Who Played Me in "North Country"? Quiz

Answer: Woody Harrelson

Harrelson, born on July 23rd, 1961 in Midland, Texas, was cast as Bill White. White was a lawyer and had given it up to be a hockey player. He befriended Josey Aimes, who worked at a mine in Minnesota, and she told him about how she felt she and her female co-workers were sexually harassed at the mine.

She informed Bill she needed a lawyer to sue the mines and Bill advised her not to sue since a courtroom was not pretty. However, Bill told Josey that she could file a class action lawsuit and explained to her what it was. Josey managed to get two other people to form a class and the suit was filed. Bill was thrilled when he won the lawsuit and set a precedent on sexual harassment in the workforce. Harrelson starred in the films "White Men Can't Jump", "Kingpin" and "Wag the Dog".

In 1997, Harrelson was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for the film, "The People vs. Larry Flynt" but lost to Geoffrey Rush for "Shine". Other Oscar nominees for Best Actor in a Leading Role that year were Tom Cruise for "Jerry Maguire", Billy Bob Thornton for "Sling Blade" and Ralph Fiennes for "The English Patient".

Answer: Charlize Theron

Theron, a native of South Africa, portrayed Josie Aimes. Josie worked at a hair salon and made very little money. She had no idea that the woman whose hair she washed one day was an old family friend named Glory. Glory told Josey that the mine was hiring and Josey told her parents she wanted to work there. Josey's father, Hank, worked at the mine and informed Josey it was dangerous work but Josey was ready for it.

While Josey worked at the mine, she encountered much sexual harassment and got fed up with it.

She got together a couple of her female co-workers and they filed a class action lawsuit against the mining company. During the trial, the mining company's lawyer resurrected Josey's past about how she was raped by a school teacher and became pregnant from the rape.

Theron was in the films "The Cider House Rules", "Men of Honor" and "The Legend of Bagger Vance". In 2006, Theron got an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role for "North Country" but she lost to Reese Witherspoon for "Walk the Line".

Other Oscar nominees for Best Actress in a Leading Role that year were Judi Dench for "Mrs. Henderson Presents", Keira Knightley for "Pride and Prejudice" and Felicity Huffman for "Transamerica." However, Theron won an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role in 2004 for the film "Monster". Other Oscar nominees for Best Actress in a Leading Role that year were Naomi Watts for "21 Grams", Samantha Morton for "In America", Diane Keaton for "Something's Gotta Give" and Keisha Castle-Hughes for "Whale Rider".

Answer: James Cada

Cada landed the part of Don Pearson. Pearson was the head of the mining company and saw Josey at a diner one day with her kids and went over to say hello. He told her he was down at the mine one day and that was how he recognized her. Mr. Pearson informed Josey that she could see him if she had a problem.

In the middle of the movie, Josey went to see Pearson at the mine's corporate offices in Minneapolis since she wanted to bring up some issues with him. Pearson told Josey that she did not need to tell him anything since he had already been briefed on what she was going to tell him. Pearson told Josey that it was typical for employees to give a two weeks' notice when they quit but he informed Josey they would waive that requirement for her and have her tender her resignation immediately. Josey refused to quit and she left. Mr. Pearson met with his attorney, Leslie Conlin, to discuss the case Josey filed and he was upset when the majority of people in court one day stood up for Josey. Cada had roles in the movies "Iron Will", "Grumpier Old Men" and "Drop Dead Gorgeous".

Answer: Frances McDormand

McDormand, born in 1957 in Chicago, Illinois, won the role of Glory for "North Country". Glory was a tough woman and spoke her mind as a union representative for the women who worked at the mine. In one meeting, other reps showed that they felt women working at the mine were bothersome but Glory told them to suck it up and realize they were not going away.

When Josey first went to Glory to tell her about the lawsuit, Glory was in the hospital and not feeling well. Glory could not take it anymore and told Josey to leave.

In the courtroom one day, Glory's husband, Kyle, read a note that Glory wrote and Glory said in the note that she stood with Josey. McDormand had roles in the films "Palookaville", "Plain Pleasures" and "Talk of Angels". In 2006, McDormand received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for "North Country" but she lost to Rachel Weisz for "The Constant Gardener".

Other Oscar nominees for Best Supporting Actress that year were Michelle Williams for "Brokeback Mountain", Catherine Keener for "Capote" and Amy Adams for "Junebug'.

However, McDormand did win an Academy Award in 1997 for Best Actress in a Leading Role for the film "Fargo". Other Oscar nominees for Best Actress in a Leading Role that year were Emily Watson for "Breaking the Waves", Diane Keaton for "Marvin's Room", Brenda Blethyn for "Secrets and Lies" and Kristin Scott Thomas for "The English Patient".

Answer: Sean Bean

Bean, born on April 17th, 1959 in South Yorkshire, England, was cast as Kyle. Kyle was married to Glory and loved her dearly but he knew not to pick a fight with her since she was tough. In one scene, Kyle and Bill White spoke in a bar and Bill told him about Josey approached him about filing a lawsuit. Kyle told Bill that Pearson would never settle out of court even though Bill thought he would.

When Sammy found out his mom was raped and he was a product of that rape, he got very upset and told Kyle he hated her. Kyle reminded Sammy that his mother got pregnant with him in a way that no woman should ever be impregnated and that he should stand by her. Bean was seen in the movies, "Goldeneye", "Troy" and "Don't Say a Word".

Answer: Sissy Spacek

Spacek, a native of Quitman, Texas, portrayed Alice Aimes in "North Country". Alice was Josey's mother and they did not always get along but they were on good terms for the majority of the movie. After Josey quit her job, Alice went over to her house and offered her money and asked her to take it. Josey told Alice she did not need her money and Alice replied it was the least she could do since she was not always there for her while she grew up.

In the final court scene, Alice was seen as one of the many people that stood up in support of Josey. Spacek starred in the films "Lake City", "Tuck Everlasting" and "Affliction".

In 1981, Spacek won an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for the film "Coal Miner's Daughter". Other Oscar nominees for Best Actress in a Leading Role that year were Gena Rowlands for "Gloria", Mary Tyler Moore for "Ordinary People", Goldie Hawn for "Private Benjamin" and Ellen Burstyn for "Resurrection".

Answer: Thomas Curtis

Curtis had the role of Sammy Aimes. Sammy was Josey's son and he was also brother to Karen Aimes. Sammy sparred with his mom on a couple of occasions, such as at a hockey game when Josey refused to let Sammy spend the night at his girlfriend's house. Sammy called Josey a bad name and Josey told him to not ever call her names ever again.

When Kyle spoke to Sammy (for more, see "Interesting Info" section for question five), this persuaded Sammy to give his mother another chance and Sammy and Josey patched things up.

At the end of the movie, Josey allowed Sammy to take her truck for a drive since he was nearing the age when he could get his driver's license. Curtis guest starred on the TV series "CSI: Miami" and "Without a Trace". He was also in the 2002 film "Red Dragon".

Answer: Linda Emond

Emond, born in 1959 in New Brunswick, New Jersey, played Leslie Conlin in "North Country". Leslie appeared midway through the film when Don Pearson enlisted her to represent his company in a sexual harassment lawsuit. Leslie advised Don that it was likely Josey would win her case if she got other people to join the case and make it a class action. Leslie told him that, if he lost the case, he would have set a precedent of sexual harassment policies in the workplace all across the country. Pearson told Leslie to not get soft on him and she assured him she was not soft.

In one scene, Leslie went to see Glory in the hospital and she told her who she was and that she wanted Glory to sign an affidavit from women at the mine who claimed they were not sexually harassed. Kyle and Bill White entered the room and blasted Leslie for this move. Leslie ended up losing the case for the mining company. Emond had guest starring stints on the TV shows "Gossip Girl", "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit" and "Third Watch".

Answer: Jeremy Renner

Renner, born on January 7th, 1971 in Modesto, California, was cast as Bobby Sharp for "North Country". Bobby was Josey's ex-boyfriend and they saw each other again at the mine. Bobby came forward and told Pearson and his attorney, Leslie Conlin, a story about how Josey had two babies out of wedlock and implied she was promiscuous.

In a flashback, we learned that Bobby saw a teacher rape Josey and did nothing to stop it. When he testified, Bill White ripped apart Bobby on the witness stand for allowing a man to rape a young woman. Renner guest starred on the TV series "The Unusuals", "House M.D." and "Time of Your Life"

Answer: Elle Peterson

Peterson got the part of Karen Aimes. Karen was Josey's daughter and Sammy's brother and got along with both of them. In one scene, Karen was eating dinner with Josey, Sammy and her grandparents. Josey told her mom and dad she wanted to work at the mine and her grandfather, Hank, asked her if she wanted to be a lesbian. Karen said she wanted to be a lesbian but presumably she did not know what a lesbian was. Josey told both Sammy and Karen to eat everything on their plates and Sammy asked why. Karen said it was because there were starving people all over the world and Josey said people were starving right there at the table. Right after Josey got her job at the mine, she took both Sammy and Karen out to eat at a diner to celebrate. Peterson's first acting credit was as Karen Aimes in "North Country".

In 2008, she starred in the TV movie "Jane Doe: Eye of the Beholder".