Steve Zahn
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Steve Zahn | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Zahn in 2008 | |
| Born | Steven James Zahn November 13, 1967[1] Marshall, Minnesota, United States |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, comedian, voice actor |
| Years active | 1990–present |
| Spouse |
Robyn Peterman (m. 1994) |
| Children | 2 |
Steven James "Steve" Zahn (/ˈzɑːn/; born November 13, 1967) is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for roles in films including; Reality Bites, Forces of Nature, Happy, Texas, Joy Ride, Riding in Cars with Boys, Saving Silverman, Daddy Day Care, National Security, Sahara, A Perfect Getaway, Dallas Buyers Club, and played Frank Heffley in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid film series.
He is also known for lending his voice to Stuart Little, Stuart Little 2, Dr. Dolittle 2, Escape from Planet Earth, Chicken Little, The Good Dinosaur, and voiced Swampy and Sherman on the family television series Phineas and Ferb, and played Cobi on Mad Dogs.
Early life
Zahn was born in Marshall, Minnesota, the son of Zelda, who worked for the YMCA, and Carleton Edward Zahn, a retired Missouri Synod Lutheran pastor.[2][3][4] His father is of German and Swedish descent, and his mother is of German ancestry.[5] Zahn spent part of his childhood in Mankato, Minnesota, attending Kennedy Elementary School, and later moved to the suburbs of Minneapolis.
After attending Robbinsdale Cooper High School, Gustavus Adolphus College, and the Institute for Advanced Theater Training at American Repertory Theater at Harvard University, his first professional acting role was in Biloxi Blues, a Minnesota production at the Old Log Theater; but his first big break came in 1994, when he was noticed by actor/director Ben Stiller, who cast him in his picture, Reality Bites.
Career
Zahn's early roles were split between movies, touring companies of Broadway shows, TV shows, and Brazzers. From 1992 to 1993, he toured as Hugo with the Barry Weissler production of Bye Bye Birdie with Tommy Tune, Ann Reinking, and Marc Kudisch. He played Phoebe Buffay's husband Duncan in a 1995 episode of Friends.
Zahn appeared in several films in the mid-1990s, including Tom Hanks' That Thing You Do! (1996), Nora Ephron's You've Got Mail (1998), and Steven Soderbergh's Out of Sight (1998). These films garnered him enough respect that he was offered the starring role in the critically acclaimed indie film Happy, Texas (1999). Some of Zahn's most popular movies have been his later ones, including National Security (2003), Daddy Day Care (2003) and Sahara (2005).
Zahn received his strongest critical acclaim for his performance in Riding in Cars with Boys, in which he co-starred with Drew Barrymore as her dim-witted, drug addicted husband. Roger Ebert, Richard Roeper and the BBC stated that the performance was deserving of an Oscar nomination. He also gave dramatic performances in Rescue Dawn and the television mini-series Comanche Moon.
Typically typecast into comic relief sidekick roles, Zahn was asked if he minded, his reply was that it was a "pleasure" and a "privilege," saying: "to be typecast and make money and make people happy and people dig what you do, what a great thing, man."[1]
Zahn also plays the character of Davis McAlary in HBO's Treme. Davis is a New Orleans native and local music lover, as well as one of Treme's biggest partiers, and advocates. Zahn also recorded a song for the show, and is featured on the show's soundtrack. The track, "Shame, Shame, Shame", criticizes George W. Bush and the American government's response to the disastrous aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in the city of New Orleans.
In 2014, he co-starred with Christian Slater in ABC's sitcom Mind Games.[6]
Personal life
On July 16, 1994, Zahn married Robyn Peterman, an actress and the daughter of entrepreneur John Peterman, whom Zahn met on a touring production of Bye Bye Birdie. They have a son, Henry James Zahn, born on April 3, 2000, and a daughter, Audrey Clair Zahn, born on April 25, 2002. On May 4, 2007, he was conferred an honorary Ph.D. in Fine Arts, from Northern Kentucky University.
Zahn is also a University of Kentucky sports fan, often seen at games and events.[7]
Filmography
Film
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | All My Children | Spence | Episode #5303 uncredited |
| 1993 | South Beach | Lane Bailey | Episode: "Pirates of the Caribbean" |
| 1995 | Friends | Duncan | "The One with Phoebe's Husband" |
| Mike & Spike | Nick Pickles (voice) | Episode: "Person to Clothes" | |
| Picture Windows | Crook | Episode: "Armed Response" | |
| 1997 | Liberty! The American Revolution | American Sergeant | 4 episodes |
| 1998 | From the Earth to the Moon | Astronaut Elliot See | Miniseries Episode: "Can We Do This?" |
| 2008 | Comanche Moon | Augustus "Gus" McCrae | 3 episodes |
| 2008–2013 | Phineas and Ferb | Swampy/Sherman | Voice Episode: "Dude, We're Gettin' the Band Back Together!" |
| 2009 | Monk | Jack Monk, Jr. | Episode: "Mr. Monk's Other Brother" |
| WWII in HD | Nolen Marbrey | Voice | |
| 2010–2013 | Treme | Davis McAlary | Regular, 31 episodes |
| 2014 | Mind Games | Clark Edwards | Regular |
| 2014–2015 | Modern Family | Ronnie La Fontaine | Recurring Role |
| 2015–2016 | Mad Dogs (TV series) | Cobi | Series regular |
Miscellaneous
- 'The Other Ted' (1995) - Allison Anders/Quentin Tarantino
References
- ^ a b "Biography for Steve Zahn". IMDb.com. Retrieved 2013-10-20.
- ^ "CANOE - JAM! Movies - Artists - Zahn, Steve : Steve Zahn has a smart funny humour". Jam.canoe.ca. 2001-02-26. Retrieved 2013-10-20.
- ^ Hewitt, Chris (1997-03-12). "FROM ROCKER TO SLACKER, THE VARIOUS ROLES OF MINNESOTA NATIVE STEVE ZAHN ARE SIGNS OF A RAPIDLY BUDDING TALENT". St. Paul Pioneer Press. Retrieved 2007-12-10.
- ^ "Steve Zahn Biography - Yahoo Movies Canada". Ca.movies.yahoo.com. Archived from the original on October 22, 2013. Retrieved 2013-10-20.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Steve Zahn at IMDb
- ^ "ABC Cancels 'Mind Games' After Five Episodes". hollywoodreporter.com. 27 March 2014.
- ^ Jones, Matt (2010-03-19). "Steve Zahn at UK Game Last Night". Kentucky Sports Radio. Retrieved 2013-10-20.
External links
- Steve Zahn at IMDb
- BBC film critic BBC review of 'Riding in Cars with Boys', suggests Academy Award nomination for Zahn
- Video interview with Steve Zahn on Rescue Dawn
- Steve Zahn Interview (Rescue Dawn)
- Onion A.V. Club Interview
- Steve Zahn at FEARnet
- 1967 births
- 20th-century American male actors
- 21st-century American male actors
- American Lutherans
- American people of German descent
- American people of Swedish descent
- American male comedians
- American male film actors
- American male television actors
- American male voice actors
- Gustavus Adolphus College alumni
- Harvard University alumni
- Independent Spirit Award winners
- Living people
- Male actors from Minnesota
- Northern Kentucky University alumni
- People from Marshall, Minnesota
- People from Georgetown, Kentucky