Born July 3, 1973 in Norfolk, Virginia, Patrick grew up in St. Petersburg, Florida and graduated in 1995 with a Drama degree from the prestigious Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  He was a much nominated and awarded stage actor both on Broadway and off before he started making films at the beginning of this decade.  The 6’1”, very handsome, remarkably buff, dirty blond haired, blue-eyed tenor/thespian has an amazing range as he proved repeatedly in notable stage roles in Barefoot In The Park, Oklahoma (for which he was nominated for a Tony Award), The Full Monty (another nod as Best Actor In A Musical), Fascinating Rhythm (Drama League Award), Bright Lights, Big City (Drama Desk Nomination, Drama League Award), Carousel (Drama League Award, L.A. Ovation Nomination), Miss Saigon and Sweet Bird of Youth.  An advocate for Broadway Cares Equity Fights AIDS and the Florida Hurricane Relief Fund, this son of FOX TV anchorman (in Tampa, FL) John Wilson and professional singer/voice teacher Mary K. Wilson, Patrick was undoubtedly born with great talent.  He has two brothers, Mark and Paul, and is married to the stunningly beautiful Polish-American actress Dagmara Dominczyk who also graduated from Carnegie Mellon and with whom he has an infant son named Kalin.

I first noticed Patrick Wilson in the 2003 television mini-series “Angels In America” in which he co-starred with an impressive cast comprised of Al Pacino, Meryl Streep, Emma Thompson, Jeffrey Wright, Justin Kirk and Mary-Louise Parker.  A political epic about the AIDS crisis in America during the mid-eighties, Patrick played Joe Pitt, a Mormon/Republican attorney who also happened to be gay and stuck in the closet as a result of shame and his own religious turmoil.  The part was a triumph for Patrick as he was nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance before going on to co-star in the 2004 film “The Alamo” starring Billy Bob Thornton, Dennis Quaid and Jason Patric as Col. William Travis.  Although I must confess my eyes were mainly glued to Gerard Butler in Andrew Lloyd Weber’s “The Phantom Of The Opera”, Patrick was exceptional as Raoul, the Vicomte de Chagny, who battles The Phantom for Christine’s heart and Patrick has since stolen mine.

The role that really defined Patrick’s immense gift for me was 2005’s “Hard Candy” in which he played Jeff Kohlver, a charming but sinister fashion photographer/pedophile who ends up having the tables turned on him to a devastating end by the teenager he lures to his apartment.  The film wasn’t what I had expected at all and Patrick and his young co-star, Canada’s own Ellen Page, blew me away!  This is a must see film!

Gaye Darbyshire, PartyinKingston.com’s newest movie reviewer and my good friend and I have seen Patrick recently in “Hard Candy”, “Running With Scissors” (although his part was quite small in it) and “Little Children” and we have agreed that he’s definitely got the IT factor!  In “Little Children”, Patrick starred opposite the magnificent Kate Winslet and the glorious Jennifer Connelly (two of my favourite actresses) as Brad Adamson, a young stay-at-home father who is pretending that he’s going to become a lawyer as soon as he passes the Bar exam.  His wife Kathy (Jennifer) as the sole bread winner controls their money and constantly keeps tabs on him which slowly emasculates Brad who was once a college football star.  He meets unhappily married Sarah Pierce on the playground while they’re both entertaining their young children and a torrid affair ensues.  “Little Children” is a brilliant movie and was one of my absolute favourites of 2006 (along with “The Fountain” and “Blood Diamond”).  I won’t give away its subplot but it’s another absolutely must see movie!

From www.imdb.com: [on his 2003 resolution] "To be in a movie or a play which doesn't require me to take off my clothes. Unless, of course, I don't get another job... In which case I'll be half-naked and whole-heartedly depressed for the rest of my career."