Ben Sherman

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Ben Sherman

Sherman at the MTV Video Music Awards, October 2015
Born Benjamin Blaine Sherman
(1987-12-09) December 9, 1987 (age 37)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation
  • Actor
  • film producer
  • singer
  • songwriter
  • television host
Years active 2010–present
Height 5' 10" (1.778 m)
Spouse(s) Hazel Adelman (m. 2013)
Parents Jean Paul Sherman III (deceased)
Gisela Martine Sherman
Musical career
Genres
  • Rock
  • soft rock
  • acoustic rock
  • progressive rock
  • industrial rock
  • experimental pop
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • guitar
Labels

Benjamin Blaine Sherman (born December 9, 1987) is an American actor, film producer, singer, songwriter, television host, and a member of the Sherman family. He is known for his portrayal of Nick Donahue on Showtime's drama series Hustlers and has also starred in a number of films, including Secret Admirer (2011), Sympathy for the Devil (2011), Clandestine (2012), I Know Bobby Would (2012), and Reborn (2013).

Sherman has enjoyed an acclaimed and storied music career on an independent level on the back of his unprecedented digital distribution deal with YouTube. The Grammy-nominated artist has garnered several accolades, which include the platinum success of his debut album Stating the Obvious, a top five hit on the Billboard Singles Chart with his single "Wasteland", as well as the distinction of becoming the first actor to successfully cross over to the MusicNation industry. He has made Spin magazine's list of the 20 Most Promising Musicians in Rock, has been nominated at the MTV Video Music Awards and American Music Awards, and is heir to the Sherman Oil Company. He has hosted the MovieNation Awards three times, beginning with the 1st Annual ceremony in 2013 and most recently in 2015.

Early life

Benjamin Blaine Sherman was born in Los Angeles, California, and raised in San Francisco before being sent to private school in the United Kingdom, where he was enrolled at Gordonstoun School, an elite boarding school that has educated three generations of the British Royal Family. His great-grandfather was Jean Paul Sherman, founder of the Sherman Oil Company, and at one time one of the richest men in the world. His father was Jean Paul Sherman III, and his mother, Gisela Martine Sherman (née Rosewood), is a professional photographer and documentary filmmaker. Sherman is of Italian, Mexican, English, French, Irish and Polish-Jewish ancestry. His parents divorced in 1993. He has a maternal half-sister, Catherine.

Career

Film and television

"I don't think I’m the best singer, songwriter and I'm obviously not the best actor, but I found a way to have a voice and a presence. Once I have something, then I know that I have the ability to communicate it. Honestly man, it's fun to feel like the rookie. I embrace it. It's not dissimilar to how I've felt for my whole career. I've always felt like the rookie."

—Sherman on his career

Due to his reputation and legal issues, Sherman had a difficult time securing any available acting roles at the beginning of his career. Director Arnie Michaels confirmed he passed on hiring Sherman, who auditioned for a leading role in his film Tropic Dawn. On February 14, 2011, Sherman was cast in the ensemble film $10 (2011), but dropped out the following week due to scheduling conflicts. It was later revealed by his replacement, Macaulay Culkin, that Sherman had been fired over a conflict with director Pablo Ramirez. "He started sh-t talking the captain," Culkin told GQ magazine at the time. In September 2010, in spite of his troubles, Sherman landed his first role as Michael Ryan in Secret Admirer (2011), a remake of the 1985 film of the same name. Months later, he was cast in Sympathy for the Devil (2011) opposite Eva Longoria and Ricardo Chavira. Both films were released as direct-to-disc features, which garnered a cult following despite poor reviews. In an interview with Spin magazine, Sherman commented on his first two films: "Honestly, when you're making a movie, you never say, 'Oh, this one's going to suck and go straight to video.' When you're in it, you think you're doing the best work you can do. You're surrounded by people who are working hard. Everybody's hopeful. It's only a year later when you realize, 'Wait, what was that exactly?' If anything shifted for me, though, it was the realization of how important it is to work with smart people."

Sherman at the I Know Bobby Would premiere in New York City, March 2012

After the critical disappointment of Secret Admirer and Sympathy for the Devil, critics questioned Sherman's potential bankability on the big screen. He eventually made his big screen debut in I Know Bobby Would (2012), for which his chilling performance earned rave reviews. His next project was Clandestine (2012). In the film, he played suspended LAPD undercover officer Jack Prater, who is reluctantly goaded back into active duty in hopes that he can help to crack the case of a slain fellow officer. Due to his father's untimely death, Sherman did not participate in any promotion regarding the film. Clandestine received mixed reviews and struggled at the box office, but Sherman's performance was praised: Jack Matthews of the New York Daily News felt that Sherman played the role of Jack Prater "with great conviction". Cementing his status as a television host, Sherman made time between film and television projects to act as master of ceremonies at the MovieNation Awards, beginning with the 1st Annual ceremony in 2013. His next film was the sci-fi thriller Reborn (2013), in which he starred as as a middle-aged man (Matthew Perry) trapped by choice inside a younger man's body. He was also the executive producer of the project, which was a financial success, grossing $61.5 million at the box office. In June 2014, Sherman was cast as Nick Donahue in Showtime's prime time soap opera series Hustlers. The series revolves around the Donahues, a wealthy Lexington family in the illegal male escort business. Hustlers premiered on February 16, 2015 and is confirmed to return for a third season in March 2017.

Sherman's next film project, an action zombie film, titled Generation Z, will be released in 2017. The film will reunite him with Reborn director Thomas Arlington, and is set to co-star Meghan Ory and Virginia Madsen. He will also portray a country singer in the CMT original movie Nashville Tender, which will premiere on the network in the spring of 2017.

Music

Sherman attending the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, February 2015

In August 2011, Sherman entered a strategic marketing and digital-only distribution deal with YouTube while preparing material for his debut studio album. Sherman commented on his partnership with the video streaming site: "YouTube stands for user empowerment and what better way to engage fans of my music than to embrace their own creativity. When a user selects my music as the soundtrack to their personal creation, it only builds a deeper and more meaningful relationship between artist and fan." He was able to execute the initiative through his own production company Windsurfer Entertainment, which also produces feature films. Due to the groundbreaking concept, Sherman declined offers to sign with a traditional record label, bypassing the archetypal practice of physical album releases. "YouTube is where my music will be distributed, and I’ll be able to track the success of my entire debut album, collectively and individually, based on the number of streams and likes, in addition to digital copies purchased directly through YouTube," Sherman said.

Though originally announced to be released on April 10, 2012, Sherman released his debut album Stating the Obvious, two weeks earlier due to high demand on March 27, 2012, exclusively through YouTube as a digital album and streaming component. It debuted at number eight on the Billboard Albums Chart, selling 276,980 digital units in its first week. To date, the album has sold more than 1.93 million digital units in the United States, and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The album earned Sherman the distinction of becoming the first actor to successfully cross over to the MusicNation industry. The first and only single from Stating the Obvious was "Wasteland", which peaked at number five on the Billboard Singles Chart, becoming Sherman's only single to reach the top five on the chart. Sherman was scheduled to tour North America from June to August 2012 supporting Suite 44's Summer Tour, however, Sherman dropped out of all but one date on the tour following the death of his father. On February 19, 2013, Sherman released his second album Night Drive, which failed to capture the commercial heights of its predecessor, due to lack of promotion. It reached number sixty-seven in its sole week on the Billboard Albums Chart, selling just 980 digital units, making it one of the lowest-selling albums of all-time. The album did have one moderate hit for Sherman, "On the Run", which hit the top twenty on the Billboard Singles Chart. Without the benefit of a lead single, Sherman released his third album All Evil Things on October 20, 2015. It debuted at number thirteen on the Billboard Albums Chart, selling 238,645 digital units in its first week, heralding a modest comeback for the singer.

In July 2016, CMT announced that Sherman's next musical offering will be the soundtrack to the CMT original movie Nashville Tender, in which he plays a country singer. The album, due in spring 2017, will simultaneously serve as the soundtrack to the movie and Sherman's fourth studio album. Nashville Tender will be a complete musical departure from any of Sherman's previous releases, focusing heavily on country music to accompany his character in the film. The album will be distributed by Rebellion Records, a subsidiary of Lollipop Records, marking the first physical release from Sherman and the first departure from his YouTube deal.

Personal life

In November 2011, Sherman began dating his Reborn co-star Hazel Adelman. "When Hazel's here, every day seems better," he revealed to Spin magazine about his relationship with Adelman. "I'm not an easy person to date… I’m a mess around the house, I talk nonstop, I become obsessed with things. This year it's fantasy basketball, which means Hazel has to listen to me talking 24 hours a day about this team. 'Should I take this player out, do you think, baby?' And she listens to it, and she embraces my pranks, my sense of humor, all of those things that other girls hated about me. She finds them cute. I guess that's special." The pair confirmed their engagement in a world exclusive to People magazine in May 2012, and were married in a private ceremony in Puglia, Italy on February 11, 2013.

Addiction, legal woes and sobriety

In February 2008, Sherman was arrested in Malibu, California and was charged with possession of marijuana while driving with a suspended driver's license. On December 13, 2009, he was arrested by the California Highway Patrol after he failed a field sobriety test. He was charged with DUI on State Route 134 in the Burbank/Glendale, California area. Several motorists had reported a black Mercedes-Benz G-Class doing circles on the freeway. He admitted to using marijuana and perscription meds before the incident. On January 25, 2010, Sherman, represented by high-profile Beverly Hills attorney Mark McBride, avoided jail-time in the DUI case and was put on 3 years probation. He acknowledged his drug and alcohol problem in a 2010 interview with Details magazine, stating: "The drinking, the drugs and getting involved with the wrong people... all of that remains present on my mind. I hate the person I used to be, but I don't want to forget him because he's the example I need in order to be the complete opposite." Sherman has been living a clean and sober life since his DUI arrest.

Father's death

On May 28, 2012, Sherman's father, Jean Paul, died at his Brentwood, California estate, following a long illness. He had been in poor health since his 2001 drug overdose, which left him partially paralyzed and nearly blind. He was 54-years-old.

Discography

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2011 Secret Admirer Michael Ryan Direct-to-disc
2011 Sympathy for the Devil Ryan Arthur Direct-to-disc
2012 I Know Bobby Would Bobby Wood
2012 Clandestine Jack Prater
2013 Reborn Adam Greer Also executive producer
2017 Generation Z Caleb Latimore Also executive producer

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2013–2015 MovieNation Awards Himself Television special
2015–present Hustlers Nick Donahue Series regular, 24 episodes
2017 Nashville Tender Jacob Newman Television movie

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Work Result
2012 Video Music Awards Best Rock Video "Wasteland" Nominated
2012 American Music Awards Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist Nominated
2013 MovieNation Awards Outstanding Performance by an Actor I Know Bobby Would Nominated
2013 Grammy Awards Best New Artist Nominated
2015 American Music Awards Favorite Pop/Rock Album All Evil Things Nominated
2015 MovieNation Awards Outstanding Performance in a TV Movie, TV Show or Miniseries Hustlers Nominated
2016 MovieNation Awards Outstanding Performance by a Cast in Television Hustlers Nominated