On this date, the Academy Award winning movie A Beautiful Mind, based on Sylvia Nasar’s biography of John Nash, was officially released in the United States. (On December 21st, 2001 there was a limited release in order to qualify for the Oscar nominations). Directed by Ron Howard with an adapted screenplay by Akiva Goldsman, the film was up for eight Academy Awards and won four (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Jennifer Connelly – Best Supporting Actress). Although nominated for Best Actor, Russell Crowe – who had swept the major acting awards for his role as the Nobel Prize winner – lost to Denzel Washington (Training Days).

The movie also starred Ed Harris, Paul Bettany (husband of Connelly and future Crowe co-star in Master and Commander), Judd Hirsch, Josh Lucas and Christopher Plummer. With a budget of an estimated $58 million, it grossed over $313 million worldwide.  

From the heights of notoriety to the depths of depravity, John Forbes Nash, Jr. experienced it all. A mathematical genius, he made an astonishing discovery early in his career and stood on the brink of international acclaim. But the handsome and arrogant Nash soon found himself on a painful and harrowing journey of self-discovery. After many years of struggle, he eventually triumphed over his tragedy, and finally – late in life – received the Nobel Prize.     Written by Universal Pictures and DreamWorks Pictures (courtesy of IMDB).