Ben schnetzer was born on february 8 1990 in new york, to actors stephen schnetzer and nancy snyder. Ben schnetzer was once an accomplished elvis impersonator. He studied at the former northern ireland hotel and catering college in portrush, before moving to london in 1978. Dominic west, as well as the american actor ben schnetzer the book thief who plays its main character mark ashton, the lgsms leader. Pride 15 mark ashton ben schnetzer is the charismatic leader of young, impassioned campaigners, who operate out of the gays e word bookshop in london run by gethin andrew scott.
The film revolves around lgsm founder and leader mark ashton ben schnetzer and his merry band of followers, including jonathan blake, played by a jovial dominic west the wire. Mark ashton 19601987 was a gay rights activist, socialist and member of the communist party of great britain. On one hand the miners of south wales, locked in a bitter, violent, yearlong strike against pit closures. The young activist who wants to fight for the rights of all, miners, gay, women, and.
When actor ben schnetzer received the script for the film he couldnt resist. Mark christian ashton 19 may 1960 11 february 1987 was a british gay rights activist and cofounder of the lesbians and gays support the miners lgsm support. Battling the bullies in an uplifting tale that packs a. Ben schnetzer, joseph gilgun, andrew scott, and dominic west in pride.
If mark ashton hadnt died so tragically young and was still around to see the film, he probably wouldve been very pleased. Pride is a thoroughly engaging movie that manages to be political without being preachy and deeply moving without being overly sentimental. Gay rights go down the pit in mustsee miners strike. Take young actor ben schnetzer very seriously w magazine. Miners wives with a van bought with funds collected by lgsm, 1985 film books. Mark ashtons memory lives on today thanks to the excellent 2014 pride which dramatised his admirable solidarity with the striking mineworkers in the dulais valley during the 198485 miners strike and in which ashton was brilliantly portrayed by american actor ben schnetzer.
The film opens in the london apartment of mark ashton ben schnetzer, a gay activist who is transfixed at a television news broadcast about the miners and a strike that is at that point four. Schnetzer, an american actor, was nominated for two british independent film awards for his performance. Clad in glitter and sequins, and armed with an aluminumfoil microphone, he performed a. First came a small part in the book thief 20, followed by his. Joseph gordonlevitt, logan marshallgreen, ben schnetzer, and lakeith stanfield in snowden 2016. Said group sparks into life in the midst of a gay pride march in london, when a 20year old by the name of mark ashton ben schnetzer argues that miners have been as badly treated by the. The uk miners strike through the distorted mirror of identity. You probably recognize ben as max vandenburg in the book thief and as khadgar in warcraft. Andrew scott sherlock as jonathans unobtrusive partner gethin who also owns the bookshop that serves as. In the book, its davidsons skill as a writer that holds you. Of the cast, imelda staunton and bill nighy are in fine form, while relative newcomer ben schnetzer has boyish, pompadoured appeal as mark ashton, who spearheaded the whole idea.
Out of those young stars, none made quite as big an impression as the new yorkraised ben schnetzer. We will provide you movie stills, photoshoots, magazine scans, events and much more. Drama historical films film adaptations history war films. Ben schnetzer is an american actor born in new york city. Reading news stories about the miners strike, mark recognises a cause to champion. Largely for the love of mark, and perhaps a deeplyburied, highly politically incorrect hope that one day a burly miner might show me his, er, gratitude, i attended meetings in a crowded. George mackay is joe, a justturned20 mummys boy on the brink of coming out who finds himself shaking a bucket for the miners in 1984 at the insistence of gobby mark ashton ben schnetzer and. Dominic west the wire as hard living actor jonathan blake. As mark ashton, the motivating irish activist whose fervor to help the miners with the group. In pride, new york native ben schnetzer the book thief, the riot club plays reallife british gay rights activist mark ashton. The book thief is a 20 world war ii war drama film directed by brian percival, the film is about a young girl living with her adoptive german family during the nazi era.
Finally, ben schnetzer plays the social activist mark ashton with great style. Unambiguously, the group was called lesbians and gays support the miners lgsm and it did what it says on their collecting tin. The strike was well underway when mark ashton ben schnetzer, the book thief, a fervent politico, began recruiting friends at a gay pride. In the early days of the strike, mark ashton ben schnetzer, a young gayrights activist in london, persuades some gay friends to make common cause with the miners. If you have any further questions, please dont hesitate to contact us. Ive spoken to the council about your deviant parties.
He played mark ashton in the movie pride, released. When actor ben schnetzer received the script for the film he couldnt resist the story and the chance to play the charismatic mark ashton. Ben schnetzer photo ben schnetzer ben schnetzer the book thief. See more ideas about ben schnetzer, the book thief and warcraft movie.
When the thatcher government threatens to close down a significant number of the countrys pits, a young gayrights activist named mark ashton ben schnetzer leads a group of gays and lesbians. Pride shows the alliance of a gay group and mineworkers the. He played max vandenburg in the film adaptation of the book thief 20. He later played attorney cass winthrop on another world 198286, 198799. Ashton was born in oldham, and later moved to portrush, county antrim. In the early days of the strike, mark ashton ben schnetzer, a young. Pride a truelife tale thats easy to cheer the boston. This weeks dvds evening chronicle newcastle, england. American actor ben schnetzer reveals his pride in starring. Pride depicts events in 1984, when how mark ashton ben schnetzer and his friend mike jackson joe gilgun founded a support group for the striking miners. Joseph gilgun ben schnetzer and dominic west in a film directed by matthew warchus. Mike jackson, if you read this, you have to tell the story of yours, mark ashtons and the other gay activists lives.
Schnetzer loved playing gay activist in pride the star. The strike was well underway when mark ashton ben schnetzer, the book thief, a fervent politico, began recruiting friends at a gay pride march. Except that mark ashton was even more charismatic and attractive and mythical than ben schnetzers portrayal of him. The new york actor, who was most recently seen in brian. Ben schnetzer biography, age, girlfriend, warcraft, pride. Reading news stories about the miners strike, mark recognises a. On the morning of londons gay pride parade in 1984, reallife young activist mark ashton american newcomer ben schnetzer, convincingly accented brainstorms his idea to. At first, the wellmeaning group gets turned away by the national union of mineworkers, who are concerned about inviting more public relations problems on themselves.
An unlikely alliance at the barricades the new york times. And of course, like everyone else, i was in love with the 23 year old canny irish commie mark ashton played by ben schnetzer, albeit mostly from a distance. After playing the role of julie olson williams brother, steven olson, on days of our lives, he joined the cast of the abc soap opera one life to live as fitness expert marcello salta. The top 12 breakthrough actors of 2014 part 10 page 10. Mark ashton ben schnetzer is the charismatic and outspoken leader of young, impassioned campaigners, who operate out of the gays the word bookshop in london run by gethin andrew scott.
Londons lesbian and gay community, engaged in its own battle against discrimination. Ashton s group, lesbians and gays support the miners, formed an. Browse ben schnetzer movies and tv shows available on prime video and begin streaming right away to your favorite device. Ben schnetzer with megaphone as mark ashton, who led lesbians and gays support the miners as the group backed striking welsh miners in the mid80s. Pride shows the alliance of a gay group and mineworkers. See more ideas about panel quilts, lgbt history and pride movie. Schnetzer was born and raised in new york city, the son of actors stephen schnetzer and nancy snyder. The cast are brilliant, the younger as well as the olderben schnetzer, george mackay and joseph gilgun shine. Pride 15 mark ashton ben schnetzer is the charismatic and outspoken leader of young, impassioned campaign ers, who operate out of the gays the word bookshop in london run by gethin andrew scott. Welcome to ben schnetzer fan, your first gallery souce dedicated to american actor ben schnetzer. The following is a list of films with fictional and factual lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender characters. Historically accurate from start to finish, the film focuses on the impassioned efforts of a young homosexual activist called mark ashton ben schnetzer who during a london gay pride march in. Pride 2014 movie hamilton east public library website. But the acting playing field is level and varied, with ben schnetzer as mark ashton the charismatic leader of the lgsm and lesbian activist steph, played by fresh meat actress faye marsay in a stellar, funny and emotional performance.
He began acting in his teens, appearing in the tv drama happy town but, in his own words wanted to give acting a proper shot and moved to london in 2010 to study drama at the guildhall school of music and drama. Stephen beresfords script does a nearmiraculous job of staying true to the both the spirit of the times, and the leading characters bringing both alive. Ben portrayed max vandenburg in the film adaptation of the book thief. Movies moving force that highlights a forgotten story. Pride not many people would give up a hot date in favour of arthur scargill, but thats what young mark ashton the book thiefs ben schnetzer does. He made his break in acting while still in his teenage years, he appeared in the tv show happy town but felt he needed a proper shot in acting thus moving to london in 2010 to study drama. He plays mark ashton in the new movie which is set in the thatcher era and.
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