Woodrow Tracy "Woody" Harrelson (born July 23 1961) is an American Emmy Award-winning and Academy Award-nominated actor. He is probably best known for his role in the classic sitcom Cheers, as Woody Boyd. Notable film roles include Mickey Knox in Natural Born Killers, Larry Flynt in The People vs. Larry Flynt, Dusty in A Prairie Home Companion and Carson Wells in No Country For Old Men.

Woody Harrelson grew up in Lebanon, Ohio. He received degrees in theatre arts and English from Hanover College, Indiana. His career began in New York theatre as an understudy in Neil Simon's "Biloxi Blues". Within months, he was cast as Woody on the hit TV series, "Cheers" (1982). Due to conflicts with his TV schedule, Harrelson found it difficult to cross-over to films. His first appearance was in Wildcats (1986) with Goldie Hawn. His next movie, Cool Blue (1988) (V), was releases directly to video. He followed with two cameos, which went uncredited. Meanwhile, he continued to be active in theatre in L.A.: "Zoo Story", "2 on 2" (his own basketball drama), "Brooklyn Laundry" (with Glenn Close and Laura Dern). In 1991, Doc Hollywood (1991) gave him his first widely-seen movie role. The following year, White Men Can't Jump (1992), with Wesley Snipes established him as a box-office draw. He followed immediatly with two hits, Indecent Proposal (1993) and Natural Born Killers (1994). Harrelson lives with his former assistant, Laura Louie, and their 3 daughters.

Woody Harrelson was born in Midland, Texas and spent his teen years in Lebanon, Ohio. He attended Hanover College in Indiana, majoring in theater arts and English. Upon graduation, he moved to New York to pursue an acting career. His first job was as an understudy in "Biloxi Blues" on Broadway, followed by a role in his first feature film, Wildcats (1986), starring Goldie Hawn. Additional theater credits include the Off-Broadway production of "The Boys Next Door". In Los Angeles in 1989, he wrote, produced and acted in his original one-act production, "2 on 2", and produced and performed in Edward Albee's "The Zoo Story". "Cheers" (1982) marked his television debut, for which he was honored with the 1989-90 Emmy Award for best supporting actor in a comedy series.