Matthew Broderick
From Ireland to the American Civil War, Matthew Broderick explores his family's heritage – and uncovers some surprising connections to his film career.
From Ireland to the American Civil War, Matthew Broderick explores his family's heritage – and uncovers some surprising connections to his film career
Matthew Broderick was born in New York in 1962 to a Jewish mother and Catholic father, and made his stage debut at the age of seventeen. Big-screen success swiftly followed, including a leading role in the hugely popular and influential comedy Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, for which Matthew was nominated for a Golden Globe in the Best Actor category.
No stranger to treading the boards, the actor also won two Tony Awards for his roles in stage plays Brighton Beach Memoirs and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. In recent years Matthew has been catapulted back into the public eye thanks to his part in the film remake of The Producers and, particularly, his marriage to actress Sarah Jessica Parker in 1997.
As he explores his family tree, the actor is keen to learn more about his Irish heritage. His father, James Broderick, often took his family to Ireland, and Matthew still enjoys holdiays in County Donegal. As he sets out on his journey, Matthew visits a First World War battlefield and uncovers a connection with America's military past, revealing an unexpected link to his part in Oscar-winning American Civil War drama Glory.
