. [52]

Steven Wiig is represented by JE Talent agency in San Francisco, California.

Select Filmography

Film

YearTitleRole
2006 Metallica: Some Kind Of Monster Self
2007 Into The Wild Lee's Ferry Ranger
2008 Milk McConnelly
2011 A Fine Confusion David
2012 Hemingway & Gellhorn Finnish Soldier
2012 The Master Philadelphia Follower
2015 America Is Still The Place Dan
2015 Dead Metaphors Hank Nichols
2015 Yosemite Michael
2015 All The Others Were Practice Amir
2015 Sacred Blood Buck
2016 Waiting For Wiig Wiig
2022 I'm Charlie Walker Dan Wallace

Select Discography

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References

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  2. 1 2 3 Steven Wiig at IMDb
  3. ↑ "Jason Newsted's Papa Wheelie project". Blabbermouth.net. February 18, 2004. Retrieved November 10, 2012.
  4. ↑ "Lars Ulrich's assistant talks about upcoming Metallica album". Blabbermouth.net. February 21, 2008. Retrieved November 10, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Steven Wiig". ArtistInfo.
  6. ↑ "Editor's note" (PDF). Northern Horizons. Vol. 98, no. 3. Northern Michigan University. 2009.
  7. ↑ Seymour, Steve (March 6, 2008). "Rock n Roll Graffiti: Metallica embraces U. P. native".
  8. ↑ "JASON NEWSTED's PAPA WHEELIE Project: Video Posted Online". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. February 18, 2004.
  9. ↑ "JASON NEWSTED's PAPA WHEELIE: Full Track Listing Unveiled". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. April 24, 2002.
  10. ↑ "JASON NEWSTED's PAPA WHEELIE Project: New Songs Posted Online". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. January 19, 2004.
  11. ↑ "JASON NEWSTED To Perform Rare PAPA WHEELIE Gig In San Francisco". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. August 17, 2002.
  12. ↑ "JASON NEWSTED Goes "Unipsycho" On PAPA WHEELIE's CD Debut". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. April 11, 2002.
  13. ↑ "JASON NEWSTED To Sing, Play Guitar On PAPA WHEELIE's Debut". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. April 15, 2002.
  14. ↑ "PAPA WHEELIE Set Release Date For "Unipsycho"". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. May 15, 2002.
  15. ↑ "Insanity Palace of Metallica: News Room". www.ipom.com.
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  17. ↑ "Steven Wiig - Trivia". IMDb.
  18. ↑ "Steven Wiig on getting into Acting and Metallica Fan Club". Podomatic.
  19. ↑ "Steven Wiig on getting into Acting and Metallica Fan Club". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 2025-01-14.
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  21. ↑ "Actor Steven Wiig and producer Martin Shore attend the premiere of". 25 April 2009.
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  25. ↑ Bigelow, Catherine. "Model layers on the latest, keeps her cool in N.Y. Heat". SFGATE.
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  27. ↑ Made in the UP: Wiig wants movie to employ area residents, miningjournal.net; accessed December 27, 2016.
  28. 1 2 Inside View Of The Oscars - Negaunee native acted with 3 nominees in The Master, miningjournal.net; accessed December 27, 2016.
  29. ↑ "You can take the boy out of the U.P., and this one went into showbiz | Bridge Michigan". www.bridgemi.com. January 6, 2025.
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  31. ↑ "JASON NEWSTED's PAPA WHEELIE Opens For KYUSS LIVES! In San Francisco (Video)". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. December 4, 2011.
  32. ↑ "JASON NEWSTED's PAPA WHEELIE To Open KYUSS! LIVES In San Francisco". September 17, 2011.
  33. ↑ Josh Hart (November 15, 2011). "Video: Watch Jason Newsted's Papa Wheelie Cover Motorhead, Van Halen". guitarworld.
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  35. ↑ Watson, Ansley (July 13, 2016). "Short film stars Negaunee Native". TV6.
  36. ↑ "The WAIT is over".
  37. ↑ Lindala, Walt (September 21, 2016). "The Wait Is Over For "Waiting For Wiig"".
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  39. ↑ "'Waiting For Wiig' screening set".
  40. ↑ Droze, Rachel (September 20, 2016). "Film produced in U.P. will be screened in Negaunee, Ishpeming this week". TV6.
  41. ↑ "SFF 2015: Awards".
  42. ↑ "SFF 2016: Awards".
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  44. ↑ "An interview with actor Steven Wiig". WNMU-FM. 2015-04-29. Retrieved 2025-01-14.
  45. ↑ "'Yosemite': Provincetown Review". The Hollywood Reporter . 22 June 2015.
  46. ↑ "Slamdance Film Review: Yosemite - SLUG Magazine". www.slugmag.com. 2015-01-29. Retrieved 2025-01-14.
  47. ↑ Local man makes good in Hollywood, miningjournal.net; accessed December 27, 2016.
  48. ↑ "cineSOURCE magazine". cinesourcemagazine.com.
  49. ↑ "Review: 'I'm Charlie Walker' is Another Film About a Historical Black Figure to Help Teach White Viewers". 8 June 2022.
  50. ↑ "I'm Charlie Walker out in theaters and VOD today". 10 June 2022.
  51. ↑ "Mark Reviews Movies: I'M CHARLIE WALKER".
  52. ↑ "Steven Wiig - Biography". IMDb.
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